Swiss Water Processed Decaf - Premium Espresso 1kg

Chocolate, Nut & Fruity The Swiss Water process is an organic, 100% chemical-free option for decaffeination. It was discovered in the 1930s in Schaffhausen, Switzerland, and is commercialised by the Swiss Water Decaffeinated Coffee Company Inc, founded in 1988. This method does not require the addition of chemicals, instead relying on a super saturated green coffee solution called Green Coffee Extract (GCE). To decaffeinate coffee, fresh GCE is introduced to a batch of green coffee. As the GCE is already saturated with all the water-soluble compounds found in green coffee, minus the caffeine, the matching molecules won’t diffuse out of the coffee beans—but the caffeine will. The flavour is retained in the beans while the caffeine is removed. Thanks to some scientific smarts and creativity, it’s possible to have decaf coffee that tastes the same – just without the caffeine! About the coffee Brazil is the largest producer of coffee in the world. With such diversity, the range of coffee that it produces is vast – from small holder farms to vast estates. Soils, regional climate and temperatures make great growing conditions. However, Brazil lacks altitude – a factor normally considered crucial for creating the very best fl avours expected form Arabica coffee and much of the coffee is grown at or below 1000m above sea level. A large producer of certifi ed coffees, Brazil has worked hard in recent years to promote itself as a sustainable producer, and global attention has forced various legislature through to enforce the protection of indigenous habitats and forestry. Many estates have taken this further and included substantial conservation areas on their estates. Typical fl avouring from Brazil on the commercial grades invokes nuts, caramel and creamy body, but as producers develop new techniques we are beginning to enjoy a new found sweetness, citrus and acidity from these coffees. Catuai is a dwarf varietal, created as a cross between Mundo Novo and Caturra by the IAC in Brazil. Though it cups well and has good yields, it is susceptible to rust, nematodes and diseases. Mundo Novo is itself the result of a Bourbon and Typica, also originating in Brazil. Cupping notes : Chocolate, nutty, fruity aftertaste; light acidity, sweet, full body. Clean and balanced. SCA Quality Score: 82.5 About the growers The Cerrado region, in southwestern Minas Gerais, is known for its homogeneous climate and altitude. The average temperature is around 68°F, an average rainfall of 1,600 mm falls reliably from December to March, and the altitude lightly rolls from 900 to 1,250 meters above sea level. Such consistency is a big help to producers—who can focus on quality and production, instead of the weather—and to our colleagues at Stockler. "The main thing in Cerrado is the uniformity," says Alexandre Ferraz, a Q Grader and Senior Coffee Trader at Stockler. "The weather conditions allow for a lot of control, and the farmers in Cerrado are very professional and very high tech. Their use of harvesting machines, for example, allows them to better control the exact moment to harvest, which also contributes to uniformity." Cerrado is home to approximately 140,000 hectares of dedicated coffee production and approximately 3,600 coffee producers, the majority of whom are organized into large cooperatives. Stockler enjoys working with the same farmers, and has strong relationships across the region, but the contributors to Oberon change each year, as the focus in on an absolutely consistent cup profile. Coffee farms in Cerrado vary in size from roughly 100 hectares to more than 3,000 hectares. And producers tend to be very open to feedback, says Alexandre, if they believe it will improve their cup quality. "We encourage the producers to trace their best coffees to particular lots, so we can trace not only to the farm but to the specific location on the farm." Tasting notes Aroma: Lightly sweet Flavour: Chocolate, nuts, fruity finish Body: Round, complex Acidity: Bright Region: Cerrado (southwest Minas Gerais) Growing Altitude: 900–1,250 m.a.s.l Arabica Variety: Mundo Novo, Catuaí and Bourbon Harvest Period: May–September Milling Process: Natural, sun-dried