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Swiss Water Process Decaf

Since we started roasting coffee in 2005 we have been working to roast the best tasting coffee for our caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee drinkers.

With that goal, we roast Swiss Water Process decaf which is the only 100% chemical free decaf coffee. If you look at one of our Red Cedar Coffee Co. retail coffee bags you will see the Swiss Water Process logo placed prominently on the front label.

There are many ways to decaffeinate a coffee bean. However, the process that Swiss Water Process uses sets their coffee process apart. The Swiss Water Process method removes caffeine from the coffee bean using water, while protecting the unique characteristics (sometimes referred to as the origin or taste) of the coffee.

The decaffeination process begins by soaking the unroasted (green) coffee beans in hot water which in turns releases the caffeine. Once the caffeine has migrated from the bean and into the water, the caffeine rich water is moved into a new tank. Within this new tank the caffeine rich water will slowly flow through a carbon filter which traps the caffeine molecules and allows the soluble components to flow through the carbon filter. The unroasted coffee bean’s flavors and oils and then reabsorbed into the unroasted coffee bean which keeps the flavor intact. This process takes 8-10 hours and in the end the unroasted coffee is 99.9% caffeine free.

We understand that decaf coffee should be as special as its regular caffeinated counterpart. Therefore, we only trust Swiss Water Process with our decaf coffees.

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Costa Rica Trip Recap

Anne traveled to Costa Rica in February to visit coffee farms and micromills, and to work with our direct trade partners.

February is an important time to visit the coffee farms in Costa Rica. It allows us to gauge harvest, reconnect with our producers, and to cup coffees from this year’s harvest to make our buying decisions.

During this year’s visit, Anne visited producers and mills in five of Costa Rica’s eight growing regions. For the first time, Anne traveled throughout the Brunca region in southern Costa Rica. This region is known for Cerro Chirripo, Costa Rica’s tallest peak at nearly 13,000 feet. This is a relatively new region that is known for producing distinctive, full bodied coffees.

February is the peak of the specialty coffee harvest. This month producers have experienced unusual rainfall which has complicated the harvest in some regions. In the south the rainfall has brought about the flowering of coffee trees earlier than normal. After the coffee tree has flowered coffee cherries will begin to grow.

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La Lia Finca Dragon

Have you had a chance to try our new Direct Trade coffee, Costa Rica La Lia Finca Dragon? This exceptional coffee comes from the award winning farm of Finca Dragon. This micro lot is exclusive to Red Cedar Coffee Co.

Finca Dragon is located at 1800 meters in Santa Rosa in León Cortés, about a 2 ½ hour drive from San Jose in the Tarrazú region. Luis Alberto Monge is the producer and owner of the farm and micromill. The micromill, named La Lia after Luis’ mother, was built in 2007. By owning a micromill the family can separate the coffee varietals and process the coffee using various methods. Most importantly, the micromill allows Luis to ensure that his coffee is being processed carefully and at the highest attention to detail.

 

The coffee varietal is red catuai and our coffee has been processed using the honey (miel) process. After the coffee has been processed the coffee is sun dried. The micromill has raised African beds along with patios for drying.

Check out our video to learn more about our Direct Trade relationship with Finca Dragon.

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