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How We Make Decaf That Still Tastes Good

Decaf espresso should still taste like espresso.

It should have a rich aroma, satisfying body, balanced sweetness and enough depth to work as a straight shot or in milk. Removing caffeine is only one part of achieving that result. The coffee must also be carefully selected, decaffeinated, roasted and delivered fresh.

Our Decaffeinato begins with green coffee that has been decaffeinated through the Swiss Water® Process. ESPRESSO No.1 does not perform the decaffeination itself. Swiss Water removes the caffeine from the green coffee before it is roasted.

We then use that coffee to create a roast profile developed specifically for espresso. It is roasted when ordered and shipped promptly rather than being stored for an extended period as finished inventory.

The result is a mellow, balanced decaf espresso with caramel-like sweetness, low perceived acidity and enough body to remain present in milk.

Why Decaf Can Taste Disappointing

Coffee contains hundreds of compounds that contribute to its aroma, sweetness, acidity, body and finish. Decaffeination must remove caffeine while preserving as much of that underlying character as possible.

If the starting coffee is poor or the process is insufficiently selective, the result can taste muted, thin or generic. Roasting it very dark may conceal some weaknesses, but it can also replace the remaining coffee character with bitterness and heavy roast flavors.

Decaffeinated green coffee also behaves differently during roasting. Its structure, moisture behavior and appearance have already been changed by processing. A roast profile designed for untreated coffee cannot simply be applied without adjustment.

Making better decaf therefore begins before the coffee reaches the roaster

How the Swiss Water Process Works

The Swiss Water Process removes caffeine while the coffee is still green and unroasted. It does not use methylene chloride or ethyl acetate as caffeine-removal solvents.

The process uses a flavor-rich solution called Green Coffee Extract. This water-based extract contains the soluble components naturally present in green coffee, except for caffeine.

When the green coffee is placed in contact with the extract, caffeine moves out of the beans. Because the solution already contains coffee’s other soluble components, it can remove caffeine while retaining much of the coffee’s original character.

The caffeine-containing extract then passes through proprietary carbon filters. These filters capture caffeine while allowing the other coffee components to remain in the solution.

The refreshed extract returns to the coffee, and the cycle continues until the targeted amount of caffeine has been removed. The beans are subsequently dried and prepared for roasting.

For a broader comparison of the different methods, see our guide to how decaf coffee is made.

Decaffeination Comes Before Roasting

This order matters.

The Swiss Water Process does not remove caffeine from finished roasted coffee. It produces decaffeinated green beans that must still be roasted to develop their final aroma, sweetness and extraction characteristics.

Decaffeinated beans can darken more quickly and may appear further developed than untreated beans at a comparable point in the roast. Judging them by color alone can lead to over-roasting.

The roast must develop enough solubility and body for espresso without taking the beans so far that their remaining character is overwhelmed by burnt, smoky or excessively bitter flavors.

Our aim is a smooth, balanced espresso with caramel-like sweetness, low perceived acidity and a clean finish. The beans are roasted without being taken to a shiny, oily surface, making them better suited to home espresso grinders and machines.

Roasted Specifically for Espresso

Espresso concentrates both the strengths and weaknesses of a coffee.

Water passes through a compact bed of finely ground coffee under pressure. If the coffee lacks sweetness, body or balance, the concentrated extraction makes that immediately apparent.

Our Decaffeinato is therefore not treated as a secondary version of regular coffee. Its roast is developed around how decaffeinated beans behave in an espresso machine.

We focus on four areas:

What we control Why it matters in the cup
Swiss Water decaffeination Protects more of the coffee’s underlying character
Espresso-specific roasting Develops body, sweetness and reliable extraction
Roasted when ordered Helps preserve aroma, crema and freshness
Dry, non-oily finish Better suited to home espresso grinders and machines

The objective is not to make decaf taste indistinguishable from every caffeinated coffee. Decaffeination changes the bean, so some difference is inevitable.

The aim is to produce a satisfying espresso that stands on its own.

Can Decaf Produce Crema?

Yes. Properly roasted decaf can produce crema.

Crema forms when carbon dioxide from roasted coffee interacts with water and pressure during extraction. Decaf is still roasted coffee, so it releases carbon dioxide and can create the same basic reaction.

The amount and persistence of crema depend on several factors, including roast development, freshness, grind size and extraction.

Decaf that has been stored for a long time may produce less aroma and less persistent crema, just as older caffeinated coffee does. Crema alone does not prove that an espresso is balanced, but freshly roasted decaf should still be capable of producing an attractive and satisfying layer.

Does Decaf Need a Different Grind Setting?

Usually.

Decaffeination changes the physical structure of the beans. Decaf may therefore grind and extract differently from the regular coffee previously used in the machine.

When switching to Decaffeinato, treat it as a new coffee and dial it in independently.

If the shot runs too quickly, move the grinder slightly finer. If it runs too slowly or tastes dry and bitter, adjust slightly coarser. Make one small change at a time and judge the result by its flow, aroma, sweetness, body and finish.

Do not assume that a grind setting used for caffeinated espresso will also be correct for decaf, even when the roast levels appear similar.

Freshness Still Matters

Decaffeination does not prevent coffee from aging.

After roasting, decaf remains vulnerable to oxygen, heat, light, moisture and time. Its aromatic compounds gradually fade, and its behavior during extraction becomes less predictable.

This is why our Decaffeinato is roasted when ordered rather than being held for an extended period as finished inventory.

A normal delivery period can overlap with the coffee’s initial resting and degassing phase. What matters is that the journey begins close to the roast date.

Our guide to how shipping affects coffee freshness explains why the complete journey from roasting to brewing matters more than delivery speed alone.

Once the coffee arrives, keep it sealed in its original bag and store it in a cool, dry and dark location. Grind only what is needed immediately before brewing.

How Much Caffeine Remains?

Decaf should not automatically be treated as completely caffeine-free.

The Swiss Water Process is designed to produce coffee that is 99.9% caffeine-free. A small residual amount may remain, and the caffeine in a prepared drink can vary according to the coffee, dose and brewing method.

A decaf espresso therefore contains substantially less caffeine than a regular espresso, but it may still contain a small amount.

What Makes Our Decaf Different?

No single stage creates better decaf on its own.

The Swiss Water Process provides the foundation by removing caffeine without added chemical solvents while protecting the coffee’s underlying character. Espresso-specific roasting then develops the sweetness, body and solubility needed for concentrated extraction.

Roasting when ordered helps preserve the aroma and freshness created during that roast.

Together, these decisions produce a decaf espresso that is mellow, balanced and full enough to enjoy on its own or with milk.

Explore our Swiss Water decaf espresso for a lower-caffeine espresso without giving up the experience of a properly extracted shot.

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