Our decaf has just got more delightful
- News & Events
Our Mellowship Slinky Decaf coffee has been a staple at 200 Degrees ever since we introduced it 10 years ago. It’s creamy, with taste notes of citrus and maple syrup that make for a lovely cup, even without the caffeine hit.
But we always want to raise our game, and have spent the past few months working to improve our decaffeinated offering, so we’ve made a few changes. But don’t worry, the name is staying the same.
Our house decaf coffee now comes from Brazil, grown in the same region as the heart of our signature caffeinated blend, Brazilian Love Affair. It’s 100% arabica coffee, which has a better, smoother taste profile, and it’s now decaffeinated using the sugar cane process, which retains more of the natural flavours found in this delicious coffee.
Removing the caffeine this way is still a natural process, using organic compounds found in sugarcane (ethyl acetate) as a solvent. First the coffee beans are steamed so that their pores expand, then the solvent is applied to dissolve the caffeine molecules. This removes around 97% of the caffeine from the green coffee, the majority of which is removed in the roasting and brewing process.
Like you, we usually don't like our coffee to sound too much like a science experiment (unless we're really geeking out), but as our Head Roaster Mike explains: “The amount of ethyl acetate left behind in the coffee by the sugarcane process is usually in the region of 10 ppm (parts per million). A banana naturally contains 200 ppm of this organic substance, and ethyl acetate is only considered at a dangerous level for human consumption at over 8600ppm, or 43 bananas in one sitting....”
So you can continue to drink your cup of Mellowship Slinky safe in the knowledge that your coffee is still naturally decaffeinated, and now tastes even better. You’re welcome.
At the moment, this change applies to our decaf beans only. Our decaffeinated pods are currently being sold using the original recipe.
But we always want to raise our game, and have spent the past few months working to improve our decaffeinated offering, so we’ve made a few changes. But don’t worry, the name is staying the same.
Our house decaf coffee now comes from Brazil, grown in the same region as the heart of our signature caffeinated blend, Brazilian Love Affair. It’s 100% arabica coffee, which has a better, smoother taste profile, and it’s now decaffeinated using the sugar cane process, which retains more of the natural flavours found in this delicious coffee.
Removing the caffeine this way is still a natural process, using organic compounds found in sugarcane (ethyl acetate) as a solvent. First the coffee beans are steamed so that their pores expand, then the solvent is applied to dissolve the caffeine molecules. This removes around 97% of the caffeine from the green coffee, the majority of which is removed in the roasting and brewing process.
Like you, we usually don't like our coffee to sound too much like a science experiment (unless we're really geeking out), but as our Head Roaster Mike explains: “The amount of ethyl acetate left behind in the coffee by the sugarcane process is usually in the region of 10 ppm (parts per million). A banana naturally contains 200 ppm of this organic substance, and ethyl acetate is only considered at a dangerous level for human consumption at over 8600ppm, or 43 bananas in one sitting....”
So you can continue to drink your cup of Mellowship Slinky safe in the knowledge that your coffee is still naturally decaffeinated, and now tastes even better. You’re welcome.
At the moment, this change applies to our decaf beans only. Our decaffeinated pods are currently being sold using the original recipe.