Colombia (DECAF) Valle del Cauca Sugarcane (DECAF)

Valle del Cauca Coffee Beans

The Valle del Cauca is a critical swatch of land where natural resources, water management, and friendly environmental practices are keenly preserved by those who live and farm there. As one of Colombia’s two main biological conservation corridors, Cauca Valley is home to World Heritage-listed national parks, wildlife, and water sources that give life to the surrounding land.

Sugarcane Decaf Process

Sugarcane is readily available in Colombia, and its application to the coffee industry was a game-changer. Ethyl acetate is an organic compound found in sugarcane, and the decaffeination process begins with the fermentation of molasses derived from sugarcane to create ethanol. This alcohol is then mixed with acetic acid (the main component of vinegar) to create the compound ethyl acetate. After flushing the beans with ethyl acetate repeatedly, up to 97% of the caffeine is extracted. Because ethyl acetate comes from sugarcane and is an organic compound that can effectively remove caffeine, the coffee’s flavor attributes are not extracted.

• Flavor: Milk Chocolate, Almond, Strawberry, Vanilla, Citrus
• Body: Medium
• Acidity: Bright