I drank a lot of decaf (again), so you don’t have to: my recommendations

I drank a lot of decaf (again), so you don’t have to: my recommendations

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I drank a lot of decaf (again), so you don’t have to: my recommendations

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I drank a lot of decaf (again), so you don’t have to: my recommendations

An Unfiltered History of Vietnamese Coffee

We explore the history of coffee in Vietnam and how the industry’s perception of Vietnamese coffee is evolving.  BY EMILY MENESES BARISTA MAGAZINE ONLINE Featured photo by frank mckenna via Unsplash What do you think of when you hear the term “Vietnamese coffee”? For Kim Dam, founder of Portland Cà Phê, it extends far beyond […]


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I drank a lot of decaf (again), so you don’t have to: my recommendations

I drank a lot of decaf (again), so you don’t have to: my recommendations

minimum dose size?

Jan 31, 2024 |

I use the Hario switch to brew my coffee and am trying to reduce my caffeine consumption. Hence I would like to brew smaller cups of coffee. I am currently using 10g of coffee with 160g of water. (1:16 Ratio) I am wondering if there is a minimum amount of coffee...

I drank a lot of decaf (again), so you don’t have to: my recommendations

Back in August, I made a post where I reviewed a bunch of decaf coffees I'd tried and gave my ranking. In the comments, people offered up a ton of recommendations for other decafs to try. While I didn't get to try them all, I did try a whole bunch.

As I wrote last time, Swiss Water Processed decafs always taste off–that opinion has been reinforced by this recent tasting. I won't write them off completely–so, if you have a recommendation that you think might change my mind, definitely drop it in a comment. Sugarcane/Ethyl Acetate decaffinated coffee is still the best, imo.

The following list is from favorite to least favorite (i.e. the Olympia is #1).

EA = Ethyle Acetate (sugarcane) process

SW = Swiss Water process

Olympia | Asterisk, San Sebastian, Colombia | Caturra | EA

An excellent decaf. It has an wonderful, juicy acidity and none of the usual markers of a decaf. It does lack in the complexity and intrigue you might expect of a similarly bright, yet caffienated, coffee, but that's a minor gripe. There's a chance that when tasted alongside an "OK" third wave coffee, I wouldn't be able to identify the decaf one.

Counter Culture | Urcunina, Nariño, Colombia | EA

A really surprising decaf. Whole bean in the bag, I could smell the "decaf-ness" of it, but once brewed that smell went away. The taste of the decaffeination is well-hidden by an abundance of acidity. Like most decafs, it's fairly one-note, but the note is clear, bright, and sustained.

B&W | Gedeb, Yirgacheff, Ethiopia | EA

Somewhat acrid, but mellowed out by an extremely round and full body. You couldn't fool me with this, but it's reasonably pleasant.

Equator | Ethiopia Alemu Tukule Natural | SW

One of the better SWP decafs I've had. However, it's a bit sharp around the edges and still carries that je ne sais quois that SWP always has that marks it like a flaming beacon as decaf (and in particular SWP).

Theory | Peru | SW

I'm becoming a real decaf conniseur–I was able to identify the process just by smelling it. Luckily, the smell wasn't terribly strong, which boded well. The smell of SWP persists in the brew, but the taste is actually quite nice. There's a really bright acidity that I've never found in an SWP. Unfortunately, the decaf-mustiness is still there, and there isn't a ton of complexity. Still, not bad at all. Definitely an excellent choice.

Counter Culture | Slow Motion (LATAM) | SW

The bag's self-description is fairly accurate—it tastes of cocoa and molasses. But it also tastes of something the bag does not state: Swiss Water Processing. It's fine, for a coffee-flavored tea.

Alright, that's the list! If you have any recommendations for more great decaf to try, let me know! I probably won't get around to a part 3 for quite some time as I'm travelling atm, but when I'm back to my equiptment I'll try what ya'll suggest.

Speaking of, I'm currently in Taipei and loving the incredible coffee here (even the coffee chains here have incredible, 3rd wave-style coffee). I'm headed to Hong Kong next month and Qufu, China the month after (visa willing!). If anyone has recommendations for great coffee in any of those places, please let me know! 謝謝!

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I drank a lot of decaf (again), so you don’t have to: my recommendations

Perfect Little Beans

Chinmey Hill Coffee uses specialty-grade beans with zero primary defects (such as black beans or sour beans) and less than five secondary defects (such as broken beans). This is important because primary defects will greatly affect the taste of the coffee. Having zero defects allows the coffee to be the most optimal flavor.

Window for Optimal Flavor

Chimney Hill Coffee ships our coffee the same day it was roasted, so you will receive it before it enters the window of optimal flavor.  This means you’ll never miss the opportunity to enjoy the coffee’s peak flavor.

Coffee Ratings

Coffee undergoes many scoring processes by professionals who achieved their Q Grader certification. Coffee is first graded when it’s green. If there are defects the coffee is determined to be “not-specialty grade”. For those coffees that pass green grading, they are sample roasted and cupped. (Cupping is the official term for critically tasting and scoring coffees. The official cupping form is standard worldwide, and where the 100-point scoring system comes from.) A coffee’s dry fragrance, wet aroma, flavor, aftertaste, body, acidity, balance, and overall impression are taken into consideration while uniformity issues and defects, will lower the overall score.

Specialty Coffee

Specialty coffee, coined by Erna Knutsen in 1974, refers to a coffee that receives a quality grading score of 80 percent or higher. While “premium” or “gourmet” seem like they’re synonymous with “specialty,” they simply are marketing terms with no defined standards. Specialty coffees are grown in specific and ideal micro-climates, and have distinctive and unique flavor profiles, with little to no defects.

Third-Wave Coffee

We’re currently in the third wave of coffee. The first wave of American coffee put pre-ground, vacuum-sealed cans in kitchens across America. The second wave started with the late ‘60s introduction of Peet’s coffee (by Alfred Peet) through the proliferation of Starbucks. The third wave of coffee focuses on origin transparency, nuanced flavors, and artisan roasting. The term “third wave” is synonymous with specialty coffee.

I drank a lot of decaf (again), so you don’t have to: my recommendations

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