Here is some general information on the ONLY decaffeination process the 144 Roastery will ever use; Swiss Water® Decaf Process.
Two other processes are commercially available and, in the opinion of the Roaster, are vastly inferior. The two excluded processes alter the taste of the coffee (ethyl acetate derived from fermented sugarcane) or use chemicals that are not ideal for human consumption (methylene chloride that is also widely used as a solvent in paint strippers, adhesives, pharmaceuticals, and metal cleaning). One other methodology is available but, is not widely commercially available; CO2 processing. CO2 Processing is a niche process not widely available and is quite expensive due to the limited amount of coffee that is processed. The Roaster has sampled CO2 Decaffeinated coffee and was impressed but, the exorbitant cost of processing adds too much cost to the coffee and, is not better than Swiss Water® Decaffeination Process.
What Is The Swiss Water® Decaffeination Process ?
The Swiss Water® Decaffeination Process is a natural, chemical-free way to decaffeinate coffee. Swiss Water® boasts a process that is not only clean and natural, it also keeps the original flavor of the coffee intact.
The Swiss Water® Decaf process starts by soaking green coffee beans in pure water to create a proprietary Green Coffee Extract (GCE). The GCE holds all the coffee’s soluble compounds. The extract is then passed through activated carbon filters to remove caffeine, leaving behind a flavorful, caffeine-free solution.
When new batches of green coffee beans are added to the GCE and soaked for 8–10 hours, the caffeine naturally moves out of the beans without stripping away their taste. The extract is continuously refreshed through carbon filtration, ensuring the beans keep their original characteristics.
Thanks to this careful process, Swiss Water® Decaf removes 99.7% of the caffeine while preserving the coffee’s original profile—acidity, flavors, and complexity. It is a decaf that actually tastes like coffee, making it a great option for anyone looking to cut back on caffeine without sacrificing quality.
