Is There Any Good-Tasting Decaf Coffee Out There?

Is there a good-tasting decaf out there or is all hope gone? 

We love being the bearer of good news: decaf coffee can actually taste as good as its caffeinated counterpart. In fact, that should be the norm.

Before settling for another bland decaf coffee that just tastes flat, have a read through and learn the differences between a good decaf coffee and less deserving one.

This Is Why Your Decaf Coffee Tastes Bad

For years, decaf coffee earned a bad reputation not because it had to taste bad, but because of how the caffeine was removed.

Coffee beans are packed with flavour, but if the decaffeination process isn’t gentle enough to preserve them, the result is a cup of coffee that lacks depth and flavour. 

The decaffeinating process at fault is called solvent-based decaffeination and it uses substances like methylene chloride or ethyl acetate to remove caffeine from green coffee beans.

The first step is to open the pores of the coffee beans by steaming them.

The second step takes place when the solvent bonds to the coffee’s molecule, thus removing caffeine. This step is repeated until the beans are fully decaffeinated, then they are steamed again to remove the solvent.

During the process, the solvent removes the flavor compounds as well as the caffeine, which in turn makes your coffee taste flat.

It is, unfortunately, a common procedure because it’s fast and cost-effective and it is oftentimes applied to commercial grade coffee beans.

This Is The Best Decaf Coffee You’ll Actually Enjoy

We had a look at the wrong way of decaffeinating coffee beans, so it’s time to look at the right one too so you know exactly what to look for when you next purchase coffee.

Enter, The Swiss Water Process.

The Swiss Water Process was discovered in 1933 in Switzerland when a coffee shipment accidentally got soaked in water. 

A mill worker noticed that the beans lost their caffeine but still retained much of their flavor. Decades later, this accidental discovery inspired the chemical-free decaffeination method we know today, using water and carbon filters to preserve flavor while removing caffeine.

This way the flavour compounds are reabsorbed by the beans resulting in a sweeter cup with a smooth body and a cup of coffee you’ll actually enjoy.

That being said, whenever you search for a decaf coffee, make sure it has Swiss Water Process in the name. 

We have a few decaf coffees available on our website and the best-selling ones in the last few months are:

Swiss Water Decaf- Colombia Excelso that features sweet tasting notes of brown sugar and brews a delicious cup of coffee in any brewing method.

The Decaf Festive Range is a bundle of decaf coffees blended with spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, pumpkin spice) that bring warm, delicious tasting notes to your cup.  What better way to warm up on a cold day than with a spiced, warm cup of coffee?

Do you prefer a faster and more convenient way to brew coffee? The Colombian Excelso is available as Nespresso-compatible pods, too.

Start experimenting with the variety of decafs so you can find your favourite one.

P.S. We’re always happy to help! If you need a recommendation or to learn more about our coffees, contact our team. We’re always just an email away!