Far from being in the ‘death before decaf camp’, we have long since appreciated the need for a good coffee minus the caffeine. So much so we have spent a good deal of time on the hunt for one this past decade! A task much harder than you might think, due in part to the myriad of processes that exist out there…
It is thought Decaf coffee was discovered by accident when green coffee beans became soaked by seawater in transit, partially removing some of the caffeine. Upon further investigation and experimentation, it was found that applying a chemical solvent (Benzene) stripped all caffeine from the beans, producing the world’s first patented Decaf coffee. The only catch was this chemical solvent was found to cause a whole host of issues from respiratory tract irritation to cancer.
Surprisingly, many commercial coffee manufacturers to this day still rely upon chemical solvents for a quick and cheap way to strip the caffeine (and many of coffee’s positive attributes) away from the beans - the most common chemicals used are Methylene Chloride (commonly used in adhesives, paints and even chemotherapy) and Ethyl Acetate (also known as the Sugarcane Process, a solvent that is naturally found in some fruits). Whilst both of these chemical solvents can have adverse health effects when inhaled/consumed in small doses, the FDA concluded that the trace amounts you get in decaf are too miniscule to affect your health.
However, we think there is more to consider. There is no reason for those who require decaf coffee (either from personal preference or for health reasons) to accept a substandard drinking experience. Surely, it is possible to remove caffeine AND hold on to the many intrinsic characteristics coffee possesses thanks to the unique terroir that supported its growth?
Happily, we have found it.
The CO2 Process
We are so delighted to introduce you to what will become a mainstay of our offer list - our very own Brazil Montanari Decaf!
For many years, we have purchased beans that have been decaffeinated using the much revered and organically certified C02 Process (described below) but due to our scale and decaf run rates, we haven’t been able to secure sustained supply.
Finally, this year, we have been able to redirect 100 bags of our beloved Brazilian beans from Marcelo Montanari to be sent to the CR3 plant in Germany for organic decaffeination.
This process sees natural carbon dioxide (which comes from prehistoric underground lakes) combined with water to create ‘sub-critical’ conditions which creates a highly solvent substance for caffeine in coffee. It is a gentle, natural and organically certified process and the good caffeine selectivity of the carbon dioxide guarantees a high retention level of other coffee components which contribute to taste and aroma.
We have been blown away with the results. This is a coffee we have been purchasing since 2014, so we know it well! And we are delighted to say that the flavour profile of this decaffeinated version is so so close to that of the original that you really can get to the grips with all that Marcelo’s beans have to offer.
We love this partnership due to Marcelo’s forward thinking approach to coffee production in a country that is still very much focused on the more commercial/volume driven approach to coffee. Right from the get go, he has pioneered an environmentally responsible approach to his farming, achieving a carbon negative status on his farms thanks to the work he does on reusing water and growing his supply of compost - he produces 50 tonnes per hectare which helps to retain an unbelievable 53,000 tonnes of CO2!
His production was dramatically affected by the black frost of 2021 losing up to 70 per cent of his yield and threatening our long established partnership with him. We are over the moon to have secured the supply of this crucial coffee to North Star for many years to come by combining our purchases from the Montanari family farms (of which there are 4). And with the introduction of a decaf version, our hopes are to continue growing the volume we buy (and therefore the impact we can have) from this pioneering coffee producer.
The details of the C02 process are outlined below:
1. The green beans enter a ‘pre-treatment’ vessel where they are cleaned and moistened with water before being brought into contact with pressurised liquid carbon dioxide. When the green coffee beans absorb the water, they expand and the pores are opened resulting in the caffeine molecules becoming mobile.
2. After the water has been added, the beans are then brought into contact with the pressurised liquid carbon dioxide which combines with the water to essentially form sparkling water. The carbon dioxide circulates through the beans and acts like a magnet, drawing out the mobile caffeine molecules.
3. The sparkling water then enters an evaporator which precipitates the caffeine rich carbon dioxide out of the water. The now caffeine free water is pumped back into the vessel for a new cycle.
4. This cycle is repeated until the required residual caffeine level is reached. Once this has happened, the circulation of carbon dioxide is stopped and the green beans are discharged into a drier.
5. The decaffeinated coffee is then gently dried until it reaches its original moisture content, after which it is ready for roasting.
