Pink Bourbon Decaf Coffee

A Tropical, Fruity Decaf Like You’ve Never Tasted Before

The sound of the waves, a field of palm trees all around you, and an ice-cold strawberry lemonade in your hand – tangy, sweet, with a hint of caramelised cashews on top. That’s the taste of our special, decaffeinated micro-lot rarity, Pink Bourbon Decaf, from the Colombian highlands. Its secret lies in the rare Arabica variety ‘Pink Bourbon’, a variety that demands particular care from the farmers.

Complex Processing, Meticulous Craftsmanship

A special variety deserves a processing method worthy of it. The Pink Bourbon Decaf involves several carefully coordinated steps that require complex expert knowledge:

1. Oxidation: After careful selection, the coffee cherries are left to rest in muslin bags for 36 hours.
2. Cleaning: They are then washed in water containing 5 % alcohol to gently disinfect them.
3. Fermentation: The washed cherries are pulped and fermented anaerobically (without oxygen) in plastic bags for 60 hours. During this process, ‘mosto’ (fermentation juice) from the same variety is added.
4. Quenching (shock cooling): The fermentation process is then abruptly halted – first with water at 50 °C, then with cold water at 20 °C. This locks in the flavours within the bean.
5. Drying: Finally, the coffee is dried for 36–40 hours until a residual moisture content of around 11 % is reached. This is followed by a one-week stabilisation phase.

In the cup, this washed Arabica impresses with its complexity: its velvety mouthfeel, combined with lively acidity, perfectly complements the nutty, fruity flavour.

The Decaffeination Process

Decaffeination is carried out using ethyl acetate, a solvent derived from cane sugar. This allows up to 97 % of the caffeine to be removed without losing the characteristic flavours. The remaining residues are less than 30 mg/L – the coffee remains free from any foreign odours or off-flavours. Instead, what makes this rarity so unique comes to the fore: a fruity sweetness, floral notes and a delicate balance between lively acidity and a smooth body.

Tips for Preparation

Pink Bourbon Decaf really comes into its own when brewed using the pour-over method, such as with the Hario V60. Alternatively, the Aeropress or a traditional coffee machine also work very well. The best part? This Colombian micro-lot tastes absolutely delicious both black and with milk (or milk alternatives) – it’s simply perfect no matter what you fancy.