Single Origin Decaf Shots

8 September, 2005

My primary goal today was to develop a new decaffeinated espresso blend. There are some who maintain the notion that there is no point to decaffeinated espresso. If you drink espresso strictly for the caffeine, there may be some merit to that view. I drink espresso because I enjoy the flavor of a well crafted, perfectly pulled shot. With high quality, properly roasted decaffeinated coffees, there is no reason a decaffeinated espresso should be inferior to one with caffeine.

Espresso and Caffeine

Some say that a serving of espresso has less caffeine than a serving of drip brewed coffee because the grounds are in contact with water for a shorter amount of time at a lower temperature. Several studies measuring the ranges caffeine content falls into paint a picture that is less distinct. While the amount of caffeine in espresso may be less than in drip coffee, it takes effect more rapidly as the lipids in espresso help caffeine enter the blood stream.

I had five coffees to work with so I started by tasting each of them alone as espresso.

Ethiopian Yirgacheffe is tart and floral, very acidic and it has a lot of bite. I wouldn't want this as straight espresso, but it should hold up very well in milk drinks.

Sumatra Mandheling is smooth with moderate body and acidity. It works well for a single origin decaf shot, but is lacking in complexity and not quite intense enough.

Brazil Prima Qualita has a buttery flavor and lots of body, but the acidity is overpowering. While there are some excellent qualities to this coffee, the overall impression is not good.

Mexican is smooth, nutty, and buttery with an acidity that is not intense and fair body. While nice on its own, this coffee would not hold up under milk.

Vienna Roast is a darker roast of Mexican. The most interesting characteristics of the Mexican are hidden under a harshness that seems separate from the roast flavor.

With these details fresh in memory, I tried to develop a blend that fit my impression of what my espresso should be (this is an important distinction as it is possible to make delicious espresso that is of an entirely different character from what I prefer to make). Two of these attempts were simply awful. One seemed like mildly flavored thick dark water.

In the end, I decided to drop the Ethiopian and create a blend dominated by the two roasts of Mexican with a little Brazil for the body and butter notes and Sumatran to soften the harshness of the Vienna Roast and moderate the acidity of the Brazil. The result is a smooth, intense espresso with a buttery flavor, good body, and a slight acidity that works very well in context of the rest of the flavor.