The Rise of Decaffeinated Cold Brew Coffee: Everything You Need to Know

The coffee world is full of fickle trends, one that is growing in both acceptance and prevalence is decaffeinated cold brew; the removal of most or all of this well-known stimulant from what seems to be an unlikely drink- cold coffee. A day without coffee is a plain, boring sad blip for most who would rely on it as their go-to stimulant to start the day or as that favorite sip-while-you-scroll swig in parts of your daily routine. Many people cannot consume, or do not want to, caffeine, meaning parts of it can make them anxious and cause sleepless nights. Enter decaffeinated cold brew.

This mix is fast becoming a winner among people who would like to get their rich flavored coffee without getting caffeine through traditionally slow-brewed coffee. What Is Decaf Cold Brew Coffee Anyway? Where does it come from, and why are more people drinking this lightened-up version of their beloved coffee?

In this post, we share all of the things you might want to know about decaf cold brew: where it came from, how to make it at home and why you just might fall in love with a decaffeinated cup.

Decaf Cold Brew Coffee at a Glance

As the name implies, decaffeinated cold brew coffee is simply cold brew coffee that was made with decaffeinated beans. Cold brew is coffee that is brewed by steeping coarsely ground beans in water for an extended period typically 12 to 24 hours. This tends to leave you with a cold-brew coffee concentrate which is smoother, less acidic and often a little sweet, making it easier to drink diluted with water, milk or any other drinks you fancy.

On the contrary, decaffeinated coffee beans are those in which at least 97% of their caffeine has been extracted. Add ’em together, and you have a cup that has the depth and dimensionality of coffee, but with none of the beans and cold’s caffeine.

Because cold brew coffee is left to extract over a very, and I mean very long time making its caffeine content much more concentrated than conventionally brewed hot coffee, opting for decaf beans means getting a drink that’s a lot friendlier on those looking to decrease or fully cut out their caffeine in-take.

Why choose decaffeinated cold brew coffee?

So what are some reasons why you might consider drinking decaf cold brew coffee? The list is long, but we share just a few examples.

1. Health Considerations

People who consume coffee for their health conditions such as heart problems, anxiety disorder and sensitivity to caffeine avoid the intake of too much caffeine through coffee drinking. For those still seeking coffee without the side effects of caffeine that include an increased heart rate, anxiety, or even insomnia- decaf would be their best choice. Since cold brew is smoother and has less acidity it’s generally more gentle on the stomach so quicker to drink for most with digestive sensitivities.

1. Late-Night Coffee Cravings

I think we have all been there where it is late in the day and you are craving a cup of coffee, but if you drink it now caffeine might just keep you up all night. Similar to its caffeinated counterpart, decaffeinated cold brew offers a full-bodied and flavorful coffee experience that you can enjoy without having to worry about pulling an all-nighter. And its light and easy drinkability is perfect for kicking back on warm summer nights.

1. Lower Acidity

Cold brew coffee is already low in acidity because the cold water extraction process avoids extracting much of the bitter compounds that can make coffee hard on your stomach. On the other side, decaffeinated cold brew offers even lower gastric acid production, which can benefit those with high acidification and gastrointestinal problems but do not want to skip on coffee.

1. Flexibility in Serving

Possibly the best thing about cold brew is it has many uses. It can be served concentrated or it can be watered down, milked down or non-dairy alternative-ed up. You can even turn it into a creative drink base: decaf coffee black & white cocktails, anybody? How about affogato! The possibilities are endless and you can mix and match your cold brew however you please depending on your taste preferences or dietary needs.

How is Decaf Coffee Made?

But before we dive into how to decaffeinate cold brew at home, you first need to know how coffee is decaffeinated. There are various ways of doing so and each one affects flavor differently:

1. Swiss Water Process

Swiss Water Process- One of the most popular and eco-friendly decaf processes. That is the process where coffee beans are decaffeinated using just water and no chemicals. The beans are soaked in hot water to dissolve the caffeine, which is then filtered out using carbon. Water curing lets you return the beans to a flavor solution after soaking.

This is to maintain what some refer to as the coffee’s original flavor, and this method is very popular among coffee experts because it leads to a superior taste in the decaffeinated version of their drink.

1. CO2 Process

This method uses liquid carbon dioxide to draw out the caffeine from the beans. This application involves soaking the coffee beans in water and then transferring them to a liquid CO2 environment within a chamber. The CO2 molecules hold on to the caffeine while the rest of the flavor compounds pass through. The CO2 is drained out and drained of its caffeine, then the beans are dehydrated.

It is one of the more efficient methods, leaving a lot of the underlying flavor intact so you often see it for commercial decaf production.

1. Solvent-Based Methods

Solvent processes: Solvent-based methods, including the direct and indirect solvent processes, are popular because they use chemicals such as methylene chloride or ethyl acetate to separate the caffeine. While these reduction methods clean out caffeine, they may contain remnants of chemicals and in some time change the flavor of coffee.

Top pick for the highest quality decaf cold brew: Beans that have been Swiss Water Processed or CO2 Processed (to preserve taste & help prevent any residual chemicals!)

DIY Decaf Cold Brew Coffee

Decaffeinated Cold Brew Coffee at Home is so simple and doesn’t require any fancy equipment. I find the best way to start is just playing through it with a friend, Here is an easy 5 step run where you and friend can comb through:

Ingredients:

1 cup of coarsely ground decaffeinated coffee beans, preferably Swiss Water Process or CO2ProcessEvent:

4 cups chilled, filtered water

A large mason jar or pitcher

Strainer or coffee filter

Instructions:

This assumes that you have whole decaf coffee beans, begin by grinding coarsely the coffee. Burr Grinder A burr grinder does the best job of maintaining a consistent size of grain. The texture should be similar to crushed sea salt.

Filtered Water and Coffee: Place the coarsely ground coffee in a large mason jar or pitcher. Give the coffee grounds a good soaking with cold, filtered water. Give it a gentle stir to make sure you get an even extraction.

Cool: Rest the jar or pitcher in the refrigerator, covered. Allow the coffee to steep for a minimum of 12 hours, or up to 24 hours if you want a stronger concentrate.

Strain: Strain the coffee through a fine mesh sieve (time may need to adjust based on grind size) or even pour it though a coffee filter if you want to be really careful about removing grounds. It may take a few strainings to get all of the sediment out.

Then Serve. You have now decaffeinated cold brew concentrate! Mix with a little bit of water or milk, or sip it straight around the rocks if you prefer a naughtier ice tea. You can also sweeten it with syrups, honey or flavored creamers.

Pro Tip:

Cold brew concentrate will keep for a couple of weeks in the fridge so you can make a big jug and enjoy it over a few days. The more you brew it, the stronger and bolder the taste will be.

4 Types of Decaf Cold Brew Variations

After you’ve got the hang of regular decaf cold brew, experiment with other flavors and styles. To get started here are a few concepts to play around with:

1. Decaf Cold Brew Latte

Mix together decaf cold brew concentrate with equal parts of your preferred milk eg, dairy or non-dairy for a refreshing latte. For flavor, just a little bit of vanilla syrup.

1. Mocha Decaf Cold Brew

Add some cocoa powder or a drizzle of chocolate syrup and milk to your cold brew concentrate for a chocolate twist. For a luxurious treat you can add milk or cream and top it off with whipped cream.

1. Coconut Decaf Cold Brew

Decaf cold brew concentrate paired with coconut milk and a little bit of coconut syrup to give it an exotic taste. This id MSG title is suitable for this hot summer day.

1. Spiced Decaf Cold Brew

Gently warm your cold brew by steeping spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg or cardamom in it while brewing. Just sprinkle a little of any spices you like into the coffee grounds before you brew it.

SUSTAINABILITY AND COLD BREW DECAFFEINATED

Like any fad around coffee, we must think about the effect that decaffeinated cold brew coffee brings to the environment. The upside here is that many high-end specialty coffee roasters have made an effort to focus on sustainability and ethical sourcing. Choose decaf beans that are Fair Trade certified, organic, or from roasters who specialize in eco-friendly decaffeination such as the Swiss Water Process.

Plus, cold brew is something you can do yourself at home without using single-use cups or excess energy, making it the more sustainable coffee choice to opt for.

Conclusion

If you love the taste of coffee, but do not want to have caffeine throughout the day, consider decaffeinated cold brew coffee! It has a smooth, low-acidity taste that means it is acceptable to more palates and pretty much endlessly customizable. Whether you’re making it at home or ordering