If you are irritated by caffeine; if you like to drink coffee in the evenings but don't want to be kept awake; if you are following the advice of a physician; or simply wish to cut down on caffeine, then decaffeinated coffee may be for you.
(Some species of coffee tree's without caffeine exist, but the coffee is awful. Perhaps in time this will be an option for decaf enthusiasts.)
Traditional Decafination:
Decaffeinating of coffee was first invented around 1900. The process has been growing in quality and popularity ever since.
Traditionally, coffee beans are treated with chlorinated hydrocarbon solvents, which leave the bean 97% caffeine free. In the 1980's, non-chemical methods of decaffeinating became more common and popular.
There are basically two methods of decaffeinating coffee beans; Indirect, or "Water" and Direct or "Traditional."
The Direct, or Traditional method of decaffeinating is as follows:
Caffeine is brought to the surface of the bean by treating it with warm water and steam.
The green unroasted bean is treated with a solvent (Methyl Chloride) which binds with the caffeine and then the solvent is drained off and the beans are steamed, evaporating the solvent. This process can be repeated over twenty times to get the bean up to 97% caffeine free.
The by product of this process, the caffeine, can then be sold, and much of it finds it's way into cola's and other soft drinks. Some of it is used for medicinal purposes. Although there is a by product of this process that turns a profit, decaffeinating coffee this way is also time consuming and expensive and those costs are passed along to the consumer. However, this is perhaps the better method of decaffeinating, as the water method tends to strip the bean of valuable oils, and has a tendency to leave the coffee bland. As to the question of using a chemical: The FDA has set guidelines as to the amount of methyl chloride that can be found in decaf coffee; and coffee manufacturers are periodically tested by consumer groups.
This process is performed on the bean before it is roasted. Coffee's optimum roasting temperature is 450 degrees. Methyl Chloride evaporates at 170 degrees. Most coffee manufacturers feel this method is consumer friendly; and it leaves the bean in better condition.
The Indirect, or Water Method of Decafination is as follows:
Caffeine is brought to the surface of the bean by treating it with warm water and steam.
The green, unroasted coffee beans are soaked in a water solution which removes caffeine along with other water soluble components of the bean. The mixture is then filtered through activated charcoal. This is called the Swiss Water Process. It is time consuming and costly, and these costs are passed along to the consumer.
Whatever process you choose, your coffee will be relatively caffeine free. Remember that Arabica only has about 1% caffeine to begin with. Strip away 97% of that and you have coffee that should be safe for even the lightest of sleepers.
Decaffeinated beans are darker than regular beans because of these decaffeinating procedures. When they are then roasted, a careful manufacturer will end up with roasted, ground beans that are darker than their regular counterparts. If decaffeinated beans are not roasted dark enough the coffee will taste thin and bland. Such is the fate of many "Supermarket" brands. If you shop carefully for decaffeinated beans your enjoyment of coffee shouldn't be altered by drinking decaf.
