Decaf is often referred to as a tasteless type of coffee by regular coffee drinkers. It’s one of the best beverages for people who like the taste of coffee but prefer to stay away from caffeine.
Consumption of decaf coffee has been gaining popularity for over ten years now. More and more new and younger coffee drinkers in the range of 18 -24 years are choosing decaf coffee.
That is a significant contributor to the popularity of these decaffeinated coffee beans, whose consumption grows by about 8% every year.
Origin of Decaf Coffee
Decaf coffee was first developed by Ludwig Roselius when he debuted the first brand of decaf coffee in 1906 and named it Kaffee Hag.
During those days, caffeine was extracted from coffee beans using solvents such as methylene chloride. Today, a healthier version of decaf coffee is processed with water and Critical CO2.
An average cup of Arabica green coffee beans contains about 200 mg of caffeine.
The FDA requires decaf producers to remove 97 percent of the caffeine in coffee beans. That leaves decaf coffee beans with between 2 -13 mg of caffeine.
While some coffee producers roast these coffee beans before exporting them, there are those who export these decaffeinated coffee beans in their green state.
If you are coffee enthusiasts who enjoy roasting your own coffee beans. You may wonder if the process of roasting decaf coffee is similar to that of roasting regular coffee beans.
In this article, we will discuss how to roast decaf coffee beans and give you some simple instructions on how to do it.
What is Involved in the Roasting of Decaf Coffee Beans?
Roasting decaf beans is a delicate process. Decaffeination turns green coffee beans brown which may make it hard to identify whether they are sufficiently roasted or not.
It’s also important to note that the cracking of green decaf coffee beans occurs at different temperatures than with regular coffee beans.
Decaf coffee beans have already gone through some stress during the decaffeination process that has made their cell walls porous.
Due to this reason, they release moisture earlier during the roasting process, ensuring the first crack occurs earlier than it would with regular coffee beans. It is the same reason that decaf coffee beans are oily even when roasted lightly.
Paying attention to the smell of decaf coffee beans as you roast them will help you to pick the perfect roast level.
The decaf coffee beans initially have a bready, yeasty aroma from the drying stage. Once you roast them, you’ll notice a vinegar-like aroma after the first crack, which is often quite soft.
As the roasting process continues, you will notice a pungent sweet aroma to signify the coffee beans have attained their optimum roast level.
Decaf coffee beans require a slow rise in temperature to avoid burning them because they readily take heat due to their porosity. That extends the period between the first and second crack.
The second crack is also softer and harder to notice if you are not paying attention. Decaf coffee beans can also get dark very fast.
For these reasons, you should carefully observe green decaf coffee beans during roasting to stop the process at the desired roast level.
The ideal charge temperature for roasting decaf coffee is 375 – 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
You should roast decaf coffee beans for around 10 – 12 minutes. The cool-down process should begin 7 minutes into the roasting process to avoid scorching the coffee beans.
Aim for the roasted decaf coffee beans to attain the number 63 shade on the Agtron scale.
63 on the Agtron color scale is a medium-light roast characterized by a sweet acidic flavor profile and clear flavor notes.
The ideal decaf coffee beans to roast are single origin/ single variety specialty grade coffee beans.
These decaf coffee beans develop clear flavor profiles that you can identify with every sip of your decaf coffee.
That kind of taste distinction is necessary because decaf coffee beans have already lost some flavor due to the loss of caffeine.
Conclusion
Now you know how to roast decaf coffee beans. Approximately 12 percent of worldwide coffee consumption comprises decaf coffee.
These coffee beans are preferred by people who avoid caffeine due to health issues such as IBS, heart arrhythmia, and nervous system disorders.
Some opt for decaf coffee to avoid caffeine sensitivity issues such as insomnia, irritability, and dizziness.
So, there are many people who enjoy drinking decaf. These individuals are slowly picking up on the benefits of roasting decaf coffee beans at home.
If you are one such person, this information should help you to roast decaf coffee at home perfectly.
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