About this Coffee
This coffee may lack caffeine, but it’s bright and fruity with citrusy flavor notes that are balanced by a deep, rich sweetness.
Decaf’s reputation of lacking nuance and flavor is officially over. This Colombian decaf is processed using the E.A. method, a natural process which maintains the coffee’s integrity during decaffeination. The E.A. process includes soaking the unroasted coffee in a solution of water and Ethyl Acetate (E.A.). Ethyl Acetate may sound a bit scary, but it’s quite natural. Its creation begins with sugar cane that is turned into molasses. The molasses is then fermented to create ethanol and processed with acetic acid to create the Ethyl Acetate that will be used in the extraction of caffeine. Ethyl Acetate is used in food pretty extensively and is known for bringing a fruity flavor to: hard candy, chewing gum, ice cream, and other products. It can also be naturally occurring in fruits (pineapple, berries, apples, and pears), and is a key to the flavor of rum. The unroasted, green coffee is soaked in the E.A. solution which bonds to the caffeine, extracting it out of the bean. Once all the caffeine is removed, the bean is steamed to remove residual E.A., and voila! You’ve got decaf, baby!
This particular coffee is grown in San Agustín, Huila, Colombia which is an iconic coffee growing region responsible for producing numerous top placers for The Cup of Excellence Auction. Coffee production and farming in San Agustín is predominantly done by smallholder producers. The average farm size is between 3-6 hectares, and are widely family owned and managed. Each of the farms are responsible for their own production and initial stages of milling. The beans are carefully selected to meet the San Agustín quality standards. Only those who meet the cup profile standards are then milled, electronically sorted through optical sorters and prepared for the decaffeination process.
We’ve selected this coffee as one of our decaf options because of its meticulous cultivation and decaffeination. We’ve roasted it to bring out its best qualities and to suit a great many taste buds. What we offer you is a coffee with contemporary flavors, but with a deep and surprising complexity.