Organic, Fairtrade decaffeinated coffee from Peru, roasted in Normandy by Les Torréfacteurs Normands. Ground.
How the caffeine is actually removed
This is the question people ask about decaf and rarely get answered, and it matters because the methods differ enormously.
Solvent methods use methylene chloride or ethyl acetate to extract caffeine from steamed beans. They are the cheapest and the most common, and they are the reason decaf has a reputation for tasting thin — the solvents strip flavour compounds along with the caffeine.
The Swiss Water process uses only water, temperature and activated carbon filters. Green beans are soaked to draw out caffeine and flavour together; the resulting extract is passed through carbon filters that catch caffeine molecules while letting the flavour compounds through; that decaffeinated, flavour-saturated water is then used to soak the next batch — so caffeine leaves but flavour has nowhere to go. It is chemical-free and it is what good decaf uses.
CO2 processing uses supercritical carbon dioxide as a selective solvent and is also well regarded.
Organic certification restricts which methods may be used — synthetic solvents are not permitted — so an organic decaf is by definition water- or CO2-processed. That is the single most useful thing about this coffee, and it is almost never mentioned on a pack.
Decaf is not caffeine-free
Worth being precise. EU rules require decaffeinated coffee to contain no more than 0.1% caffeine on a dry basis, which typically works out at a few milligrams a cup against 80–100 mg for a regular one.
That is negligible for almost everyone. It is not zero, which matters for anyone with a genuine caffeine sensitivity or an arrhythmia they are managing carefully.
Peru
Peru is one of the largest producers of organic and Fairtrade certified coffee in the world, largely because it is grown by smallholders in cooperatives at high altitude — which suits both certifications structurally. Peruvian arabica is characteristically mild, sweet and low in acidity, which is a good match for decaf, where harsh notes have nowhere to hide.
Ground — which changes how you should buy it
This variant is pre-ground. Ground coffee stales far faster than beans: grinding multiplies the surface area exposed to oxygen, and most of the aromatic compounds are gone within a couple of weeks of opening.
So buy smaller quantities more often, keep it airtight, and do not stockpile.
Araku Coffee
Araku Coffee
Araku Coffee
Araku Coffee
