Decaf coffee has a reputation problem.
Mention decaf to some coffee drinkers and you can almost see the disappointment on their face. Weak, flat, slightly strange coffee that you only drink because you cannot have the real thing.
And, to be fair, plenty of decaf has deserved that reputation.
But good decaf coffee has changed enormously. Better green coffee, better decaffeination processes and speciality coffee roasters actually taking decaf seriously mean you no longer have to choose between less caffeine and good coffee.
So if you are looking for the best decaf coffee in the UK, here is what we think you should actually be looking for.
Why does decaf coffee sometimes taste bad?
There is nothing about removing caffeine that automatically makes coffee taste terrible.
The problem is that decaffeination adds another stage of processing between the coffee being harvested and reaching your cup.
Every stage has the potential to affect flavour.
Historically, decaf was also often treated as an afterthought. If a coffee company assumed its decaf customers were primarily buying it because they could not drink caffeine, there was less incentive to start with particularly interesting coffee in the first place.
Start with fairly ordinary green coffee, put it through another processing stage, roast it without much care and leave it sitting around for months, and the result is unlikely to be particularly exciting.
Good decaf starts with a much simpler principle.
The coffee needs to be good before you remove the caffeine.
How is caffeine removed from coffee?
There are several different methods of decaffeinating coffee, including water-based processes, carbon dioxide processes and solvent-based methods.
The method used can influence the final flavour, but it is not the only thing that matters.
The quality of the original green coffee, how it was processed at origin, how it is decaffeinated and how the coffee is subsequently roasted all contribute to what eventually ends up in your cup.
Our Mellow Decaf uses the sugarcane decaffeination process.
What is sugarcane decaf?
Sugarcane decaf is particularly associated with Colombia, where our Mellow Decaf is produced.
The process uses ethyl acetate, a compound that can be derived from sugarcane, to remove caffeine from the green coffee before it is roasted.
Ethyl acetate selectively bonds with caffeine, allowing much of the caffeine to be removed while retaining as much of the coffee's original flavour as possible.
The coffee is then dried and prepared for roasting.
One of the reasons we like the process is the result in the cup. It allows us to offer a decaf that still tastes like the kind of coffee we actually want to drink.
And that, really, is the test that matters.
What should good decaf coffee taste like?
Like coffee.
That might sound obvious, but it is probably the most important point in this article.
You should not have to accept a thin, hollow or strange-tasting cup simply because you have chosen decaf.
Good decaf should still have sweetness, body and identifiable flavour characteristics.
Our Mellow Decaf is designed to be exactly what the name suggests: mellow, approachable and easy to drink.
Expect flavours of toffee and chocolate, with a medium roast that works particularly well if you like a rich, comforting cup of coffee.
It is not trying to be a wildly experimental coffee.
It is designed to be the sort of decaf you can happily drink every day.
Our Mellow Decaf
Our Mellow Decaf comes from Colombia, with coffee sourced from small-scale producers across Cauca, Tolima, Antioquia and Eje Cafetero.
The farms are typically between 1 and 4.5 hectares, with the coffee grown at altitudes of approximately 1,400 to 2,100 metres.
The coffee is Caturra, a variety widely grown in Colombia, and is fully washed before undergoing the sugarcane decaffeination process.
We then medium roast it at our coffee roastery in Glenrothes, Fife.
In the cup, you can expect:
- Toffee
- Chocolate
- A smooth, approachable body
- Plenty of sweetness
The result is a coffee we think stands up as a good coffee in its own right, rather than something that needs the qualification of being “good for decaf”.
Does decaf coffee taste exactly the same as normal coffee?
Not necessarily, and we do not think it is particularly useful to pretend otherwise.
Decaffeination is an additional processing stage and it can affect the coffee.
But there is a huge difference between saying that decaffeination can change a coffee and saying that decaf has to taste bad.
It doesn't.
With good green coffee, careful decaffeination and proper roasting, you can produce decaf with plenty of sweetness, body and flavour.
If the last decaf you tried was a dusty sachet in a hotel room ten years ago, it is probably worth giving it another chance.
Does decaf coffee contain any caffeine?
Yes.
This sometimes surprises people, but decaf does not mean completely caffeine-free.
The vast majority of the caffeine is removed during decaffeination, but a small amount can remain.
If you need to avoid caffeine completely for medical reasons, it is worth discussing that with an appropriate healthcare professional rather than assuming all decaffeinated drinks contain zero caffeine.
For everyone else, decaf can be a useful way to significantly reduce caffeine intake while still enjoying coffee.
When is the best time to drink decaf coffee?
Whenever you want one.
But one of our favourite uses for decaf is later in the day.
You can have your usual caffeinated coffee in the morning, then switch to decaf in the afternoon or evening when you still fancy the ritual and flavour of a proper cup of coffee but do not necessarily want another caffeine hit.
You do not have to become a “decaf drinker”.
You can simply drink both.
In fact, plenty of people keep caffeinated and decaffeinated beans at home and choose between them depending on the time of day.
Is decaf good for espresso?
Absolutely, provided you start with a decaf that has been roasted appropriately.
Mellow works particularly well as espresso because its chocolate and toffee characteristics lend themselves to a richer style of coffee.
It also works well with milk, making it a good choice for decaf flat whites, cappuccinos and lattes.
If you prefer caffeinated coffee during the day, you can also explore our espresso blends.
Keeping your regular espresso and a bag of decaf alongside it gives you the option of making essentially the same drinks at home at different times of day.
Can you buy decaf as ground coffee?
Yes.
If you have a grinder at home, we generally recommend buying whole beans and grinding your coffee immediately before brewing.
But you absolutely do not need to own a grinder to drink good decaf.
You can order our Mellow Decaf as whole bean or have it ground to suit the way you make coffee at home.
The important thing is choosing the correct grind for your brewing method.
How should you store decaf coffee?
Exactly as you would store caffeinated coffee.
Keep it sealed and away from excessive air, heat, light and moisture.
A cool, dry kitchen cupboard is normally ideal.
And please don't put it in the fridge.
We have written a complete guide on how to store coffee beans properly, including when freezing coffee is actually worthwhile. [LINK THIS TO THE STORAGE BLOG ONCE YOU HAVE PUBLISHED IT]
How to choose the best decaf coffee
If you are comparing decaf coffees online, we would look for the same information you should expect when buying any good speciality coffee.
Look for a roaster that tells you where the coffee came from, how it was processed, how it was decaffeinated and what you should expect it to taste like.
The words “100% Arabica Decaf” on their own do not tell you very much.
You should be able to find out something about the coffee itself.
And ultimately, buy based on what you actually enjoy drinking.
If you like rich, chocolatey coffee, look for those tasting notes. If you prefer brighter and fruitier coffees, look for a decaf with that kind of profile.
There is no prize for drinking the coffee somebody else thinks you should like.
Try Mellow Decaf
Our Mellow Decaf is roasted at our Scottish speciality coffee roastery in Glenrothes, Fife.
It is available in 200g, 500g and 1kg bags, as whole bean or ground to suit your preferred brewing method.
It is smooth, sweet and chocolatey, with plenty of flavour and considerably less caffeine.
And if you are still convinced you don't like decaf, we'd quite like the opportunity to change your mind.
If you would rather stick with the caffeinated stuff for now, you can explore our bestselling coffees, browse our espresso blends, or see our full coffee range.