What Makes Good Decaf Coffee Beans?
We might be biased (though one billion people on our planet agree), but we think coffee is pretty much the top of the drink pyramid (sorry water). It’s also loaded with antioxidants and other good for you micronutrients.
But not everyone can drink coffee, or choose not to, for a whole variety of reasons. And for those people, good decaf coffee beans are a great choice.
But wait (we hear you saying)! Are decaf coffee beans any good? Well the answer to that is absolutely yes… but also often no. Let’s see why, and what you need to look for to make sure you’re getting a good decaf coffee drinking experience.
What Makes Good Decaf Coffee Beans?
When it comes to buying good decaf coffee beans, there’s no reason that it shouldn’t be just as good as regular coffee. After all, the process for removing the caffeine should, when done correctly, leave the full flavour behind. But unfortunately, many people have had bad experiences with decaf coffee (both at home and in even the best cafes).
If you’re looking to buy good decaf coffee beans you need to think about three things:
First, are the beans fresh?
Second, what caffeine extraction process has been used?
And third, how have the beans been roasted?
Choose Fresh Beans
If you’ve been served a terrible cup of decaf coffee at a café, that might be because it’s just not fresh. Decaf simply doesn’t turnover at the same rate as regular coffee. And if the café staff isn’t right on top of things, the beans and the grounds could sit for a long time between use.
Fresh is best when it comes to coffee—whether regular or decaf. And it’s pretty easy to tell if your coffee is fresh. Just give it a smell. Fresh coffee smells intoxicating. And it should remind you of all kinds of different flavours (like orange or chocolate or nuts). On the other hand, if your coffee smells bland or, worse, like nothing at all, then it’s definitely stale. Give it a pass.
One way to make sure you’ve got the freshest beans (decaf or otherwise) is to order beans in smaller amounts more frequently. Many coffee roasters offer subscriptions (we do!), too.
Look for the Swiss Water Method of Decaffeination
When it comes to removing the caffeine from the beans, there are four processes that can be used. The first two involve soaking the beans in a solvent—methylene chloride or ethyl acetate. It’s worth noting that methylene chloride is also used as a paint stripper, while ethyl acetate, though derived from fruit, is used to make nail polish remover.
The next method is the carbon dioxide method. Beans are soaked in water and then placed in a stainless steel extractor. At this point liquid CO2 is blasted at the beans at extremely high pressure. The CO2 binds with the caffeine molecules, drawing them out of the unroasted bean. While this is a good method, it is very, very expensive.
The fourth method is the one we believe results in the best decaf coffee beans, and that’s the Swiss Water method. With this method beans are also soaked in water, and then the caffeine rich solution is strained though activated carbon which pulls out the caffeine. The beans are then rehydrated with the flavour rich water solution.
We prefer the Swiss Water method because it retains the flavour, without subjecting the beans to anything nasty. And it’s a relatively sustainable process, too.
Buy From Master Roasters
Because decaffeinated beans have already been subject to a decaffeination process, their water molecules are just a little bit more unstable. And so they need to be handled a little bit more gently at the roasting stage. Rather than being roasted with the same heat levels and energy as a caffeinated bean, they need to be roasted at a slightly lower temp, for a little bit longer. This is something a master roaster has the expertise to manage.
In addition, decaffeinated beans start out a little bit darker than regular green beans. While all roasters rely somewhat on the outside colour of the beans, it’s far more difficult with decaf beans. Again, this is something that a master roaster is best able to handle.
It’s always worth seeking out specialised coffee roasters who only provide high-quality coffee, instead of buying from roasters who discount or try to cater to people who want cheap, low-quality coffee. When a roaster discounts their coffee, those lower margins ultimately affect the coffee supply chain. And the people these margins affect the most are the small farmers who are growing the coffee.
When farmers receive less money for their beans, they have less of an incentive to keep growing coffee. And this means coffee lovers won’t get to experience the range of coffee diversity that is possible.
Good Decaf Coffee Beans are Worth a Try
Decaf coffee can definitely still taste great. Just ensure that you’re buying beans that have been decaffeinated without the use of chemicals. And that the beans have been handled by a master roaster who understands how to create the right roast curve for these kinds of beans. Finally, you need to make sure that your decaf coffee beans (or grounds) are fresh. If they aren’t, you might as well stick with water!
We have good decaf coffee beans (from Mexico!) in stock. We guarantee a delicious experience without the caffeine! Check out our shop today.