What Is Decaf Coffee – Plus, Everything You Need to Know about our Lo-Fi Decaf Coffee Beans

For most coffee lovers, a good cup is part of the rhythm of the day – a moment that brings people together, wherever you brew it. But not every great coffee moment needs a caffeine kick.

Decaf coffee has long had a slight reputation for being second best – but when it’s done right, it can be every bit as rich, balanced and satisfying as your regular brew.

At Will & Co, our café partners have been pouring our Lo-Fi decaffeinated coffee beans for a while now – a smooth, aromatic coffee so good, some don’t even realise it’s decaf. Now, we’re bringing that same café favourite home.

In this piece, we’ll unpack the ins and outs of decaf coffee, how it’s made, and what makes our Lo-Fi decaffeinated coffee stand out from the rest to create a delicious brew, every time

What is Decaf Coffee?

Decaffeinated coffee is simply coffee with most of its caffeine removed. While it’s not technically caffeine-free, the amount is dramatically reduced: a standard espresso shot packs around 100mg of caffeine, while decaf usually contains just 3-5mg. Due to these low amounts, most don’t experience any stimulating effects.  

But let’s bust a myth: decaf coffee doesn’t have to mean “bland” or “weak.” Done right, it delivers the same richness, body and complexity as a traditional coffee. Lo-Fi decaf proves that a cup without caffeine can still be one you savour. 

People choose decaffeinated coffee for all sorts of reasons: avoiding jitters, enjoying a nightcap, being gentler on the stomach or keeping caffeine intake in check during pregnancy – all without giving up the flavour they love.

How is Decaf Coffee Made?

Decaffeination happens before roasting, and there are a few different methods. Here’s a breakdown: 

1. Chemical Decaffeination – The Old School Way

This older method is the most cost-effective way to decaffeinate green beans – but it’s also contributed to the bad rap of ‘decaf coffee taste’. The process typically involves methylene chloride, which bonds to caffeine molecules and draws them out of the beans. Once the caffeine is extracted, the beans are steamed to evaporate most of the solvent. Regulatory bodies allow only trace residues – typically up to 10 parts per million. Even so, flavour alteration or harshness can remain, producing a flat or bitter cup. 

2. Water Decaffeination – aka Swiss Water Process

This method is chemical-free, using only water to remove caffeine. First, green coffee beans are soaked in water, which draws out caffeine along with some flavour compounds. That water is then filtered to remove the caffeine while keeping all the coffee’s natural flavours intact. When new beans are added to that same filtered water, they lose their caffeine but retain most of their flavour because the water is already full of the coffee’s natural taste. The result is a decaf that’s clean and consistent, with much of the coffee's natural flavour and aroma retained. 

3. Sugarcane EA Decaffeination – Lo-Fi’s Choice

Will & Co's Lo-Fi beans use the Sugarcane Ethyl Acetate (EA) process, another natural way to remove caffeine whilst keeping the coffee’s flavour intact. EA is an organic compound that is naturally present in coffee beans, as well as many fruits, vegetables and sugarcane. That's what makes it such a great decaffeination tool.

The green beans are first steamed to prepare them for extraction, then gently submerged in water and sugarcane EA for several hours. This process draws out the caffeine without stripping sweetness, body or aroma. Afterward, the beans are carefully dried to their original moisture content and roasted to highlight their natural flavours.