Decaf vs. Regular Coffee

Decaf coffee is not fake coffee. It is real coffee that has undergone an additional step to remove most of the caffeine before roasting. The word "most" matters. Decaf is not caffeine-free. A typical cup contains 2 to 15 milligrams compared to 95 to 200 milligrams in regular coffee.

How Caffeine Is Removed

Swiss Water Process uses water and osmosis to extract caffeine without chemical solvents and preserves most of the original flavor. It is the most common method in specialty decaf. CO2 Process uses pressurized carbon dioxide and is gentle on the beans. Methylene chloride and ethyl acetate processes also exist, with varying flavor impacts.

Does Decaf Taste Worse

It used to. Decaf's reputation was earned honestly through decades of bad decaf. That has changed. Specialty roasters now source high quality green coffee specifically for decaf and use Swiss Water or CO2 processes that preserve flavor. Good decaf from a good roaster, brewed well, is genuinely enjoyable. The best test: order a decaf pour over at a specialty shop. If the flavor is clean, sweet, and complex, the decaf program is real. Find a shop near you.

Keep reading: What Is Espresso, Light Roast vs. Dark Roast, Arabica vs. Robusta.