Hey Notaddicted. The process is actually pretty simple. We take the green coffee that we normally use in Black Cat, blend it green and send it to the Swiss Water Company in Vancouver. They decaffeinate the green coffee for us and send it back. We then roast it as a blend.
If you start with better green coffee before decaffeination, you will have a better end product.
Glad you're liking the Decaf BC!
Notaddicted Said:
two thumbs up over here..I'm halfway through a pound of it, and I honestly can't remember how the regular black cat tasted, the decaf is that similar.
Same rich maroon brown crema, and that chocolatey, sweet taste.. *droool*..
Is imitating a decaf blend achieved simply by using decaf versions of the same beans? I guess it's not that simple..
Billy Jack, will be interested to hear your observations..
Nothing nicer than to be able to make a double latte at 2 am.. and then go to bed.. Yes I'm sure there's a bit of residual caffeine, but I tend to believe that the steamed milk will counter that with its sleep inducing qualities.. Just like when mom gave you warm milk as a kid..
warm milk.. with that ucky skin of coagulated protein.. *shudder*..
You mean it IS that simple? If it's that simple, then why is that I've tasted so many decafs that tasted like. .. um.. like Decafs???
And you send your coffee all the way here to Vancouver to be decaffeinated? And then send it back to chicago.. and then send it back here to Vancouver for me to buy?
Yep, I guess all that traveling and experience on the road and in the air adds lots of flavor. ;)
Most decafs start with lower grade (albeit still specialty grade) coffee. From a majority thinking standpoint, why would you take an excellent coffee that you paid premium for, suck the life and caffeine out of it and then try to put the flavor back in? Start with a lower grade coffee, end with a lower grade coffee, same with any product out there.
Decaf Black Cat is a little different, we started with the same excellent coffee as our regular Black Cat. Also, since we buy the green coffee that goes into Decaf BC, we know everything about it i.e. When it was picked and processed, when it was exported/imported, how it was handled in shipment, where and how it was stored, etc. Since we control all the variables, we know the end result.
I'm thinking that it's like computers: garbage in yields garbage out. I never tasted really good decaf until I started doing home roasting but since then I've been fortunate enough to taste ecellent decaf espresso on a couple occasions in cafes. It may not quite be at the same level as the best caffeinated coffees but it's gotten pretty darn close in recent years.
Today, I made two double 1.5oz shots of Black Cat decaf. My experience is the same as yours;"I honestly can't remember how the regular black cat tasted, the decaf is that similar."
I use both--regular and decaf Black Cat. My wife predominantly drinks the decaf but I do sample it often. The decaf is not as good as the regular (at least in my hands), but for a decaf it is quite good--better than the other beans I was using. I have two Mazzer Mini's and the decaf is on a much finer setting. Rob
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