Some people are surprised to hear that we at Cape Coffee Beans are quite fond of good decaf. We really believe that decaf can be delicious and, at the end of the day, we love the flavour of coffee more than the caffeine. It's fair to say that our friends at Quaffee have played a big role in our love of decaffeinated coffees, as their Colombia La Serrania Sugar Cane Decaf was a perennial favourite. When we heard that the time had come to replace La Serrania, we knew the new lot would have big shoes to fill but our friends in Constantia didn't let us down.

This latest decaf release from Quaffee is not only delicious, it has some serious pedigree. From the farmer to the farm, the variety to the decaffeination process, decaf doesn't get much better than this. We feel confident that tasting it will be enough to convince you, but you may also enjoy reading a bit about it below.

Nestor Lasso and El Diviso

This coffee was grown on El Diviso farm by none other than Nestor Lasso, one of a handful of pioneering Colombian coffee farmers who have achieved international celebrity status (at least in specialty coffee circles). Nestor Lasso is known for successfully cultivating rare and delicious varieties of coffee, effectively using cutting edge processing methods, and most recently for producing delicious decafs.

Pink Bourbon

This particular lot is comprised entirely of pink bourbon, a rare variety, related to the more common red & yellow bourbons that share part of its name, but unique in its flavour and the pinkish colour of its ripe coffee cherries. Many of the standout coffees we've tasted in recent years have been of this variety. It tends to offer an intriguing mix of sweetness and florality that is quite distinct.

Controlled anaerobic fermentation

Nestor Lasso is known for this cutting-edge approaches to coffee processing. This particular lot underwent a 60-hour controlled fermentation in a sealed environment at 16 - 18 °C followed by 18 hours of oxidation. Thereafter it was pulped and fermented for a further 32 hours in the mucilage. Finally, it was dried in a controlled, sealed environment to avoid spoilage.

Sugar Cane decaffeination

The trouble with a lot of decaf is the chemicals that are used to decaffeinate the coffee. This coffee, however, was decaffeinated using the sugar cane process (as was its predecessor La Serrania). This method uses a natural compound derived from sugarcane molasses as the decaffeination solvent, and in our experience leaves decaffeinated coffees with all of the sweetness and flavour, and virtually no caffeine

Phaedon's tasting notes

It's worth repeating: this decaf had big shoes to fill. More pertinently for me, it had a very specific place in my kitchen cupboard to fill. That spot has been occupied by a bag of La Serrania beans pretty consistently for years. It's part of my household's decafternoon tradition. I'm happy to report that the tradition continues with a new favourite. While we will always think fondly of La Serrania, this new Sugar Cane decaf will do just fine, thank you!

What I love about this coffee is the florals, perhaps even more than the taste. The aromatic experience is quite something. Combined with the natural sweetness and body of this coffee, it's a true pleasure to drink every afternoon and particularly on a rainy day. I love it in all brew methods. I think you'll love it too, whether you're a regular decaf drinker or not. Heck, you it might even convince you to become one.

Quaffee’s notes

• Taste profile: Fruit, molasses and black tea, with medium + body
  
• Roast used: Flame to start and through the roast, decreasing before 1st crack to extend the development
  
• Roast degree: Medium – using my-tonino.com
• Quaffee brews:
• Espresso: 1:2.3 (27 sec)    
• AeroPress: 18g:200g (2 steep)
  
• Plunger: 48g:800g   
• Pour-over/filter: 18g:300g

Coffee details from Quaffee

• Farm: El Diviso
• Owner: Nestor Lasso
• Region: Huila
• Country: Colombia
• Altitude: 1,850masl
• Drying: Mechanical Steel Drum
• Processing: Washed & EA (Sugar cane process) decaffeination
• Fermentation: Anaerobic Thermal Shock
• Species/Variety: Arabica Pink Bourbon

Quaffee’s transparency information

• Sourced from: Sabores
• FOB price: $16.50 per kg
• Cupping score: 86 (Sabores)
• Lot size bought: 25 kgs
• Relationship: We have been working with Sabores for 5 years, this is our third coffee from El Diviso.