# Decaffinated beans



## Iris (Oct 29, 2018)

Hi,

I have just found out I am Pregnant! delighted is an overstatement. So I will be cutting back drastically on my consumption of caffeine.

I wanted to ask a few questions about decaffeinated beans, are these beans more problematic to grind, and cause issues with a poorer quality grinder like the that of the one built into the Sage barista express grinder?

Can anybody reccomemd me a good bean to try?

Thankyou


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

https://coffeeforums.co.uk/showthread.php?44302&p=595164#post595164


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## MildredM (Feb 13, 2017)

Awww! Huge congratulations, Iris


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

You may find you need to grind alot finer for decaf, if you cant grind fine enough to get a proper flow and tasty shot, then the next step would be to updose ( increase the amount of coffee in the basket ) .

Should able to use your set up with decaf though .


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## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

Congratulations!!!


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## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

Wow, you just took me back 27 years. I was sitting in Wetherby as a lorry driver. England were to play Belgium in that famous game where Gasgcoine was yellow carded meaning he would miss the next game (the final) and burst into tears. I had just had fish and chips and went to phone the Mrs before settling down to watch the game. She causally told me she had just found out that she was expecting our second, and I thanked her for spoiling the night.....LOL.......all in jest of course!

Decaf, I had to drink that for quite some time and there are wonderful ones out there. As said, you will need to grind a bit tighter, and or overload compared to normal to cut the flow down. A lot of roasters do awful decaf, some do very good. If you like a darker bean, and I imagine you do not, start off with a tin of Illy green decaf. If you like a strong coffee, it is hard to beat!

http://www.decadentcoffee.co.uk

is a site run by Guy Wilmot. He only sells decaf and I have had quite a few of his. He is always very helpful.

Good luck!


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## kennyboy993 (Jan 23, 2017)

Check out raves decaf blend - a good all rounder


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## Step21 (Oct 2, 2014)

Congratulations! I recently roasted some of HasBean's Columbian Chorrera sugar cane decaf and was genuinely surprised how good it was relative to others I have tried in the past. I think it is still available.


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## Iris (Oct 29, 2018)

Thankyou all for the congrats, and thankyou for the info it has been really helpful.

Going to pick up a tin illy decaf tonight, to last me until the beans ordered from Rave arrive and have rested.


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## Tsangpa (Nov 26, 2017)

I think this is the right link https://www.decadentdecaf.com/



dfk41 said:


> Wow, you just took me back 27 years. I was sitting in Wetherby as a lorry driver. England were to play Belgium in that famous game where Gasgcoine was yellow carded meaning he would miss the next game (the final) and burst into tears. I had just had fish and chips and went to phone the Mrs before settling down to watch the game. She causally told me she had just found out that she was expecting our second, and I thanked her for spoiling the night.....LOL.......all in jest of course!
> 
> Decaf, I had to drink that for quite some time and there are wonderful ones out there. As said, you will need to grind a bit tighter, and or overload compared to normal to cut the flow down. A lot of roasters do awful decaf, some do very good. If you like a darker bean, and I imagine you do not, start off with a tin of Illy green decaf. If you like a strong coffee, it is hard to beat!
> 
> ...


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## les24preludes (Dec 30, 2017)

If you want a cheap and very good alternative to beans, try the M&S Decaf in the blue packet, £3.50. It's ready ground, but not very fine and I grind it finer in my Major. Its pure Columbian and I really like the taste. I buy 8 packets at a time - go through loads of the stuff. I prefer it to Illy ground decaf. Haven't tried Illy decaf beans, if they exist. The Waitrose Peru decaf beans aren't as good as the M&S.


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## Deeez Nuuutz (Apr 15, 2018)

My mrs drinks decaf. Coffee Compass Sucker Punch Decaf is the best one I've found for her so far. I've tried it and it's okay although its darker than I like personally. The mrs likes a dark roast though.

We tried Rave's Swiss Water Decaf and tbh that was awful and no matter what I tried, I couldn't get it to even taste like proper coffee for some reason. Really strange taste.


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## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

les24preludes said:


> If you want a cheap and very good alternative to beans, try the M&S Decaf in the blue packet, £3.50. It's ready ground, but not very fine and I grind it finer in my Major. Its pure Columbian and I really like the taste. I buy 8 packets at a time - go through loads of the stuff. I prefer it to Illy ground decaf. Haven't tried Illy decaf beans, if they exist. The Waitrose Peru decaf beans aren't as good as the M&S.


You grind ground coffee in your Major?


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## kennyboy993 (Jan 23, 2017)

Deeez Nuuutz said:


> My mrs drinks decaf. Coffee Compass Sucker Punch Decaf is the best one I've found for her so far. I've tried it and it's okay although its darker than I like personally. The mrs likes a dark roast though.
> 
> We tried Rave's Swiss Water Decaf and tbh that was awful and no matter what I tried, I couldn't get it to even taste like proper coffee for some reason. Really strange taste.


Funny I had that problem with rave decaf on my e61 hx - and that was with more than 1 bag. Though interesting never had that problem with it on my sage DB......


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## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

Drinking some Round Hill, Colombia Caldono sugar cane decaf this morning.


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## Deeez Nuuutz (Apr 15, 2018)

kennyboy993 said:


> Funny I had that problem with rave decaf on my e61 hx - and that was with more than 1 bag. Though interesting never had that problem with it on my sage DB......


Strange. Don't think it was anything at all to do with the machine. No matter what I done I couldn't get it to taste even okay or passable for a shot of coffee. Hard to explain but it was kind of devoid of any taste and hollow. Didn't taste like coffee even.

I gave up with it in the end because it was horrible and was just wasting my time.


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## Deeez Nuuutz (Apr 15, 2018)

MWJB said:


> Drinking some Round Hill, Colombia Caldono sugar cane decaf this morning.


How you finding it?


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## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

Deeez Nuuutz said:


> How you finding it?


On the desk to my left.

But seriously , brewed as drip even though it's an 'espresso' roast (not easy to find light decaf roasts), it has sweetness & some berry (toffee apple, marzipan, berry on the bag notes). A very nice cup compared to the other decafs I have tried so far.


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## twotone (Jan 13, 2015)

dfk41 said:


> You grind ground coffee in your Major?


I grind ground Aldi decaf in my La Cimbali David, I buy it for my wife, it's buttons and it tastes okay to me, she drinks it as an Americano.

BTW OP, congrats on being pregnant and BTW, I've just ordered three kgs of Redber beens on your recommendation re your other thread so thanks for that:good:


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## twotone (Jan 13, 2015)

les24preludes said:


> If you want a cheap and very good alternative to beans, try the M&S Decaf in the blue packet, £3.50. It's ready ground, but not very fine and I grind it finer in my Major. Its pure Columbian and I really like the taste. I buy 8 packets at a time - go through loads of the stuff. I prefer it to Illy ground decaf. Haven't tried Illy decaf beans, if they exist. The Waitrose Peru decaf beans aren't as good as the M&S.


Try Aldi's decaf it's pre-ground and I regrind it finer, think it's about £1.40 for 200gs, definitely worth a bag to try it, my wife likes it, personally I think it tastes quite strong but it's not horrible or anything like that.


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## les24preludes (Dec 30, 2017)

dfk41 said:


> You grind ground coffee in your Major?


Why not? You know about these things. Is there any impediment? Been doing it for months and months. Tell me if there's something I should know.


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## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

les24preludes said:


> Why not? You know about these things. Is there any impediment? Been doing it for months and months. Tell me if there's something I should know.


I am probably wrong, but I had thought this was a major no no.....perhaps @DavecUK can chip in and put me right


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

dfk41 said:


> I am probably wrong, but I had thought this was a major no no.....perhaps @DavecUK can chip in and put me right


Well the only thing is the feed rate of ground coffee (being then ground finer) is huge compared to beans that are gradually broken down. So I imagine that puts a greater strain on everything?

Also why on earth would you want to buy pre-ground supermarket coffee of low quality, that's the more important question?


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## twotone (Jan 13, 2015)

DavecUK said:



> Well the only thing is the feed rate of ground coffee (being then ground finer) is huge compared to beans that are gradually broken down. So I imagine that puts a greater strain on everything?
> 
> Also why on earth would you want to buy pre-ground supermarket coffee of low quality, that's the more important question?


Maybe cause some of us can't afford to spend fortunes on coffee especially decaf?


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## Spazbarista (Dec 6, 2011)

I really like Coffee Compass range of decaff coffee. I'm on the Premium decaff at the moment. No idea what it is but it hits the spot. As ever, it's worth giving Richard a call for up to date info and flavour advice.


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## les24preludes (Dec 30, 2017)

DavecUK said:


> Well the only thing is the feed rate of ground coffee (being then ground finer) is huge compared to beans that are gradually broken down. So I imagine that puts a greater strain on everything? Also why on earth would you want to buy pre-ground supermarket coffee of low quality, that's the more important question?


I'd like to think that a product as robust as a Mazzer would be designed to run empty - wouldn't they have incorporated that into the testing procedures somewhere in the development stage? I'm only grinding 18g at a time, so it doesn't get hot - that's not an issue. Just takes seconds.

As stated, 250g of beans off the Net costs me around £8. M&S is actually pure Columbian and costs me £3.50, no shipping since I buy from the store. As Dacia says "you do the math".


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## Batian (Oct 23, 2017)

les24preludes said:


> I'd like to think that a product as robust as a Mazzer would be designed to run empty - wouldn't they have incorporated that into the testing procedures somewhere in the development stage? I'm only grinding 18g at a time, so it doesn't get hot - that's not an issue. Just takes seconds.
> 
> As stated, 250g of beans off the Net costs me around £8. M&S is actually pure Columbian and costs me £3.50, no shipping since I buy from the store. As Dacia says "you do the math".


Have you clogged up the grinder yet?

Google "regrind coffee beans", then reconsider? It may save you some serious grief!


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## les24preludes (Dec 30, 2017)

Batian said:


> Have you clogged up the grinder yet? Google "regrind coffee beans", then reconsider? It may save you some serious grief!


I've been regrinding for maybe 6 months with no problems I can see. I only do 18g at a time, and this literally shoots out in seconds. I then brush the burrs twice, giving the motor a quick start after, to clear all the residue. Given the tiny amount being ground each time I don't see that clogging is possible. Maybe if you were grinding a kilo at a time this might be an issue, but for 18g you're basically just starting and stopping the motor in seconds. Thanks for the information, though, I'll give it a look.


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