Decaf isn't what it used to be, it's better

For a long time, ordering a decaf was almost an admission of defeat and of someone who wasn't really a good coffee connoisseur.

The scenario is usually the same: someone likes coffee but wants to avoid caffeine, whether due to sensitivity, health issues, anxiety (apparently increasingly common), or simply because they want to drink a cup at night without spending the next few hours staring at the ceiling (like me as I write this article at 10:47 PM). The problem is that decaf rarely received the same care as regular coffee.

In most cases, it was a secondary product. Medium-quality coffee, overly dark roasts, and decaffeination processes that left little room for the origin to express itself in the cup.

Fortunately, that's changing. In recent years, decaf has finally started to receive the attention it deserves, particularly within specialty coffee. And the truth is that some of the best coffees we've tasted recently are precisely decaffeinated.

In fact, this article came about for a very simple reason: we're looking for a decaf, and during the tests we've been doing, we've once again realized something – the world of decaf has evolved much more than most people imagine.

Decaf drinkers can be the biggest coffee connoisseurs

There's a curious idea in the coffee world. Many people assume that decaf drinkers like coffee less. But often the exact opposite is true.

Those who choose decaf are often looking only for the flavor. They're not looking for the stimulant, they're not looking for the energy, they're not looking for the effect of caffeine.

They seek coffee for coffee's sake; they want to be able to drink a cup after dinner. They want to make a V60 in the late afternoon. They want an espresso after a meal without compromising their sleep.

What exactly is caffeine?

Caffeine doesn't exist in the plant to help us wake up. In nature, it primarily functions as a defense mechanism. The coffee plant produces caffeine as a natural repellent against insects and other threats. It's a kind of natural pesticide created by the plant itself.

Interestingly, the amount of caffeine varies depending on the species and also on the growing conditions. Generally, coffees grown at higher altitudes grow more slowly. Typically, coffees grown at higher altitudes have slightly lower caffeine levels.

Arabica vs Robusta: the big difference

Arabica coffees typically contain between 0.8% and 1.5% caffeine. Robustas, however, can easily reach 2% to 2.7%.

In other words, a Robusta coffee can have almost double the caffeine of an Arabica.

This is also why commercial coffees use Robusta: it contributes to a greater perceived intensity, more bitterness, and more caffeine.

How much caffeine is actually in a cup?

The values vary depending on the origin, variety, preparation method, and recipe used, but we can talk about quite acceptable averages.

A single espresso prepared with about 9 grams of coffee typically contains between 60 and 80 mg of caffeine.

A double espresso with 18 grams can easily reach between 120 and 160 mg.
A filter coffee prepared with 20 grams of coffee can range from 180 to 250 mg of caffeine, depending on the extraction.

This surprises many people because there's an idea that espresso is "stronger." In reality, espresso is more concentrated, but a filter coffee often contains more total caffeine in the cup.

Decaffeination Process

The goal is simple: remove most of the caffeine while preserving as much of the aromatic compounds as possible.

In practice, it's not an easy process. Caffeine is inside the bean along with many of the compounds responsible for flavor. Separating one from the other requires technology and care. Currently, the three most respected processes in specialty coffee are:

CO₂ Process

It is considered one of the most advanced methods available. It uses carbon dioxide under pressure to selectively extract caffeine from green beans. Since CO₂ has a high affinity for caffeine, it can remove it while preserving much of the aromatic compounds responsible for the flavor. It is a widely used method for higher quality coffees.

Ethyl Acetate (EA or Sugar Cane Process)

Very popular currently in Colombia and perhaps the most used process in specialty coffees in Portugal. It uses ethyl acetate, a compound naturally present in fruits like banana and sugarcane. When well executed, it produces sweet, clean coffees with excellent flavor retention.

Swiss Water Process

Probably the best-known method. It uses only water, temperature, and filtration through activated charcoal to remove caffeine. It is a process without added chemical solvents and remains a benchmark in the industry.

Does decaf taste the same as regular coffee?

The honest answer is no. Even today, it's virtually impossible to remove 97% to 99% of the caffeine without minimally altering the coffee. Anyone who says otherwise is probably exaggerating. But it's also true that the difference is no longer what it was ten or fifteen years ago. The best modern decafs manage to preserve a huge part of the origin's identity.

In the Czech Republic, we've tasted decafs with citrus and fruity notes and extremely clean profiles. Things that would have been hard to imagine a few years ago.

Furthermore, roasting a decaf usually requires even more care. The bean has already undergone additional processing and reacts differently inside the roaster. Small decisions during roasting can have a significant impact on the final result.

The future of decaf is much more interesting than it seems

For years, decaf was seen as an alternative. Today, it's finally starting to be seen as a category of its own.

As processes evolve, producers invest more quality in batches destined for decaffeination, and roasteries pay more attention to them, the difference compared to conventional coffee continues to decrease.

It may never disappear completely.

But we've reached the point where an excellent decaf can surprise even the most demanding coffee geeks.

Sources:

Specialty Coffee Association (SCA)
European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)
U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA)
National Coffee Association USA
Swiss Water® Process
Coffee Quality Institute (CQI)