Decaffeinated Coffee

For a coffee to be called decaffeinated, it must be 98% caffeine-free. In years past, the accepted method of choice was Swiss Water Process, whereby the beans are soaked in water, the caffeine is extracted from the water, and the water is then reunited with the caffeine-less beans.

Methyl-Chloride decaffeination is the same basic process as Swiss Water, except that methyl-chloride is added to the extracted water to bond with the caffeine molecules. This new compound is then removed from the water, leaving considerably more of the coffee's flavor in the water, which is then reconstituted with the now-decaffeinated coffee beans. This decaf is frequently labeled "Coffein" for the facility in Germany that does it. Less than trace amounts of methyl chloride remain in the decaffeinated beans and it is not considered a health hazard by our Food & Drug Administration. Most of decafs are processed by this method.

"HAF-CAF" is not a green bean process, but rather a blending method to reduce the caffeine in a cup of coffee by 50% by blending a caffeinated coffee with a decaffeinated one. Simple logic tells you the percentage of caffeine is purely a function of the blend - make yourself a cup of "quarter-caf" anytime you like.

Whatever you try, experiment a bit and have fun.