PANAMA CHIRIQUI SWISS WATER DECAF COFFEE
The anaerobic natural process lends the cup a developed complex fruitiness, creamy body with complex, intricate flavours and less bitterness than other coffee. This has come through in the cup as orange and lime, complex chocolate and caramel. Using the oxygen free fermentation style, though more time consuming, offers farmers almost complete control compared to the normal fermentation process, which offers a less consistent outcome. This coffee comes not only from the revered coffee-growing nation of Panama, but from one of the most unique coffee projects within that country, if not the world. Creativa Coffee District in Chiriqui is a coffee mill, but it’s also a cultural project. The facility’s wet mill and drying patios are also the home to artistic collaborations and residencies–tying together the culture of the Boquete region with the magic of its world-renowned coffees. Creativa is also a leader in terms of farming innovation, as in their ‘Starts With Soil’ initiative, a partnership with a group called Biodiversal who work to analyse soils and provide guidance over crop stewardship and biodiversification. This small batch is a curated selection of from farms in Hornito, Reinaciemiento, and Boquete, using Catuai, Caturra, Geisha, and Typica varietals. Scored a whopping 84.25 by the independent coffee graders of the SCAA (Specialty Coffee Association of America) higher than most non-decaffeinated speciality coffees! The only thing you’re not losing is sleep! Flavour and aromatic notes of caramel, dark chocolate, lime and orange zest.
The Swiss Water process is an organic, 100% chemical-free option for decaffeination. This method does not require the addition of chemicals, instead relying on a super saturated green coffee solution called Green Coffee Extract (GCE). This is introduced to a batch of green coffee. As the GCE is already saturated with all the water-soluble compounds found in green coffee, minus the caffeine, the matching molecules won’t diffuse out of the coffee beans—but the caffeine will. The flavour is retained in the beans while the caffeine is removed. Thanks to some scientific smarts and creativity, it’s possible to have decaf coffee that tastes the same – just without the caffeine!
We've been roasting the world's best coffee in our 2kg San Franciscan roaster since 1994, resisting the temptation and logic of roasting on a more commercial scale, to stand by the philosophy that we can bring out the best in any coffee working this way. To give some context, each batch produces just enough for 8 supermarket size packets. Often, one roast is taken entirely by one customer!
The best tip we can offer to enhance your enjoyment of any coffee you try is to suggest that you grind your own beans freshly as required.