Decaf Without Compromise: Why Specialty Coffee is Rewriting the Rules

For years, decaf coffee had a bit of an image problem. Flat. Bitter. Lifeless. Something you drank only if you had to avoid caffeine.

But specialty coffee has changed that completely, decaf is becoming one of the most exciting categories in coffee. Roasters and producers around the world are proving that removing caffeine doesn’t have to mean removing flavour. In fact, some of the best decafs we taste are sweet, juicy, vibrant and every bit as enjoyable as their fully caffeinated counterparts.

At Press Coffee, we believe great coffee should be available to everyone whether you drink caffeine or not!

What Does “Decaffeinated” Actually Mean?

The process happens when the coffee is still in its green, unroasted form. The beans are carefully treated using methods designed to remove caffeine without stripping away the sugars, oils and flavour compounds that give coffee its taste.

There are several different decaffeination methods used throughout the coffee industry, but in specialty coffee the focus is always on preserving quality and cup character.

Historically, decaf wasn’t always treated with much care. Lower quality coffees were often selected for decaffeination because the expectation was that flavour didn’t matter as much. Thankfully, that approach is disappearing fast.

Why Specialty Decaf is Different:

The biggest difference in specialty decaf starts at origin.

Instead of using low-grade commodity coffee, specialty roasters are sourcing high-quality lots with distinctive flavour profiles before the decaffeination process even begins. Better green coffee means better decaf.

Roasters are also approaching decaf with the same level of care they give every other coffee: thoughtful sourcing, lighter roasting profiles, and a focus on preserving origin character.

Modern specialty decafs can taste bright, fruity, chocolatey, floral or juicy not just “coffee-like.”

Decaf is growing rapidly in popularity across specialty coffee, with more cafés and roasters investing serious effort into finding coffees that stand on their own merit rather than simply ticking a “decaf option” box.

At Press Coffee London, our goal is always balance, sweetness and clarity in the cup whether it contains caffeine or not. A well-sourced and carefully roasted decaf can deliver all the texture, complexity and enjoyment you’d expect from specialty coffee.

In many ways, roasting decaf well is even more challenging. Decaffeinated beans behave differently during roasting, requiring careful profiling to protect sweetness and maintain structure. When done right, though, the results speak for themselves!

Our Condor Decaf

Our current decaf offering, Condor Decaf, comes from the producers 'Forest' in Colombia.

Forest Coffee works closely with producers across Colombia to source and process high-quality coffees with transparency and sustainability at the centre of their approach.

The coffee is decaffeinated using the natural EA (ethyl acetate) sugarcane process.

This method uses ethyl acetate derived from fermented sugarcane to gently remove caffeine from the beans while preserving as much flavour as possible. Because the process is more selective and less aggressive than older methods, it helps maintain sweetness, body and the coffee’s natural character.

The result is a decaf that still feels lively and expressive in the cup, sweet, clean and approachable with the kind of structure we look for in all our coffees.

The Future of Decaf

We’re incredibly excited about where decaf is heading.

More producers are experimenting with higher quality lots. More roasters are investing time into roasting decaf properly. And customers are becoming increasingly open to decaf as something to actively seek out rather than settle for.

We’re currently exploring new coffees for future releases, including the possibility of adding a filter-focused Ethiopian decaf to the range, something light, delicate and fruit-forward that showcases just how exciting decaf can be.

Because ultimately, decaf shouldn’t feel like a compromise.