# Naturally low caffeine beans



## Horse (Apr 6, 2015)

Hi All,

I have to be a bit careful with my caffeine intake (dodgy ticker).

Can anyone recommend any coffee beans that naturally have lower caffeine content.

I don't like the idea of normal beans that have been decaffeinated with chemicals and don't want totally caffeine free.

Trung Nguyen used to do one (Passiona) but it has been discontinued.


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## NickdeBug (Jan 18, 2015)

Have you thought about blending?

Maybe mix up some Rave Sparkling Decaf (no chemicals) with your bean of choice at whatever ratio you feels gets you low enough.


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## Kman10 (Sep 3, 2014)

Maybe speak to to a few roasters an see if they can do you a specific low caffeine blend?


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## El carajillo (Mar 16, 2013)

Try Coffee Compass Swiss water De-caff, no chemicals


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## Jon (Dec 3, 2010)

Anyone had the rave and the coffee compass one? Any comparisons?


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## garydyke1 (Mar 9, 2011)

Sugar Cane decaf, probably the best decaf I've ever tasted

http://www.hasbean.co.uk/products/colombia-san-sebastian-colombian-sc-decaffeinated-caturra-washed


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## Dallah (Jan 31, 2015)

My very good friends here in Manchester have a decaffinated bean which uses CO2 and no perc. Having said that, using perc to decaffinate is extremely safe and there is no chemical residue but I do understand the reluctance to trust in perc if you aren't an organic chemist.

http://mancoco.co.uk/epages/950003025.sf/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Shops/950003025/Products/0040


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## chipbutty (Sep 16, 2011)

I tried the Rave one and didn't care for it. I've never liked any decaf coffees though.



jonc said:


> Anyone had the rave and the coffee compass one? Any comparisons?


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## aaronb (Nov 16, 2012)

The Swiss Water Decaf method doesn't use any chemicals as far as I remember, there is a talk on the process somewhere (maybe Tamer Tantrum?).

Quite a few UK based roasters seem to send their coffee to them to be decaffeinated so try offerings from a number of roasters and see what you like best.


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## DoubleShot (Apr 23, 2014)

Am I correct in thinking Arabica beans, in general, have less caffeine in them than Robusta beans, especially those used in instant coffee? Which makes me wonder exactly how much caffeine is there in good quality fresh beans? Probably less than you'd expect?


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## NickdeBug (Jan 18, 2015)

Darker roasts are supposed to contain less caffeine


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## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

Caffeine is the coffee plant's natural resistance to insect attack. As Robusta grows at lower altitudes, it is more prey to insect attack and has evolved a higher caffeine content to protect itself. Robusta has approx twice the caffeine content than Arabica. That said, some strains of Arabica have lower levels of caffeine than others.


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## Horse (Apr 6, 2015)

Thanks for the tips.

I will try some of the suggestions.

If I mix a decaf bean with a normal bean are there any techniques to ensure they are evenly mixed - I guess the only way to guarantee a fixed ratio is only put enough beans in the machine for 1 shot?


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## mremanxx (Dec 30, 2014)

Interested in your results, I have been drinking a lot more coffee since being on here and and have been thinking about reducing my caffeine intake without drink less coffee.


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## Rhys (Dec 21, 2014)

My local roasters does decafinated as well (although I was told they prefer the normal coffee) which has been decaffinated using the CO2 method. Thye also told me it's more prone to catching fire in the roaster as the beans are quite dry.

The only decaff I've tried so far is Illy decaf (as I liked the tin lol - plus they were reduced to about £1.50 in the supermarket)


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## johnealey (May 19, 2014)

Am sure have read somewhere, here or on a roasters website (Coffee Compass or Has Bean?) that higher grown beans contain less caffeine, how much less is another question.

Not scientific in any way, but roasted some Honduran SHG beans just before Christmas, 2 lots of 250g, to a Med dark roast and after resting both myself and Mrs E had what can only be described as Caffeine headaches for 2 days whilst drinking this one, only felt when caffeine levels drop below our "normal" highly elevated levels.

Might be worth be worth an ask of a commercial roaster if the above ties in with thier experiences.

Hope of some help

John


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## chipbutty (Sep 16, 2011)

Thanks for the link. I got some last week. I agree, it's the only decaf I've ever liked. Really nice.



garydyke1 said:


> Sugar Cane decaf, probably the best decaf I've ever tasted
> 
> http://www.hasbean.co.uk/products/colombia-san-sebastian-colombian-sc-decaffeinated-caturra-washed


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## Pwhouck (Oct 27, 2019)

johnealey said:


> Am sure have read somewhere, here or on a roasters website (Coffee Compass or Has Bean?) that higher grown beans contain less caffeine, how much less is another question.
> 
> Not scientific in any way, but roasted some Honduran SHG beans just before Christmas, 2 lots of 250g, to a Med dark roast and after resting both myself and Mrs E had what can only be described as Caffeine headaches for 2 days whilst drinking this one, only felt when caffeine levels drop below our "normal" highly elevated levels.
> 
> ...


 I have tried two coffees from Honduras and and also felt that the caffine was lower


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## Foz (Jan 19, 2013)

I have found a 50/50 mix of Rave Swiss water decaf and espresso blends make an excellent chocolate / caramel coffee, good as espresso or with milk. I just mix 100g and 100g together in a bowl and stir. Seems pretty consistent so must mix OK.


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## Beanedict (Aug 14, 2017)

There was a handful of bean varieties that are naturally decaf. whatever happened to them? I know one variety name started with L, but forgot the actual name  , and there's Ethiopian plants code named AC1, AC2 AC3 that are super low caff.


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## matted (Sep 30, 2019)

Thanks for some of the recommendations.

Enjoyed rave coffee's brazil swiss water decaf. Had more taste and character compared to their suarez project decaf imo which have got to get through still.

Presently on the hasbean dcaf mentioned above, nice, quite acidic though. Curdles oatly.


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