Why Swiss Water Decaf Is One of My Top 5 Coffees to Roast

Order a decaf and watch what happens. There's often a pause. Sometimes a raised eyebrow. Occasionally a barista asks, not quite joking, "What's the point?"

I find it fascinating. Decaf drinkers seem to cop more grief than anyone else at the counter, and I've never understood why. They love coffee. Some are pregnant. Some want a cup after dinner without staring at the ceiling at 2am. Some simply find their body doesn't handle caffeine the way it used to. None of that makes them lesser coffee drinkers. If anything, they're choosing coffee for the taste alone.

I don't see decaf as a hurdle, especially with Swiss Water beans.

How Swiss Water works

Most decaf is made using solvents such as methylene chloride or ethyl acetate. Swiss Water uses only water, time and carbon filters.

• Green beans are soaked in a water already saturated with green coffee compounds, called Green Coffee Extract.
• Because the extract is already full of flavour compounds, only the caffeine moves out of the beans.
• The extract is then run through carbon filters to catch the caffeine, and reused.

The result is 99.9% caffeine-free coffee, with no chemicals involved.

Any decaffeination changes a bean a little. The body can be slightly lighter and the aromatics a touch softer. But Swiss Water keeps far more of the origin's character than older methods, and with good beans and careful roasting, the difference is smaller than most people expect.

Why I love roasting it

Decaf beans are a different animal. They arrive a pale brown rather than green, because the process has already started changing them. They're drier and more porous too, so they take on heat quickly.

That makes them tricky. You can't rely on colour to judge the roast, and first crack is quieter and easier to miss. It needs a gentler hand and your full attention, relying on smell, sound and temperature rather than the eye.

That's exactly why it's in my top five. It keeps me honest. And because our customers are what matter most, we keep evaluating our profiles to make sure every batch brings out the best in the bean.

Brewing tips

• Use the same ratios and methods as any other coffee.
• Decaf can extract quickly. If your espresso runs fast, grind a little finer.
• Dropping the brew temperature by 1–2°C can soften any bitterness.
• Freshness matters, which is why we roast to order.

Our Swiss Water Decaf

Our Swiss Water decaf is a medium roast (flavour intensity 3/5), full-bodied and creamy, and equally good black or with milk. It's roasted fresh to order in Robe, and available in 250g and 1kg, whole bean or ground, with free shipping Australia-wide.

So next time someone in the queue orders a decaf, go easy on them. They know exactly what they're doing.

Shop our Swiss Water Decaf →