How to Make Decaf Coffee_Low Caffeine Coffee Recommendations_Decaf Coffee Bean Prices

Caffeine and Decaffeinated Coffee Beans

Caffeine is a natural component found in coffee. Beyond coffee, many foods and beverages we encounter in our daily lives also contain this substance, such as tea, chocolate, cola, and cold medicine.

Sometimes you might notice the abbreviations EP or SWP on green coffee bean labels—these represent two commonly used methods for caffeine removal.

To accommodate diverse preferences, coffee beans sometimes undergo decaffeination processing, resulting in what we know as decaffeinated coffee.

Typically, depending on the coffee variety, green coffee beans contain approximately 1-3% caffeine. During the roasting process, caffeine content remains largely unaffected. Robusta varieties contain twice as much caffeine as Arabica varieties.

Decaffeinated coffee beans actually have only about 97% of their caffeine removed—they are not completely caffeine-free.

The left side shows regular green coffee beans, while the right side shows decaffeinated green coffee beans.

Commercially, there are two widely adopted methods for caffeine removal:

EP (European Process) and SWP (Swiss Water Process).

EP: Chemical Coffee?

The EP process involves soaking green coffee beans in water and using a methylene chloride solution (an organic solvent) to absorb caffeine. The beans are then thoroughly rinsed, dried, and proceed to the roasting stage. The decaffeination process only targets caffeine without affecting other components in the coffee beans. It is generally believed that after roasting, EP-treated coffee beans will not have any residual solvent. However, people often feel emotionally uneasy about the involvement of chemical substances.

SWP: Steamed Coffee?

The Swiss Water Process (SWP) offers the significant advantage of being completely free from chemical substances during decaffeination, using only hot water and steam. Green coffee beans are soaked in water, allowing all soluble components, including caffeine, to be absorbed. The beans, now having had their essence "extracted," are set aside while the water, having completed its dissolution task and become a "concentrated solution," passes through activated carbon filters that absorb the caffeine. The caffeine-free water then encounters the green coffee beans again, allowing the beans to bathe in the water and reabsorb their lost essence. Finally, the beans are dried and proceed to roasting.

The greatest advantage of SWP is the complete absence of chemical solvents. However, the drawback is that while water absorbs caffeine, it also dissolves other components of the green coffee beans, including some natural coffee oils that cannot be reabsorbed by the beans. Consequently, SWP-treated green beans may lose some of their flavor characteristics.

Good News for Decaf Coffee Enthusiasts

The good news is that scientists have discovered a naturally low-caffeine coffee variety in Ethiopia, belonging to the Arabica species. This coffee variety lacks the enzymes necessary for caffeine synthesis. Perhaps soon, coffee lovers will be able to enjoy delicious, naturally low-caffeine coffee with peace of mind.

FrontStreet Coffee: A Guangzhou-based coffee roastery with a small shop but diverse bean varieties, offering both famous and lesser-known coffee beans, along with online retail services. https://shop104210103.taobao.com

Important Notice :

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