The decaffeination process

What is caffeine?

Caffeine is a psychoactive chemical molecule that stimulates both mind and body. It is said to increase focus, improve coordination, and support physical exertion. Critics, however, claim it fuels anxiety, disrupts sleep, and causes headaches. Contrary to some rumors that dark roast coffees contain less caffeine, we can now confirm that a multitude of factors influence the amount of caffeine in our cup of coffee: the type of bean, the roast, the brewing method, the water temperature, and the amount of coffee used, among others. For more information on this topic, you can refer to [link to relevant resource]. This article is from the SCAA, a world authority in the coffee industry.

How do you decaffeinate coffee?

First of all, be aware that decaffeinated coffee will always contain a minimum amount of caffeine… as mentioned above, the caffeine molecule is tenacious! However, there are 2 well-known methods to eliminate a good portion of it.

The Swiss method:

1. The coffee bean is soaked in water. This step allows the bean to expand (it absorbs water) and thus prepares for the caffeine extraction.
2. The bean is then filtered through charcoal. This filter traps the caffeine.
3. This process is repeated until a coffee is obtained that is decaffeinated to approximately 99%.

The KVW method (chemical process):

1. The (green) coffee bean is first placed in a high-intensity steam bath. The aim is to open the pores of the bean.
2. Subsequently, the grain is rinsed in a dichloromethane solution (methylene chloride, organic solvent) where it will remain in maceration for 10 to 12 hours.
3. Finally, the coffee bean returns to the steam bath for a few hours to purify itself of residues from the solvents used in the previous step.

The video below explains the Swiss method very well, that is to say, the water method.