San Agustin EA Decaf

This is our first EA Process decaffeinated coffee and we are loving it. This coffee comes from the San Agustin, Huila region, which is we’ll recognized for placing highly in many coffee auctions and competitions including Cup of Excellence.

Coffee farming within the San Agustin region is overwhelmingly small-scale. Approximately 80% of producers from the region farm coffee on less than 3 hectares of land. These small farms are tended by individual families with labour only rarely being contracted out, which leads to more thorough management of the farms and great pride in their coffee.

The process of decaffeinating this coffee begins with locally harvested sugar cane, which is turned into molasses and allowed to ferment, ultimately yielding the organic compound ethyl acetate (EA). This compound bonds with the caffeine molecule, effectively removing it from the coffee entirely while also imparting a slight note of fruitiness. Ethyl acetate is naturally occurring in many fruits and is also used extensively in culinary production, commonly adding a note of sweetness to hard candy, chewing gum, and ice cream.

The flavor profile is spectacular, with sugary notes of molasses, caramel, bright citrus and a graham-cookie like sweetness. You'll be surprised this is a decaffeinated coffee!

Location:  San Agustin, Huila
Producer:  Various Smallholders
Varietal:    Caturra, Castillo, Colombia
Process:    Fully washed
Altitude:    1,600 - 2,000 mts.