Decaf coffee is often mystified and scorn at by coffee lovers, and industry professionals alike, however there are many reasons someone might be thinking of trying a decaf coffee. For some a decaf coffee allows them to enjoy the world's most popular drink without any of the usual effects of caffeine.
There are many decaffeinating processes that a coffee can go through before being roasted, however here we'll explain two of the processes of our brand new decaf coffees!
Colombia Timaná Decaf E.A.
The beautifully sweet Colombia Timana Decaf is processed by a naturally occurring sugar cane alcohol to remove the caffeine from the bean.
In scientific terms the EA process is a direct solvent decaffeinating method. EA (Ethyl Acetate) is an acidic chemical compound that is found naturally in fruits and vegetables such as bananas, apples and also coffee itself.
The solvent is first circulated through a bed of green coffee beans and then recaptured in an evaporator while the beans are washed with water. The chemicals are drained along with the caffeine, then the beans are steamed – removing around 96-97% of the caffeine.
Using this method is considered ‘naturally decaffeinated’ when the Ethyl Acetate being used comes from fruit or vegetables. An advantage of using this direct solvent for decaffeinating, is that it is more directly targeted to caffeine and does not drastically alter the coffee's own distinct flavour.
Timaná is located in the south of Huila, 180 km away from the state´s capital, Neiva. It lies between the central and Cordillera Central and Occidental, near the famous Valley of Laboyos. It is a prime location for growing high quality Colombian coffee.
Shop the Colombia Timana Decaf here.
Mexico Mountain Water Decaf
Similar in practice to the Swiss Water Process, however this water decaffeinating process is specific to Mexico itself, using water from the glaciers of the highest mountains in the country!
The green coffee beans are soaked in hot water to expand the coffee’s pores, making the caffeine more easily extractable. The beans are then submerged in a mix of water and coffee solids, over time this water process removes the caffeine while leaving the original flavour oils within the coffee bean.
The water is then removed along with the caffeine that has been filtered out, leaving the green beans with 99.9% of the caffeine removed, which is the highest of the decaf methods.
This Mexico Mountain Water Decaf is a traceable single estate coffee from the Finca La Laja farm close to the village of Huatusco in the state of Veracruz. It’s grown at a high altitude, utilising the tropical climate and fertile soil found there.
Today, the farm is certified for its sustainable production with RFA and 4C. The name "La Laja" is derived from the name of a stone common in the region of Huatusco, Veracruz.