I am a bit of a coffee fiend. So much so that I get excited for my morning cup of coffee before I go to bed at night. But in recent years my tolerance to caffeine decreased at the same rate as my coffee addiction increased. I tried to push through but the daily jitters were becoming hard to ignore.
So I dipped my toe into decaf coffee and very quickly took my toe back out. It was watery, weak, and bland, with zero of the depth of a good cup of coffee. Not to be beaten at the first hurdle I looked past the offering of my favourite online supermarket and discovered some pretty awesome coffee brands. I tried a whole variety of decaf blends, many of which surprisingly satiated my need for tasty coffee.
I’ve now been drinking (and enjoying) decaf coffee every day and it has helped me lower my caffeine intake. I even look forward to my cups of decaf throughout the day. Although I still treat myself to that morning cup of (caffeinated) coffee.
To get the most flavour from the decaf blends I’ve been testing out whole decaf coffee beans, but if you can’t grind beans at home then all these brands offer ground decaf coffee too. I have been grinding the beans before brewing the coffee in a cafetiere.
NOLO
- Decaffeination method: Water
- Blend: 84% Arabica, 16% Robusta
- Origin: Brazil, Honduras, India, & Mexico
- Roast: Medium
- Tasting notes: Dark chocolate, cinnamon, spiced pear
In my search for the best decaf coffee, I was happy to discover NOLO, a brand that specialises in decaf and low-caffeine coffee blends. So it is no surprise that their decaf coffee tastes great!
The brewed coffee is dark and rich with a chocolatey flavour. I was amazed at the depth of flavour and enjoyed their arabica and robusta blend. It goes perfectly with most vegan milks and the flavour holds up well in an iced latte.
All the coffee beans are grown on organic farms and are fair trade. Their product line is made up of coffee beans, ground coffee, coffee pods, and iced coffee cans. I’m looking forward to trying their low-caffeine blend in the future!
You may also be interested in: My favourite mushroom coffee blends
Rounton Coffee Roasters
- Decaffeination method: CO2 (sparkling water method)
- Blend: Arabica
- Origin: Peru
- Roast: Medium
- Tasting notes: Dark chocolate, cherry, brown sugar
When it comes to taste, Rounton Coffee Roasters have nailed it. Their sparkling water decaf made using Peruvian coffee beans has a lovely deep fruity chocolate flavour. It is no wonder that it has won a variety of awards!
They use the sparkling water method which involves soaking the green beans in water before introducing CO2 which extracts the caffeine out of the beans. They are then roasted.
They offer a variety of options for their decaf coffee, including whole beans, ground coffee (you can choose from cafetiere, filter, Aeropress, or espresso), and coffee pods.
Volcano Coffee Works
- Decaffeination method: CO2 (sparkling water method)
- Blend: Arabica
- Origin: Peru
- Roast: Medium
- Tasting notes: Maple syrup, green grape, dark chocolate
There is a subtle maple sweetness to this decaf coffee from Volcano Coffee Work which is delicious. It is really enjoyable black but also works well with a splash of oat milk. It has a strong roast flavour that stands out.
It is another decaf made using the CO2 method, meaning zero nasty chemicals. They have also minimised the plastic on their packaging so there is no clip or seal. So, to keep it fresh, simply decant your beans or ground coffee into an airtight container or buy one of their handy reusable clips.
They offer their decaf coffee as whole beans or ground, with either fine (recommended for espresso machines) or medium grind (recommended for cafetieres, Aeropress, V60 filters, and more).
Assembly
- Decaffeination method: Sugarcane
- Blend: Arabica
- Origin: Democratic Republic of Congo
- Roast: Medium
- Tasting notes: Brown sugar, blackberry, syrupy
This is a much lighter and subtle brew than the rest which is great for everyday sipping. It has slight sugary hints and I enjoyed it best without any milk.
I enjoyed learning about the coffee growers who grew these beans and I appreciate Assembly’s transparency towards this. It is great to see more female representation and equality within the process. You can read about it here.
Their decaf blend comes in four grinds: whole beans, espresso grind, pour-over/Aeropress, and French press.
Iron & Fire
- Decaffeination method: Sugarcane
- Blend: Arabica
- Origin: Multiple countries
- Roast: Medium, dark
- Tasting notes: Chocolate, cashew nut, raisin
If you enjoy a darker roast then you’ll enjoy the decaf blend by Iron & Fire. It has a great depth of flavour and when I drink it black I get the chocolate tasting notes. I found a splash of oat milk really helps to bring out the nutty side notes.
Whilst all the decaf coffee blends here are packaged in recyclable packaging, Iron & Fire packages theirs in compostable packaging made from plant materials.
As well as their whole beans you can choose from 5 different grind levels: Aeropress, cafetiere, pour over, moka, and espresso.
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