220GRAD goes decaf

We are breaking with our own dogma and are looking forward to it!

10.10.2023

At the beginning of coffee cultivation, the effects of caffeine were paramount. This molecule remains a key motivation for many people to drink coffee.

Caffeine, with its bitter taste, serves as a natural insecticide for coffee plants, acting as a defense mechanism. In the human body, caffeine has a stimulating and invigorating effect. Due to its similar chemical structure, caffeine blocks the "fatigue messenger" adenosine.

This effect has made coffee a very popular food and beverage. Furthermore, with a dry matter aroma content of only 0.1%, coffee is also one of the most aromatic foods we know. However, the enjoyment of its diverse aromatic impressions is usually limited to the first half of the day, as the effects of caffeine are expected to wear off by bedtime. And what happens to people who, due to their genetic predisposition, have a higher sensitivity to caffeine and therefore can drink little or no coffee? So the question arises: do we want to, and should we, remove this essential component from coffee beans? For a long time, we resisted decaffeinated coffee. Firstly, because it doesn't correspond to the natural state of the coffee plant. Secondly, because synthetic-chemical decaffeination methods dominated the market for a long time. These methods are not without their problems, as residues of potentially harmful solvents can remain in the beans. Furthermore, the other natural aromas in the coffee were also negatively affected. The resulting taste in the cup was correspondingly poor.

This has changed. We have now found producers and importers who share our commitment to a natural process. Through our collaboration with Belco from Bordeaux, we have found a reliable partner for decaffeinated coffee. The decaffeination process takes place on the green coffee beans. Three different processes can be used for natural decaffeination:

WATER: Decaffeination by osmosis (see diagram): Water decaffeination uses the principle of osmosis. Accordingly, two solutions are separated by a permeable membrane – the caffeine concentration balances out, moving from the highest concentration to the lowest. The liquid absorbing the caffeine is saturated with other coffee components, so that as little caffeine as possible is removed.

Graphic: Water Decaffeination. Source: Belco and Folmer, 2017.

LIQUID CARBON DIOXIDE: Decaffeination using liquefied CO2 is the latest method.
Under ideal temperature and pressure conditions, liquid CO2 can selectively extract caffeine from green coffee. This method leaves the characteristics of the respective coffee largely unaffected. The CO2 can be removed from the coffee again through decompression and is completely harmless to health.

Ethyl acetate (solvent derived from sugar cane) is used for decaffeination with a natural solvent derived from sugar cane. Ethyl acetate is an aroma compound that develops during fruit ripening. This substance selectively extracts caffeine from the green coffee bean, imparting fruity notes to the coffee. This gives the coffee a subtle sweetness. Ethyl acetate is considered safe for consumption.

What other effects does decaffeination have? Roasted, decaffeinated coffee beans are more porous; this should be taken into account when adjusting the grinder (finer grind). Other substances with similar solubility properties to caffeine are also removed from the coffee. The effects on sensory perception cannot be answered generally. The aforementioned natural decaffeination processes aim for the highest possible selectivity for caffeine and are harmless to our health. In principle, excellent cups can be achieved through careful selection and meticulous processing.

IN MID-NOVEMBER, WE'LL START WITH A DECAFFEINATED BEAN FROM MEXICO.

The coffee beans come from small farmers in Chiapas. This region is located in southern Mexico, bordering Guatemala, and is particularly known for its cacao cultivation. DESCAMEX has been carrying out decaffeination on-site since 1983. The company specializes in water decaffeination.

Cup profile: Macadamia nut, cereal, almonds. Suitable for: portafilter, moka pot, fully automatic coffee machine.

Original item

"220GRAD is being decaffeinated" | We're breaking with our own dogma and looking forward to it!

21.03.2025

THE PRICE IS HOT

The year 2024 has made many things visible. Climate change has been discussed intensively in recent years, and now we are seeing its effects more and more clearly: for example, in the prices of green coffee. There is simply not enough green coffee of the appropriate quality in the right place. Extreme weather conditions have led to drought in South America and heavy rainfall with flooding in Southeast Asia. In other words, the agriculture of the world's two largest coffee producers, Brazil and Vietnam, was particularly hard hit by environmental disasters last year. Vietnam even experienced the smallest Robusta harvest in 13 years. The coffee price on the stock exchange for Arabica and Robusta is thus at its highest level since 1977. In addition, newly announced bureaucratic regulations (deforestation regulations) and supply chain problems, which began with the 2020 coronavirus crisis and are only slowly improving due to the unstable geopolitical situation, are further driving up the market price. In November 2024, two million sacks of coffee were stored in Brazilian ports alone, out of schedule. The sum of all these factors is leading to a plateau, a new zero line. At the same time, energy prices in Europe will remain high in the medium term, which in turn impacts the entire value chain. All in all, not very encouraging, but still doable and, above all, instructive. In the past, the coffee exchange wasn't particularly important for specialty coffee roasters. However, since the high base price for green coffee on the exchange is now also driving specialty coffee prices to historic highs, we no longer have to solely evaluate the quality of the coffee samples when purchasing, but also pay attention to the weather forecasts of the producing countries to determine the right time to enter into a purchase agreement. The comparatively high current base price for green coffee will, in the long run, increase producers' interest in growing and selling coffee instead of switching to other agricultural products. At the end of the day, it's all about making decisions. We have decided not to skimp on quality, but to purchase high-quality green coffee in a targeted and long-term manner so that we can continue to stand behind our coffee varieties with conviction. Original article "The price is HOT"