Two processes are used to remove caffeine from the majority of decaffeinated coffees beans. Methylene chloride, which will draw off caffeine from the beans, has been one of the most popular methods. For those who are not comfortable with the idea of exposing their daily brew to a chemical used in industrial solvents and paint strippers, the Swiss Water Process is an alternative. Guess which one we use? Because caffeine is water soluble, it is possible to soak the caffeine out of coffee beans, resulting in coffee with less than 5% caffeine.
Unfortunately, coffee flavor suffers no matter which method is used, because flavor is also water soluble. Both methods reinfuse the decaffeinated beans with the flavor compounds left in their soaking solution after the caffeine as been removed (with methylene chloride in the first method, with carbon filters in the second). Obviously this will leave the taste of the decaffeinated coffee somewhat compromised. But the process has come a long way in the last few years, and you will be pleasantly surprised at the outstanding flavor of our Swiss Water Process decaffeinated coffees. Want to see how it's done?
All coffee sold in 3/4 lb. sealed bags.
