Australian Coffee Culture · Real-life English

Specialty Coffee Menu English: Washed, Natural and Anaerobic Processing

Understand coffee processing terms on specialty café menus and practise asking baristas for a plain-English explanation.

Updated 16/10/2026 · Educational guide

Quick answer

When a specialty café lists washed, natural or anaerobic beside a coffee, these words usually describe how coffee cherries were processed after harvesting. They do not describe how the barista washes your cup.

Understand the Australian context

Washed coffee typically has much of the fruit removed before drying. Natural coffee dries with the fruit around the seed. Anaerobic refers to fermentation under conditions with little or no oxygen; exact methods differ between producers. These labels do not guarantee a particular flavour.

Descriptions such as fruity, bright and funky are tasting impressions, not measurable promises. Ask what the particular coffee tastes like.

Words to recognise

washed process

fruit removal, fermentation/washing and drying methods associated with cleaner cup profiles

natural process

coffee dried with whole fruit around the seed

anaerobic fermentation

fermentation in low-oxygen conditions; actual protocols vary

tasting notes

the flavours a seller or taster perceives in a coffee

Conversation practice

A longer conversation: choosing between two filter coffees

• "Sorry, what does ... mean on a menu?" is a polite, natural way to ask for a plain-English explanation without feeling embarrassed.
• "to me" in "tea-like to me" shows the barista is giving an impression, not a fact. Tasting notes are personal.
• "I'll try ... first" is a friendly way to decide when you are not sure yet.

More useful phrases

Could you walk me through the menu?

Please explain the menu step by step.Use it: When a specialty menu has many unfamiliar words.

How would you describe it?

What is it like? What can you tell me about the taste?Use it: When you want the barista's own impression of a coffee.

What's the roast like?

Is the coffee roasted lighter or darker?Use it: When you want to know about the roast level.

Where is this one from?

Which country or region produced this coffee?Use it: When you are asking about origin.

Is it brewed as a pour-over or on batch brew?

Which brewing method is used for this coffee?Use it: When you want to know how your filter coffee is made.

I tend to prefer something less fruity.

I usually like coffees that taste less fruity.Use it: When you want to say what you like and ask for a suggestion.

Common mistakes and better ways to say it

• Less helpful: “What is anaerobic? I don't understand.”

  Try instead: “Sorry, could you explain what anaerobic means?”

  A polite question with 'could you' sounds friendlier and is easier for staff to answer.

• Less helpful: “Which one is the best coffee?”

  Try instead: “Which one would you recommend for someone who likes a lighter cup?”

  Tastes differ, so asking for a recommendation based on what you like works better than asking for the 'best'.

• Less helpful: “This coffee will taste like berries, right?”

  Try instead: “Would you say this one tastes a bit like berries?”

  Tasting notes are impressions, so a softer question fits better than expecting a promise.

• Less helpful: “Is washed about cleaning the cup?”

  Try instead: “Does washed describe how the coffee was processed at the farm?”

  Washed usually describes processing after harvest, not anything done to your cup.

Menus are a starting point for a chat

In many Australian specialty cafés, the menu or a small card is only a starting point. Baristas often enjoy talking about the coffees they serve, so asking a question is usually welcome rather than rude.

Try to ask when the café is not too busy. If there is a queue, make a quick choice and ask your questions another time. It also helps to say what you usually like, such as milk coffee, lighter flavours or something new. That gives the barista a clear starting point for a useful suggestion.

Try it yourself

Read a specialty coffee menu and explain two processing words in your own English.

Continue learning on Chatsifieds

• Coffee Culture hub
• Phrase Wall
• australian cafe english glossary a to z
• flat white cafe english australia
• Meeting Someone at an Australian Café: English from Invitation to Goodbye
• When an Australian Café Is Busy: English for Queues, Waiting and Tables
• Coffee Tasting Notes Explained: Chocolate, Fruit, Floral and More
• Coffee Origins Explained: Country, Region, Farm and Lot

Independent reference sources

The following educational or coffee-industry sources provide context; they are not paid partner links.

• Specialty Coffee Association — effects of fermentation
• Project Origin — coffee processing glossary