What Does “Swiss Water® Process” Really Mean? A Flavor-Focused Breakdown
It's no secret that decaf has a reputation for historically tasting weaker. This is usually because, for decades, coffee beans underwent a harsh chemical treatment to strip away the caffeine, which unfortunately also stripped away much of the flavor.
This practice persists because, for most large roasters—including many specialty brands—decaf is an afterthought. It's often viewed as a tiny fraction of their business, and the chemical methods are often the cheapest way to process beans that are already more expensive due to the added decaffeination step.
Here at Dekáf, we recognize that the true coffee connoisseurs are the ones focused on flavor while being health-conscious. While other roasters treat decaf as an afterthought, it's our sole focus. Our mission is simple: to craft exceptional decaffeinated coffee that holds up to the best caffeinated beans in the world.
The Conventional Decaf Trap
To fix a problem, you need to understand it. Most traditional decaf methods rely on chemical solvents—like Methylene Chloride or Ethyl Acetate—to remove the caffeine.
While this process is considered “safe”, the idea of chemicals in your morning brew is a genuine concern for many. More importantly, this harsh process often robs the coffee of its essential oils and compounds, leaving you with a flat, processed, and ultimately forgettable cup.
Dekáf’s Cleaner Choice: Swiss Water® Process
So how does Dekáf offer great-tasting coffee while removing 99.9% of the caffeine?
By intentionally selecting beans processed using the Swiss Water® Process. This method is completely clean, 100% chemical-free, and uses just water, temperature, and time. It's so good that Swiss Water® processed beans make up the majority of our selection.
We also feature a single outstanding Mexican origin that is Mountain Water Processed, another gentle, chemical-free method. This method harnesses the power of pure, mineral-rich mountain water to remove the caffeine from the beans, ensuring that it's free from any impurities or contaminants.
Developed in Switzerland and carried out by Swiss Water® Decaffeinated Coffee Inc., a company based in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada. They provide the gold standard for gentle, yet efficient, decaffeination.
How does water, heat, and time work together to create full-flavored decaf beans?
Here is a simple breakdown of how the process works:
1. Creating the "Flavor Water"
A batch of green (unroasted) beans are soaked in pure, clean water. The goal here is simple: to wash out everything—the caffeine and all the delicious flavor compounds. The result is a liquid called Green Coffee Extract (GCE). It's essentially water that is fully saturated with the coffee’s rich taste. This liquid is the secret to protecting your coffee's flavor.
2. Sifting Out the Caffeine
Next, the GCE (the flavor-saturated water) is run through specialized activated carbon filters. These filters are perfectly sized to catch and trap the large caffeine molecules but let the smaller, delicate flavor compounds flow right through. This leaves pure GCE that is now 99.9% caffeine-free, but still loaded with flavor. This is the key ingredient to bringing full flavor to the now decaffeinated beans.
3. The Flavor Protection Exchange
Now for the magic. A fresh, beautiful batch of green coffee beans are then soaked in that same flavor-saturated GCE.
Because the water is already packed full of flavor solids, the new beans have no reason to release their own. Thanks to the natural power of osmosis, only the caffeine feels the pressure to move out of the new bean and into the water.
They gently monitor and repeat this process for about 8 to 10 hours. The result is for the caffeine to be gently drawn out until the beans are 99.9% decaffeinated, and their original, gorgeous flavor remains untouched. Then, the beans are carefully dried and ready for us to roast here at Dekáf.
Why Dekáf Chooses Swiss Water®
Our commitment is simple: to offer the best possible decaf, both for you and for the planet.
Health-Conscious:
- 100% Chemical-Free: We never source coffees decaffeinated using harsh chemical solvents like methylene chloride or ethyl acetate.
Retained Antioxidants: The gentle method helps preserve more of the bean's naturally occurring, beneficial antioxidants.
Clean Finish: There's no lingering "processed" or chemical aftertaste—it tastes like great coffee, period.
Flavor-Focused:
- Flavor Integrity: This gentle process preserves the coffee's original characteristics, including its delicate origin notes, body, and acidity.
Earth-Conscious (Sustainable):
- Sustainable Processing: The Green Coffee Extract (GCE) is created only once, then continuously filtered and monitored. This closed-loop system allows the GCE to be reused for numerous future decaffeination batches, making the process highly water and resource efficient.
Waste Reduction: The spent carbon is regenerated, and the extracted caffeine is sold to other industries (like pharmaceuticals), minimizing waste.
Our Commitment to Quality
When you choose Dekáf, you're not just choosing decaf coffee, you're choosing a commitment to quality. The Swiss Water® Process treats our beans with the respect they deserve, resulting in a clean, safe, and truly delicious cup of coffee.It's a choice you can feel great about.
Taste the difference quality makes. At Dekáf, we never compromise, delivering coffee that is bright, nuanced, and full of flavor. It's the premium experience you crave, now with a clear conscience.
Interested in learning more? Visit us at Dekáf.
