If you're cutting back on caffeine but still want a coffee that actually tastes like one, this Huila decaf is worth a look. Grown by smallholder farmers at altitudes between 1,400 and 2,000 metres and decaffeinated using the sugarcane ethyl acetate method, it's a clean, well-defined cup that holds its character whether you brew it long or short.
Decaf that doesn't hold back
Decaf gets a bad reputation it doesn't always deserve, and this one from Dear Green is a fair rebuttal. Grown by smallholder farmers in Huila - a region sitting between the Central and Eastern Andes ranges, where altitude variation between 1,400 and 2,000 metres creates some of Colombia's more complex growing conditions - this is a washed coffee subsequently decaffeinated using the sugarcane ethyl acetate method. EA decaffeination uses a naturally occurring ester derived from fermented sugars to draw out the caffeine while leaving the coffee's character largely intact. The process removes around 99% of the caffeine, and the result tends to be cleaner and more flavour-forward than older decaf methods.
What you end up with is a coffee that drinks like a proper cup. The Huila terroir comes through, and the washed processing keeps things clear and well-defined. It's a good option if you're cutting back on caffeine but don't want to compromise on what's in your mug - and it holds up well across brew methods, whether you're pulling a shot or making a longer filter.
Dear Green have been sourcing with care and transparency since Lisa Lawson started the roastery in Glasgow in 2011, and that attention carries through here.
About the Roaster
Dear Green was founded by Lisa Lawson in Glasgow in 2011 - one woman, one roaster, and a clear sense of what specialty coffee could be in Scotland. Fourteen years on, they're a B Corp-certified roastery with a full team, a training space, and sourcing built on direct relationships and transparency. There's also a Q Grader in house, which means every coffee on the list has been properly scrutinised before it gets anywhere near you.
