Organic Mexican Swiss Water Decaf

This is one of four decaf coffees I have tried which have been prepared using this water based method and sold by Fresh Roasted Coffee LLC - Mexican, Colombian, Sumatra and Indian Monsooned. Of all four of them so far, this had been my favorite with a really wonderful intense flavor and a nice lingering essence. I have only had one bag of each one so far, so I can't speak for how they change from one batch to another, however. I will most certainly order more of this one (Mexican) and the Colombian and Sumatra as well. The Mexican has been hands down better than any other Decaf from any company I have tried to date - I hope new bags of it will be as good. I am very very pleased with the Decafs from this company for three of them - the exception being the Indian. All three of the other coffees form this company prepared by this method, while of different flavor being different coffee beans, are excellent in flavor and quality with loads of Crema in French Press or Espresso preparation (see review PHOTO). All of the three good ones were shipped with the roast date/exp date so I have an idea of how recently they were roasted. The Indian Monsooned, had no date, and had other differences from the other three which made me wonder if I had a bad batch. When compared to a high quality non-decaf coffee bean the roasted beans have noticeably less 'coffee odor', but when prepared as French Press or Espresso all of these decaf roasts (done with this water method of decaf) have had excellent coffee flavor and lots of Crema with the exception of the Indian (as in photo). I intend to get these again and try other flavors from the same company decaf from the same process based on the quality of the best ones and this one in particular. EDIT March 03 2015: The ones I first tried from this company (Fresh Roasted Coffee LLC) were the Colombian, Sumatra, and the Mexican SWP Decaf coffees. I have since also tried the Indian Monsoon decaf from the same company. The Indian Monsoon did not have a roast date or an expiration date, but it had a good aroma to the beans. However, it has a very fleeting (although good) flavor and absolutely no Crema whatsoever (see review PHOTO). I prefer the Mexican, then the Colombian and Sumatra and the Indian last of the four Decafs. The first three of them are really great, but the Indian has a shorter lived and less pronounced flavor than the other three so I do not like it quite as much. I will most certainly buy again all four of them, as they are all good in their own way with the Colombian and Mexican being exceptional. I have also now tried four other Decafs prepared with supposedly a similar water based process, but I have not found them to have the same flavor as these - although some are close. I prepare all of them with an Insulated French Press which keep the brew temperature within about 203 to 193 during the brew process, and I do not add anything to the coffee (not milk, sugar, or anything else). I get Coffees I like with anything from about 20 to 30 grams per 12 to 16 oz of water. If I am comparing one coffee to another I will measure exactly, but normally I'll just grind about 25g give or take and use about 13 to 15 oz of water. I have yet to get a result that isn't great with these coffees. p.s. I use decaf coffee because it helps with blood glucose levels - and caffeine does the opposite.

Very Good SWP Decaf.....This is a true SWP, and the taste works very well both hot and cold coffee drinks...... A little about our decaf process choices: We have a few choices how we extract caffeine from the bean. For this review, we are only going to talk about these two processes. Also this is a review base on information from the U.S.A. Swiss Water Process and Chemical. Most used process Chemical extractions The Top offenders: Methylene Chloride - Methylene chloride, also called dichloromethane, is a volatile, colorless liquid with a chloroform-like odor. Methylene chloride is used in various industrial processes, in many different industries including paint stripping, pharmaceutical manufacturing, paint remover manufacturing, and metal cleaning and degreasing. The most common means of exposure to methylene chloride is inhalation and skin exposure. OSHA considers methylene chloride to be a potential occupational carcinogen. Ethylacetate​ Ethyl acetate has many uses, such as artificial fruit essences and aroma enhancers, artificial flavours for confectionery, ice cream and cakes, as a solvent in many applications (including decaffeinating tea and coffee) for varnishes and paints (nail varnish remover), and for the manufacture of printing inks and perfumes. OLD (FYI reading) Benzene was the solvent used initially, but it has since been suspended due to its toxicity and flammability. Trichloroethylene (a chlorinated solvent) was then introduced due to its low price, but this solvent has also been suspended from use. Dichloromethane (Methylene chloride) was used extensively in the early 1970's because of its lower toxicity, non-combustability and its ability Ethyl Acetate was introduced in the 80's and early 90's as a replacement for the suspect but then popular 70’s solvent dichloromethane.

I have been exploring many decaf coffee beans over the past 6 months. Brands that I have tried include Volcanica, Subtle Earth Organic, Don Pablo, Fresh Roasted Coffee, The Bean Coffee Company, Kicking Horse, and No Fun Jo. All beans are ground fresh with a conical burr grinder using a bit over the average recommendation of 1 scoop (2 tablespoons) per cup brewed. The coffee is always served black with no cream or sugar, with a general preference toward lighter roasts. Therefore, any opinions will reflect these preferences. For those accustomed to Colombian coffee flavor, the "Mexican" will feel right at home. Smooth flavor with a smooth finish and some nice fruit tones. It is easy to drink cup after cup of this and never feel fatigued by the flavor. This is a bit more complex flavor than the Don Pablo coffees, but also a bit more expensive. Try both and decide for yourself. If you don't feel like exploring decaf beans any more, this is a pretty good place to stop. The "Ethiopian Sidamo" is a bit more interesting than "Mexican" but is not a revelation. If you just want a bit of variety but don't want to stray too far from a classic Colombian flavor, "Ethiopian Sidamo" might be what you are looking for. The "Sumatra" will be a love/hate for many drinkers, but for those who like an occasional walk away from traditional restaurant flavor, this is a great option. There is much to like, with a smooth non-aggressive flavor that finishes with some lingering interesting flavors on the tongue. I vowed to not order the same bag in a row while in my decaf exploration journey, but I broke that promise to myself because this was such a delight.