Introducing: San Antonio Decaf

Why are we releasing a decaf now?

We’ve wanted to offer a decaffeinated coffee at Market Lane for a long time. There are several decaffeination processes available and, for us, the biggest challenge was finding a method that doesn’t degrade the quality and flavour of the coffee during the process of removing the caffeine from the bean.  

For the last two years, we’ve been actively researching, tasting and seeking out a decaffeination process that removes the caffeine from the bean while retaining the coffee’s inherent quality and flavour. We’ve ultimately chosen the EA sugarcane process, which is both gentle and effective, and we’re thrilled with the result! 

Happily, the EA method is available in Colombia, which means we’ve been able to select one of our favourite Colombian coffees, San Antonio, to be decaffeinated locally and shipped to us fresh. We’ve also opted to have this coffee sent to us vacuum packed; this storage method slows down the aging process of green coffee, ensuring the beans arrive at our roastery in optimal condition.    

What is the EA sugarcane method?

The EA sugarcane method uses water and ethyl acetate (EA) – a natural compound extracted from sugarcane – to gently remove the caffeine from coffee beans. This method avoids excessive heat or pressure and, while 99.95% of the caffeine is removed, the natural structure and characteristics of the bean remain intact, as does the coffee’s inherent flavour and quality. 
 

More about this decaffeination process

Here are the steps a coffee undergoes during the EA sugarcane processing method:
 

1. The beans are delivered to the decaffeination plant. (We’re using the Descafecol plant in Manizales, Colombia – the country’s only decaffeination plant.) The beans are supplied in a similar state to that of export coffee – they’ve been dried, milled, sorted and bagged.  

2. The beans are steamed, in order to remove any traces of silverskin that might remain after milling.

3.  The coffee is soaked in hot spring water to open up its cells, which will enable the caffeine to be extracted.

4. The beans are soaked in ethyl acetate, which draws the caffeine out of the coffee.  

5. The coffee is steamed again to remove any traces of the EA.

6. The coffee is dried, and then polished with a natural vegetable oil to protect it from moisture.  

7. The coffee is vac-packed and shipped to us!  
 

What is ethyl acetate?

Ethyl acetate is a natural compound found in sugarcane, as well as many vegetables and fruits (including coffee). EA is used in the decaffeination process because caffeine bonds to it very well.  

How much EA is in a cup of San Antonio Decaf?

None! Once the decaffeination process is complete and the ethyl acetate has been removed, the remaining EA content in the bean is five parts per million. (For context, a ripe banana has around 20 times more EA than decaffeinated green coffee). Furthermore, ethyl acetate evaporates at a temperature of 77°C. As coffee is roasted at temperatures well above this threshold, no trace of EA remains in the roasted beans. 
 

How to brew this decaf

We’ve roasted San Antonio Decaf for all espresso-brewing methods, including espresso machines and stovetop brewers, and for those who like a stronger plunger brew. We are, however, approaching this coffee with a fairly light roast, so it will also work for filter-brewing methods. 
 

More about the coffee itself

We’ve been offering San Antonio, both as a single-origin espresso and as part of our Seasonal Blend, since 2020. This lot was grown by 14 small-scale producers in the hills surrounding the town of San Antonio, where the rich, volcanic soil, cool temperatures and high rainfall support the production of beautifully sweet and complex coffees.  

Farms in this area are typically very small (averaging one hectare), with the producers and their families performing most of the farmwork themselves. At harvest time, the cherries are hand-picked and then wash-processed; producers in San Antonio either have their own small mill on-site, or they share a mill with neighbours or extended family members.  

We sourced this coffee through our Colombian supply partners, Pergamino, a progressive, family-run business that connects coffee buyers with small producers and high-quality coffees. The Pergamino team cupped through many coffees to select the exceptional lots that make up this decaf offering. In the cup, San Antonio Decaf has a smooth mouthfeel with delicious notes of hazelnut, cocoa and apple. 

Where to get this decaf

We’re now serving San Antonio Decaf on the bar in all our shops – just ask your barista to brew your espresso drink using this coffee! It’s also available as freshly roasted beans in our shops, on our website, and in our Brunswick East vending machine.