What Does Sugar Cane Have to Do With Decaf Coffee?

Have you ever wondered how coffee is decaffeinated? Are you worried it might not be healthy? Have you tried decaf coffee that has tasted great? Let’s dive into the subject of decaf.

How does caffeine get removed from coffee? There are a few ways to remove caffeine from coffee, but our favorite is using sugar cane juice. Surprising, but delicious.

We first tasted our favorite decaffeinated coffee on a table with many other normal and delicious Colombian coffees. We couldn’t believe our taste buds when we learned there was a decaffeinated coffee on the table. That’s when we knew we had found “the one”. We were in love. The coffee was sweet, approachable, nuanced, and we couldn’t imagine sharing anything else.

The name of the compound in sugar cane juice that is removing the caffeine is called “ethyl acetate”. This is commonly found in ripe fruit, wine, and many foods and beverages. It is natural, not typically harmful as found in nature, and happens to absorb caffeine really well. It also boils away at room temperature, making even the most lightly roasted sugar cane decaf free of ethyl acetate due to the high temperatures of the roasting process and the low boiling point of the sugar cane juice.

This decaffeination process removes about 97% percent of the caffeine normally found in coffee, but preserves a great amount of sweetness, nuance and flavor: all while being as natural as biting into a ripe banana. If any of this sparked some interest or you want to take your next cup of afternoon coffee to the next level, here’s a link to try some for yourself.

Why drink decaf at all? Great question. Some great news is the health benefits of coffee often extend to the decaf version as well. The flavor is delicious, and people who drink decaf are often the most serious coffee lovers of all. It takes dedication and commitment to enjoy a cup of coffee without the usual effects.

You may have seen other kinds of decaf coffee out there. Over the years, many methods have been developed to remove the stimulating component. There’s way’s to make decaf with water, CO2, and even methyl chloride. We chose our favorite. In our opinion, sugar cane is simply the tastiest option, is incredibly safe, and we like it the most.

Do you have any questions? Please email us, or leave a comment here and we will get right back to you.