Decaf Coffee Price Characteristics How to Make Low-Caffeine Coffee Are Decaf Coffee Beans Expensive

Coffee Knowledge Exchange

FrontStreet Coffee shares coffee knowledge from around the world. Choosing coffee during pregnancy means watching caffeine closely, and today we look at how decaffeinated coffee is made and which methods are gentler.

During pregnancy, caffeine intake must be strictly controlled, at no more than 200 milligrams a day. While choosing coffee I paid particular attention to whether products were decaffeinated, until one day I saw someone say on a discussion forum: "I won't drink decaffeinated coffee because the production process is very chemical." Only then did I realize I had overlooked whether the decaffeination process itself was natural.

The History of Decaffeinated Coffee

The history of decaffeinated coffee can be traced back to 1903, when a German named Ludwig Roselius discovered that benzene could be used to separate out caffeine. Because benzene is a carcinogen, that method was long ago discontinued. Even so, extracting caffeine by adding chemical solvents remains common today.

Some producers soften and then heat the beans to expand them, or soak the beans in water, adding dichloromethane (considered a possible carcinogen) or ethyl acetate (which is irritating) to remove the caffeine. Processing with methods like these inevitably leaves some chemical residue on the beans, which is why it is so often criticized.

Natural Decaffeination Methods

Two relatively natural methods later appeared on the market. One is the Swiss Water Process: the beans are soaked in water so caffeine and other components dissolve into it, activated carbon is used to filter out the caffeine, and the resulting "coffee essence liquid" is poured back over the beans so they reabsorb the components they lost. The drawback is that this method diminishes the coffee's flavor.

The other has an impressive name: Supercritical Carbon Dioxide High-Pressure Extraction. Producers add high-pressure liquid carbon dioxide to the beans, then convert the carbon dioxide to gas and release it, carrying the caffeine away with it. This method costs more, but has relatively less impact on the coffee's taste.

Next time you shop for decaffeinated beans, it is worth checking which method the brand uses.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

The first rule of lower-caffeine coffee is to avoid robusta and choose arabica only. Arabica, the main species of the world's coffee, grows at 800-2,200 meters in frost-free highlands; the greater temperature range at altitude slows the ripening of the fruit, which helps the beans accumulate flavor compounds and develop a firmer, more solid aroma, and each region's microclimate adds its own distinctive terroir.

For a full-bodied, low-acid cup, FrontStreet Coffee's PWN Golden Mandheling is a strong choice. Indonesia's wet-hulled process sets it apart from other dark roasts, giving it the herb, spice, and woody notes that make it a classic. The Golden Mandheling goes through three hand picks plus a machine pick to remove as many defects as possible, which makes the body and sweetness stand out even more. It suits a moka pot, SOE, pour-over, drip bag, and americano or latte.

If you prefer fruit and florals, FrontStreet Coffee's Natural Flower Queen has an elegant floral note with prominent fruit, including cream strawberry, mango, jackfruit, citrus, and blueberry, the ripe tropical character that made a Sidamo natural win first place at the TOH green bean competition, and it also suits pour-over, cold brew, moka pot, and SOE. For a cleaner, more delicate cup, FrontStreet Coffee's washed Gedingding Cooperative is a G1 washed Ethiopian lot from Yirgacheffe, showing white floral, citrus, orange, and green tea after a light-medium roast. Rounding out the range, FrontStreet Coffee's washed Colombia Huila, grown above 1,800 meters, brings dark chocolate, cream, hazelnut, and toffee, while FrontStreet Coffee's Yunnan small-holder coffee brings nuts, herb, chocolate, and caramel with a light fruit acidity.