Colombia - Maria (Decaf)

If you don't like decaf, we hope this one can change your mind!

Decaf is often treated like an afterthought and gets a bad press. This one is different: From the Villamaría farms in Caldas Colombia, this microlot went through the Anoxic Pillow process before being decaffeinated with the Sugarcane method. Not sure what that means? Here is a quick recap:

The Anoxic Pillow is a clever coffee processing technique designed to create an anaerobic fermentation environment with limited gears. All the farmers need is a tub, some plastic tarp and water. The plastic sheet covers the coffee and is covered with water (hence the name water pillow). An oxygen-free environment is thus created for the coffee to ferment and develop its amazing flavours. The water also acts as a heat-sink and regulates the temperature fluctuations that occur during fermentation. This is a great way for farmers to increase the value of their coffee without requiring costly tools. If you want to learn more, check out this article by Raw Material.

The Sugarcane method is a commonly used technique for removing caffeine from coffee. First, the green beans are gently steamed to open up their pores. Then, Ethyl Acetate (a natural byproduct of sugarcane fermentation) is used to wash the coffee several times, until caffeine contents have dropped to minimal levels. The beans are then washed to remove residual solvent, dried, and packaged.

To us, this coffee is a great example of what happens when decaf is treated with all the love and care it deserves: It is simply delicious, and we can't wait to share it with you.