May the caffeine-sensitive crowd rejoice—decaf coffee is stepping out of the shadows once more.
BY JOSEPH PHELAN
FOR BARISTA MAGAZINE
Featured photo by Javier Molina
What to know:
- As consumers increasingly seek to cut out substances like alcohol and caffeine, decaffeinated coffee is growing in popularity
- The first commercial decaffeination process was invented by German coffee merchant Ludwig Roselius in the early 20th century. The method involved steaming coffee beans with a saltwater solution and then using benzene as a solvent to remove the caffeine
- Ludwig Roselius’ decaffeination process is no longer used due to benzene being carcinogenic to humans
- Piloted in 1985, British Columbia-based company Swiss Water Decaf developed a chemical-free method of removing caffeine from coffee
In recent years, decaffeinated coffee has undergone a remarkable transformation.
Once relegated to the sidelines as a mere alternative for those seeking to avoid caffeine, decaf has emerged as a star player in its own right, attaining a devoted following and earning a prominent place on coffee-shop menus worldwide.
What was once seen as a compromise for coffee lovers has evolved into a sought-after beverage celebrated for its unique flavors, nuanced profiles, and a growing array of specialty offerings. Consider the fact that Weihong Zhang, owner of BlendIn Coffee Club in Houston, won the 2024 U.S. Brewers Cup Championship with a decaf—and made history doing it.
One could argue that this evolution in both the perception and popularity of decaf coffee reflects a broader shift in consumer preferences, with individuals frequently seeking new, increasingly diverse coffee consumption choices. However, decaf’s rise has, to some extent, been seen before. Patterns in history tend to repeat, and this is certainly the case when it comes to caffeine-free coffee.
The backstory
The first commercial decaffeination process was invented by German coffee merchant Ludwig Roselius in the early 20th century. Around 1903, he is said to have accidentally stumbled upon the process of decaffeination, when a shipment of coffee beans was soaked in seawater during transit. This, he discovered, removed much of the beans’ caffeine content but did little to impact the flavor.
In 1906, following years of refinement, Ludwig patented a pioneering decaffeination method that involved steaming coffee beans with a saltwater solution and then using benzene as a solvent to remove the caffeine. This particular process, it must be noted, is no longer used due to benzene being carcinogenic to humans. Indeed, various studies have shown benzene to cause acute myeloid leukemia (AML). This was, of course, not known at the time.
Ludwig sold his groundbreaking coffee under the name Kaffee-Handels-Aktiengesellschaft, which was widely (and entirely understandably) shortened to Kaffee HAG. It was an immediate hit in both Germany and elsewhere in Europe, yet he was determined that his trailblazing product would become more than successful: He wanted it to become a phenomenon.
So, Ludwig set about doing what he loved best: marketing. He roped in two of Germany’s most respected architects, Alfred Runge and Eduard Scotland, to design the brand’s packaging and promotional posters, which saw them come up with the iconic lifebuoy emblem that adorned nearly every Kaffee HAG product in its early years.
Ludwig himself is credited with coming up with a string of catchy slogans for his coffee, including “Always harmless, always digestible,” which is perhaps the most well-known today. He also did something that hadn’t been done before: He advertised his coffee in silent film cinemas across Germany. He understood that this would be an ideal way to reach his desired audience and would transform an aspirational brand into a household one.
The success of Ludwig’s decaf coffee, unsurprisingly, led to the emergence of rival operations hoping to grab a share of this blossoming marketing. Decaffeinated coffee’s rise continued over the subsequent decades, though it was always very much overshadowed by the monumental growth of traditional caffeinated coffee, which established itself as a global staple during the 20th century.
This was partly due to coffeehouses, which had been hubs of social activity across Europe and, of course, the Middle East for a number of years, exploding in popularity across every major world city. The invention of instant coffee, which made the beverage accessible to almost every household, also played a significant role in boosting coffee’s popularity.
A concerted switch to decaf
However, decaf never disappeared—far from it. Concerns about the potential negative effects associated with high levels of caffeine consumption—insomnia, jitteriness, increased heart rate—saw many individuals permanently switch to decaf during the 1970s and 1980s, especially in the United States. Decaf experienced a popularity surge, something attributed to people wanting to reduce their caffeine intake, and because of huge improvements in the taste and quality of instant decaffeinated coffee.
Consequently, coffee shops and restaurants began offering decaf options to cater to a growing demand, further solidifying decaf’s place in the mainstream coffee culture. Traditional decaffeination methods, such as Ludwig’s benzene process, had by this time been replaced by much safer, more efficient techniques, such as the Swiss Water Process, which uses only water and activated carbon filters to remove caffeine from coffee beans. Like Ludwig’s approach, the key was preserving the flavor and retaining the aroma of coffee.
“The Swiss Water Process was developed as a chemical-free method of removing caffeine in response to concerns around the use of methylene chloride in decaffeination following a study by the U.S. Department of Toxicology in the early 1980s,” explains Erin Reed, director of marketing at Swiss Water Decaffeinated.
“The CO2 process was also developed in response to the study as yet another alternative around the same time. Piloted in 1985, the Swiss Water Process grew up within a couple of different coffee companies until it ultimately became its own standalone company in 2000, where it still sits today,” Erin continues. “We have placed priority on making sure that our process delivers the highest quality possible, never bringing chemicals into our facility, and are proud and honored to be recognized for that among the specialty-coffee industry.”
In the 1990s and early 2000s, decaf coffee retained its popularity, but was often left to play second fiddle to its caffeinated counterpart. Lattes, mochas, cappuccinos, and various novelty drinks strived for coffee drinkers’ attention, and decaf was, in some regard, relegated to the sidelines.
But, in recent years, decaf has emerged from under coffee’s caffeinated shadow, establishing itself as a sought-after product with unique appeal. Nearly 120 years after Ludwig Roselius’ pioneering work in decaffeination, decaf is reclaiming the spotlight in the coffee scene.
“In the past, lower-quality green coffee was sent for decaffeination because it was known that chemical methods would negatively impact the coffee,” says Erin. “The improvement across chemical-free decaffeination processes which do not impact—or impart—flavors has really changed the game for decaf. Over the past decade, the quality of coffees being decaffeinated through chemical-free processes, across all sizes of specialty roasters, has significantly improved.”
Inclusivity and accessibility
“By offering decaf specialty coffee, roasters are able to provide a high-quality coffee experience to those that limit their caffeine intake either by choice or by necessity,” explains Jake Stechmeyer, founder of Native Coffee Club, a coffee subscription service based in Colorado. “Some people may have to limit their caffeine because of medical reasons. This provides an alternative for them to still participate in the specialty-coffee community.”
Jake continues, “From what I’ve seen with my customers (at Native Coffee Club) and myself as well, people want to limit their caffeine intake, but still want to enjoy what specialty coffee has to offer. Specialty roasters have certainly noticed the increase in demand and have, as a result, started to improve their decaf offerings.”
And, according to Erin, younger generations are having a profound impact on decaf’s popularity and should be considered one of the driving forces behind its resurgence.
“The shift in consumption habits of consumers generally—driven by the younger generations—toward options that benefit both their physical and mental health is key. Research studies we’ve completed among 18–to-40–year-old drinkers of regular and decaf, as well as decaf-only drinkers, indicate that the top three reasons for drinking decaf are taste, to reduce anxiety, and for better sleep quality.”
A wider mentality shift
Consider the trendiness of the term “sober curious.” Abstaining from alcohol has not only become popular but has fueled the foundation of alcohol-free cocktails, not to mention alcohol-free alcohol itself.
“It’s very similar to the recent sobriety movement. People seem to be paying more attention to what they put in their bodies and how it affects their overall mood and well-being,” Jake says. “As more and more people move to try decaf coffee or limit their caffeine intake, the negative stigma associated with decaf coffee seems to be changing. From a personal experience, I noticed a couple years ago that if I have more than one caffeinated coffee drink per day, I actually feel worse. I now only consume one shot of espresso each morning and then drink decaf after that.”
Erin also suggests that there is a link between decaf’s growing popularity and a desire to avoid substances such as alcohol. “This (the rise in decaf’s popularity) is absolutely akin to the no/low-alcohol trend. Younger people especially are growing that category out of interest in reducing the negative effects of alcohol without compromising taste, yet remaining part of a prevalent and engaging culture,” she says. “Engaging in and experiencing all of the key elements of specialty coffee without the negative effects of caffeine is possible through decaf. With a good decaffeination process, the differences in origins, processing, roasting, and brewing can all be perceived.”
This is a point echoed by Tom Saxon, who runs the websites Coffee Roaster Finder and Coffee Finders Club, as well as Batch Coffee Club, a specialty-coffee subscription service that operates across the United Kingdom and Ireland. “I think that customers are now combining both decaf and non-alcohol drinks with the regular beverages so as not to become too intoxicated (either way),” Tom says. “There are many people that wouldn’t have dreamed of drinking decaf coffee before that now see it as a way to enjoy more of the beverage without the negative health connotations.”
Tom continues, “Additionally, coffee is now no longer seen as a commodity that one would buy, similar to sugar or flour. Rather, they consider it a specialty product like wine that they would rather buy from their local coffee roaster than the supermarket. This is another reason why specialty decaf is booming.”
Catering to all tastes
As with regular coffee, there is very likely a decaf option out there for everyone. As long as you, the consumer, are fully cognizant of your preferences and understand, or are at least willing to experiment with, decaf coffee’s various nuances, you will be able to find a brew that aligns with your personal preferences.
“Consumers should look for the same in decaf that they like in non-decaffeinated coffees. There is no reason to compromise. Specialty roasters’ online stores make a wide variety of decafs available to coffee drinkers in any geography,” Erin says. “If consuming decaf away from home, look for cafés that pay attention to their decaf. This includes offering more than only ‘decaf’ or ‘decaf blend’ as the menu option; look for those profiling the decaf in the same way as they would regular coffee. Some will go even further, offering multiple or unique options, including single origins. When it comes to brewing, ask the barista how they brew their decaf and make sure that they are tailoring the brewing ratio if needed, as decaf has fewer soluble solids to extract, so typically needs some minor adjusting. And, if as a coffee drinker you are highly caffeine sensitive, ensure that there is a dedicated decaf grinder to avoid caffeine contamination.”
Limitations and challenges
Of course, given that decaf coffee is still an emerging product for the time being, specialty-coffee shops and roasters face certain challenges. “Price is certainly a factor,” notes Jake. “The process of decaffeinating coffee can be a factor for some roasters, as such methods can add to the overall cost. It’s also been difficult for specialty-coffee roasters to provide decaf coffee that has the same complex flavor profile as caffeinated coffee. It seems like this is primarily caused because of the decaffeination process, but there are lots of other factors at play.”
Using the right processes is absolutely crucial, as Erin is once again keen to highlight. “We pay extremely careful attention to temperature and time throughout our process, including drying, which we believe is unique to the Swiss Water Process,” she says. “Of course, we are continuously on our learning journey, and making efforts to improve quality.”
“Most of the time, high-quality decaf coffee goes hand in hand with specialty-coffee roasters that are producing high-quality caffeinated coffee,” adds Jake. “As long as you’re buying from a specialty-coffee roaster that produces excellent caffeinated coffee, you should see the same level of quality with their decaf offerings.”
But that is not to say that exceptional decaf is currently as widely available as some would like. Tom notes that, though decaf is arguably more popular and more widely available than at any time in history, it can still be difficult to find new, exciting offerings with which to tempt his U.K.-centric audience.
“A pretty big challenge that we are still navigating as a coffee subscription service is the fact that most coffee roasters only usually stock one decaf coffee at a time. And, the majority of the time, it is from Colombia,” he says. “This is because there are still very few decaffeinating plants around the world that can be safely used for specialty decaf coffee. As a discovery subscription box, it can therefore be hard work to introduce our customers to new decaf coffee.”
The future
As the demand for high-quality decaf coffee continues to soar, the future undoubtedly looks bright. With advancements in decaffeination technology, a growing appreciation for the fact that decaf can be consumed copiously at any time of the day, and an expanding band of health-conscious decaf loyalists, it seems entirely reasonable to predict that the coming years will see an even greater variety of decaf options become available to consumers. And Erin believes that the future of decaf is not only positive but will open a lot of doors for those willing to experiment and push coffee’s boundaries.
“I foresee an expansion of modular/varied caffeine options (half-caf, 25% caf, etc.), including in cold brew, which is inherently higher in caffeine,” she says. “There will also be more high-quality, interesting decaf options, with a shift towards coffees from a variety of origins and with different processing methods. We are already selling some through our Small Batch Series, including many of the newer experimental processes, and are seeing growth in interest.”
Erin also predicts that greater numbers of people will become aware of and make consumption decisions related to chemical-free decaffeination. “Even if only trace residuals of chemicals used in decaffeination processes remain, many coffee drinkers care about the cumulative effect of consuming them over a number of years, and therefore are shifting to chemical-free methods,” she says.
Jake is very optimistic about the path decaf coffee is on. “It seems like the decaf coffee market will continue to grow,” he says. “As coffee roasters develop new ways to decaffeinate coffee without compromising the flavor profile, I see more and more people adding decaf to their regular rotation.”
He continues, “At Native Coffee Club, we’ve always pushed our decaf coffee offerings as being equally high in quality as our caffeinated coffee products. When selecting the roasters that we partner with, we take their decaf coffee offerings into account. We try each of their coffees, including their decaf, to see if they will be a good overall fit. We continue to see our sales of decaf coffee increase every year, and I don’t anticipate that changing anytime soon.”
This article originally appeared in the June + July 2024 issue of Barista Magazine. Read more of the issue online here for free.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Joseph Phelan (he/him) is a freelance journalist based in London. While most af his free time is spent scouring his adopted city in search of the best coffee haunts, he also enjoys any opportunity to listen to live music and makes a point of venturing to Iceland at least twice a year.
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