Almond, Caramel, Panela
El Vergel Decaf is a Colombian single origin that drinks with real warmth - nutty and buttery, with caramel sweetness and a quiet depth from panela, the unrefined cane sugar native to the region. It's decaffeinated using sugarcane ethyl acetate, a process that keeps the character intact. An easy choice for an afternoon cup, or an evening one when you'd actually like to sleep.
Rich, full-bodied decaf done right
El Vergel's decaf comes from the Tolima region of Colombia, grown at 1,450 metres on Red and Yellow Bourbon plants - varieties that tend toward sweetness and a clean, rounded cup. The coffee is processed using sugarcane ethyl acetate decaffeination, a method derived from a naturally occurring compound in Colombian sugarcane, which strips the caffeine without stripping the character. What you're left with is warm and satisfying: almond and caramel up front, with panela - that unrefined Colombian cane sugar - lending a gentle, honeyed depth that lingers.
Redemption Roasters have sourced this with the same care they bring to everything in their range, and it shows. The coffee drinks richly, without any of the flatness that can follow the decaffeination process. It works well across brew methods - whether you're pulling it through an espresso machine in the afternoon or brewing a slow filter in the evening.
If you've been putting off exploring decaf because you're not sure it's worth the compromise, El Vergel makes a reasonable case that there isn't one.
About the Roaster
Redemption Roasters was founded in 2016 when Ted and Max were approached by the Ministry of Justice to set up a roastery inside a prison - the idea being to train coffee skills to help reduce reoffending. Eight years on, they run barista academies across four prisons, employ prison leavers at their roastery and shops, and source specialty coffee with the same care and transparency they bring to everything else: direct relationships and honest sourcing.
