Is that even coffee? Many people ask themselves this question when confronted with decaffeinated coffee. But for many, it's a worthwhile alternative. Especially for people who are sensitive to caffeine, perhaps have pre-existing health conditions, or cannot consume caffeine due to certain medications. Pregnant women also often limit their coffee consumption and switch to caffeine-free alternatives. Some simply want to enjoy a delicious coffee late in the evening without having to worry about their sleep. Therefore, this week we want to answer the questions: Where does decaffeinated coffee come from, how is it produced, what should it taste like, and what is our opinion? So, enjoy reading!
Background and history
The story and idea of decaffeinated coffee originated in 1903 following the death of Ludwig Roselius's father, who founded Kaffee HAG in Bremen. Doctors determined the cause of death to be a coffee overdose, and Ludwig wanted to spare others this fate. He therefore researched for three years and ultimately developed the Roselius process for decaffeinating coffee. He used the carcinogenic solvent benzene, which extracted the caffeine from the beans. Decaf coffee, also known as caffeine-free coffee, was born. Benzene was banned for this purpose after its carcinogenic properties were discovered. However, this method is still familiar to many, which is why decaffeinated coffee is often frowned upon and considered unhealthy. Over time, "healthier" methods have emerged, which we would now like to introduce to you.
Decaffeination of coffee - 4 methods
This might raise the question of whether a caffeine-free coffee plant already exists. While theoretically possible, in practice these low-caffeine plants are very inefficient and result in very high cultivation costs for farmers. Therefore, although research with these plants continues, so far they are not a worthwhile alternative to the equally complex decaffeination processes used for coffee.
Therefore, coffee is decaffeinated using two main methods: one with solvents and the other without solvents. These can be further subdivided according to the agents and processes used. It should be noted that the methods have improved significantly in terms of quality and taste over time.
Generally, all processes use raw coffee, i.e., green beans that have not yet been roasted. This raw coffee is first soaked in hot water and steam to swell, and then decaffeinated using the respective process. These processes are repeated several times to meet the EU caffeine limit of < 0.1%.
Decaffeination with solvents
Direct decaffeination - ethyl acetate or dichloromethane
With both solvents, the coffee beans are first soaked in hot steam for 30 minutes to swell. Once the beans have reached a certain stage, they are soaked in ethyl acetate or dichloromethane for 10 hours. After these 10 hours, both solvents are removed as completely as possible through a 10-hour drying process. Complete removal is particularly important with dichloromethane, as it is suspected of being carcinogenic. We therefore strongly recommend avoiding this method. Furthermore, it negatively impacts the flavor.
Ethyl acetate, on the other hand, can be described as a natural solvent because it is derived from natural sources such as fruit or cane sugar. No health concerns have been found with this method. This direct decaffeination process removes 97% of the caffeine and is more environmentally friendly than other methods. A water-based decaffeination process. We at SIMON&BEARNS have chosen this method because, for us, it best combines the advantages of taste and efficiency! Try our Colombian decaf coffee , which we roast using an omni-roast technique so that both espresso and filter coffee can enjoy its benefits! The beans contain 0.01-0.03% caffeine, which is well below the EU limit.
Indirect decaffeination
This process is extremely complex and not exactly environmentally friendly. The green coffee beans are first boiled until all water-soluble components have been extracted. This water mixture is then treated with ethyl acetate or dichloromethane to remove the caffeine. The "empty" beans are discarded, and the caffeine-free water mixture is mixed with fresh beans. Here, only the caffeine is removed by boiling the beans with the water until a solubility equilibrium is reached. Feel free to ask your trusted chemistry teacher about this; we just know it works. This step is repeated until the caffeine content reaches a limit of < 0.1%. Fortunately, this highly uneconomical and environmentally damaging method is hardly ever used anymore.
solvent-free decaffeination
The Swiss Water Process
This equally wasteful solvent-based process for decaffeinating coffee is very similar to indirect decaffeination, except that it uses no solvent. Again, the beans are boiled in hot water until all water-soluble components have dissolved. The beans are then discarded, and the water mixture is filtered through an activated carbon filter. This process removes only the caffeine, and the addition of fresh green beans restores solubility equilibrium. The advantage of this method is that the aromas remain fully in the coffee. Incidentally, this process was developed in the late 1970s by the Swiss Water Decaffeinated Coffee Company.
CO2 process
This process uses supercritical carbon dioxide, or liquid CO2. First, the green coffee beans are re-swelled with steam and then purged with CO2 at 73–300 bar to remove the caffeine. The process is repeated until the EU limit of < 0.1% is reached. The liquid CO2 is then evaporated in a controlled manner for reuse.
The taste
Okay, we admit it. Decaf coffee doesn't quite measure up to "regular" coffee. This is partly due to the decaffeination method, which can remove certain aromas, and partly because roasting decaffeinated coffee beans is significantly more difficult. Any decaffeination process makes the raw coffee beans porous. This necessitates a much shorter and more precise roasting process to prevent burning the beans. As a result, the beans absorb more heat and release moisture more quickly. This significantly impacts the flavor, and not in a good way.
Conclusion
At SIMON&BEARNS, we have consciously chosen to offer only decaf coffee so far. To date, only the so-called EA Sugarcane method has convinced us as a decaffeination technique. With all other methods, the environmental aspects and/or taste are incompatible with our philosophy . Nevertheless, we hope that research in the coming years will produce an economically viable "caffeine-free" or "low-caffeine" coffee plant that delivers a truly satisfying taste.
It's also worth noting that in the EU, coffee can only be sold as decaffeinated if it contains less than 0.08% caffeine. The difference between this and green coffee, which is allowed to contain less than 0.1%, comes with roasting, which further reduces caffeine. A caffeine content of 0.2% is considered "low-caffeine" coffee. For comparison, Arabica coffee contains about 1.2% caffeine, while Robusta coffee can contain up to 2.6%. Therefore, the duration and effectiveness of decaffeination methods always depend on the specific coffee variety used.
Do you have any further questions about this very complex topic? Feel free to contact us or write to us! We look forward to your feedback!
Your SIMON&BEARNS Team
Decaffeinated coffee - background, production, taste
Is that even coffee? Many people ask themselves this question when confronted with decaffeinated coffee. But for many, it's a worthwhile alternative. Especially for people who are sensitive to caffeine, perhaps have pre-existing health conditions, or cannot consume caffeine due to certain medications. Pregnant women also often limit their coffee consumption and switch to caffeine-free alternatives. Some simply want to enjoy a delicious coffee late in the evening without having to worry about their sleep. Therefore, this week we want to answer the questions: Where does decaffeinated coffee come from, how is it produced, what should it taste like, and what is our opinion? So, enjoy reading!
Background and history
The story and idea of decaffeinated coffee originated in 1903 following the death of Ludwig Roselius's father, who founded Kaffee HAG in Bremen. Doctors determined the cause of death to be a coffee overdose, and Ludwig wanted to spare others this fate. He therefore researched for three years and ultimately developed the Roselius process for decaffeinating coffee. He used the carcinogenic solvent benzene, which extracted the caffeine from the beans. Decaf coffee, also known as caffeine-free coffee, was born. Benzene was banned for this purpose after its carcinogenic properties were discovered. However, this method is still familiar to many, which is why decaffeinated coffee is often frowned upon and considered unhealthy. Over time, "healthier" methods have emerged, which we would now like to introduce to you.
Decaffeination of coffee - 4 methods
This might raise the question of whether a caffeine-free coffee plant already exists. While theoretically possible, in practice these low-caffeine plants are very inefficient and result in very high cultivation costs for farmers. Therefore, although research with these plants continues, so far they are not a worthwhile alternative to the equally complex decaffeination processes used for coffee.
Therefore, coffee is decaffeinated using two main methods: one with solvents and the other without solvents. These can be further subdivided according to the agents and processes used. It should be noted that the methods have improved significantly in terms of quality and taste over time.
Generally, all processes use raw coffee, i.e., green beans that have not yet been roasted. This raw coffee is first soaked in hot water and steam to swell, and then decaffeinated using the respective process. These processes are repeated several times to meet the EU caffeine limit of < 0.1%.
Decaffeination with solvents
Direct decaffeination - ethyl acetate or dichloromethane
With both solvents, the coffee beans are first soaked in hot steam for 30 minutes to swell. Once the beans have reached a certain stage, they are soaked in ethyl acetate or dichloromethane for 10 hours. After these 10 hours, both solvents are removed as completely as possible through a 10-hour drying process. Complete removal is particularly important with dichloromethane, as it is suspected of being carcinogenic. We therefore strongly recommend avoiding this method. Furthermore, it negatively impacts the flavor.
Ethyl acetate, on the other hand, can be described as a natural solvent because it is derived from natural sources such as fruit or cane sugar. No health concerns have been found with this method. This direct decaffeination process removes 97% of the caffeine and is more environmentally friendly than other methods. A water-based decaffeination process. We at SIMON&BEARNS have chosen this method because, for us, it best combines the advantages of taste and efficiency! Try our Colombian decaf coffee , which we roast using an omni-roast technique so that both espresso and filter coffee can enjoy its benefits! The beans contain 0.01-0.03% caffeine, which is well below the EU limit.
Indirect decaffeination
This process is extremely complex and not exactly environmentally friendly. The green coffee beans are first boiled until all water-soluble components have been extracted. This water mixture is then treated with ethyl acetate or dichloromethane to remove the caffeine. The "empty" beans are discarded, and the caffeine-free water mixture is mixed with fresh beans. Here, only the caffeine is removed by boiling the beans with the water until a solubility equilibrium is reached. Feel free to ask your trusted chemistry teacher about this; we just know it works. This step is repeated until the caffeine content reaches a limit of < 0.1%. Fortunately, this highly uneconomical and environmentally damaging method is hardly ever used anymore.
solvent-free decaffeination
The Swiss Water Process
This equally wasteful solvent-based process for decaffeinating coffee is very similar to indirect decaffeination, except that it uses no solvent. Again, the beans are boiled in hot water until all water-soluble components have dissolved. The beans are then discarded, and the water mixture is filtered through an activated carbon filter. This process removes only the caffeine, and the addition of fresh green beans restores solubility equilibrium. The advantage of this method is that the aromas remain fully in the coffee. Incidentally, this process was developed in the late 1970s by the Swiss Water Decaffeinated Coffee Company.
CO2 process
This process uses supercritical carbon dioxide, or liquid CO2. First, the green coffee beans are re-swelled with steam and then purged with CO2 at 73–300 bar to remove the caffeine. The process is repeated until the EU limit of < 0.1% is reached. The liquid CO2 is then evaporated in a controlled manner for reuse.
The taste
Okay, we admit it. Decaf coffee doesn't quite measure up to "regular" coffee. This is partly due to the decaffeination method, which can remove certain aromas, and partly because roasting decaffeinated coffee beans is significantly more difficult. Any decaffeination process makes the raw coffee beans porous. This necessitates a much shorter and more precise roasting process to prevent burning the beans. As a result, the beans absorb more heat and release moisture more quickly. This significantly impacts the flavor, and not in a good way.
Conclusion
At SIMON&BEARNS, we have consciously chosen to offer only decaf coffee so far. To date, only the so-called EA Sugarcane method has convinced us as a decaffeination technique. With all other methods, the environmental aspects and/or taste are incompatible with our philosophy . Nevertheless, we hope that research in the coming years will produce an economically viable "caffeine-free" or "low-caffeine" coffee plant that delivers a truly satisfying taste.
It's also worth noting that in the EU, coffee can only be sold as decaffeinated if it contains less than 0.08% caffeine. The difference between this and green coffee, which is allowed to contain less than 0.1%, comes with roasting, which further reduces caffeine. A caffeine content of 0.2% is considered "low-caffeine" coffee. For comparison, Arabica coffee contains about 1.2% caffeine, while Robusta coffee can contain up to 2.6%. Therefore, the duration and effectiveness of decaffeination methods always depend on the specific coffee variety used.
Do you have any further questions about this very complex topic? Feel free to contact us or write to us! We look forward to your feedback!
Your SIMON&BEARNS Team