Is there a good brand out there? I want to limit myself to one cup of caffeinated coffee per day but sometimes I really want a second cup. Would be great if I had a decaf option worth drinking. Fwiw my reg coffee is trader joe medium roast beans that I grind at home. So I’m not a coffee snob by any means.
My mother has to drink decaf, so I purchase Gevalia Decaf (house blend) for her.
She tried just about every one out there and swears by Gevalia Decaf. The store she used to get it stop selling it, but they sell it where I live. So I pick up 4 bags and ship it to her (when she gets low).
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I drink Seattle’s Best decaf, but I add creamers. It gets good reviews.
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Illy decaf, if you must.
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I get whole-bean Colombian CO2 Decaf from Coffee Bean Direct (also on Amazon). It’s good. I order it direct through their website and they actually give me a 15% discount just for asking (at the time, I said I wanted to avoid Amazon and could they price match the subscribe-and-save price?). It has steadily gone up in price but right now I pay $57.18 including tax and free shipping for the 5lb bag.
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I use the Caribbean bricks. If you like the taste of the caffeinated bricks (it tends to be strong), the decaffeinated version is equally good. Cafe Pilon and La Llave are the two I usually buy.
Never tried this brand or bricks but I don’t tend to like strong coffee much. Medium is my jam.
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I don’t drink decaf, but more and more specialty coffee roasters are offering decaf beans so if you have a “regular” coffee roaster you’ve liked in the past you might want to see if they’ve got.
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I was in the exact same boat, trying to cut myself off after one regular cup but still wanting that “second cup feeling.” The tricky part with decaf is that not all brands handle the process the same way, and sometimes you can really taste the difference.
I found this write-up super helpful for understanding what’s actually going on with decaf and why some taste flat compared to others: What is decaf in TinyFootprintcoffee.
Personally, I’ve had decent luck with Trader Joe’s decaf medium roast when I want something quick, but if you’re already grinding beans at home, you might notice a fresher taste if you pick up a bag from a local roaster that does the Swiss Water Process (that’s one of the cleaner methods). Tiny Footprint and a couple of other smaller brands offer that, and I’ve found it makes a difference in avoiding that “cardboard aftertaste” some decafs have.
If you’re not picky, TJ’s is fine, but if you want it closer to your regular brew, it might be worth grabbing a bag from a specialty shop just to compare.
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We keep Peet’s Major Dickason’s water process for guests who prefer decaf, and have never detected a frown when it’s offered or tasted.
the best commercial I’ve found is counter culture whole bean Slow Motion. they also do a half caf called Even Keel. I’ve always loved a coffee after dinner, but had to give up caffeine after 5pm some time ago.
I started with gevalia which I bought a couple days ago. I don’t know why but I thought it was instant, so cup one was very chewy towards the end! Today I brewed a pot of the grounds and stuck it in the fridge to reheat as needed. I only have one coffeepot and would rather use it to make regular for the mornings. I can’t be alternately brewing caf and decaf if they’re meant for the same day… anyway, I will go through the brands suggested one at a time and see what I prefer. Thank you all for chiming in! I may like the tjs decaf. Their medium roast is my regular cup.
