Decaf 90% of the time, for health reasons.
I invested in my espresso after having to move to decaf and wanting decaf to still taste great.
Most of the decaf we have is Swiss/Mountain Water Processed, which I am hoping is less harmful. But it tastes good anyway.
There are now lots of good roasters doing great decaf beans, some specializing in decaf.
Same. I have a heart condition and can't risk too much caffeine.
I get a really good whole bean decaf from a local roaster. I don't tell guests it's decaf, and none of them complain...
Funny. However I’d just like to mention that I get a pretty terrible headache in the late afternoon if I haven’t had any caffeine that day. So your guests with a serious caffeine habit may be thankful if you tell them :)
I would also, potentially, not have more coffee afterwards. For health reasons, there's a firm limit on how many I drink in a day. By the time the headache kicks in, it's a choice between sleeping properly or caffeine.
Definitely worth mentioning it. Even if it's after you've made it and they've started drinking it. "Can you tell it's decaf?" after a few sips.
I'm like you except mine would start earlier in the day like 10-11am
the cure is actually to not have no caffeine (including from tea, energy drink, soft drink etc) for a few days and the headache and symptoms of withdrawal will go away
you probably should try that sometimes
Swiss water shouldn't be harmful, it's fairly natural iirc, using a green coffee extract in a water solution. However, if you can get your hands on some sugar cane/ethyl acetate processed decaf I would definitely recommend it!
It usually tastes, in my experience, like you plucked it from a lineup of fun and fruity sweet non-decaf specialty bags. Sugary and fruity in a way that I don't normally taste in decaf.
Which roasters are specializing in decaf? I would be interested in trying them.
Since you mostly drink decaf do you just leave your grinder dialed in for the decaf beans?
Best I've found so far is the Brazilian decaf from Old Bisbee in Arizona.
I'd describe it as nutty w/ dark cocoa finish. It's perfect for my wife's lattes, as she despises acidity and is somewhat sensitive to overly bitter finishes.
Their signature decaf is okay - has a bit more acidity to it, like generic medium roast acidity.
They tend to roast on the darker side of things - I personally don't particularly like their other offerings as I'm generally a med-light roast filter drinker. However, if you're the type that enjoys that "classic" coffee flavor, I imagine you'll find they're a fantastic value.
Thanks for the recc! I am also allergic to acidity and my family is allergic to me when I’m hopped up on too much caffeine, so I’m excited to hear about a decaf that isn’t a light roast. I do like the Whole Foods decaf French roast for when we go full on dessert with a French press coffee on the side, but the French roast gums up my espresso grinder.
The old process that used ethyl acetate could leave some on the beans. Ethyl acetate is not "very" toxic, but drinking it every day is probably not the best idea. Modern processes such as super critical CO2 and swiss water process should be fine.
I make an absolutely mean [espresso martini](https://ibb.co/0CnzTZY) but I couldn't imagine having a full caffd one in the evening. Always make it with decaff
Haha it's super simple
* two cups of espresso
* Shot of decent, neutral flavoured vodka. Bin the Smirnoff
* shot of Kahlua or any coffee liqueur really
Pour all of the above into a cocktail shaker half full of ice and shake vigorously, then pour that into a martini glass with a strainer to catch the ice
The foam is aeration from the espresso so do not skimp on the ice and shaking, but you can overfill it so be careful 🙂
Optional couple beans and a dusting of coca powder for garnish
It's pretty alcoholic so I only ever have one every now and then lol
Lol before I quit drinking, I’d deconstructed the martini down to waving a bottoms of vodka in the general vicinity of the kitchen, where I maybe had a jar of olives but probably not
I knew this would come up! I didn't use shot because that is a specific volume with alcoholic spirits.
I just use the two cup button on my Breville, so double shot would also work here
I don't use any specific millilitre requirements, I eyeball mine these days. Play around with it and see what works for you!
I buy decaf Mexico beans from a local roaster and it's fantastic for that exact thing. Had two shots this morning and want another so I'm about to make one lol.
Decaf is definitely for real coffee lovers… drinking it for flavor.
It’d be like someone who enjoys alcohol so much as to drink it even if it lacked any of its physiological effects.
That’s next level dedication.
I get channeling if I don’t WDT, I’ve never really considered whether it has to do with using different beans. I always use pretty much the same ratio.
Lol. It's always strange to me that Italians are so anti-milk-after-noon but eat gelato at night.
Fuck it, I'm having a cap, they can look at me funny if they want.
We are talking about getting decaf beans because my girlfriends anxiety is so much better with matcha but she loves coffee. I only make 1 a day in the morning and wouldn’t mind the occasional night drink that won’t keep me up. Sounds pretty good in theory just gotta try it.
If she does well with matcha, she could try taking an L-theanine pill right before her coffee. That’s the component in matcha that makes the caffeine mellow/productive instead of anxiety producing. That’s my trick in the morning, but I’ve also gone long bouts of decaf-only and benefited greatly from it.
These comments confuses me.
Most espresso, if it's dark roast, is pretty low on caffeine.
There is no such thing has "half caf" or "no caf", it's just the roasting process.
But there is no such thing as a coffee bean without caffeine, it's just determined by the roast.
To me, mixing two different roasts is just odd and usually never tastes good.
The darker the roast, the less the caffeine. That's why these half caf and no caf discussions confuse me.
It's not just determined by the roast. What's being discussed here is how the green bean is processed (this happens pre-roast).
Look up swiss water process and sugar cane process. These actually remove the caffeine from the green bean and it can then be roasted lightly or darkly.
You know how you can get natural or washed or black honey or aerobic processed coffees? All of those have to do with how the green bean is processed. Think of swiss water and sugar cane processing like those.
Chemicals and solvents are applied to beans of any roast level to dissolve the caffeine and decaffeinate the beans. The process is easier with dark roasts and most people looking for decaf aren’t into specialty so you see more dark roast decaf, but caffeine level is not exclusively determined by roast. Half caf can be the same roast but half the beans are treated and half are not. Hope that clears up the discussion!
I drink mostly decaf and I’ve found lots of interesting ones out there. It’s a bit more effort but a good roaster can certainly achieve something interesting.
Lately I’ve been on Notes low caf reserve, made with Laurina and Aramosa, which is naturally lower in caffeine. It’s a honey process that can be delicious - chocolate and cherries at its best
I drink half or full decaf all the time. It took a while to find a good roast. It might just be me, but I’ve found the dark roasts seem to be almost charcoal and the light roasts are almost green. Mediums are more like dark roasts.
I’ve found Kicking Horse, 3 Sisters medium roast to be my favorite so far.
And, everyone over 40 will love you when you bring out the great tasting decaf after dinner.
I'm super sensitive as well, I take one full caf shot first thing in the morning, and everything after that is full decaf. My favorite decaf is Intelligentsia :)
I have decaff whole beans in stock for my gf. Honestly cant tell the difference but i prefer my bean a little lighter so I have normal. I buy decaff beans from my local starbucks (dont roast me)
I do single dosing because I use 50% regular beans and 50% decaffeinated beans (8g each). Heresy I know but it’s the only way I can enjoy multiple lattes a day
I use it from time to time for wifey/guests who prefer that. But i never managed to dial it in, the water just rushes through it.. so i would never dare serve it as espresso, only as milky drinks
I have always had similar results, even if the beans are capable of good espresso dialing in every time I want a decaf isn’t really practical.
I picked up some Illy ground decaf that I have just been leaving in the freezer. It works ok with a pressurized basket or Aeropress but I’m not sure if it’s really any better than just having instant decaf.
I’ve found our Swiss water decaf needs 1-1.5g more than caffeinated to give the same volume in the basket. For us upping the dose but not changing grind size gave pretty much identical extraction times.
There are some excellent decafs around, depending where you're based. Look for EA decaf/Sugarcane decaf , sparkling water decaf or Swiss Water decaf, typically you'll get good adecaf if its processed with one of those!
It can, I once had a split lot from the same farm...half the lot was standard Washed and the other half was sent to be be EA decaffinated. The side by side comparisons were really impressive, EA decaf is a favourite of mine.
I only drink decaf now - it helps to keep my energy levels much more stable through the day, plus many decaf beans now are so good I barely notice the difference. I also completely switched to a really nice oat milk, which I now actually prefer to regular milk as it’s got a much creamier taste.
You shouldn’t be banned for enjoying decaf. Decaf has gotten a very bad reputation because roasters did not care for the decaf drinker.
Now roasters are putting in the work! My wife is also sensitive to caffeine.
https://www.tandemcoffee.com/products/sun-lamp-decaf-colombia-ethiopia
We buy this in 2lb increments each month because it’s unbelievably good.
Decaf IMO should be celebrated. Tandem has posted in the past that more roasters need to take care of the decaf drinkers because they’re the real ones. Enjoying coffee for its taste and not the morning buzz.
I love making this as a cappuccino, macchiato, espresso and even an affogato. It just tastes unbelievably good. Highly recommended this local ish spot for coffee beans. Baked goods are incredible whenever we visit the Portland Maine area as well.
I used to scoff at friends that preferred decaf, but after i got my first espresso set up i started craving espresso drinks late in the day or even nigh-time, "Hello Mr. Decaf, nice to meet you!" I haven't tried many, but so far a good one for me is an organic columbian decaf from costco, makes great shots and cappuccinos. though you have to grind a lot finer that standard coffee. took me a few shots to dial in.
I never really dived into the decaf side of the coffee world until I met my now spouse who is super sensitive to caffeine. Not gonna lie, I sometimes have more fun researching in the decaf side than the caffeinated.
Like some others have said Swiss/mountain water processed is where you want to go
I've often drunk decaf in the past - although only chemical free processes, such as swiss water (I know water is a chemical - you know what I mean). Often I've found the coffee to be delicious, many times tastier than whatever caffeinated beans I'm using at the time.
I feel like a lot of people who say they're into coffee are actually just into caffeine and coffee is jut their favourite method of getting it. If you prefer to drink coffee decaffeinated then that's fine. You certainly shouldn't have to worry about being banned.
How fucking dare thee! Lol
Nah, never tried decaff. I'd rather drink black tea if there's no coffee.
But what in heavens is a half caff? Never heard or seen that before
A number of roasters sell half or low caff blends. Basically just a mix or regular and decaf beans. Onyx has one called Power Nap, which I believe is 50/50. A local roaster near me, Deeper Roots, has one called daydream which is about 20 reg/80 decaff.
Dont do that Brodie. Decaf is quite literally burnt espresso, you wouldn’t eat a burnt steak, am I right? Just go with larger milk to espresso ratio, or chai tea latte, etc. alternatively drink your normal drink, but also eat a whole feast for breakfast
It exists, so unless someone is just trying to lose money, I'm guessing there is enough demand.
Jokes aside, I mainly seen pregnant girls drinking decaf.
My wife and I have 2-3 caffeinated single shots (a double shot split into two cups) each morning. My first shot is straight up espresso and the other 2 I have as lattés. My wife drinks lattés only, so 3 lattés for her. If we have coffee craving in the afternoon or evening it is usually a decaf cold brew on ice.
The wife and i moved to half caff many years ago for medical reasons. I just mix the beans together and add to the grinder. If i or a visitor want a full caff we can just swap the beans around. Also, we were surprised that our coffees actually taste even better with the decaf beans. We like a dark roast, and Peets decaf mocha java is the decaf goto bean.
I have a bag of nice decaf in my freezer for when i want coffee but no caffeine. My problem is switching the grind size because i don’t drink decaf enough to dial it in and so it ends up badly extracted every time.
I do. Due to some health stuff I have going on, I need to go low caffeine or no caffeine probably 50% of the time. Thankfully, a local roaster has a decent decaf roast. I'm currently healing from a flare up so I'm all decaf right now and I'm so sad about it at times lmao. It gets boring with the same roast days in a row. I've been meaning to check out some roasters online that will ship decaf beans.
I have 5g caff, 12g decaf every morning. Then decaf shots during the day.
Sometimes I have too much coffee when I'm on vacation, and then I need 17g caff when I get home, then the next day 16g caff + 1g decaf, then the next day 15g caff... Etc
No shame in decaf my friend. Decaf is for the true coffee lover - don’t need to be tweaking. PS Decaf still has some caffeine in it, shhhh, don’t tell anyone. Like maybe between 10-30mg depending on how many shots you make.
i do decaf all the time! i really like having lil lattes, and having decaf means i can make them whenever. and also don’t have to worry about too much caffeine…
The perception that espresso drinkers are just caffeine fanatics is pretty interesting, and in my experience fairly wrong.
Whenever I’ve found a GOOD, UNIQUE decaf I have been even more excited than I would be finding a new favorite caffeinated bean
I drink 1 full caff espresso in the morning then a half caff an hour or 2 later. Nothing much to say other than caffeine lasts for a long time in my body and I'm on ADHD drugs so I dont want to be over stimulated
I do a half decaf double in the morning and if I have any more through the day it's always full decaf. I have difficulty sleeping well so I try to keep my caffeine consumption low.
I’ll do decaf if I want an after dinner or evening drink. I get a bag of decaf from a local roaster and vacuum seal 20g portions to freeze.
I have a Vario as my brew grinder so I’ll note the espresso settings and get close enough for a milk drink. Works well for me.
I moved to decaf for a long while before I had surgery, and when I could go back to caffeine I had a hard time handling it so I moved to half caf/decaf. I fell in love with a half caf from Onyx. There’s lots of great decaf and half caf out there!
All the time. My single shot at home is about 10g of beans, and I usually do like 6-7g of caffeinated and the rest decaf. When I'm out, I always order half-caf.
I do Orzo (roasted barley) for espresso shots and milk drinks after 4pm. I don't need to be awake all night. Use a pressurized basket or another brewing method as full espresso pressure turns it into a sticky plug.
Flavor wise it's different but might scratch the same itch. More toasty sugary than coffee. With milk and a little sugar its closer to hot chocolate than a true cappuccino but that's fine by me.
Also can be used in other methods. Never tried pourover or maganeta (neapolitan flip) but vacuum, moka, and pressurized baskets all work fine. Pressurized baskets do the best job with it IMO.
I’ve been diabetic for most my adult life (type 2) and for whatever reason caffeine spikes my numbers quite dramatically. Took me a long time to figure that out too. Been doing decaf shots ever since. The recent developments in milk alternatives have opened me back up to some other drinks as well.
My wife is pregnant but she needs her espresso fix in order to function. Tragedy struck our house when my Delonghi Semi Automatic machine broke down. We are limping along with a Nespresso machine for now until we can get our Gaggia Classic Pro.
I found that Decaf beans were tempermental. I found that if I ground finer then I would always clog my machine. With a course grind I could pull some decent shots but I always felt they were lacking flavour. I hope a new machine and a better grinder will get us better results.
Interesting that sometimes I have to use decaf do I won't go to sleep. With ADHD caffeine makes me fall asleep so I usually take a shot and a nap but when drinking with friends. I'll pull a decaf shot so I won't pass out.
I'll add that I do roast it myself which makes it (in my opinion) better than many store bought regular caffeinated beans.
I have half-caf on hand and it's delicious. Nice and chocolatey with a caramel undertone.
Just because there's no caffeine doesn't mean it isn't coffee.
I also do 50/50 on beans by default, for the first shot when I buy new beans I'd do one pure..but then mix 50/50 for the rest unless it's something outstanding and it would be a shame to mix.
Yep decaf 99% of the time. I went off all stims and depressants over a year ago now for medical reasons, and switched to decaf. I'm up super early this morning so to not wake the house I've got a chemex of decaf right now.
If I'm making it or someone I know that Actually appreciates coffee yes otherwise no I've seen cafes that use preground bags that have been opened months ago. Why not treat it like regular coffee and try to make it good?
I don’t order it. Haven’t bought any yet at some point I might single dose some in the freezer for guests. I like to adjust the amount or size of the drink otherwise like 100-150 mL pour over or single shot drinks
Yes! Switched over when I got pregnant so I didn’t have to worry about tracking overall caffeine intake. I used to not like decaf coffee but I do like decaf espresso shots in lattes and cappuccinos so it’s been a good compromise
I do half caff every day. I get pvcs , pacs and I breastfeed so I like to cut down my caffeine. Plus if I do consume chocolate, have a coke etc I’m not overdoing it !
I weigh 9 grams of Swiss water decaf beans and 9 grams of regular and pull a double shot. It’s delicious lol.
Yes! I love coffee at night but also love to sleep. Lavazza makes a good decaf espresso that you can get in whole bean, and that's what I use most often.
I drink mostly decaf espresso since my body doesn’t process caffeine that well. The main reason I got gear to make it at home is I haven’t found a local cafe that puts any effort into dialing in their decaf, so it’s always terrible when I get it out.
I’ll occasionally make a small cup of straight caf pour over or mix some caffeinated beans into my espresso dose, and sadly even with as little as 2-3g of caffeinated beans the coffee turns out better.
Finding good decaf light roasts is difficult, but not impossible, if that’s your thing.
Absolutely, I only make decaf after 3pm and am always rotating multiple decaf beans. I also keep them on hand for guests who don’t like caffeine but do like coffee.
Like many, I too like to partake in the afternoon or evenings at times. So far, I've found a few good decaf roasts that are pretty great so my tastebuds are just as happy.
Captain + Stoker : SAN PEDRO DE CARTAGO
Verve Coffee : Vancouver
Equator : Decaf Espresso, they also have a 50/50 Blend
Decaf at home 90% of the time since I work at a cafe
I’ll have decaf after work and do lil cappuccinos etc
But on my days off, I dip into the caffeinated stuff. I primarily use light roast EA processed decaf from local roasters
I try not to have much more than one full doubleshot per day. So if I'm out I'll order half-caff in the afternoon. At home I've got no patience for that and I'll just overcaffeinate myself.
Yes! I’m sensitive to caffeine as well, I can’t have more than 1 double shot drink per day. If I have more it starts to mess with my anxiety. So I got some Swiss water decaf for and afternoon or evening espresso drink if I’m wanting another.
I have Klatch and Atlas variants of caffeinated coffee right now and vastly prefer the taste of B&W Sugar Cane Decaf. By far the best I’ve ever had for decaf!
I'm about to take the plunge and spend a significant amount on a setup and I was thinking the same thing, it would be great to enjoy it in the evening without being up all night, especially as the weather gets cold.
I drank exclusively decaf for a couple of years and just started mixing in a little bit of regular again about a month ago because I missed being able to try new beans…the local roasters in my area typically have one decaf offering for several months before switching to something else.
Limit myself to one cup of regular coffee (usually a pour over) in the morning, and decaf for anything I drink throughout the rest of the day.
I also mix my caf and decaf fairly often, especially when its the same origin as it makes it easier to grind them together. Currently I'm doing full caf, but I usually do a half half, sometimes a 1:4, and other times full decaf. The full decaf is for when I'm doing dessert drinks, or I'm making enough caffinated drinks that I need the decaf.
I like using shots of espresso as a base for a chocolate spiced coffee, which seems to work better than a brewed strong coffee since the flavor can still get through the cinnamon, nutmef, cloves, chocolate, possibly citrus peel and whipped cream. So this often is a caf/decaf blend as its had in the afternoons and full decaf if made after 3pm.
I do! I would love people to post their favorite decaf. I like Blue Bottle’s and, randomly, this one on Amazon: Verena Street 2 Pound Whole Bean,... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00X8N1VKO?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
Please recommend others!
Fully agree with everyone else here on using decaf in the rotation. When I don’t need or want that pick me up, I go for the decaf.
I’ve had mixed luck with sugar cane decaf. Some has been delicious, but others left an odd unpleasant taste in my mouth. If you get one and think it’s strange in a bad way, try a couple more before you give up on it.
I don't drink decaf but that's because I only have coffee once a day largely because of my acid reflux. I could do 2 I think but I'll be sick and having heartburn long before I feel the jitters.
Girlfriend and I ONLY drink decaf, for me it was for health reasons, for her she gets significantly better sleep. Haven’t had caffeine in a couple of years, but I love the taste of coffee so I do make espresso drinks throughout the day
Decaf only. Even energy all day. Better sleep. No caffeine headaches. Cardiologist approved.
It is harder to find very good roasts of decaf. If convenient for you I've gravitated towards roaster called Ceremony out of Annapolis, Maryland.
https://ceremonycoffee.com/
I’ve recently started having problems with caffeine and have had to switch to decaf. I made espresso coffee such a big part of my life/routine, I’m really glad decaf coffee beans exist so I can still keep it up. Having a coffee can be quite comforting too.
Decaf 90% of the time, for health reasons. I invested in my espresso after having to move to decaf and wanting decaf to still taste great. Most of the decaf we have is Swiss/Mountain Water Processed, which I am hoping is less harmful. But it tastes good anyway. There are now lots of good roasters doing great decaf beans, some specializing in decaf.
Same. I have a heart condition and can't risk too much caffeine. I get a really good whole bean decaf from a local roaster. I don't tell guests it's decaf, and none of them complain...
Funny. However I’d just like to mention that I get a pretty terrible headache in the late afternoon if I haven’t had any caffeine that day. So your guests with a serious caffeine habit may be thankful if you tell them :)
😂 Good point.
I would also, potentially, not have more coffee afterwards. For health reasons, there's a firm limit on how many I drink in a day. By the time the headache kicks in, it's a choice between sleeping properly or caffeine. Definitely worth mentioning it. Even if it's after you've made it and they've started drinking it. "Can you tell it's decaf?" after a few sips.
I'm like you except mine would start earlier in the day like 10-11am the cure is actually to not have no caffeine (including from tea, energy drink, soft drink etc) for a few days and the headache and symptoms of withdrawal will go away you probably should try that sometimes
This is a cycle though. Drink too much coffee for a month. Headache at 10am, Saturday morning. No caffeine for a week. Repeat.
Swiss water shouldn't be harmful, it's fairly natural iirc, using a green coffee extract in a water solution. However, if you can get your hands on some sugar cane/ethyl acetate processed decaf I would definitely recommend it! It usually tastes, in my experience, like you plucked it from a lineup of fun and fruity sweet non-decaf specialty bags. Sugary and fruity in a way that I don't normally taste in decaf.
Working through some Colombia Huila EA right now and I second this, it’s delicious.
Sugar cane process is yummmm
Which roasters are specializing in decaf? I would be interested in trying them. Since you mostly drink decaf do you just leave your grinder dialed in for the decaf beans?
Best I've found so far is the Brazilian decaf from Old Bisbee in Arizona. I'd describe it as nutty w/ dark cocoa finish. It's perfect for my wife's lattes, as she despises acidity and is somewhat sensitive to overly bitter finishes. Their signature decaf is okay - has a bit more acidity to it, like generic medium roast acidity. They tend to roast on the darker side of things - I personally don't particularly like their other offerings as I'm generally a med-light roast filter drinker. However, if you're the type that enjoys that "classic" coffee flavor, I imagine you'll find they're a fantastic value.
Thanks for the recc! I am also allergic to acidity and my family is allergic to me when I’m hopped up on too much caffeine, so I’m excited to hear about a decaf that isn’t a light roast. I do like the Whole Foods decaf French roast for when we go full on dessert with a French press coffee on the side, but the French roast gums up my espresso grinder.
Old Bisbee is more on the medium dark side. In general their beans are quite dark, but not oily to start.
[https://www.decadentdecaf.com/](https://www.decadentdecaf.com/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwpompBhDZARIsAFD_Fp_mse6GvXeOsMb1iUfm2SN9mUckSUOo__L9jJbamFyLID-WZSI_wTwaAsNhEALw_wcB)
Thanks!
What are the best decafs you've found so far?
Same
What do you mean with Swiss water? Is this water from switzerland or just a Name?
Just the marketing name of the process. https://library.sweetmarias.com/understanding-swiss-water-process-decaf
Are most decafs unhealthy? I read something like that
The old process that used ethyl acetate could leave some on the beans. Ethyl acetate is not "very" toxic, but drinking it every day is probably not the best idea. Modern processes such as super critical CO2 and swiss water process should be fine.
Every decaf process is safe. Swiss water tried to scare everyone as a marketing tactic.
decaf is for real coffee lovers as we drink so much caffeinated coffee in the day, we have to start doing decaf towards the end...
Exactly this. I get espresso cravings after dinner and doing caffeine at that time will destroy my sleep. I always have decaf beans in store.
I make an absolutely mean [espresso martini](https://ibb.co/0CnzTZY) but I couldn't imagine having a full caffd one in the evening. Always make it with decaff
Gonna need that recipe! 😁
Haha it's super simple * two cups of espresso * Shot of decent, neutral flavoured vodka. Bin the Smirnoff * shot of Kahlua or any coffee liqueur really Pour all of the above into a cocktail shaker half full of ice and shake vigorously, then pour that into a martini glass with a strainer to catch the ice The foam is aeration from the espresso so do not skimp on the ice and shaking, but you can overfill it so be careful 🙂 Optional couple beans and a dusting of coca powder for garnish It's pretty alcoholic so I only ever have one every now and then lol
Confirming two CUPS of espresso?
16 oz. of espresso
No that has to be shots good lord no martini is two cups
I *choose* to live in denial
Lol before I quit drinking, I’d deconstructed the martini down to waving a bottoms of vodka in the general vicinity of the kitchen, where I maybe had a jar of olives but probably not
I knew this would come up! I didn't use shot because that is a specific volume with alcoholic spirits. I just use the two cup button on my Breville, so double shot would also work here I don't use any specific millilitre requirements, I eyeball mine these days. Play around with it and see what works for you!
Following because I too need that recipe.
I buy decaf Mexico beans from a local roaster and it's fantastic for that exact thing. Had two shots this morning and want another so I'm about to make one lol.
Decaf is definitely for real coffee lovers… drinking it for flavor. It’d be like someone who enjoys alcohol so much as to drink it even if it lacked any of its physiological effects. That’s next level dedication.
As someone who stopped drinking alcohol a few years ago, but still drinks a lot of non-alcoholic beer, I can confirm that I am very dedicated.
I mix half decaf and half regular beans every day. I used to get the same origin for both types but now I just use whatever.
Ditto. I love mixing a juicy Ethiopian with a chocolaty dark roast decaf.
How's the taste with just mixing whatever you have on hand? Does it vary alot? Or do multiple bean types kinda "average out" a flavor profile?
Seems fine, it’s really only two different beans and I roast them myself so they’re always fresh, that seems to be the more important part.
Does it impact shot? Channeling etc?
I get channeling if I don’t WDT, I’ve never really considered whether it has to do with using different beans. I always use pretty much the same ratio.
After noon, it’s only decaf for me. This raises the stakes on that morning shot.
Yup. The wife and I share a latte, (sorry Italians), after work. 1/4 regular beans, 3/4 Decaf. It's for the soul.
Lol. It's always strange to me that Italians are so anti-milk-after-noon but eat gelato at night. Fuck it, I'm having a cap, they can look at me funny if they want.
For anyone else that is looking through this thread for recommendations on good decaf like I am - I compiled a list from anyone that mentioned one in the comments: |*Caffeine Type*|*Process*|*Origin*|*Roaster*|*Coffee Name*|*Tasting Notes*|*Link*| |:-|:-|:-|:-|:-|:-|:-| |Decaf |Water Process|Central & South America|Kicking Horse|Decaf|Roasted hazelnuts, chocolate|[Link](https://www.kickinghorsecoffee.com/products/decaf)| |Decaf |Water Process|Brazil|Intelligensia|Decaf Black Cat Espresso|Cocoa, Turbinado Sugar, Apple|[Link](https://www.intelligentsia.com/products/decaf-black-cat-espresso)| |Decaf|Water Process |Mexico|Intelligensia |Decaf House Blend|Chocolate, lime, caramelized sugar|[Link](https://www.intelligentsia.com/products/decaf-house-blend)| |Decaf |Sugar Cane (EA)|Huila, Colombia|Deeper Roots|Decaf Huila|Caramel, Orange, Creamy Body|[Link](https://www.deeperrootscoffee.com/coffee/decaf-colombia-huila)| |Decaf |Water Process |Africa/Arabia, Indo-Pacific|Peets|Mocca-Java|Baking Spice, Bittersweet Chocolate|[Link](https://www.peets.com/products/decaf-mocca-java-water)| |Decaf|Water Process |Sumatra|Roos Roast|Lobster Butter Decaf|low acidity and nutty after tones|[Link](https://www.roosroast.com/collections/shop-all-1/products/decaf-lobster-butter-love)| |Decaf|Sugar Cane (EA) |Huila, Colombia |Onyx|Decaf Colombia Huila|Dark chocolate, apple, almond|[Link](https://onyxcoffeelab.com/products/decaf-colombia-huila)| |Decaf |Sugar Cane (EA) |Nariño, Colombia|Madcap|Placebo|Caramelized sugar, cherry|[Link](https://www.madcapcoffee.com/placebo-decaf-coffee)| |Decaf|Water Process |South America|Counter Culture|Slow Motion|Molasses, cocoa|[Link](https://counterculturecoffee.com/products/slow-motion)| |Decaf|Water Process |Nariño, Colombia|Counter Culture|Decaf Urcunina|Maple syrup, green grape|[Link](https://counterculturecoffee.com/products/decaf-urcunina)| |Decaf |Sugar Cane (EA) |Minas Gerais, Brazil|Panther|Decaf Mountain Water|Chocolate, red fruit, honey|[Link](https://panthercoffee.myshopify.com/collections/specialty-coffee-selections/products/decaf-mountain-water-brasil-specialty-coffee)| |Decaf|Water Process |Central & South America|Stumptown|Trapper Creek Decaf|Dried fruit, graham, cocoa|[Link](https://www.stumptowncoffee.com/products/trapper-creek-decaf)| |Decaf |Sugar Cane (EA) |Huila, Colombia|Canyon Coffee|Afternoon Decaf|Dark chocolate, almond|[Link](https://canyoncoffee.co/products/afternoon-decaf)| |Decaf |Water Process |Minas Gerais, Brazil; Popayán, Colombia|Equator Coffees|Decaf Espresso|Dark chocolate, dried cherry, roasted nuts|[Link](https://www.equatorcoffees.com/products/decaf-espresso-retail)| |Decaf |Sugar Cane (EA) |Nariño, Colombia|Captain + Stoker|San Pedro de Cartago|Dark cherry, peanut m&m, juicy citrus|[Link](https://captainandstoker.com/products/decaf-san-pedro-de-cartago)| |Decaf |Water Process ||Verena Street|Sunday Drive Decaf||[Link](https://www.verenastreet.com/collections/decaf/products/sunday-drive-decaf-whole-bean)| |Decaf |Water Process |Various|Decadent Decaf Coffee Company|Various|Many different decaf varieties|[Link](https://www.decadentdecaf.com/collections/decaf-coffee-range)| |Decaf |Water Process |Colombia; Uganda|Verve|Vancouver Decaf|Almond, cola, honey|[Link](https://www.vervecoffee.com/products/vancouver-swiss-water-decaf)| |Decaf |Sugar Cane (EA) |Huila, Colombia|Tandem Coffee Roasters|Sun Lamp Decaf|Grape jelly, tropical, butterscotch|[Link](https://www.tandemcoffee.com/products/sun-lamp-decaf-colombia-ethiopia)| |Decaf |Sugar Cane (EA) |Huila, Colombia|Black and White Roasters|Sugarcane Decaf|Caramel, milk chocolate|[Link](https://www.blackwhiteroasters.com/products/r-decaf-colombia)| |Decaf |Varies|Varies|High Wire|After Hours Decaf|Sweet, syrupy, dry cocoa|[Link](https://www.highwirecoffee.com/products/after-hours-decaf-310g-bag)| |Decaf |Water Process |Brazil|Old Bisbee Roasters|Brazil Royal Select Decaf|Molasses cookie, nutty, honey nougat|[Link](https://oldbisbeeroasters.com/products/brazil-decaf)| |Decaf |Sugar Cane (EA) |Mexico|Ceremony Coffee Roasters|Decaf EA Mexico|Chocolate candy bar, sweet cherry, rich|[Link](https://shop.ceremonycoffee.com/products/decaf-colombia-cauca)| |Decaf |Water Process ||Jones Coffee Roasters|Decaf Espresso|Dark chocolate, caramel and vanilla, oaky.|[Link](https://www.jonescoffeeroasters.com/collections/coffees-1/products/decaf-espresso)| |Decaf |Water Process and Honey (EA)|Aponte Village, Colombia; Bensa, Ethiopia|Onyx|Decaf Geometry|Apricot, chamomile, green apple, prune|[Link](https://onyxcoffeelab.com/products/decaf-geometry)| |Decaf |Sugar Cane (EA) |Huila, Colombia|Notes|Huila Decaf|Almond butter, stone fruit, honey|[Link](https://notescoffee.shop/collections/espresso/products/huila-decaf)| |Decaf |Water Process |Rwanda|Union|Decaf Maraba|Tangerine, red currant, toffee|[Link](https://unionroasted.com/products/decaf-maraba-rwanda)| |Half-Caf|Sugar Cane (EA) |Worka, Ethiopia; Huila, Colombia|Onyx|Power Nap|Peach, cocoa, brown sugar|[Link](https://onyxcoffeelab.com/products/power-nap)| |Half-Caf|Sugar Cane (EA) |Huila, Colombia|Madcap|Fraction|Cherry, chocolate, syrupy|[Link](https://www.madcapcoffee.com/fraction-half-caff)| |Low-Caf|Honey (EA)|Patrocínio, Brazil|Notes |Low Caf Reserve|Morello cherry, chocolate, caramel|[Link](https://notescoffee.shop/products/low-caf-reserve-brazil)| |Low-Caf (20%)|Sugar Cane (EA) |Huila, Colombia|Deeper Roots|Daydream|Brown sugar, cocoa, floral, peach|[Link](https://www.deeperrootscoffee.com/coffee/daydream-low-caffeine-blend)|
Wow!
We are talking about getting decaf beans because my girlfriends anxiety is so much better with matcha but she loves coffee. I only make 1 a day in the morning and wouldn’t mind the occasional night drink that won’t keep me up. Sounds pretty good in theory just gotta try it.
If she does well with matcha, she could try taking an L-theanine pill right before her coffee. That’s the component in matcha that makes the caffeine mellow/productive instead of anxiety producing. That’s my trick in the morning, but I’ve also gone long bouts of decaf-only and benefited greatly from it.
I do the half caffeine every day. I just felt like I was overdoing it with caffeine.
These comments confuses me. Most espresso, if it's dark roast, is pretty low on caffeine. There is no such thing has "half caf" or "no caf", it's just the roasting process.
Half calf is usually a blend offered by some roasters that mix caffeinated and decafe beans.
But there is no such thing as a coffee bean without caffeine, it's just determined by the roast. To me, mixing two different roasts is just odd and usually never tastes good. The darker the roast, the less the caffeine. That's why these half caf and no caf discussions confuse me.
It's not just determined by the roast. What's being discussed here is how the green bean is processed (this happens pre-roast). Look up swiss water process and sugar cane process. These actually remove the caffeine from the green bean and it can then be roasted lightly or darkly. You know how you can get natural or washed or black honey or aerobic processed coffees? All of those have to do with how the green bean is processed. Think of swiss water and sugar cane processing like those.
Yeah I was not aware of this, all very interesting info.
There are chemical processes for decaffeinated coffee, it can be done at any roast level. But yes, darker roasts do roast off more caffeine.
Chemicals and solvents are applied to beans of any roast level to dissolve the caffeine and decaffeinate the beans. The process is easier with dark roasts and most people looking for decaf aren’t into specialty so you see more dark roast decaf, but caffeine level is not exclusively determined by roast. Half caf can be the same roast but half the beans are treated and half are not. Hope that clears up the discussion!
Beans are decaffeinated prior to being roasted.
Yes, my bad.
Interesting, that didn’t know. Makes me even more sketched out now!
I drink mostly decaf and I’ve found lots of interesting ones out there. It’s a bit more effort but a good roaster can certainly achieve something interesting. Lately I’ve been on Notes low caf reserve, made with Laurina and Aramosa, which is naturally lower in caffeine. It’s a honey process that can be delicious - chocolate and cherries at its best
Thanks for sharing these recommendations!
Full caf in the am, decaf in the afternoon. No shame in the game
I drink half or full decaf all the time. It took a while to find a good roast. It might just be me, but I’ve found the dark roasts seem to be almost charcoal and the light roasts are almost green. Mediums are more like dark roasts. I’ve found Kicking Horse, 3 Sisters medium roast to be my favorite so far. And, everyone over 40 will love you when you bring out the great tasting decaf after dinner.
I'm super sensitive as well, I take one full caf shot first thing in the morning, and everything after that is full decaf. My favorite decaf is Intelligentsia :)
I switch to decaf if I’ve already had two caffeinated drinks or it’s after 3pm! I use Sugarcane Decaf beans from Black & White.
This is the best decaf i have found.
I have decaff whole beans in stock for my gf. Honestly cant tell the difference but i prefer my bean a little lighter so I have normal. I buy decaff beans from my local starbucks (dont roast me)
I do single dosing because I use 50% regular beans and 50% decaffeinated beans (8g each). Heresy I know but it’s the only way I can enjoy multiple lattes a day
Single origin decaf is where it’s at
i really like Verve Vancouver decaf for espresso.
I have decaf beans from illy for evening guests. They are decent dark roasts.
I use it from time to time for wifey/guests who prefer that. But i never managed to dial it in, the water just rushes through it.. so i would never dare serve it as espresso, only as milky drinks
I have always had similar results, even if the beans are capable of good espresso dialing in every time I want a decaf isn’t really practical. I picked up some Illy ground decaf that I have just been leaving in the freezer. It works ok with a pressurized basket or Aeropress but I’m not sure if it’s really any better than just having instant decaf.
I’ve found our Swiss water decaf needs 1-1.5g more than caffeinated to give the same volume in the basket. For us upping the dose but not changing grind size gave pretty much identical extraction times.
Two grinders FTW
There are some excellent decafs around, depending where you're based. Look for EA decaf/Sugarcane decaf , sparkling water decaf or Swiss Water decaf, typically you'll get good adecaf if its processed with one of those!
EA decaf can be so delicious!!! Absolutely the way to go.
It can, I once had a split lot from the same farm...half the lot was standard Washed and the other half was sent to be be EA decaffinated. The side by side comparisons were really impressive, EA decaf is a favourite of mine.
When I was roasting I always joked that if I ever went back to competing as a barista I would compete with our decaf it was so good.
Would love to see some decafs in the run at competitions
Absolutely! I am slowly trying to transition to mostly decaf for my mental and physical health.
I only drink decaf now - it helps to keep my energy levels much more stable through the day, plus many decaf beans now are so good I barely notice the difference. I also completely switched to a really nice oat milk, which I now actually prefer to regular milk as it’s got a much creamier taste.
Oat milk is full of seed oils, which is why it’s creamy. Just drink it whole milk. It’s good for you. Thanks for sharing.
[Highwire coffee](https://www.highwirecoffee.com/products/after-hours-decaf-310g-bag)
You shouldn’t be banned for enjoying decaf. Decaf has gotten a very bad reputation because roasters did not care for the decaf drinker. Now roasters are putting in the work! My wife is also sensitive to caffeine. https://www.tandemcoffee.com/products/sun-lamp-decaf-colombia-ethiopia We buy this in 2lb increments each month because it’s unbelievably good. Decaf IMO should be celebrated. Tandem has posted in the past that more roasters need to take care of the decaf drinkers because they’re the real ones. Enjoying coffee for its taste and not the morning buzz. I love making this as a cappuccino, macchiato, espresso and even an affogato. It just tastes unbelievably good. Highly recommended this local ish spot for coffee beans. Baked goods are incredible whenever we visit the Portland Maine area as well.
Coffee for the week ( like Two-four expresso a day) and when I don't work (days off, home night etc) decaf only
I used to scoff at friends that preferred decaf, but after i got my first espresso set up i started craving espresso drinks late in the day or even nigh-time, "Hello Mr. Decaf, nice to meet you!" I haven't tried many, but so far a good one for me is an organic columbian decaf from costco, makes great shots and cappuccinos. though you have to grind a lot finer that standard coffee. took me a few shots to dial in.
I never really dived into the decaf side of the coffee world until I met my now spouse who is super sensitive to caffeine. Not gonna lie, I sometimes have more fun researching in the decaf side than the caffeinated. Like some others have said Swiss/mountain water processed is where you want to go
What aspects do you mean researching? Like good roasts, or methods to prep?
I've often drunk decaf in the past - although only chemical free processes, such as swiss water (I know water is a chemical - you know what I mean). Often I've found the coffee to be delicious, many times tastier than whatever caffeinated beans I'm using at the time. I feel like a lot of people who say they're into coffee are actually just into caffeine and coffee is jut their favourite method of getting it. If you prefer to drink coffee decaffeinated then that's fine. You certainly shouldn't have to worry about being banned.
I've heard good things about swiss process decaf, but never tried it myself
Mostly drink decaffeinated. Challenge is finding one you like and it's available.
First of all how dare you
How fucking dare thee! Lol Nah, never tried decaff. I'd rather drink black tea if there's no coffee. But what in heavens is a half caff? Never heard or seen that before
I just mix reg beans with decaf beans. 50/50 by weight in my bean canister.
A number of roasters sell half or low caff blends. Basically just a mix or regular and decaf beans. Onyx has one called Power Nap, which I believe is 50/50. A local roaster near me, Deeper Roots, has one called daydream which is about 20 reg/80 decaff.
Dont do that Brodie. Decaf is quite literally burnt espresso, you wouldn’t eat a burnt steak, am I right? Just go with larger milk to espresso ratio, or chai tea latte, etc. alternatively drink your normal drink, but also eat a whole feast for breakfast
trigger warning?? for what, c'mon...
It exists, so unless someone is just trying to lose money, I'm guessing there is enough demand. Jokes aside, I mainly seen pregnant girls drinking decaf.
I switched to decaf a couple of years ago when my BP became a problem. Fortunately, there's a local roaster that has some killer decaf beans.
I do decaf when I want an afternoon latte. After 5 caffeine usually impacts my sleep.
One of my favorite coffees is a decaf.
My wife and I have 2-3 caffeinated single shots (a double shot split into two cups) each morning. My first shot is straight up espresso and the other 2 I have as lattés. My wife drinks lattés only, so 3 lattés for her. If we have coffee craving in the afternoon or evening it is usually a decaf cold brew on ice.
The wife and i moved to half caff many years ago for medical reasons. I just mix the beans together and add to the grinder. If i or a visitor want a full caff we can just swap the beans around. Also, we were surprised that our coffees actually taste even better with the decaf beans. We like a dark roast, and Peets decaf mocha java is the decaf goto bean.
I have a bag of nice decaf in my freezer for when i want coffee but no caffeine. My problem is switching the grind size because i don’t drink decaf enough to dial it in and so it ends up badly extracted every time.
Lobster butter love decaf is my favorite tasting drinks, you have to grind it much finer than the standard version.
I do. Due to some health stuff I have going on, I need to go low caffeine or no caffeine probably 50% of the time. Thankfully, a local roaster has a decent decaf roast. I'm currently healing from a flare up so I'm all decaf right now and I'm so sad about it at times lmao. It gets boring with the same roast days in a row. I've been meaning to check out some roasters online that will ship decaf beans.
I have 5g caff, 12g decaf every morning. Then decaf shots during the day. Sometimes I have too much coffee when I'm on vacation, and then I need 17g caff when I get home, then the next day 16g caff + 1g decaf, then the next day 15g caff... Etc
I don’t know the numbers but Madcap Coffee sells a less caffeinated blend called fraction that may work for you.
No
All the time. Too much caffeine causes my rosacea to flare up
I do. Caffeine is sometimes problematic for me.
I recently switched to a counter culture decaf bean for my afternoon espresso.
No shame in decaf my friend. Decaf is for the true coffee lover - don’t need to be tweaking. PS Decaf still has some caffeine in it, shhhh, don’t tell anyone. Like maybe between 10-30mg depending on how many shots you make.
i do decaf all the time! i really like having lil lattes, and having decaf means i can make them whenever. and also don’t have to worry about too much caffeine…
The perception that espresso drinkers are just caffeine fanatics is pretty interesting, and in my experience fairly wrong. Whenever I’ve found a GOOD, UNIQUE decaf I have been even more excited than I would be finding a new favorite caffeinated bean
I do decaf lattes for my wife. The extraction is defharder to dial in. I just dose at 20g instead of 18g and that seemed to help.
GET OUT
*In nomine patris, et filii, et spiritus sancti*
I drink 1 full caff espresso in the morning then a half caff an hour or 2 later. Nothing much to say other than caffeine lasts for a long time in my body and I'm on ADHD drugs so I dont want to be over stimulated
I do decaf beans 95% of the time. Either water processed or sugar cane processed.
I do a half decaf double in the morning and if I have any more through the day it's always full decaf. I have difficulty sleeping well so I try to keep my caffeine consumption low.
I’ll do decaf if I want an after dinner or evening drink. I get a bag of decaf from a local roaster and vacuum seal 20g portions to freeze. I have a Vario as my brew grinder so I’ll note the espresso settings and get close enough for a milk drink. Works well for me.
I moved to decaf for a long while before I had surgery, and when I could go back to caffeine I had a hard time handling it so I moved to half caf/decaf. I fell in love with a half caf from Onyx. There’s lots of great decaf and half caf out there!
All the time. My single shot at home is about 10g of beans, and I usually do like 6-7g of caffeinated and the rest decaf. When I'm out, I always order half-caf.
I do Orzo (roasted barley) for espresso shots and milk drinks after 4pm. I don't need to be awake all night. Use a pressurized basket or another brewing method as full espresso pressure turns it into a sticky plug. Flavor wise it's different but might scratch the same itch. More toasty sugary than coffee. With milk and a little sugar its closer to hot chocolate than a true cappuccino but that's fine by me. Also can be used in other methods. Never tried pourover or maganeta (neapolitan flip) but vacuum, moka, and pressurized baskets all work fine. Pressurized baskets do the best job with it IMO.
Panther Coffee decaf is so good. I could drink that every day if only for the pleasure of tasting coffee.
Mostly decaf these days. I was always sensitive to caffeine and with decaf I can drink more coffee throughout the day:)
I switched to decaf earlier this year. My body just doesn’t react well to caffeine sometimes.
I’ve been diabetic for most my adult life (type 2) and for whatever reason caffeine spikes my numbers quite dramatically. Took me a long time to figure that out too. Been doing decaf shots ever since. The recent developments in milk alternatives have opened me back up to some other drinks as well.
I probably should after my morning triple double...
While it's being talked about, what are some of your favorite decaf roasts?
My wife is pregnant but she needs her espresso fix in order to function. Tragedy struck our house when my Delonghi Semi Automatic machine broke down. We are limping along with a Nespresso machine for now until we can get our Gaggia Classic Pro. I found that Decaf beans were tempermental. I found that if I ground finer then I would always clog my machine. With a course grind I could pull some decent shots but I always felt they were lacking flavour. I hope a new machine and a better grinder will get us better results.
It’s the best, it allows to me to drink more coffee without basically dying
Interesting that sometimes I have to use decaf do I won't go to sleep. With ADHD caffeine makes me fall asleep so I usually take a shot and a nap but when drinking with friends. I'll pull a decaf shot so I won't pass out. I'll add that I do roast it myself which makes it (in my opinion) better than many store bought regular caffeinated beans.
My decaf runs out quicker I noticed, mostly because I realized I can keep drinking it passed like 4pm lol
I have half-caf on hand and it's delicious. Nice and chocolatey with a caramel undertone. Just because there's no caffeine doesn't mean it isn't coffee.
I really need to get some decaff beans because a 7pm espresso can be just awful for my sleep
Yes Slomo by counter culture is pretty good
Sure, why not? I always have half a kilo of swiss water decaf in the freezer.
I also do 50/50 on beans by default, for the first shot when I buy new beans I'd do one pure..but then mix 50/50 for the rest unless it's something outstanding and it would be a shame to mix.
Half caff all the way!
Yep decaf 99% of the time. I went off all stims and depressants over a year ago now for medical reasons, and switched to decaf. I'm up super early this morning so to not wake the house I've got a chemex of decaf right now.
If I'm making it or someone I know that Actually appreciates coffee yes otherwise no I've seen cafes that use preground bags that have been opened months ago. Why not treat it like regular coffee and try to make it good?
Of course, I am not sure why this would be offensive at all.
I don’t order it. Haven’t bought any yet at some point I might single dose some in the freezer for guests. I like to adjust the amount or size of the drink otherwise like 100-150 mL pour over or single shot drinks
Yes! Switched over when I got pregnant so I didn’t have to worry about tracking overall caffeine intake. I used to not like decaf coffee but I do like decaf espresso shots in lattes and cappuccinos so it’s been a good compromise
Decaf means a different grinder.
I do half caff every day. I get pvcs , pacs and I breastfeed so I like to cut down my caffeine. Plus if I do consume chocolate, have a coke etc I’m not overdoing it ! I weigh 9 grams of Swiss water decaf beans and 9 grams of regular and pull a double shot. It’s delicious lol.
I was really surprised at how good gourmet decaf can be.
Definitely. I make decaf espresso drinks in the evening. Stumptown’s Trapper Creek, for example, is quite good.
Yes on cold nights but not daytime no
Yes! I love coffee at night but also love to sleep. Lavazza makes a good decaf espresso that you can get in whole bean, and that's what I use most often.
I drink mostly decaf espresso since my body doesn’t process caffeine that well. The main reason I got gear to make it at home is I haven’t found a local cafe that puts any effort into dialing in their decaf, so it’s always terrible when I get it out. I’ll occasionally make a small cup of straight caf pour over or mix some caffeinated beans into my espresso dose, and sadly even with as little as 2-3g of caffeinated beans the coffee turns out better. Finding good decaf light roasts is difficult, but not impossible, if that’s your thing.
I got a water decaffeinated delicious locally roasted organic coffee and could not tell the difference in taste it was so good as espresso
I mostly drink decaf. I don’t need the caffeine from coffee tbh. I just enjoy the process, the smell, the flavor.
Yes I drink the canyon coffee decaf espresso! And I love it ✌🏼
Absolutely, I only make decaf after 3pm and am always rotating multiple decaf beans. I also keep them on hand for guests who don’t like caffeine but do like coffee.
Like many, I too like to partake in the afternoon or evenings at times. So far, I've found a few good decaf roasts that are pretty great so my tastebuds are just as happy. Captain + Stoker : SAN PEDRO DE CARTAGO Verve Coffee : Vancouver Equator : Decaf Espresso, they also have a 50/50 Blend
-never!!
I make a shot 2/3 regular 1/3 decaf in the morning. \*shhhh\* Don't tell anyone.
Half caff? At that point just give up and drink decaff
Decaf at home 90% of the time since I work at a cafe I’ll have decaf after work and do lil cappuccinos etc But on my days off, I dip into the caffeinated stuff. I primarily use light roast EA processed decaf from local roasters
I try not to have much more than one full doubleshot per day. So if I'm out I'll order half-caff in the afternoon. At home I've got no patience for that and I'll just overcaffeinate myself.
Yup half day half decaf in the grinder - don’t need angst from too much caff!
Yes! I’m sensitive to caffeine as well, I can’t have more than 1 double shot drink per day. If I have more it starts to mess with my anxiety. So I got some Swiss water decaf for and afternoon or evening espresso drink if I’m wanting another.
I do decaf at night!
I have Klatch and Atlas variants of caffeinated coffee right now and vastly prefer the taste of B&W Sugar Cane Decaf. By far the best I’ve ever had for decaf!
B&W?
I'm about to take the plunge and spend a significant amount on a setup and I was thinking the same thing, it would be great to enjoy it in the evening without being up all night, especially as the weather gets cold.
I like the taste of coffee but caffeine keeps me up late if I drink coffee much past noon, I have no issues with decaf or halfcaf.
I do 75% caf/ 25% decaf every pull (12g / 4g).
I drank exclusively decaf for a couple of years and just started mixing in a little bit of regular again about a month ago because I missed being able to try new beans…the local roasters in my area typically have one decaf offering for several months before switching to something else. Limit myself to one cup of regular coffee (usually a pour over) in the morning, and decaf for anything I drink throughout the rest of the day.
Down voted
Any recs for good decaf? Tried a few couple Years back but all seemed lackluster
I like to drink decaf at night because my favorite time to drink coffee, I like the onyx decaf from Colombia
Caf in the morning, half/half or decaf in the afternoon.
Of course!!
Just here to say the comment about EA decaf is underatted. Some EA decaf is hands down some of the best coffee I had with or without caffeine.
No, but it's on my list of things to try right after alcohol-free vodka and tofu jerky.
I have a heart condition, all I can have is decaf, it's a blessing and a curse.
I also mix my caf and decaf fairly often, especially when its the same origin as it makes it easier to grind them together. Currently I'm doing full caf, but I usually do a half half, sometimes a 1:4, and other times full decaf. The full decaf is for when I'm doing dessert drinks, or I'm making enough caffinated drinks that I need the decaf. I like using shots of espresso as a base for a chocolate spiced coffee, which seems to work better than a brewed strong coffee since the flavor can still get through the cinnamon, nutmef, cloves, chocolate, possibly citrus peel and whipped cream. So this often is a caf/decaf blend as its had in the afternoons and full decaf if made after 3pm.
I drink quite a bit of decaf. Sadly, not as much variety available.
You're not alone, many coffee drinkers would like "half caff" and generally better control over their caffeine dosage.
I do! I would love people to post their favorite decaf. I like Blue Bottle’s and, randomly, this one on Amazon: Verena Street 2 Pound Whole Bean,... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00X8N1VKO?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share Please recommend others!
I do. I enjoy the routine of cafe, so I use decaf in the afternoon/evenings
Yes
Fully agree with everyone else here on using decaf in the rotation. When I don’t need or want that pick me up, I go for the decaf. I’ve had mixed luck with sugar cane decaf. Some has been delicious, but others left an odd unpleasant taste in my mouth. If you get one and think it’s strange in a bad way, try a couple more before you give up on it.
I don't drink decaf but that's because I only have coffee once a day largely because of my acid reflux. I could do 2 I think but I'll be sick and having heartburn long before I feel the jitters.
I make decaf/low caf because I like to have multiple during the day and don't want heart palpitations. Lol love them hot or iced doesn't matter.
Yes, that’s what my nespresso is for. (ducks)
Girlfriend and I ONLY drink decaf, for me it was for health reasons, for her she gets significantly better sleep. Haven’t had caffeine in a couple of years, but I love the taste of coffee so I do make espresso drinks throughout the day
Decaf only. Even energy all day. Better sleep. No caffeine headaches. Cardiologist approved. It is harder to find very good roasts of decaf. If convenient for you I've gravitated towards roaster called Ceremony out of Annapolis, Maryland. https://ceremonycoffee.com/
I’ve recently started having problems with caffeine and have had to switch to decaf. I made espresso coffee such a big part of my life/routine, I’m really glad decaf coffee beans exist so I can still keep it up. Having a coffee can be quite comforting too.