I currently have decaf from Black and White, and while it is great, I wonder if there is an excellent lighter-roast option.
B&W says medium-dark, and the beans are definitely oily, so I am looking for medium or light-medium.

I second this. For some reason they all tend to be on the darker side.

rezniko2 wrote:I currently have decaf from Black and White, and while it is great, I wonder if there is an excellent lighter-roast option.
B&W says medium-dark, and the beans are definitely oily, so I am looking for medium or light-medium.

Are decaf beans typically oilier than caf. beans? Reason I ask is I have ordered pretty regular B&W's Classic & a little darker Traditional roasts & never have I got anything near oily with their beans.

decaf beans will typically appear darker than their caffeinated counterparts. The decaffination process darkens the green beans and this darker shade holds through the roasting process as well.

nameisjoey wrote:decaf beans will typically appear darker than their caffeinated counterparts. The decaffination process darkens the green beans and this darker shade holds through the roasting process as well.

This is true, but they also write "medium-dark" roast, so it's sort of official.

Are decaf beans typically oilier than caf. beans? Reason I ask is I have ordered pretty regular B&W's Classic & a little darker Traditional roasts & never have I got anything near oily with their beans.

Not sure. They are not a mess, but they are glossy compared to, say, their Future blend.

Coloration of decaf beans is not only dependent upon the type of bean but also the decaffeination process.

This page from Sweet Marias does a fantastic job at explaining some of the differences and challenges roasters may have with decaf. Its worth a read even if you aren't a roaster but would like a better understanding of decaf in general.

https://library.sweetmarias.com/roasting-decaf-coffee/

rezniko2 wrote:I currently have decaf from Black and White, and while it is great, I wonder if there is an excellent lighter-roast option.
B&W says medium-dark, and the beans are definitely oily, so I am looking for medium or light-medium.

chanty 77 wrote:Are decaf beans typically oilier than caf. beans? Reason I ask is I have ordered pretty regular B&W's Classic & a little darker Traditional roasts & never have I got anything near oily with their beans.

Yes, decaf beans are darker, and oily independent of roast darkness. I've been roasting coffee beans regularly, including decaf, for well over a decade. I drop them near the end of 1st crack which would be a lighter roast and they are always very dark and oily.

I have been using the decaf from Kuma because they're still small and local (though it's cheaper for me to pay for shipping than bridge rolls into Seattle, and a lower carbon footprint for sure). It's a light medium I would say. They also offer a 50/50 blend if you are interested. I noticed they just changed brands, though, mine were from Burundi. Their beans are decaffeinated using the Swiss Water process. Check them out at https://kumacoffee.com. (Their decaf doesn't show up in "espresso" but it's perfectly fine for it, as their other S.O.s.)

Rogue Wave Coffee in Edmonton, Alberta also makes great roasts, though I haven't tried their decaf. Looking at their decaf today it's cheaper than Kuma ($20 CAD vs $19.50 US), and they also ship for free at $40 USD. Great people too, and lots of non decaf options. On the lighter side of medium for sure. Their current decaf offering is a "sugar cane" process, which I take as anotyer name for Natural EA? https://roguewacecoffee.ca.

SEY has a decaf on their menu, and they are the best Scandinavian style roaster in the country.

https://www.seycoffee.com/collections/c ... lito-decaf

I buy World Tour Decaf. from Noble. Slightly darker than the caf WT, but not oily. Fairly traditional chocolatey profile, but hits the spot late in the day when I don't need the caffeine.
They also have an Ethiopian Sidama decaf but I haven't tried it.

https://noblecoffeeroasting.com/coffee?category=Decaf