Raised beds, concrete, and nets
Three surfaces, three cups.
The three
Raised beds give airflow on all sides and the cleanest cup. Concrete patios are faster and hotter, and can bake a fruit note into the bean.
Nets are a compromise for humid sites: slower drying, more handling, fewer disasters.
Drying is where a good cherry becomes a good bean, or does not.
Reading the label
A farm that names its drying surface is telling you it has thought about the process. 'Sun-dried' alone tells you almost nothing in a country where it rains weekly.
Ask how many days on the bed. Under ten is fast, over twenty is slow, and both can be right.
Disclosure: this article contains no affiliate links. Prices and dates checked in October 2026. Our methodology.