Decaf Explained

[@jameshoffmann]

We've uploaded a follow-up video with a couple of corrections and amendments: kzbin.info/www/bejne/f6TdgmWAh5iCosU

[@Cashbans]

I use coco beans instead of coffee beans due to my allergy.

[@windowdoog]

No one is sitting through a 20 minute video on decaffeination who doesn’t also want to see a coffee factory tour. Hell yes I want to see that.

[@oozly9291]

People will watch this

[@matcharlie2379]

I did

[@jooger69]

Exactly!

[@thegiq]

Ditto

[@jdrummerdd]

real

[@jeremyfischer6598]

As a decaf-only drinker, I'd love to see a video of you trying everyone's decaf bean recommendations and sharing your thoughts. Thanks for making this great video.

[@twomoths]

+1 to that. I'm an inveterate night coffee drinker and caffeine tends to ramp up my anxiety and occasionally trigger vertigo, so decaf is essential. Still I often bite the bullet and get caffeinated espresso if I'm out at a coffee shop. They sometimes don't have a decaf espresso or it just tastes off. But I'd prefer 100% of my coffee intake to be decaf. Would love to see more videos focused on evaluating decaf beans.

[@thegreatcoffeecrate7704]

honestly I have had to shift to trying more decaf coffees solely on the fact that I have higher blood pressure however I know people switch for all sorts of reasons . I always get people who buy my coffee making the comment " why would anyone even want decaf" and honestly I think there are all sorts of reasons. let me know as a decaf-only drinker if you come by any really good beans/ways to make decaf coffee because I feel as if mine is always missing something.

[@EdwinaSY]

He has videos on rating decaf coffees; you can try searching for it.

[@simonoddie765]

Would love to hear people’s thoughts on who makes a great decaf roast in the UK.

[@tomhannigan2234]

Coaltown is by far the best decaf I’ve ever had

[@aaronbraun8046]

I used to work for Swiss Water Decaf for seven years, running the cupping lab & buying green coffee, and this video is a really well researched and fair overview of decaf today. One thing I'd add is that the single largest contributing factor to the quality of decaf is really the quality of the green coffee going into the process. Garbage in = garbage out. Quality coffee in is going to yield a far greater decaf! The flipside of that, is that cost becomes the biggest single barrier to truly great decaf, as most roasters want their decaf coffee to be cheap, but processing itself adds costs as well, so folks often end up opting for cheaper quality green to decaffeinate, resulting in a sub-optimal finished product. You also made a really great point about the poor presentation of decaf within the cafe environment and how that contributes to sales and perception. A number of years back we ran a popup in New York (I won't post a link, but it can be found if you google it) serving nothing but decaf coffees. It was a really fun experiment, and a testament to the fact that quality decafs, presented well, can be both interesting and delicious. Lots of other thoughts, but Ill refrain from the essay for now. Great video!

[@Richard-ck3jl]

I recently learned about Swiss Water Decaf, and read about the process they use to remove caffeine, which I thought was ingenious. Bought a bag of coffee decaffeinated thru swiss water process, and was really impressed by how much it tasted like normal espresso. Can you explain the process they use to remove caffeine? If I interpreted correctly, they use water that has green coffee extract, but with the caffeine removed, in order to absorb out only caffeine from green coffee beans?

[@thadsgudenuff]

Really appreciate your additional info here. Please go on!

[@IHATENOTIFICATIONS]

Very interesting, please share the rest of your thoughts! If there's anywhere an essay about decaf will be appreciated, it's in the comments section of a James Hoffman video 😅

[@RealMattHaney]

I drink decaf almost every day (after noon) and have thought for a couple years now it would be cool to create a specialty coffee roaster that focuses on decaf exclusively. It seems to be wide open for a business to come in and solidify quality and reliability in the market.

[@kathyyoung5030]

Yes, want to see the process; this has me excited, i miss coffee in the afternoon!

[@MrAmiaffe]

Heya. I've been drinking alcohol pretty much every day for some years now and have only recently gone sober. This video has been an unexpected support going through withdrawal. It turns out, when you take out the downer out of the equation that you had thoroughly integrated into your body chemistry, the tolerance for other things, like caffeine, goes way out of whack and i had to nearly cut coffee completely as it was making withdrawal immensely worse. This, and the other video about coffee alternatives has really helped me retain some small joy during withdrawal, and I guess I just wanted to say thanks for taking the time to make a dedicated video about decaf and other coffee alternatives.

[@rashomon2020]

stay strong brother

[@marcalvarez4890]

As someone who's seen alcohol ruin many great people around me....RESPECT! Enjoy the decaf....I do.

[@warwicks2780]

I quit drinking 3 times. The only time it stuck was when I quit (caffeinated) coffee on the same day.

[@Amethyst_Friend]

Fellow addict going through recovery here. You are doing so well, I know you will persevere. thanks for sharing!

[@DrCorndog1]

Congrats on going sober

[@teawizardry]

As someone who has recently had to switch to mostly decaf for medical reasons this video is exactly what I needed

[@daydream1402]

same, but I thought decaf had zero caffeine. So I would drink 10-20 cups a day, no caffeine, i can drink as much as I want...some days I couldn't sleep at all, I would lay down close my eyes, 1 hour...2 hours...4 hours...6 hours...I'll just get up and do stuff. Especially these past weeks with the cold. So yes decaf has caffeine, not much but if you drink a lot of coffee all that little caffeine adds up. I take a thermos to work each day, 24 oz, and would drink it, every day. Some days not all of it but I started getting lots of acid, things like panic attacks, so I switched to decaf and all that stopped.

[@astrovarius543]

@daydream1402 did you have sugar with your decaf? 20 cups of any drink other than water in a day is absurd. Your health issues might be linked to issues of self discipline.

[@mikez2501]

Our family drinks decaf as well. Not sure where you are located but we found a company called Dancing Goats, who not only use the Swiss Water process, but roast to order. They roast Mon-Thurs. We’ve ordered on a Monday, and got the coffee by Thursday with a Tuesday roast date. Taste great as expresso and in a carafe of coffee.

[@r0ckygandaifam938]

What's the medical condition? Is it avoidable?

[@iwearLingerie]

​@@daydream140210-20 cups a day 😂😂

[@KAZOOBLOOM]

As a decaf-only drinker, I put off watching this video for fear it would make me feel bad. Glad I watched the video and happy to hear I am a “top-tier” coffee drinker according to James!😊❤

[@Hoehlenbaerin]

Me too 😅

[@teucer915]

I love the way James clearly loves the entire range of what coffee can be. I have always hated decaf for the reasons he talks about but now I want to make a really good cup of it.

[@frythechip7930]

ayoooo lets go! I always get called weird for drinking decaf

[@MrAvoutour]

Top tier coffee drinkers unite

[@briannec2016]

I've always liked espresso drinks from cafes, but am brand new to straight espresso and making it myself (like 5 days brand new 🤭) and I LOVE IT!! I love it so much that I bought decaf espresso beans from a local deli cafe so that I can drink it at night 😁

[@NordicSkadi]

I have never felt more accomplished than James Hoffmann calling me a top tier coffee drinker

[@visi7891]

we needed that

[@pyramear5414]

I once had a roommate who said that coffee drinkers just have Stockholm syndrome from caffeine addiction. Decaf drinkers prove otherwise.

[@graceg4550]

I feel seen!

[@apexalpha4947]

That DID feel nice to get such an unexpected complement today from James !

[@DarlesMan]

Lol especially after what I thought the title suggested about the content of the video

[@arontesfay2520]

I grew up in an Ethiopian household where there's an entire culture around coffee drinking (I won't go into it since there are plenty of videos). Growing up, my mother always made coffee in the afternoon and invited neighbors to come hang out. While she was roasting the coffee beans, my siblings and I would often pick up roasted beans from the pan and eat them. These were always some of the most fun times of my childhood so I've always had a positive association with the taste and smell of coffee. I drink decaf because I don't need the caffeine to enjoy it. In fact, I'm not a huge fan of caffeine because of the swings in my energy level and its effect on my sleep. I only use it on tough days when I'm tired or sleep deprived and need to get some work done.

[@NiCaNaMex]

Beautiful

[@werewolfcountry]

Thanks for sharing your story, that was nice to read! :)

[@thedogshouterer]

I can feel the warm fuzzies of your story through your words. How delightful!

[@hamzehomari]

Avoided consuming caffeine years ago and kept drinking coffee, appreciate James calling us folks top tier, and can’t count how many times i was told what’s the point of drinking decaf coffee.

[@darkofps]

As if the reason people drink colas is for the caffeine. There are plenty of drinks that people consume that don't have caffeine. The caffeine does very little to add to the coffee drinking experience. I get that comment a lot as well though.

[@DatsWhatHeSaid]

..And 99% of those edgy "what's the point, duh" people don't even realize that decaf _still_ has 25%-33% of the caffeine a "normal cup of coffee" has.. Ignorant AF.

[@paolocoletti3424]

Ha ha, on the subject of IGNORANT AF. On average decaff has 97% of its dry state caffeine removed. The most effective process, the Swiss water method removes 99.9% Who needs to do some night time reading it seems then..... 🙄🔫

[@sol019]

Truly understand. I've been drinking coffee since I was 6 (family grew their own coffee), and I drink at least 2 cups of coffee a day. I'm getting older now, and it's been affecting the quality of my sleep. I've tried switching to tea with lower caffeine levels, but it just doesn't scratch that itch.

[@Sk0lzky]

​@@sol019I've been a tea afficionado all my life (including childhood, probably ruined my development with all the caff) but the amount is still sufficient to mess up my deep sleep if I drink it in the afternoon 😢 We need decaf tea

[@goldshield10]

I rarely comment but I think it's finally my time to shine. I am a Decaff drinker because I am extremely sensitive to caffeine. When you said that there was still caffeine in decaff, this was something I already knew because I cannot drink even decaf after 12pm without it effecting my sleep. That is how sensitive I am. The more interesting story is how I became so sensitive in the first place. I was raised on coffee, as in, when most infants were handed a bottle with ice tea or water, I was given a bottle of coffee. No, I don't know why, my parents were not good people. I started kindergarten having coffee as part of my breakfast, and this continued all through school. I was shocked when I found out coffee wasn't given to children. It should be noted, this was predominantly instant, but in my later years, by say 9/10 yo we had purchased a coffee machine and I was drinking fresh beans rather than instant. By the time I was 15 I was drinking 7-8 (500ml) cups per day. I could drink coffee up till 5pm with no negative effects on my sleep. When I entered the final years of High School and was putting in some all nighters for study, I was drinking anywhere between 10-12 (500ml) cups per day. In my early 20s, I ended up in therapy for depression and anxiety associated with childhood trauma (again, parents were not good people) and my therapist strongly suggested I cut back on my coffee for health reasons, turns out it was exacerbating my anxiety. Their recommendation was to try a high quality decaff, I of course scoffed as any coffee drinker would and proclaimed "Death before Decaff!", but after a few more sessions I acquiesced that I would investigate the decaff situation but in the mean time I would reduce my coffee intake. With time I reduced to about 6 (500ml) cups a day. Some years later, I was a working part of the corporate cog and coffee was once again one of my crutches, I had a special mug (my 500ml one) that I brought to the office for my coffee, and a small coffee heater plate that sat on my desk next to my phone that kept this monster cup from getting cold while I worked. Again I was averaging about 8-10 cups a day. I was also approaching a health crisis, one which was not actually associated with caffeine but rather the copious amounts of milk that I was drinking in the coffee. It turned out that I was actually allergic to cow milk (NOTE: allergic, not intolerant, I got rash and breathing issues, not IBS) and it was coming to a crux. I had to make some changes. Once again in my stubborn high strung state, I refused coffee without milk because the way I took my coffee was as much a part of my personality as coffee was, and so ended up quitting cold turkey! Never Do This!!! I had two full weeks of withdrawal: headaches, mood swings, sleep disruptions, and I think even some hallucinations. I have very limited memory of those two weeks but my husband remembers and I think he's traumatised from it. But I was finally free from it. No more coffee because no more milk. This went on for about 3 or 4 years before I came to the conclusion that I missed the flavour of coffee, I missed the burnt black gold. So I tried a cup black and holy shit, worst night of my life!!! I decided then that maybe decaff was worth another shot and seeing as it wasn't real coffee I could try it with oat milk too. I found something almost as good, but not as good as I remember, but that I could drink without causing my entire system to shut down. Not long after that I found James Hoffman. Your videos re-ignited my passion for that beautiful drink that was such a huge part of my childhood, and I craved it more than ever, so I went on the hunt. I found a local "backyard" roaster who had a Colombian (Swiss water process) Decaff and he would grind to my specifications, 250g at a time, this coupled with James' plunger coffee method and a really high quality barista oat milk and I finally had a way back into good coffee. I still can only have one cup a day, and it has to be before 12pm, but I am back baby and doing it in a healthy, manageable way. Caffeine man, whether you want to admit it or not, it's a hell-ov-a drug. But good coffee, that is just pure art.

[@PltOffPPrune]

Hey Goldshield, thank you so much for bravely stepping into the comments and sharing your story. I'm glad you found a way to enjoy coffee and that you've got good support around you now... a great husband and a great roaster.

[@AndrewDasilvaPLT]

Wow. I can't think of anything to say other than I wanted to let you know I read your story and appreciate your resilience in life and health.

[@elliez7269]

Wow what a life story! I wish you all the best. Thank you sharing your personal story with us.

[@MrManishmarrs]

❤

[@Dee_Coconut]

I don’t know you but am proud of you

[@hsalazar99]

New health circumstances have turned me into an exclusive decaf drinker - and I felt so seen by your first sentiment. I really do only have a coffee for the flavor! This video was made for me and I am so excited to put your suggestions into practice! Thanks so much x

[@thevilifyingforce]

Seen and heard! I went through a period of no caffeine, I'm back now, but I still try to limit it as I never slept so good when I had a 9 month break from it.

[@jwross2798]

me too!

[@Britbec]

Same! I’m so fortunate to work at a store that sells only local artisan goods, and The Bean Whole coffee is micro roasted on site. I drink their excellent Swiss water treated decaf espresso roast and it’s very delicious!

[@aleksandravaher1225]

Hi, I am a barista myself and I must say this video was really interesting to hear. To be honest I was a little skeptical in the beginning because for me to make decaf it is more of a hassle. Because of the way we hold our decaf, like you said in the video if the coffee is in touch with air, the flavor will gradually become bland and that is the case in my coffee shop. I will be talking to my higher-ups a little about how to make our decaf taste better! Thank you!

[@gdubnz85]

yeah and honestly, most cafes have their 'not so great' grinder, with preground decafe coffee sitting there, that's by the time its served is probably days old...you will not get a good coffee out of that situation. sad man, especially because those beans have been through the same if not more of a journey than any other coffee bean, from growing, harvesting, processing and roasting, they've been through many skilled hands to arrive in your cup..and to let the essence of that bean die like that is saddening.

[@fate.7806]

Head barista here, I feel fortunate to work with top-notch equipment like the Mahlkönig EK43 and exceptional beans, including our sugarcane ethyl acetate decaf from Risaralda, Colombia. Interestingly, our decaf is arguably one of the best coffees we offer. Its standout flavors of cashew and cherry set it apart from regular blends and single origins. Unfortunately, it’s often underappreciated simply because it’s “decaf” and lacks caffeine.

[@vmcam]

Yes! This is fantastic. I'm a roaster and cafe owner, and we love providing quality decaf (One Up One Down Coffee in Trenton, NJ). We even have shirts and stickers that say "End decaf shaming." We currently offer three varieties, soon to be four, and hope to offer more in the future. And I would definitely love to see some decaffeination plant tours!

[@JoelRavier]

This is awesome! Thanks so much for taking care of your decaf-drinking customers!! There are a few decaf-only roasters that you might find interesting. Take a look at Outlier Coffee and Talking Crow Coffee

[@vmcam]

@@JoelRavier Thanks! I wasn't aware of them. That's very cool.

[@DrmarionrollingsPsychologist]

Oh I am in NJ and drink decaf only for health reasons. Heart palpitations that nearly sent me to the ER twice. And I was a serious coffee drinker for the TASTE. Always looking for a good decaf. Going to check out your website now.

[@preauxtip]

Just ordered your anaerobic decaf as well as a bag of sidra! I love getting to try new coffees and can't wait.

[@melody5437]

Hope you do a dark roast at some point. It's really hard to find a dark roast decaf.

[@DistrictOfCriminalz]

As a barista for 8 years, I always hated the idea of decaf, until recently I got to the point where I craved coffee but didn't want the jitters. Immediately then I understood why decaf existed and never knocked it since.

[@greenalfoil]

Since taking a medication that increases my HR I now have to plan when I CAN have a coffee, not if I want/need a coffee. So decaf fills a great spot.

[@ariehouston7209]

I love my midnight bean juice

[@oight]

I honestly don't understand how someone could regularly drink coffee and have jitters to a degree you notice them, obviously unless they have a health issue like high blood pressure. Jitters seems to be what happens when you're not as tolerant to it, maybe after a break or if you don't drink it every day. Caffeine is like any drug where you become a lot more tolerant, I'm more willing to believe the jitters are genuine symptoms partly from a psychosomatic cause if someone drinks one cup of coffee every day for at least 2 months. Obviously, if you drink too much coffee or are still getting used to it, jitters happen. I do drink decaf in the evenings sometimes too, I don't think it's useless. To me, decaf makes sense in the evenings (if you don't have high blood pressure), but to avoid even a cappuccino in the morning seems extreme, yet fairly common. Statistically, health effects are incredibly unlikely from one cup of coffee every morning, even if you have high blood pressure, if you drank it every morning and became more tolerant. I know my opinion is not popular, and I'm not against decafe coffee as a whole (it has a purpose). I just believe the idea of going off normal coffee completely, unless you have diagnosed health issues from it, sometimes seems to based on misled beliefs.

[@ariehouston7209]

@@oight I understand this to an extent if you personally have that experience but I’d like to share mine as someone with what I call a “transient caffeine addiction.” I love my coffee. Sometimes I’ll drink it every day for weeks on end. But as soon as I miss a day or two it hits me like a truck. If you are not consistent with your coffee drinking you can regularly “overdose” by accident. Especially if you have a lower body weight, aren’t eating enough and aren’t drinking enough water. For a lot of people it’s just way way easier to not have caffeine because people can be more sensitive to it than you’d think for various reasons. I don’t think people are cutting out caffeine because they think it’s that it’s evil or treat it like a serious drug. I genuinely think most people avoid it for the convenience of not dealing with withdrawals, headaches, jitters, crashes, and uh… the bathroom effects. Caffeine, even in what can be considered smaller doses, can affect certain medications, tinnitus, menstrual cramping and anxiety for some pretty nasty and elevated side effects. Every person is different and caffeine tolerance to some extent is inherent. Lots of people just don’t have it and don’t wanna go through a long process of drip feeding it to themselves to cultivate one, and a large section of that group loves coffee and doesn’t want just one cup a day. All in all, I can assure you the jitters are in no way psychosomatic.

[@bdeheer]

That's just a sign of a bad addiction

[@missknight9]

It has always baffled me why it is so challenging to find good quality decaf. I adore coffee and would love to have some in the evening. I assumed most coffee enthusiasts felt the same, so why would companies not fully maximize on this demand? The science behind it all is fascinating. Thank you for another fantastic video!

[@neodurden6793]

Hey, you should give a try at chicory drink. Super popular here in North Europe ! It feels kind of like coffee, has 0 caffeine and is really healthy with no downside. No maximum per day ! It comes from a European plant. It is simply the root that are dehydrated and mixed with hot water. The leaf are also usually consumed as salad !

[@pocklecod]

I honestly think that a lot of people just think those of us who are caffeine sensitive are wimps that don't deserve to enjoy good coffee. In effect we're seen as actual crazy people who need to get over themselves. Really appreciate James pointing out that we are the ones who love coffee the *most*. Hope some roasters and cafes are listening!

[@soulsphere1749]

SAME. It pretty hard to find decaf whole beans near me, and if I can, it's only ever some regular medium roast appeals-to-all. So hard to find a good whole bean light roast decaf around.

[@amyf8231]

The health food store near me has the best decaf options. Whole beans, dark roast etc. (Swiss water process)

[@DrDeuteron]

And I like scotch in the morning, but it ruins my day, so I make sacrifices.

[@Poissoni]

I am a coffee roaster and earlier this year I had a few episodes of extrasystole so for a few weeks I only drank the decaffeinated coffee we propose in our range roasted with a wood roaster, a discreet Swiss water from Honduras. Since then, my dream has been to have a coffee shop with a roastery that only offers superior quality decaffeinated coffee. I believe in it and I will do it. Thank you James for this boost

[@thedogshouterer]

OMG, I love this! This is a needed niche and I think you are cool for wanting to do it.

[@SurumeJPN]

Let's not forget the pregnant ladies. A good decaf is necessary even for people who have a strong caffeine tolerance, either because you yourself are pregnant and spending 10 months without a good cup of coffee (or more, if you are breastfeeding), or your partner is pregnant and it would not be fair if you are drinking good coffee but your partner is stuck with shitty supermarket decaf.

[@raffaelschilling]

100% the reason why my wife and I we started getting the hands on good decaf! And that snowballed into the whole no normal coffee after midday for better sleep for us

[@sarahlee6914]

Or you spend 9 months pregnant and a year breastfeeding LIVING each day for your one and only one cup of 8 oz caffeine beverage a day - which you may not even get to finish hot. And then you still have postpartum anxiety two years after birth and just can't drink coffee daily anymore to function with a toddler, but you just LOVE coffee. I'm here for good decaf!

[@RobKnapp1]

@@sarahlee6914 Hi here is my tip for pure decaf ! I am looking for others suggestions please on your favorite ? Blessings . Best decaf !!! Billed as Uncaf / The Zero - 99.99% Caffeine-Free ! By " Reprise Roasters" --- beans come from Swiss Water Process, 99.99 decaffeinated A cup of decaf coffee should have caffeine content as follows: 6 oz cup: 0.071 mg 8 oz cup: 0.095 mg 12 oz cup: 0.143 mg 16 oz cup: 0.190 mg Reprise Roasters is a specialty coffee roaster with cafes in Evanston and Chicago. Fair trade, organic, sustainably sourced, and locally roasted coffee.

[@noahjaybee]

As someone with tachycardia and GERD, thank you for respecting decaf.

[@6rump3]

I did not know that moving to decaf helped reduce GERD. I'm determined to reduce the medication I have to take daily and even fully come off it. Knowing moving to decaf could help, is great to know. Must do some of my own research.

[@LudicrousTachyon]

Roughly 20% of Americans have GERD. It could be that we get so much caffeine that contributes to it.

[@gduffey2615]

​@@6rump3 I also have GERD, and exclusively drink decaf to help with it. Caffeine loosens the sphincter connecting your esophagus to your stomach, increasing potential for acid reflux. For me, switching has been a huge help, and I definitely notice the difference when I drink full-caffeine coffee. That being said, I still need to take medication for GERD, so removing caffeine is not a cure-all by any means.

[@Kuzumby]

I have SVT, been caffeine free for almost 20 years. I once made the mistake of trusting a McDonalds to give me decaf, almost killed me.

[@MrStarpeto]

Caffeine on itself stimulates gastrin secretion, which both make you secrete more gastric acids, and also increase bowel movement, both of which can exacerbate a gerd problem.

[@JustinMcNeil]

I doubt you read through these comments James, but on the off chance you do, I just want to thank you for making this video. I learned a lot. I only drink decaf, caffeine makes my heart race and feel uncomfortable, but I love everything else about coffee so decaf is my only option. The fact decaf beans go stale so quickly was really interesting. I'm going to freeze my beans from now on. If anyone is interested, the best three decaf beans I've tried, in order of preference is, Crown & Canves, Blindman, and Rave. All of their decaf beans are great

[@VocalClassics]

I've been solely decaf-only for a while now, and though I've had wonderful experiences with caffeinated coffee (the big tasting event a few months ago was a blast) the caffeine really screws with me, so I felt really comforted by his opening, that we are the purist coffee drinkers! :) I've tried Rave before, but I'll definitely give the other two a go! Thanks!

[@rexwolfe9916]

When I purchase a large bag of decaf beans, I tend to separate it into weekly portions, freezing what I am not consuming that week. That way I have fresh coffee, but don't need to go to the freezer every time I want to brew a coffee.

[@nicholasselden1859]

Thanks! I’ve always been disappointed by my lack of options of decaf at my local roasters. I will check out these roasters

[@womanofacertainage5892]

Same. I stopped caffeine 24 years ago when I was trying to conceive my son, then developed a heart issue (like you, it races when I drink regular coffee) so it's been only decaf since then. I LOVE the taste of coffee and have become a decaf expert.

[@vrudelta]

I only drink decaf for the same reason. Ive been hoping that there might be some roastery in the future that focuses on decaf! Like multiple decaf origins and such!

[@MurphyIsMyLastName]

Imagine the courage and confidence to hand Hoffmann an espresso, wait for him to drink it and THEN reveal its decaf. That’s like giving Ramsay raw meat and revealing it afterwards.

[@jennifermiles2534]

Thank you so much for making this video ❤ I'm a decaf drinker for health reasons. I'm so sick of people who drink coffee for its effects - often with milk, cream, sugar, syrup etc to cover up its taste - telling me I'm not a real coffee drinker. Erm, hello, I'm the one drinking it purely for the taste! I'm very particular about my coffee, my wonderful boyfriend knows this and tries to find highly rated, quality coffee shops for us to try when we travel. It almost brings me to tears when I try a sip of his fantastic coffee and mine is barely drinkable 😢 I now take a areopress, hand grinder and flask with me on short trips. On our last caravan holiday I took my full home coffee set up with me! I buy my beans from Rounton Coffee. I'd highly recommend them. Their head brewer drinks more decaf than regular coffee, so they actually care about it tasting good. It also matches my personal taste preferences - chocolate and cherries. It tastes more chocolatey the colder it gets, and generally good cold (I had 5 kids, I've drunk a lot of cold coffee!). You're spot on with the freshness being key. Mine is ordered regularly and put straight into the freezer. Grinding it at night to use a timer for morning coffee is a no-go, it needs to be grinded and brewed immediately. I'm glad I've found what works for me, I hope it helps someone else too. If anyone knows any cafés with great to drink decaf in the UK, please let me know!

[@PulledPurk]

Do you have a name for caffeine drinkers? Like, Caffies are something haha

[@ScottishVanTrips]

Steam punk coffee in North Berwick, Scotland has a great decaff which they roast themselves.

[@graybonesau]

@@PulledPurk 'caffeine drinkers' works. not sure why we need some slang term to eventually be used as a bludgeon

[@ClanWiE]

I never drink decaf, but shaming someone for avoiding caffeine (ESPECIALLY for health reasons), is dumb. Gatekeeping sucks. Do you, boo.

[@Trialsewan]

Check out the Good Coffee Cartel in Glasgow, that's where I get my decaf from and it's spoiled coffee everywhere else for us 😂

[@dwightpeters]

As a decaf drinker, I can't thank you enough for breaking through the negativity around it! It is hard enough to get good decaf, but it is getting even harder since much of the coffee sections at stores and even cafes are now full of pods instead of specialty beans, pods that don't often have decaf options too. Similarly, the cold brew sections at stores never have decaf options. So decaf even in the past couple of years has gotten harder to buy in person without a great effort. Shedding light on both the positive aspects of decaf and helping people learn how make better decaf coffee with your influence I very much hope will help change things for the better for decaf drinkers. I'm always sad at all the options I don't get to try, so it would be great to have more! One question: does brewed decaf coffee deteriorate faster than caffeinated coffee? I've had some off odors when making cold brew and when leaving coffee in my french press out for awhile. Perhaps I will make some caffeinated coffee just to compare even though I can't drink it, but I'd love to hear your thoughts on this. Thanks!

[@gloriasilveira5332]

Judging by how little actual info there was on how to brew decaf at the end of the video, I'd say you know more about it than he does.

[@quackman]

Mistobox has about a dozen light-roast decaf coffees for me to pick from, very happy that I could just plop one of their offerings into my queue after getting into decaf last year (i typically get light-roast, single-origins) instead of checking out yet another company.

[@littlelakemarket]

I wish I had more customers appreciate our alkaline decaf cold brew... lab tested beans, water and coffee soluble decaf process. It's really good.

[@littlelakemarket]

I wish I had more customers appreciate our alkaline decaf cold brew... lab tested beans, water and coffee soluble decaf process. It's really good.

[@megs.adykstra8994]

Also there are never roast dates on most of the coffee bean bags I see in the store. I buy from a local roaster that stamps it on their bag. I want to make sure I have good beans for my espresso.

[@FabricioZuccherato]

FINALLY the decaf video we're been waiting for YEARS

[@WardVDB]

A blessing from the lord

[@DipenTiwari]

I finally feel validated. I'm an avid espresso drinker and take it more seriously than I should. While most of what I drink is definitely caffeinated, I do drink a lot of decaf, particularly, anytime I want an evening/nighttime drink or have already had a couple of caffeinated beverage. I have a lot of friends who are equally as nerdy as I am about coffee and one of the big disagreements we have is on decaf beans. I'm the sole supporter and consumer of it in my friend group and theyve always looked down on that choice even though we live in Sydney and have a plethora of fantastic decaf choices. I always said out loud and to myself that the fact that they don't like or enjoy decaf tells me they don't like coffee for its innate property but rather a cosmetic one. You've very artistically articulated all of my arguments and then some. Never have I been this happier sharing something to my group my friends. Thank you, sir.

[@mwcalder95]

I used to work for a roaster and I remember tasting a new decaf that we were looking at in a blind cupping process. We had no idea that it was decaf and it was actually all our favourite! It was actually really tasty and not just like ash like most decafs that roasters roast the heck out of.

[@TheMaskedGamer]

Do you remember what process it was?

[@mwcalder95]

@@TheMaskedGamerIt was the ‘sugar cane’ process

[@thehumanperson7448]

Do you remember who the roaster was?

[@lunasophia9002]

I literally just told a friend a few days ago that decaf doesn't have to suck, that it's a lot better than it was 20 years ago. This kind of experience is more common than people think!

[@mwcalder95]

Yup! It was from Clandestino Coffee on the Sunshine Coast of Australia. It was a washed Colombian coffee@@thehumanperson7448

[@JasonMullavey]

Before my wife, I would have said death to decaf. But she gets to the point of nearly having a panic attack when drinking large amounts of caffeine. This gives me empathy on her behalf to decaf coffee. I’ve often found myself looking for good decaf to make and having troubles located it in the way James has. He is able to understand the situation of coffee for many and provide great advice. Well done and bravo is all I can say.

[@cutelittlemoose]

Not sure her taste prefs, but if you are in the US, my favorite Seattle roaster Zoka Coffee ships directly for people who can’t get into the roaster (I buy for 1 so I always get what has just been roasted, knowing it’ll take a while and my freezer is lousy). Zoka always has 4, sometimes 5-6, decaf options (currently a “medium with light characteristics” mainstay one called Paladino was the first decaf I’d had there of them, not even noticing that it was decaf, I recall a kind of, hmm, candied orange peel? tasting profile that was solid, surprising since it was decaf… Hidden City is the dark decaf that seems syrupy because it almost tastes like maple covered pancakes are steaming up the place somewhere near with what they call molasses, pecan, and caramel… I haven’t tried their light decaf but “floral, notes of lemongrass, light finish” is how they describe it which sounds more like a lot of teas I drink than any coffee I have had! I’ve had the regular of Cuatro but don’t assume it is identical-was solid but not my fave [descriptor of my long time fave is accurate, chocolate and strawberries]. Cuatro decaf is a medium body [I prefer full bodied cups] medium roast that says sweet notes of cocoa and graham crackers)… no shortage of caffeinated single origin light roasts and (mostly) medium to dark blends, too. :)

[@Janmification]

I mix my coffees, oh the horror!. I use the same brand of coffee, and make a 50/50 mix to use after 7.00pm. More or less. So, full caffeine during the day, and a milder variant in the evening.

[@SeanofAllTrades]

If you live near a Whole Foods they have a pretty decent Ethiopian decaf, Homacho Waeno

[@remij9592]

This makes me realize the level of proximity one must have for racism to end. It’s coffee and opinions are this extreme 😂

[@javacofe]

Interesting. I'm starting to explore decaf - do you have certain coffee pours or roast profiles you look for with decaf?

[@salamalmahi541]

As someone who’s caffeine sensitive this was so informative and interesting to watch! I wish all coffee shops take notes 📝

[@ProjectHumanWeapon]

James is dangerously late to updating his flair 58 review with the flair 58 plus I want to buy one but I want to see him criticize it first

[@Neenerella333]

​@ProjectHumanWeapon You reminded me that I have an original flair! I rarely use it, compared to my moka pot, out of convenience and the fact that it uses twice the amount of coffee. But SOOOO worth it. Seems like a good fit to try delicate decafs.

[@katiewhite9822]

Great info! I work for Balzac’s Coffee in Canada and we’re very proud of our Swiss Water Decaf😉

[@firstyoutubehandle]

Exactly! I used to teach for a premium Italian coffee company, and I always said “decaf is for the true coffee lovers”. So we always made it our mission to make our decaf as good as possible.

[@mynameisnotjerome1803]

Totally agree, decaf enables me to enjoy coffee all day without any sleeping difficulties at night. I drink it because I love coffee.

[@gettingintrospective]

Yes! I like to have 2 cups. So I can still get my caffeine fix, but one cup of regular coffee makes me jittery.

[@smievil]

it\s prefect when you crave 20 cups of coffee but don't want to much caffeine

[@elizabethheyenga9277]

Thank you, I am a true coffee lover and not interested in caffeine. Thank god for Americanos so it isn't a pot of old brewed decaf :)

[@paulstevens1493]

Yes I want more decaf content, anything you can come up with! I drink about 95% decaf and have for many years. Caffeinated coffee often affects my stomach or my sleep or both, but decaf doesn’t unless I drink a ton of it in a single day (3+ mugs).

[@sarahrosen4985]

Hmm, 3 mugs qualifies as a ton? I probably have that many by 10:00 a.m. 😊. I really like the taste of coffee. Agree with everyone else. The 2 roasters with water decaffeinated beans in my country have a single decaf bean option. 😢. And my single bean no choice coffee is almost double the price of any other in the roaster.

[@paulstevens1493]

@@sarahrosen4985 Haha only a ton for my personal consumption, I average 1 mug a day 😂

[@sizableyeet]

I can’t drink caffeine for health reasons, so I really appreciated this video. There is so much more to coffee than the caffeine!

[@thegreatcoffeecrate7704]

have you found any ways to make/drink it that taste good? I have been struggling finding one that bodies everything a traditional cup of Joe has.

[@noone9472]

Decaf coffee still has about 1/3 of caféine remaining as explained in the video

[@madmaximum875]

@@noone9472 I don't know where he got his numbers, he was talking about 0.3% in the powder to be categorized as decaff by some EU legislation... but when i look up the USDA guidelines it says a maximum of 0.1% would be allowed, which is way less caffeine

[@gilbert2720]

@@noone9472it’s actually 10%

[@BergerNoa]

This video is genius, one the best and most informative I watched. The sociological perspective of opening our view of quality, the historical background, the chemical process explained, practical tips, even the way you did the ads was classy - great idea to film them outside. Feels like an actual commercial break. Thank you so much for this!

[@Ruarch]

I never needed coffee to wake up, never needed it as a pick me up. I just love its taste so much. It saddens me stopping drinking after lunch because it really does affect my sleep. So, I would really love to learn more about decaf in general. Please make more videos on the subject

[@VictorShiryaev]

My story as well, not a "coffee helps me to wake up" person at all, I just love the taste, but I get the heart racing sometimes when I overdrink.

[@ondank]

Imagine being so confident that you offer to make JAMES HOFFMAN an espresso ... And then trick him with decaf. Basically switched to the hardest setting and still aced the final boss fight.

[@Gmbenator]

_Gutsiest move I ever saw, man._

[@lftr_react]

Excellent analogy.

[@ianguile7214]

YES! Seeing decaffeination processing plants would be really informative to see, especially if we could see both an ethyl acetate and a swiss water plant!

[@fannygatzmann5778]

This was all so interesting! I had noticed that most decaf beans I bought looked quite darkly roasted, but had just vaguely wondered about it. It’s nice to understand where that comes from. Definitely interested in the plant tours.

[@jonbrunsting6452]

YES! Please tour a decaf process facility! I absolutely love seeing those kinds of things! And also, I'm one of those people who loves to drink coffee because of how it tastes, and really just the whole ritual of it. I really don't care how much (or how little) caffeine there is in the coffee, because caffeine has very little affect on me.

[@mooneepondsmassive7016]

Totally

[@segamble1679]

Ditto

[@sassanada]

Same here, I used to make six shot lattes as a bedtime drink pretty regularly. Good coffee is tasty, and the ritual of making it and sipping it is cozy. It’s the sippable equivalent of putting on your favorite soft comfy sweater.

[@jonbrunsting6452]

​@@sassanada you described it perfectly!! I completely agree!

[@MLX1401]

My bedtime ritual is enjoying a large cup of coffee, it makes me feel relaxed and content 😊 Against the general belief, insensitivity to caffeine is not always because of heavy consumption. Mine is clearly genetic and according to a recent study, approx 40% of people share this trait. James totally needs to acknowledge our existense 😅

[@Lew114]

Yes, I’d love to see a tour of a plant where decaf coffee is made, especially if we could also see how regular coffee is processed so we could see the difference.

[@durkcarter]

As someone who started to appreciate coffee. I don't even drink coffee for the caffeine anymore. Tasting different flavors is amazing.

[@dejavu011]

Not going to lie, I do love caffeine, but I also love getting some sleep.. so I do reach for the decaf sometime in the afternoons/ evenings because I just can't wait for the next morning to get the delicious coffee taste

[@NoonDragoon]

This describes me well. I've started drinking a cup of decaf with dinner now because I love the taste of coffee but don't want the caffeine at night.

[@zephyrpp]

I have never reacted much to caffeine regarding energy levels. I started drinking coffee because I like the taste. Doesn’t matter if I drink at 7 AM or 10 AM. What I notice is a lack of caffeine if it’s much later than my usual time. If I skip an afternoon cup, a headache creeps in towards bedtime. If decaf were more readily available in the same quality and at least some variety as regular coffee, I’d much rather drink that and kick the caffeine habit. Caffeine is after all a need that caffeine itself has created.

[@danielcolt8906]

I feel like caffeine don't even aftect me anymore... Oh but the coffee flavor and aroma is still a pleasure

[@lunasophia9002]

Between tea and coffee, I'm very much the kind of person who'll just have cup after cup right up until bedtime. And since itr's decaf I'm not up until 2309 when better beverages are available :)

[@HilbertHotfried]

8th and roast out of Nashville, TN (Condor | Colombia) and then Corvus out of Denver, CO (FORTY WINKS | Colombia). Two favorite I've found so far!

[@WestwoodWoodworker]

Thank you for posting these favorites, much appreciated and looking them up now.

[@kitty_boy_7kb72]

I moved to decaf around a year ago as a trial to help my anxiety which was getting worse. The difference in my wellbeing was remarkable but I still loved my coffee. It was this change that moved me into the world of hand grinding fresh coffee every day. I totally agree as it is exactly what I do, finding small local roasters that obviously care about how they market their decaf with passion, means you get the best around and can sample lots of different decaf flavours. I soon found there were half a dozen local to me (Bristol). Love the videos btw 👍

[@richardfordburley742]

Anxiety decaf drinkers of the world unite! That's what set me down the road too :)

[@houseofdogatx]

James, I'd watch a 2 hour decaf documentary deep dive if you made it. Factory tours are awesome, but also, you're awesome. Really doesn't matter the subject matter, if you make it, I'm watching.

[@tristinyaeger9222]

Recently because I started taking medication for ADHD, I've had to significantly reduce my caffeine intake and to my dismay, the decaf from my local roaster is nowhere near as good as their regular beans. This is a very well timed video for me.

[@judo_ashtray]

the first time I had my normal amount of coffee after taking ADHD medication was a bit of a trip. I had the opportunity to learn through experience why people tend to be both surprised and concerned when they hear how much coffee I drink

[@ffar666]

Oh I feel you so much, I have to choose between my morning coffee and my ADHD meds 😢 Check out Lance Hedrick's last Aeropress recipe video though, he has a tasty recipe that allows for low caffeine extraction while staying tasty. Also, if you can, the Low-caf from Friedhats is way better than most Decafs. If you can't get that, Look for roasters who do some Laurina or Aramosa varietals.

[@drewdecuir5675]

Try some of the great decafs that are out there! Black and White, Onyx, Olympia, etc. have all offered decafs that you'd be pleased with. They are not usually cheap, but worth it imo.

[@SmittyHalibut]

I sometimes get atrial fibrillation (heart flutters from hell) AND I have ADHD. So my sympathies are with you. :-)

[@OhHoneyBeehave]

Same here, I accidentially had caffine via food and I didn't sleep for almost 36hrs. Never again. I miss coffee and my favourite soda though

[@cobra-he9xj]

Being an engineer I really appreciate this sort of video because it reaches below the surface to explain the "whys". As I was watching I was coming up with questions - and then if by sorcery, they were answered. So many times when I watch an informative video I'm left in need of more knowledge. But this decaf 101 was perfect. And of course the production quality is top tier as usual. If it were any more perfect it would lose it's charm of an old friend explaining something to you. Bravo and thanks for the education.

[@52TonyT]

My wife is pregnant and she had to switch to decaf. We started to buy lavazza decaf beans. I make her an espresso every morning and it taste great. I was shocked by how well it came out and now I drink a decaf espresso in the evening. Would love to see more videos on this. Maybe do a blind taste test.

[@kristine146]

Congrats! She is a lucky girl to have her coffee made every morning. My hubby of 17 years makes my espresso every morning.

[@gxlorp]

😐

[@gxlorp]

@@kristine146 "hubby"? 🫥🤢(shudder)

[@gxlorp]

@@kristine146 🤨

[@fairsaa7975]

​@@gxlorpIt's quite a common word. Must be rough seeing other people having wholesome nicknames for their partner, but you can have that too one day, I believe in you 😂

[@gedog77]

As a decaf espresso drinker, this was really helpful to me. Coffee freshness will now be further prioritised. I have had a really good experience with a coffee roster whose usp is that they roast your batch to order, so it’s at most 2 days old when you get it.

[@lumare]

I drink decaf now due to a covid-related heart condition because I was told by my doctors I couldn't have caffeine anymore, but I didn't want to give up having my morning coffee. this video is wonderful, thank you

[@chairly]

This might be intrusive feel free to not respond but is it pots? I have pots myself and my sibling got pots as well after having covid

[@lumare]

@@chairly chronic pericarditis - went from never a health problem in my life to flareups of pericarditis for months on end

[@winknudgeable]

I have long COVID and I have to avoid caffeine as well. There are millions and millions of us (and growing).

[@indexical1897]

I’ve always loved the taste of coffee from a very young age and was a caffeine addict as a result. When I decided I had to stop, my detox from caffeine was horrible - migraines led to increased heart rate, fever, anxiety and nausea for about a week. There’s no way I’m falling off the decaf wagon now and I’m so glad there are so many good decaf options out there for coffee lovers.

[@ericabellew8809]

I love decaf! I’ve worked in the coffee industry for 10 years and used to roast for Noble Coffee Roasting out of Ashland Oregon and I stand by their decaf offerings. Super delicious. In my mind, it’s a mark of a great coffeehouse/roastery when they offer truly great decaf. And yes please give us a tour!!

[@cbowns]

Shout out to Noble, great stuff!

[@apeacebone6499]

THANK YOU for finally giving us the decaf content!! I have ADHD, the meds for which don't play nicely with caffeine, so I am decaf-only most of the time. Being called your top tier coffee drinker certainly brightened my day, haha! For me, the greatest frustration is that the *variety* simply isn't there for decaf--specialty roasters might have a dozen or more single origin coffees from all over the world, or blends with specifically desired characteristics, and then... just one decaf. Which I get, because I'm sure you do lose a lot of the origin characteristics (and thus the value) during the process and the smaller target audience is smaller, but I always feel like I'm missing out. My favorite decaf coffee is from a tiny roastery near Seattle, called Caffe Lusso. They're fabulous and their decaf is the best I've tried. I also highly recommend their Guatemala Finca Florencia for the caffeinated among you.

[@JoelRavier]

There are a few micro roasters out there that are decaf only. Check out: Outlier Coffee and Talking Crow. Good luck and happy decaf drinking!

[@apeacebone6499]

@@JoelRavier Thank you, excited to try them!

[@RadioFreeKyle]

Curious which meds you take. I went back onto ritalin after several years off while I was working at a Starbucks many many moons ago, and found exactly that: coffee + ritalin on an empty stomach was a terrible idea. I switched to dexedrine shortly thereafter and haven't had any issues since. That was over 20 years ago.

[@apeacebone6499]

@@RadioFreeKyle I currently take Jornay, which is a very slow-release ritalin/methylphenidate designed to be taken before bed the previous night. I haven't experimented too much with it + caffeine, but when I was on Concerta (also an extended release methylphenidate, just not AS slow) I couldn't even have a cup of tea without feeling uncomfortably caffeinated, although I also found that an actually effective dose of Concerta was enough on its own to raise my heart rate, hence exploring more options.

[@mooglily]

As someone who recently had to switch to decaf after medication shifts - thank you for this video! I’m so bummed that I can’t just have caffeinated coffee anymore, but I’d rather have decaf than give up the joy of making & drinking coffee!

[@carsonnesbit1178]

Sometimes caffeine makes me really anxious, usually it’s not bad but when I’m already having a rough day it can make it worse. But I really like the taste of coffee, those are the days that I want a cup of decaf.

[@lorenabulhoes1231]

My grandma has labyrinthitis so she can’t drink coffee with caffeine. She almost cried when it was told to her that she no longer would be able to have her traditional afternoon coffee, because there was a whole bunch of affective memories associated to that. So she drinks decaff, not because she needs the energy, but because coffee, itself, it’s valuable to her as a good memory.

[@Systematicsphere]

Labyrinthitis isn’t chronic. It always resolves. So your story’s silly or she has something else, like Meniere’s. In either case caffeine is not going to make anything worse (read the science) so she’s good to go.

[@cwill2127]

Yeah I think you might be confused regarding what disease your grandmother has, as that’s no contraindication for caffeine lol

[@TrojanManSCP]

It's very popular in sober/recovery social circles. You can drink it at night and still go to sleep, it delivers a bitter flavor profile, and it has a bit of the "social beverage" sort of quality. Downside is just the difficulty of finding anything of particularly good quality.

[@davespriter]

woah this is actually so smart, thanks for sharing. i feel like when i order a water or something i’m signaling to everybody that i’m done hanging out for the night even when that’s not the case, so i’ll definitely be using this idea

[@chemistrykrang8065]

Espresso and tonic, or (at home) moka pot and tonic is amazing with good (decaf) coffee and good tonic. Really refreshing and has that bitterness and complexity that hits the spot.

[@liamjenkins6114]

Not a lot of savory drinks without caffeine or alcohol out there

[@DrTylerBaker]

As someone who did a lot of homebrewing, I was also interested in brewing a beer that was non-alcohol. I wanted the flavor and not always the alcohol. It's difficult to do.

[@vgamedude12]

​​@@liamjenkins6114kvass is an option. But it's typically sweeter

[@chiriko7335]

My only problem with Decaf right now is the lack of variety. in most of the online specialty roasters I buy from in the US, they have only 1 Decaf offering, and it's almost always from Colombia. Would love more beans of different variety and origin

[@therootb]

I'm not sure if this is heresy, but I have been doing half-caff for years. I change up the caff blends and that way I can sort of get some new flavors with my decaf lol

[@pimacanyon6208]

I haven't bought roasted decaf in a while (I roast at home), but one issue I had when I did buy decaf was that it was roasted dark, sometimes very dark. I couldn't find even a medium roast decaf. Maybe that's changed, I haven't looked at roasted coffees in several years.

[@DixonLu]

The places I found good decaf: Laughing Man NY (2 different blends), Saint Franks, San Francisco, CA (changes seasonally).

[@gus.smedstad]

I'd love some decaffinated Sumatran coffee.

[@gus.smedstad]

@@therootb - I've done that too. I'll mix a decaf blend with a caffinated blend just to reduce the amount of caffiene. The French Roast decaf I use tends to drown out anything more subtle, though.

[@inhiskingdom60]

Yes, I would definitely love a coffee tour. What about going back to Bremen where decaf was first discovered!

[@thetophatviking]

As someone who has a cafe that does a bit of coffee on the side I'm glad to know my gut feeling of buying only one pound of decaf at a time for our espresso was a better choice than buying the large bulk bags, not that I knew the shelf life was that short.

[@JoelRavier]

Thanks for taking care of your decaf drinking customers! There are a few micro roasters out there that are decaf only. Check out: Outlier Coffee and Talking Crow Coffee

[@Komatik_]

cafe that does a bit of coffee on the side? (+_+)?

[@Kraaketaer]

So happy to see this subject given attention! I've been a specialty coffee drinker for a decade if not more, and have recently started trying out specialty decaf for the simple reason that I _love_ drinking coffee as a chill, relaxing thing to do by myself, which often means drinking it at night is one of the best times. But, even with my neuro-spicy nature giving me somewhat unpredictable responses to caffeine (it as often makes me drowsy as perking me up), the long-term effect is almost always trouble getting to sleep when I go to bed if I drink coffee too late. Specialty decaf is the _perfect_ solution to this. Now I can have my morning and lunch coffees as normal, but if I want to chill with a good cup at night, I can do so without ruining my bodily rhythms for the next week. And while I've yet to find a decaf that tastes as good as my favourite fruity light roasts, I've still had some _good_ drinking experiences. Yes, there's a lot of trash decaf out there, but there's a lot of trash coffee out there that has tons of caffeine too, so... yeah? So what? If you're a caffeine die-hard and never have issues with it, good for you, but why make a quirk of the lottery of human genetics into some sort of superiority-instilling personality trait? That's just weird to me. Edit: recently I've been drinking a lovely Mexican (Chiapas) decaf from local roastery Jacobsen og Svart (in Trondheim, Norway). I don't have much to compare to, but I've enjoyed it as my regular Aeropress brew with no special tweaks. And yes, James, I would _love_ to see you visit a decaf processing facility! To be honest there's a lot of aspects of the more industrialized parts of coffee that I think you could probably get access to in ways most people wouldn't, and I'd love to be able to learn more about how the coffee industry works on a global scale.

[@sallys2423]

Neuro-spicy is an amazing term.

[@Kraaketaer]

@@sallys2423 Agreed! Whoever came up with it deserves major praise - it just _works_.

[@hwbehrens]

I was able to get fairly deep into coffee as a hobby before a health change later in life necessitated a permanent switch to decaf. That transition was a very difficult one, for many of the reasons that you identified. Even when a local roaster produces decaf (rare), usually there's only one option -- gone are the days of thinking about tasting notes and regional differences, and now the defining characteristic is just "no caffeine", which I still find extremely frustrating. Thanks for making this video to bring more attention to us poor decaf outcasts!

[@therootb]

Agreed. My local roaster does one decaf. I always thought a decaf-focused roaster would kill it!

[@Rageplant1]

I feel this. I’ve also had to switch to decaf and it’s been kind of a sad experience

[@marcoandremartins]

+1. You kind of feel left out! My local speciality coffee shops don’t even serve decafs!

[@jorgis123]

For some weird reason, the best (not good) decaf I can find in the supermarket is instant coffee. I guess it makes sense with your explanation. It was probably brewed when it was fresh, and then turned into instant coffee.

[@craigbrashaw9604]

Hands down one of my favourite KZbin videos of all time. Full coffee nerd here but waow that was something. Developed a coffee sensitivity after years of tasting for cafes etc. Now I spend each coffee trip finding the best decafs and the places that serve them. It was never about the caffeine, it was always about the drink.

[@andrewskakun7041]

September Coffee (Canada) has a decaf called Blackberry Jam. It is a Caturra from Colombia. A great tasting coffee without any of the decaf taste. Lots of berry and brown sugar and no chocolate or nut tastes. S&W Coffee (USA) also does a great decaf called Rainbow. Peach and brown sugar are the tasting notes. If you want a decaf that is on the lighter side both are worthwhile trying!!

[@mprz8188]

Colombia not Columbia

[@Luijbi]

​@@mprz8188every time

[@NeutralMjolkHotel]

@@mprz8188maybe it’s from Vancouver, British Columbia 🤔

[@JNuts-cv1ib]

@@NeutralMjolkHotelboth have rainforests, could be either one really

[@TheTJTK]

Thanks for this! I'll search them out.

[@alexclarketeaching3316]

I only drink decaf coffee (due to panic attacks and struggle sleeping) so this is the video I have been waiting for! I’m forever explaining to friends that they don’t just have to drink coffee for the caffeine! Please please go to the factories and teach us more about the even finer details! Some roasters I’ve loved are: Wood st coffee Craft house coffee Mission coffee works Hard lines Round hill roastery

[@josephbwuzhere]

I have been wanting coffee after lunch but caffeine then is a nono. Im glad this video came out now. Taste is much more important than caffeine imo.

[@AnkerBanker123]

My pops loves coffee. He would always wake up early in the morning and make coffee for him and my mom. But recently, he had to switch to decaf because of his high blood pressure. Makes me sad, sometimes.

[@kristenmoore925x]

Thank you for your list of roasters to check out. I’m literally taking notes on this comment section 😂. If you’re looking for a new one to try, Chromatic Coffee’s Shadow Puppet is really nice. I’m lucky they are only 15 minutes from me

[@RicktheRecorder]

In what country?

[@mariapage147]

Those are UK based recommendations. I agree with most of them. I would also add Crankhouse coffee (their current one is lovely as espresso). The best one I've ever had was Jairo Arcila Natural Decaf roasted by Horsham. It was a natural one that made a fantastic brew.

[@robertburwell4595]

Thanks for the video and keep them coming! I’d love to see some recommendations for decaf coffee roasters as well as production facility tours for any decafs you find that are top notch.

[@elliottfordham880]

I used to work for Jacobs Douwe Egberts in their coffee processing department and we did lots of research into how to effectively decaffeinate green coffee beans prior to roasting. Very informative James and if you want to discuss industrial coffee processing in more detail I’d be happy to chat about it 😊

[@nambewan]

My aunt had to drink decaf due to health problems. She used to import Douwe Egberts Decaf from Holland. Said it was the best tasting coffee.

[@theozzy4717]

They have a big factory in Southampton. I could smell the coffee as I walked past it😁

[@elliot887]

Thank you for this! Caffeine gives me headaches and decaf is so much better for my health, but I really miss great coffee. Please give us more decaf content! Factory tours, more details on the processes, more recommendations about how to buy, store, and use decaf beans, etc.

[@saltandsriracha]

I havent finished the video so I dont know if he mentions this brand, but Kicking Horse has an amazing decaf!

[@jelizabethpetrie6656]

Myself nixed headaches by doing 1= half cafe pod then cup 2 onward decafe pods only per daily

[@DanielleWhite]

My symppathies. When I was a teenager and young adult I would get migraines from caffeine and theobromine, at the level that a single can of cola per day was enough to trigger them. Being a kid in the late 80s and early 90s made avoiding the two molecules a bit tricky

[@uyouhaveyou]

​@@DanielleWhiteJust to ask, with containing theobromine, does dark chocolate affect you negatively also? 🤔 I cannot drink caffeinated drinks but jury is out for me on chocolate though my brother gets migraine from even slightly dark chocolate

[@wielandmail]

​@@uyouhaveyou Its the same for me - drinking coffee WITH coffein makes me feel dizzy. Drinking black tea - makes me feel dizzy. Drinking hot chocolate (with high cocoa percentages) makes me feel dizzy - and i get serious digestive problems. Decaf-Coffee is the solution to at least my coffee problems.

[@heathermclean2893]

As a 100% decaf drinker for almost 30 years, I LOVED this video. I definitely want to see a factory tour! Iwould definitely enjoy more videos featuring decaf. Thank you for another great video! 💕💕

[@AcerbusGenetrix]

Hello James! I had the good fortune of working in the coffee industry in Seattle for some time, and as someone with caffeine sensitivity I hunted for a good decaf. My go-to was Stamp Act. The other best one I tried was by Onyx, when they had a limited-release Ethiopian decaf.

[@wickedvicar]

Thank you for sharing your decaf favourites!

[@BigProllum]

I would love to see you do a commercial decaf brand comparison! I really should switch my afternoon cup to decaf but I've never really delved into the subject before. Also, any videos on the science or process of coffee and it's production are an immediate click for me and I imagine others watching this video.

[@davidcaubergh6349]

Great video, thanks! One of these ADHD coffee drinkers here that told himself it's like medication for me. Until I quit my cafeine use and started sleeping better, being more rested, less stressed, more resilient... Love the taste of good decaf coffee so I still have a cup a day after my lunch. I think coffee and cafeine really has a purpose in our lives, but using everyday is maybe just not the way to go, like most consciousness altering plants are, use in moderation.

[@zee2016]

Ditto, David!

[@haileykenney1855]

Recently diagnosed with ADHD, and 1000% relate and agree!

[@sebastianmachadocph]

Coffee + methylphenidate =🫤

[@willmcconnellsimpson1411]

Yeah, I used to unknowingly "self-medicate" with coffee before I got my ADHD diagnosis at 38. Tried giving up caffeine while early in medication titration (at way too low a dose)-horrible headaches and fatigue. Got the dose of methylphenidate right... One cup of coffee made me a jittery mess, but I stopped drinking caffeine with no side effects... Occasionally get shady looks in speciality shops, which only makes the "decaf is for the true coffee lovers" all the more satisfying - I'm holding on to something I love, in spite of the downsides.

[@itsmederek1]

I have ADHD as well and I really don’t notice a difference between 4 cups, 1 cup and 0 cups a day. I also don’t get annoyed when I can’t have it or something. Edit: As somebody else said, coffee with methylphenidate is not good at all, gives me panic attacks.

[@StephenEdmondsonVideos]

Thanks for making this! I'm one of those who are super sensitive to caffeine, so I can't drink regular coffee/tea/etc. There's enough caffeine in most decaf where I can feel a response, but there's no anxiety, stomach issues, hard crash, etc - so it's been a fantastic way for me to enjoy coffee without the negative effects. I live in a major city in the US (Dallas, TX) and have found really only one roaster/cafe that produces great decaf (Eiland Coffee). I'm having a decaf espresso drink from them once or twice a week and loving it. It really helps break up my usual routine of a few cups of (herbal) tea each morning. Have also been considering buying an espresso machine to make my own decaf at home, but given how spotty finding decaf beans has been, I'm hesitant. I did see Cometeer offers some decaf options which I might give a shot first. Here's hoping content like this educates more cafes and roasters!

[@davidscottwills]

I also live in Dallas and had never heard of Eiland Coffee. I'm now planning to stop by on my way home tonight as it's right on my commute home up 75. Taking your recommendation for the decaf (late-night espresso martinis) and probably an extra bag or two for normal, daily consumption.

[@richardpeters9180]

Blk city roasters is in the USA and roasts a nice decaf

[@StephenEdmondsonVideos]

Glad to help! The roaster is on Interurban street but I'm not sure if you can get a drink there in addition to beans, but you can definitely get both at the cafe in Canyon Creek@@davidscottwills

[@radix23]

Oh, I go to Eiland often, I'll try their decaf next time I'm there :)

[@michaelhudson4171]

Try Laurina or "bourbon Pointú". It's a naturally decaffinated (0.4-0.7%) variety of an early strain of Arabica from the french colonial island of La Reunion. It has a very mild flavour profile often likened to tea. Being a tea drinker myself, it's attractive to me for the more subtle flavors as well as the low caffeine content.

[@MehRissa]

I am someone who craves the taste of coffee at all hours of the day. I was always susceptible to the anti-decaf rhetoric but after after this video I'm getting me some decaf and making myself happy.

[@PhillipBrodginski]

My parents and grandparents used to play cards on weekends. They started the afternoon with regular coffee, then switched to decaf later in the evening. Interesting to know the process behind the drink they so regularly enjoyed!

[@sausagefork9197]

100% Yes to the factory tour! I'd be fascinated by a video on that! Also, loved this video! It's possibly solved a couple of challenges I have with brewing decaf at home!

[@AviatorEvans]

Thank you for this video James. I'm a healthcare worker who works overnight and often relies on the myriad of benefits of a good cup of caffeinated coffee. I also, however often want to enjoy the taste of coffee without disrupting my sleep cycle. I would *love* to see a factory tour and eventually a compilation of all of your decaf recommendations. Here in Cincinnati the people at Deeper Roots Coffee roast a pretty darn good decaf, as well as La Terza.

[@Flotsam7jetsam]

As a fellow Cincinnatian I concur! Those two specifically.

[@gxlorp]

So did you get over the medical scandal and medical blunder (yet)? Idk how many people in Healthcare realized what happened. But when they do, it ain't pretty. This is going to be a long slow smoldering burn. It will take 10 years for the ash to settle. 7 years now.

[@fairsaa7975]

​@@gxlorpAh yes, the famous "Medical Scandal" that includes the whole world, which includes overworked night staff. Tf are you on? What country, what are you even talking about?😂

[@FireBlueMeridian]

I'm also in Ohio and have been wanting an afternoon coffee (which, for me, means decaf) so these recommendations are perfect, thank you!

[@fredfredburger22222]

I’m from Dayton, moved to Chicago and haven’t had any luck with good decaf here. Should’ve known Cincinnati roasters would do it right! Going to order some asap.

[@panksnotdeder]

Now I love my decaf even more. I guess I'm one of those coffee addicts which absolutely NEED coffee. And if I drank as mich as I would like of the regular coffee, I would never sleep properly. Discovering decaf really helped me on many levels. Great video!

[@SyphriX]

I’m glad decaf is starting to get the love it deserves. I desperately want to drink more coffee, but have pretty hard caffeine consumption limits before it starts to negatively impact my life.

[@toaster1400]

Partitioning out decaf into portions stored in the freezer is such a great idea! I love the taste of coffee and wish I could drink more, although I refrain due to concerns of too much caffeine consumption. I think I'm going to find a roaster that really cares about their decaf and partition it in the freezer and see how that goes.

[@aramse]

I've waited a long time for this video and it did not disappoint. I also know you've also been trying to work out the logistics of having the same green decaffeinated using the three methods and comparing them to each other and the regular green - I hope to see that one day. I regularly dream of a post dinner Affogato, so I really hope to see good decaf become more popular and more readily available around the world :)

[@coreycannon4511]

That’s a BRILLIANT idea!! Especially if it was a super funky or fruit-bomb type just to see what the several decaffeination processes do in a hyper-obvious way. James: that could be your next “World’s Largest Cupping” could be.

[@JoelRavier]

Yes!! Affogato is the best!

[@gdubnz85]

I used to be that barista that often thought when someone ordered a decafe coffee 'whats the point?, why not order a tea or chai' then one day, my boss pulled me aside and said, " this person is drinking coffee purely for the flavour of coffee, some could argue they love coffee more that you, so why not try and make that one the best coffee of the day?' , fast forward a few years, I now have my own cafe and we preportion our decafe, grind to order on a EK, and honestly, our decafe is f**ken good man. So stoked to see this video from you James. Big up yourself!

[@redisred]

This is my favorite video you’ve ever made! I’m a hardcore decaf drinker after a decade of severe carpal tunnel-like symptoms totally vanished with a switch to decaf. 🤷🏻 I’ve been ordering a 5lb bag of intelligentsia decaf and freezing it in single lb bags for a while now and it’s been great. I’ve wondered about these various processes for a while, this was all super interesting. I would love to see the factories where this happens, as many others have said. Blue bottle had a natural process Ethiopian decaf for a few months that blew me away, I would love to learn how to find more natural process decaf too. As you said, it all seems to come from Columbia and Mexico, but they can’t be the only game in town. I’d LOVE a decaf treatment to some of your brew guides too! I’ve noticed a few things over the years for decaf that I’d enjoy seeing you test: I find that it needs hotter water for some reason; I tend to get a better brew from an aeropress or pour over with boiling water instead of the typical lower temps. Also, decaf seems to produce fines more, even in a high end burr grinder, so I need to go more coarse than with regular coffee typically. Thanks for taking care of the decaf people James!

[@stefflcus]

Great advice on the water temp, thanks!

[@paolocoletti3424]

Totally agree with you on the fines. My suppliers decaff totally chokes my basket on the same settings so have to go much courser to correct it 👍🏼

[@Corrodias]

Do you brew it straight out of the freezer, or do you let it warm to neutral first? I'm thinking about keeping my coffee in the freezer, now.

[@redisred]

I usually let it acclimate, but I don’t know if that’s really necessary. I guess I imagine it prevents moisture from getting in prematurely, but it’s closer to superstition than science. Another thing for James to test!

[@leontheron01]

As a coffee roaster I really enjoyed this very informative video. From the beginning of my roasting career, after hearing Scott Rao talk about decaf, I have always taken extra care with decaf roasting. It can truly be amazing!

[@jingplusone]

I've reduced my coffee consumption down to 250-500mL a day after discovering my mood and personality changes negatively from withdrawal on weekends from amounts I used to consume. Decaf is very much my crutch for that coffee craving after I've reached my daily limit of regular coffee, so absolutely would love more decaf content.

[@DrCorndog1]

I already knew I was a top-tier coffee drinker, but it's nice to hear James say so.

[@warrenber]

Great video and very informative. I’m a sufferer of Acid Reflux and coffee is a known trigger for it. Both coffee and chocolate are k own to relax to lower esophagus sphincter thereby allowing acid to travel up into the esophagus. I am able to tolerate decaf which allows me to enjoy the taste of coffee. The thought of having to drink tea every morning is something I don’t have to think about.

[@CabritoIndigo]

Hi James! I'd definitely love to see you do as many decaffeination process tours as possible! I've been working in coffee for ages and would love to see the processes I've been telling people about!

[@richardfordburley742]

I'm a decaf drinker for the last two or three years thanks to generalized anxiety, and it's led me down the road of Actually Good Coffee. I think so far my favorite is made by Carrier, their decaf El Tablón. I'm able to get it about a week post-roasting and brew at 18g/300ml in a V60 and it is just brilliant stuff. We also have a local coffee roaster here in Lebanon NH called Hato Viejo who do a medium roast decaf that's a perfect example of the oily beans thing. They *shine.* It's a lovely daily drinker and it's so easy to get fresh. Anyway: please do more decaf content and more decaf pourover (or aeropress or french press) content and YES I'd love to see the inside of a place that makes it, 100%.

[@jwross2798]

I hear ya! Caffeine amps up cortisol and cortisol is naturally higher in a person first thing when they wake up. If you have anxiety, a caffeinated coffee to wake up can make anxiety worse. Once I stopped having caffeinated coffee immediately in the morning, early day stress began to become more manageable. I was later able to reintroduce caffeinated coffee in the morning, but in a 1:3 ratio to decaf to get the right balance for me.

[@clomino3]

Oh shit, like Carrier in Burlington VT? I was literally just at Onyx in Burlington and they were saying that Carrier has one of their fav decafs (primarily a decaf gal myself)

[@theaddies]

Just bought coffee from Hato Viejo. Thanks for the comment.

[@richardfordburley742]

​@@clomino3 as someone used to overcooked decafs, Carrier's is like an entirely different drink. Fruity, almost? Really nice. I get it at a locally-owned shop in Lebanon, NH called Lucky's

[@MeiinUK]

@@jwross2798 : Allowing your cortisol level to naturally rise, is what I experienced peace.... Like, it really was very nice to do that as well... So.... When I decaf and detox'd.. and let my body do its own thing. I felt "so" fresh.. and like, very energised. Only in recent years did I feel like... Well.. after my ops.. It didn't feel so great any more. But yes... no coffee is actually a good thing.

[@raegannnnnn]

18:15 I’ve started portioning & freezing my decaf beans, and it’s made a world of difference! Also, per one of your other videos, I’ve been grinding them from mostly frozen & find that’s helped with the static too. Hooray!

[@AdrianWan]

I'm a long time decaf drinker and I'm so happy you're covering this!!

[@momomomocensoredbyyoutube9085]

You have confirmed all my biases and answered several questions I had. Thank you, whoever you are.

[@zoomzabba452]

It's been years since I was a coffee drinker. Since then, I've become immensely caffeine sensitive. Thank you for guiding me back in to your wonderful world of flavor if I should divest the time

[@benlacy872]

My event manager at work is allergic to caffeine, deathly allergic. She drinks decaf, as it is low enough in caffeine not to trigger any severe symptoms. Now I have a video to share, and learn from. I look forward to making some delicious decaf espresso once my new machine is delivered. Thanks James!

[@xchurricane]

I have recently significantly dropped my caffeine intake for personal and medical reasons and I am so so happy to see a video on decaf. If I can have a good cup of decaf at work, I'll be in heaven!

[@KillerTurtleSquirtle]

I would really love to see a video comparing the nuances of brewing decaf vs caf. My standard at home is a pour over freshly ground on an Ode 2 and I find that the decaf I brew behaves very differently, in some surprising and contradictory ways, and I struggle to pinpoint why the differences occur and how they're affecting the flavour.

[@brianavery3378]

definitely second this! and other brewing methods esp. espresso! thanks for going this far into decaf

[@Sn0wwh173]

Thank you so much for making this!! Coffee has been a hobby of mine for years. A few years ago I ended up having a health situation that meant I had to choose between medication and coffee. I was devastated.... Until I decided to expand my knowledge and start trying all the decaf I could find around Melbourne. We bought a single dose grinder (so my husband could keep enjoying his coffee) and can confirm there are some really excellent roasters in Melbourne who roast a really lovely decaf. A favourite at the moment is Buzzkill by Commonfolk (for any other Melbourne locals).

[@RobKnapp1]

Thank you I am going to order some BUZZ KILL I am shipping it to USA shipping 25 days out ! Hope it is tasty , I liked reading about the decaf on there web site :)

[@Sn0wwh173]

@@RobKnapp1amazing!! I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

[@RobKnapp1]

@@Sn0wwh173 🤗

[@FranciscaPires]

yes please visit decaf processing plants! i don´t drink coffee super often because it makes me sleepy during the day and reduces the quality of my sleep at night i often choose decaf, and in Portugal in most regular cafés have a contract with a specific coffee brand so the best way to find a decent decaf espresso is to look at the café door to know which coffee brand they use. In those cafés usually the decaf is in those tiny packets but the regular coffee is ground in front of you. Some of those brands carry decent decaf like delta and segafredo but it also depends on personal taste.

[@debs7411]

My husband's grandmother used to make instant Sanka . It tasted awful but looked like the real thing because she served it in a vintage chemex. When she told me I had been drinking decaf all weekend, my splitting headache suddenly made sense 😂 40 years later, I am enjoying very good coffee from that same chemex as I write this ☕️

[@cianmoriarty7345]

People that give people decaf without telling them are doing quite an awful thing. Basically tricking you into poisoning yourself. I think it is tantamount to assault.

[@conan4real]

​@@cianmoriarty7345 u can just call them a rude person, doesnt make it assault

[@Engiction]

I used to drink coffee almost every single day and feel lethargic every morning, getting off caffeine addiction has been a game changer for me too. Now I just drink coffee in the afternoon before night workout and it's probably just once every two week when I want to go super hard for the workout

[@oldman-tr1qi]

​@@cianmoriarty7345You're posting this under a 20 minute video from the biggest name in terms of coffee experts, explaining it's not poisoning

[@khalidnoor7735]

​@@cianmoriarty7345im confused how is decaf poison? Just curious

[@My-Decaf-Journey]

Thanks for the video, James. Like many other people written here already, I was born with cardiac issues and had several surgeries and pacemakers and spent months in hospitals. The last time I served regular coffee instead of decaf and spent 3 nights in A&E. I hate the idea of my heart rushing. Having said that, I love coffee more than everything else. I drink 4 cups of decaf a day/2 kg a month. I tend to not to drink coffee outside as it’s either horrible or might get a regular coffee by mistake. Once I came across a well known coffee shop in London who brought out a jar of ground coffee from downstairs said ‘they are freshly grounded every weekend’. Whenever people come over, I serve them decaf and when they ask about the beans, they always surprise that the beans are decaf. I blame the coffee shops. Great tasting decaf is quite possible and fun to dial in!

[@oboealto]

You may want to take it easy there, my friend. Decaf still has some caffeine. Wishing you good health always!

[@My-Decaf-Journey]

Thanks for the heads up@@oboealto. I'm well aware and outside world is a lot more dangerous than home dialed-in coffee (and it's not just coffee that makes your heart pounding also alcohol, chocolate, and sleeplessness etc).

[@BrentRose]

In the U.S. my go-to for decaf has been Peet's Mocca-Java Decaf. It's a very dark roast and certainly quite oily, but the flavors are rich and chocolatey and don't taste burnt (at least to me). Would really love to see you do a taste-test to find what you think the best decafs are.