Help with Decaf Espresso

[TheCod Father]

Well since I have found this site my appreciation for my favorite beverage has gone up quite a bit. Unfortunately I was drinking so much to try all the different blends and experiments that I drove my Blood Pressure up to 200/145. Needless when he told the better half my tamper was taken and hidden .

Now to appease the Dr. and the Boss I have agreed to 1 cup of regular coffee a day (2 on weekends ) and any more than that I have to switch to Decaf . I now have to find a good blend to drink . I have tried a couple of store blends but they were either too burnt tasting to enjoy or really ashy tasting . I have found a Second Cup blend that isn't too bad ,however I don't like it straight (black) fortunately it is really tolerable as a capp .

What I really want is a blend that I can drink just as a nice espresso as I was before I had my caffeine attack.

Do the decaffeinating process leave a taste to the beans ? if so is one process better than others ?

What is the difference between decaf beans and regular decaf beans , couldn't I use (roast) regular decaf beans and grind them fine enough to use in my espresso machine ?

Thanks to every one for the help

TCF

[Ken Fox]

Well since I have found this site my appreciation for my favorite beverage has gone up quite a bit. Unfortunately I was drinking so much to try all the different blends and experiaments that I drove my Blood Pressure up to 200/145. Needless when he told the better half my tamper was taken and hidden .

Now to appease the Dr. and the Boss I have agreed to 1 cup of regular coffee a day (2 on weekends ) and any more than that I have to switch to Decaf . I now have to find a good blend to drink . I have tried a couple of store blends but they were either too burnt tasting to enjoy or really ashy tasting . I have found a Second Cup blend that isn't too bad ,however I don't like it straight (black) fortunately it is really tolerable as a capp .

What I really want is a blend that I can drink just as a nice espresso as I was before I had my caffeine attack.

Do the decaffeinating process leave a taste to the beans ? if so is one process better than others ?

What is the difference between decaf beans and regular decaf beans , couldn't I use (roast) regular decaf beans and grind them fine enough to use in my espresso machine ?

Thanks to every one for the help

TCF

I can't comment on the medical advice you have received other than that perhaps you should seek another opinion. Caffeine can certainly cause heart rhythm disturbances but its contribution to blood pressure readings such as you list is dubious at best. If these are representative BP readings for you, and they continue, you are not going to have to worry too much about the coffee for very much longer.

As to decaf: the best decaf in the world is pretty far removed from the best non-decaffeinated coffee out there, especially in a straight shot. Decaf is also very short lived and after maybe 5 days post roast it should be chucked. Unless you have a really good roaster very near by, you are probably best off, with decaf, being a home roaster and trying to consume the coffee within 5 days post roast.

For me, if I was forced to drink decaf on a regular basis, I'd develop a taste for macchiatos. Even a small amount of foamed milk can hide many of the deficiencies of good but not great decaf.

ken

[TheCod Father]

Thanks Ken ,

That is what I have been finding in my own experience so far .

I guess I should review my coffee intake . Up till the ban I was drinking coffee and espresso pretty much all day ,as I am not able to work due to a car accident i am a stay at home Dad so I have access to my machine all day . I usually started with 2 double capps first thing before the getting my daughter off to school . Then as the day went on I would leave the machine on and I would stop for a minute set up my PF and pour a double espresso or a ristretto and drink them almost as shooters ,I would have around 8 + during the day and then after putting the kids to bed I'd relax with a 3 shot latte in the evening .
To this I would often have a couple Tim's XL if we were out doing shopping etc.

After being on the reduced caffeine intake my BP was back down to 130 /90 which is about normal for me .

Still my search for a good straight drinking (not fond of milk) decaf espresso .

Later

TCF

[Randii]

Hi TFC,

I have Innapropriate Sinus Tachycarrdia - that means my heart beats too fast and they don't know why! I am not supposed to have caffeine *at all*, but I love great coffee. I just haven't found any truly great coffees that are decaffeinated, so I take extra pills so I can drink the exceptional coffees. I did find a decent decaf from Coffee Klatch. Their Decaf Espresso Blend is pretty good, it tastes like chocolate.

Good Luck,

-Randii

[Kaffee Bitte]

Hi TFC,

I have Innapropriate Sinus Tachycarrdia - that means my heart beats too fast and they don't know why! I am not supposed to have caffeine *at all*, but I love great coffee. I just haven't found any truly great coffees that are decaffeinated, so I take extra pills so I can drink the exceptional coffees. I did find a decent decaf from Coffee Klatch. Their Decaf Espresso Blend is pretty good, it tastes like chocolate.

Good Luck,

-Randii

I would recommend against taking extra pills. Taking more than the prescribed dose could very easily end all coffee consumption for GOOD! Many drugs can be toxic if taken at higher doses, often just a few milligrams above the therapeutic dose could be enough. If nothing else drink the Coffee Klatch decaf that you do like.

Other HB members PLEASE HELP these poor forgotten decaf drinkers find a better bean!

[TheCod Father]

Other HB members PLEASE HELP these poor forgotten decaf drinkers find a better bean!

Please listen to Kaffee Bitte,

I have to find a good bean or blend. I had a capp made with SB's decaf espresso : and I liked it !

PLEASE HELP !


TCF

[Kaffee Bitte]

Hopefully you know of a good roaster in your area that will be will to keep you in good and fresh decaf, but...
You may have to turn to homeroasting to keep it fresh enough to make good espresso. If that is the route you take there are some good decafs to be had in green beans. Look around on the green sites for Royal Select decafs. These use quality beans to begin with. If you are looking for decaf greens a good rule of thumb to go by is that if the site doesn't list a flavor description of them, they probably aren't worth buying.

There are also many Artisan roasters that offer good decafs.

[Ken Fox]

Hopefully you know of a good roaster in your area that will be will to keep you in good and fresh decaf, but...
You may have to turn to homeroasting to keep it fresh enough to make good espresso. If that is the route you take there are some good decafs to be had in green beans. Look around on the green sites for Royal Select decafs. These use quality beans to begin with. If you are looking for decaf greens a good rule of thumb to go by is that if the site doesn't list a flavor description of them, they probably aren't worth buying.

There are also many Artisan roasters that offer good decafs.

one thing I forgot to mention before is that if you do get into home roasting, decaf beans are harder to roast than caffeinated ones and will require a learning curve. In addition, not only do they not last long after roasting, they do not last very long in green form, either. Whereas regular beans in green form can easily last a year (although they will change for better or worse during this time period), green decaf beans should not be stockpiled. I would never even think of keeping green decaf beans for longer than say, 4 months.

ken