Decaf Tastes Good (Yes it Does!)

I'm on a mission to reduce the stigma around decaf coffee in today's blog post. Many believe decaf lacks flavour or isn’t "real coffee." But, in fact, decaf can be as rich, flavourful, and enjoyable as regular coffee when it’s crafted with care. The main issue with decaf has historically been that it isn't treated with the same attention to detail or level of respect that full-caf coffee is so people usually have a bad experience with it. The result: decaf is terrible. But actually, it was never really given a fair chance.

First though, what is decaf all about? Coffee beans naturally contain caffeine, and there are various methods that can be used to decaffeinate coffee prior to roasting. Let's touch on the most common ones briefly:

Decaf Processing Methods

1. Mountain Water Process (MWP): this is the method used for the Mellow - Decaf Blend. It works by soaking the beans in water to remove the caffeine naturally, without chemicals. The result is a decaf coffee that retains its original flavour profile, which is key to Mood’s Mellow blend.
2. Ethyl Acetate Process (EA or Natural Decaf): this method uses a naturally occurring compound found in fruits to remove caffeine. It results in a gentle, naturally decaffeinated option, with heightened fruity notes due to its processing method.
3. CO2 Process: this method uses carbon dioxide to selectively extract caffeine. It preserves flavour well, though it’s less common in specialty coffee.
4. Methylene Chloride Process (MC): this method uses methylene chloride, a chemical solvent, to extract caffeine from green coffee beans.  The MC process tends to preserve much of the coffee’s flavour and is very popular in commodity coffee decaffeination. (Though it may sound concerning, the process is tightly regulated. Residual levels of MC in the beans are well below FDA safety limits, making it a safe method of decaffeination.)

The secret to a good decaf starts with premium specialty beans. Quality makes all the difference here. Specialty roasters carefully source beans with complex flavour profiles, ensuring that decaf can taste as good as any caffeinated coffee. Mood's Mellow - Decaf Blend, for example, is a specialty premium grade coffee from Mexico and evokes feelings of nostalgia for me due to it's taste profile. Malted milk, banana cake and baking spices - who wouldn't want to taste those in a cup of coffee? When I first sampled this coffee, I was surprised at how it stood out on the table next to other full-caf coffees. I knew I had to have it as part of my product lineup.

The way the coffee is roasted also matters. If you treat decaf with respect by optimizing its flavours and making it shine to its fullest extent, you will get a delicious cup of coffee each time. The respect starts with choosing a quality bean, roasting it to its full potential and then treating it well while brewing (not using stale coffee and dialing it in properly each time).

Next, let's help demystify some facts about decaf!

Debunking Decaf Myths

Myth 1: Decaf is Flavourless

• Many associate decaf with bland or weak coffee, but specialty decaf can deliver bold flavours when roasted properly.

Myth 2: Decaf is Full of Chemicals

• Most specialty decafs are made with water-based, chemical-free methods like MWP or EA which contain almost no chemicals. Any chemicals that are used have been shown to have no adverse affect on humans due to the low amount of PPM (parts per million) contained in the final product.

• Great decaf starts with great beans. Specialty coffee roasters are debunking this myth by choosing high-quality beans for decaf.

Why I Drink Decaf:

There are many benefits to drinking decaf coffee and when it’s a perfect choice over full-caf coffee. I drink it when I feel like having a late afternoon or early evening coffee. Especially now that winter is coming, having a warm cup of something to sip on is nice when you're battling these frigid Canadian winters.

Try out Mood's Mellow - Decaf Blend and see what you think. I bet you won't even be able to tell you're drinking decaf!