# Decaf.. Suggestions?



## Rhys (Dec 21, 2014)

Bought a tin of Illy decaf beans the other day as I don't want to be drinking coffee on an evening when I'm up at silly o'clock in the morning.

Not unpleasant (for supermarket 'freshness') but I expect there's better out there.

Talking to Laurence at my local roasters (York Coffee Emporium) about decaf and to paraphrase, it isn't as nice as normal coffee - plus it tends to catch fire in the roaster as the beans are really dry.

Anyone have any opinions on decaf coffee beans or should I go back to decaf tea?


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## MikeHag (Mar 13, 2011)

Two decafs from hasbean are great when they are available. Unleaded blend, and colombia el meridiano.


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## DoubleShot (Apr 23, 2014)

Rave Sparkling Water Decaf

Union Decaf

Not tried either but read comments suggesting they're not bad.


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## Mr O (Jan 14, 2015)

I'm in the same boat - 04:15 alarm... Still wanna drink coffee. I've been looking at hasbean and rave but not ordered yet.


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## jeebsy (May 5, 2013)

I've had Rave, Has Bean and Nude decaffs before - passable in milk but they do taste slightly odd as espresso.


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## Sk8-bizarre (Jan 22, 2015)

^ fully agree with Jeebsy on this and I am a later night decaf drinker but soon as the caff is off its over to cappuccinos from espresso.

Tried about five beans from diffo roasters all rated highly. Still doing the same.


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## Mr O (Jan 14, 2015)

That's why I've been hanging off buying. I kinda got the idea that it's best to drink em in milk or not at all.. And I don't like milk


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## garydyke1 (Mar 9, 2011)

HB - Both the Guat and Columbia decafs are killer


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## Rhys (Dec 21, 2014)

Definitely have to have mine with milk or Americano with a drop of milk and sugar. The Illy stuff has a dark liquorice edge to it that's completely different to the coffee I'm drinking at the minute.


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## NickdeBug (Jan 18, 2015)

I drink quite a bit of decaf and agree with above: Rave, HB and Union are all pretty good, but generally as a longer, milky drink. Rave decaf as flat white has lots of chocolate and butterscotch.

as espresso there is a slightly odd aftertaste and they lack the complexity of the full octane stuff.

You might want to grind a little finer as well. The sweet spot on decaf beans seems to be smaller than regular so grind is very important. A bit of a pain if you are swapping between the two unless you have two grinders.


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## Sk8-bizarre (Jan 22, 2015)

Mr O said:


> That's why I've been hanging off buying. I kinda got the idea that it's best to drink em in milk or not at all.. And I don't like milk


This may kinda put a stop to you ever even trying them I reckon then Mr O. The obvious and logical thinking is they lose something in decaffination process I suppose.

I have tried all the decaf beans I've bought as an espresso shot and fiddled a bit with weights, times, grind but never got past that ewwww it's not quite right point in comparison to most caff beans that I have tried (bar one, and I think that was my grinder limitations) and found a sweet spot I'm happy with with them quite easily.


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