DECAF! COLOMBIA VALLE DE CAUCA EA DECAF

This decaf lot is made up of castillo and caturra cherries from smallholder farms in Valle de Cauca, Colombia.

Sugarcane is readily available in Colombia, and its application to the coffee industry was a game-changer. Ethyl acetate is an organic compound found in sugarcane, and the decaffeination process begins with the fermentation of molasses derived from sugarcane to create ethanol. This alcohol is then mixed with acetic acid (the main component of vinegar) to create the compound ethyl acetate.

In a direct solvent-based process, low-pressure steam opens the pores of the coffee beans. Then the beans are soaked in a solution of water and ethyl acetate. The solvent binds to the salts of chlorogenic acids and allows the removal of caffeine. After flushing the beans with ethyl acetate repeatedly, up to 97% of the caffeine is extracted. Because ethyl acetate comes from sugarcane and is an organic compound that can effectively remove caffeine, the coffee’s flavor attributes are not extracted.

This is our go-to decaf for its sweetness and body. Because the sugarcane method of decaffeination doesn't remove flavor compounds from the coffee, the characteristics of the cherry still shine through.