Ah, coffee. That morning staple consumed by so many of us. And don’t forget that go-to, mid-day cup of hot, delicious coffee (yum). Don’t believe me, check out the Starbucks drive-through line around 3 p.m. Decaffeinated (decaf) coffee is probably the way a lot of us go for that afternoon treat or even the perfect after-dinner cup.
But did you know not all decaf coffees are created equal? Some decaffeination methods involve chemicals like methylene chloride or ethyl acetate. Both ingredients are found in paint thinners, degreasing agents and – in large amounts – have been linked to numerous health problems.
Pretty bad right? What if I told you a Canadian based company called Swiss Water has perfected a process that eliminates caffeine from coffee without leaving any chemical residues while retaining the bean’s natural flavor and aroma.
Three staff members of Where The Food Comes From had the privilege of tasting two roaster decaf varieties, Smooth Horn Blues and Burundi Rotheca Project, using the Swiss Water decaffination process.
Smooth Horn Blue has a delightful aroma during the brewing process, a robust – yet not overpowering taste, and smooth finish.
Burundi Rotheca Project boasts to have notes of plum, nectarine, and bittersweet chocolate. After the coffee was brewed and poured into a favorite cup or mug, you could definitely smell the citrus and chocolate. The aroma alone really made our taste buds want that hot cup of coffee.
Our findings: One of us tasted the coffees black and with cream. Normally a coffee with cream drinker, he found drinking both cups black to be extremely smooth and robust without being over powering. I had mine with cream. And experienced those same qualities one would expect in a good cup of coffee. Our host/producer also tried it black and with a bit of monkfruit and cream. He found both to be “delightful.”
Bottomline, we all agreed both coffees tasted better than other decaf brands purchased at our local supermarket. Where The Food Comes From highly recommends you give it a try.
And for the coffee lover in you Swiss Water’s online store offers a curated subscription service for under $25 that features coffee from various roasters who exclusively use the Swiss Water process.
Thank You Swiss Water
