Best Decaf Coffee

Many people associate decaf coffee with bad taste. This loathing is largely attributed to the common methods of caffeine extraction. There are two most commonly used methods of decaffeination: First, chemicals are used to draw the caffeine and flavors out and then the flavors are subsequently soaked back into the beans. The second is to use carbon-dioxide-infused sparkling water to decaffeinate the beans. In both methods, the essential oils and flavors are first removed and then put back into the bean before the beans are roasted. This process occurs while the coffee bean is still green. This can affect overall taste, and each method produces a different flavor range.

There is good news, however, for those who are exempt from the intake of caffeine but still love their cup o’ Joe in the morning or after meals. Many coffee producers have refined the decaffeination process so flavor, aroma, and overall taste are retained. Since the best coffee is the best tasting and smelling, manufacturers have been hard at work to present an affordable and delicious alternative to whole coffees. One thing to consider before diving in and trying out most of these alternative brands is price. How much is a great tasting cup of decaf coffee worth to you?

Some brands that offer great decaf alternatives are Eight O’clock Decaf Coffee, which is listed in Consumer Search as one of their favorite picks, and Wal-Mart’s 100% Arabica Great Value Decaffeinated coffee, which was blind-tested and received great reviews. For those who do not shop at the superstore, there are private growers and producers of decaf coffee. Maverick’s, from Visalia, CA, processes and roasts their own beans, and is known as a rich, full-bodied decaf. In San Francisco, you have Peet’s Major Dickason’s Decaf. They use a chemical-free process and never over-roast their beans.

Dunkin’ Donuts has a decaf coffee that seems to please the masses. If you’re looking for something all natural, Newman’s Own is a possibility. Gevalia, which is a mail-order coffee and tea provider, apparently has a wonderful decaf blend, along with different flavors for their decaf coffees. Mexican decaf coffees usually are processed with chemicals, but they seem to retain a lot of body and aroma in the roasting process. Sumatran decaf can be processed, or brewed, in a French press to get a very rich and full-bodied cup.

Taste and quality are not always dependent upon price when it comes to decaf coffee. Make sure you always read labels and do some research. If you’d rather have the more natural decaffeination process over solvents, then that’s your match. Just be wary; there is still caffeine in the coffee you brew. There are not strict rules about how much caffeine can be in coffee products from the Food and Drug Administration.

Decaf coffee can be something you can enjoy, not disdain. You don’t have to ultimately sacrifice taste for a decaf experience. Just shop around, research online, and best of all, ask others who have been consuming it. Usually, a regular coffee drinker who has switched to decaf will be happy to share with you which brand and/or brands they recommend.

Tags: Coffee, coffee brewers, coffee maker