Decaf

Often frowned upon, decaf coffee can be delicious when done well. We believe they should be treated with the same respect as our other coffees, and we’re on a mission to bring you the cream of the non-caffeinated crop.

Our current decaf is a gem. Hailing from Colombia, the cup boasts notes of red grapes, peach & caramel, all with a super smooth finish.

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Our new decaf coffee comes from Tolima region in the centre-west of Colombia, sourced from our friends from Forest Green Coffee.

The story starts at “El Vergel” farm, situated on the slopes of the snow capped Nevado del Ruiz volcano. 

In 1995, the Bayter Family began to grow avocados. Between 2009 and 2010, Martha, the mother, decided to diversify her crops and save costs by introducing coffee varieties such as catimor, red and yellow caturra.

As interest in coffee grew, the Bayters embarked on a journey of empirical knowledge about pulping and different types of fermentation. Together with Nelson Moya, a coffee enthusiast who showed them different processing equipment, they immersed themselves in the search for specialty coffees from Colombia. Their farm is now certified as "Rainforest" by the prestigious "Federación Nacional de Cafeteros".

As time progressed, the farm was modernised. In 2018, natural coffee processes were implemented, such as aerobic and anaerobic, and silos were acquired for coffee storage. Little by little, they became pioneers of innovation and quality. 

Currently the Bayter family carries out exhaustive research on bacteria and yeasts to control fermentation together with experimentation of processes.

This particular lot of Condor was decaffeinated using the EA (Ethyl Acetate) Sugar Cane Process, unique to Colombia. The green beans are transported to the Descafecol Processing Plant in Manizales where they are placed in silos for production batches. 

It begins with special fermentation to extract unique flavours. The caffeine extraction uses circular containers filled with a blend of high mountain spring water and natural ethyl acetate (a compound derived from sugarcane), lowering caffeine levels to 0.1%. 

The outcome is a smooth, flavorful, and highly enjoyable coffee. Condor decaf showcases notes of milk chocolate and caramel, along with rich peach flavours and hints of red fruits such as red apple, raspberry and red grapes. 

On the dry smell, there is also an interesting spicy aroma of cloves and roasted almonds.

Fun Fact: the Condor plays an important role in the folklore and mythology of the South American Andean regions, and is the national bird of Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, and Ecuador.

The Andean condor was associated with the sun deity and was believed to be a ruler of the upper world - a symbol of power and health, it was also believed that the bones and organs of the Andean condor possessed medicinal powers. The Condor is a popular figure on stamps, coins and banknotes in Colombia.