How Decaf Coffee Works

Though decaf coffee may sound like an oxymoron, it is a great alternative for those who can’t have caffeine and those who want a cup of coffee but still want to sleep at night. But how exactly do you make coffee decaf? Your mind may first go to chemicals, which is one way to do it, but that is not the way we do it.
At Vienna we use a method called Swiss Water Process. The Swiss water process consists of two ingredients: Water and coffee. That’s it!
Here’s how it works:
Green (unroasted) coffee beans are soaked in hot water. The water draws out both the coffee flavor, and caffeine (coffee compounds). These bean are discarded and the water is ran through a filter that removes only the caffeine and leaves the coffee flavor compounds..
New green coffee beans are put into the coffee-saturated and caffeine free water. Since the water is saturated with coffee flavor, only the caffeine is drawn out of the beans. The beans are then roasted, ground, brewed, and enjoyed by you.
Though it sounds too simple to be true, this process actually removed 99.9% of the caffeine without using any chemicals! And, it doesn’t alter the flavor of the beans at all. Win-Win!

Here is a video that explains the process a little more in-depth.

Decaf

All Vienna Coffee Company decafs are also “Specialty” grade, pure, 100% Arabica coffees that have been processed using no harmful chemicals to extract the caffeine! Relax with your favorite from our decaf line.

Getting the most out of your coffee pot

Have you ever wondered why coffeehouse coffee never tastes the same as what you can do at home on your home brewer? Let us help bring the cafe quality coffee to you!

Grind Fresh
One of the most simple ways to have the best coffee possible at home is to grind it fresh. Invest in a burr grinder if you can, and buy whole beans! Pre-ground coffee is acceptable if you can’t afford a grinder, but use it quick! You never know how long it has been ground before it got to your kitchen.

How much coffee do I use?
There are two suggested methods to determining the correct amount of coffee depending on your equipment.

The low-fi way:
Use 2 tablespoons (about 10 grams) per 6oz of water.

The slightly more advanced way:
Use a 1:15 ratio, one part coffee for every 15 parts of water. ( I know, this feels like chemistry class but stay with me)
Example: if you are using 64oz of water, divide 64 by 15 to get the amount of ground coffee you need to use. 64/15 = 4.26. You might get some weird decimals, but can round up or down if you need to. You don’t need some fancy coffee scale either! Any kitchen scale that measures grams or ounces will do. And remember: weigh both the water and the grounds.

Grind setting
If you have a burr grinder, you should have a variety of grind settings you can use. For a home drip brewer, it is best to use the finest grind setting you have. Why? Because home brewers, unlike our cafe brewers, do not have a pulse brewing function that gives coffee the correct brewing time. Setting it to the finest grind setting will allow adequate brew times. However, if you find the flavor to be too strong for your taste, feel free to raise the grind size a little and play around with it until you’re happy with it.

Drink it fresh
Just like any other food, if left on heat for too long, coffee burns. So don’t leave your poor coffee sitting on that warmer all day and go back to drink it. Drink it as fresh as you can! Leaving it on the warmer for too long can cause the flavor to change. If you really need a longer time to enjoy your brew, invest in a thermos that will keep it at a stable temperature instead of keeping it on the warmer.

Clean that machine
Something that many people don’t think to do, clean your coffee machine. Not just the glass carafe after each brew, but the inside too! You can use vinegar (equal parts vinegar and water) or some store bought coffee machine cleaner to get rid of built up minerals that could cause your flavor to be off. Just like your pots and pans, your coffee machine is a culinary instrument that needs cleaned in order to provide the best experience possible. It is recommended to clean your coffee machine about once a month.

Where should I store my coffee?

It is best to store the coffee in an airtight container such as a ceramic vase with a lid. Second best would be to keep it in it’s original bag and folding down the open side as tight as possible and taping it shut. Keep the beans at a room temperature and in a dry place.

Coffee

New ORGANIC I-Fill Coffees!

We are proud to announce two new ORGANIC single origin additions to our I-Fill coffees! Our Organic Ethiopia Yirgacheffe and Organic Guatemala are perfect for the coffee fanatic who needs their fix quick. Each pod is filled for max flavor. Available in the cafe and online. Just select “Box of 12 IFill Cup” under the “Grid” dropdown box!

Sold out

Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Konga - Organic

from $16.50

Bag Size: Select Bag Size 12 oz2lbs (32oz)5 lbsBox of 12 Single Serve Cups

Grind: Select Grind Whole BeanDrip GrindCoarse Grind (French Press or Percolator)Box of 12 Single Serve Cups

Add to cart

Guatemala - Organic

from $16.50

Bag Size: Select Bag Size 12 oz2lbs (32oz)5 lbsBox of 12 Single Serve Cups

Grind: Select Grind Whole BeanDrip GrindCoarse Grind (French Press or Percolator)Box of 12 Single Serve Cups

Quantity:

Add to cart

Tips on Choosing the Right Coffee

Feel overwhelmed trying to pick out coffee for your home? You’re not alone! With a seemingly endless combination of roast levels, countries, and processes, choosing the right coffee can feel impossible. But don’t fret! Let us help you on our coffee buying adventure.

Roast Levels and Caffeine Content

Roast level is probably the most simple concept to understand when searching for a coffee, but you might have been mislead along the way. A common misconception is that certain roasts have more or less caffeine than others. While is is true on a microscopic level, your body can’t tell the difference. So don’t be afraid to try a different roast due to caffeine content! It’s best to base your coffee decision on your flavor preference.

Washed, Natural, Semi-Washed, and other fancy coffee words

When browsing coffees you might run across words like washed, natural, semi-washed, honey, or other words under the category of “process” or “processing method”. While these words may add to the confusion, it is actually a very helpful indicator of flavor. Lets break down what these words mean:

Washed: The fruit is removed, leaving a sticky mucilage that is removed by soaking in a tank of water for 24-36 hours.  The coffee beans are then washed with water and dried in the sun. These coffees are typically clean and bright (tangy acidity). The majority of coffees you encouter are washed coffees.

Natural: The fruit is left on the bean and dried in the sun, like a raisin.  These coffees are sweet and fruit forward.

Semi-Washed/Honey: The fruit is removed as in the washed process, but then the mucilage covered beans are dried in the sun instead of soaking. These coffees are sweet and tend to have nice floral qualities.

Country of Origin

While country of origin can have some effect on flavor, it is not always a good indicator. When it comes to country of origin, it is best to just try them out and decide for yourself which one you like best!

Tasting Notes

Just like wine, coffee has what are called “Tasting Notes”. A tasting note is a flavor profile perceived in a certain coffee when brewed and is not the same thing as a flavored coffee! Flavored coffee has a flavored added to it whereas a tasting note is the perception of a naturally occurring flavor in the coffee.

Making Your Decision

Have a certain coffee taste you like? Great! Follow the information on our bags to get the perfect coffee for you. Not sure what you want? That’s great too! Buying great coffee is an adventure, so have fun with it and explore!