Colombia Decaf Rainbow

Description

This delightful decaf comes by way of our friends at Azahar Coffee from Colombia who have done a stellar job at producing one of the best decaf process coffees in recent memory. Our relationship with Azahar began back in 2015 with a focus on microlots and regional micro-blends and since, their program has expenade to selecting 86+ lots from small producers to highlight the spectrum of colors and accompanying flavor profiles found across many coffee-producing departments in Colombia.

This particular offering Decaf Rainbow is a project dreamt up by Azhar’s and is comprised of a blend from small-scale coffee growers, whose farms are situated at altitudes between 1,600 and 1,850 that utilizes a process called Descafecol- a decaffeination agent also knowns as ethyl acetate (ethyl alcohol) and is derived from a mix of acetic acid (vinegar) and a natural extract distilled from sugar cane, blackberries, beets or sometimes grapes. Next, a direct-solvent process is applied which means- first the beans are steamed to open their pores and are then rinsed in ethyl acetate repeatedly to remove the caffeine. Finally, the beans are dried but not completely, 10-12% humidity remains, and then the open bean is sealed with natural wax that in no way affects the flavor, fragrance or aroma of the coffee.

The resulting cup is sweet and vibrant, a memorable experience for any time of day. Decaf Rainbow is a great example that delicious decaf is possible and should never be an afterthought.

Text from Metric Coffee's listing.