Comments on: Decaf http://www.jimseven.com/2009/02/02/decaf/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=decaf James Hoffmann's blog. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 02:29:46 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Ruth Ann http://www.jimseven.com/2009/02/02/decaf/#comment-98180 Ruth Ann Sat, 06 Feb 2010 17:15:35 +0000 http://www.jimseven.com/?p=806#comment-98180 I just included Opus One from Daterra Estate (Brazil) in a flight of decafs cupped with the 8 baristas of a new high end coffee shop. The owner enjoyed the complex taste, unsweetened cocoa flavor, with hints of chocolate and lavender. He'll offer it for a week to customers. The question is -- how to list it on the menu? Technically, it is not "decaf" because the Opus One has 1% caffeine and the formal definition of decaf is <.01% caffeine. (Regular coffee has 3% caffeine, I've heard.) One of the barista's suggested, call it "Low Caffeine" coffee. Also, you might want to check whether "genetically modified" is a correct description. I believe it is genetically bred, with 12 years of work to get it right. Does genetically breeding a new variety = genetically modified? I just included Opus One from Daterra Estate (Brazil) in a flight of decafs cupped with the 8 baristas of a new high end coffee shop. The owner enjoyed the complex taste, unsweetened cocoa flavor, with hints of chocolate and lavender. He’ll offer it for a week to customers.

The question is — how to list it on the menu? Technically, it is not “decaf” because the Opus One has 1% caffeine and the formal definition of decaf is <.01% caffeine. (Regular coffee has 3% caffeine, I've heard.) One of the barista's suggested, call it "Low Caffeine" coffee.

Also, you might want to check whether "genetically modified" is a correct description. I believe it is genetically bred, with 12 years of work to get it right. Does genetically breeding a new variety = genetically modified?

]]> By: Ruth Ann http://www.jimseven.com/2009/02/02/decaf/#comment-98179 Ruth Ann Sat, 06 Feb 2010 17:07:03 +0000 http://www.jimseven.com/?p=806#comment-98179 James: Thank you for your valuable and much-needed-in-the-coffee-industry comment about the decaf consumer being the one who is most dedicated to drinking coffee for the taste. They are the "epitomy" not the "evil stepchild" of the coffee consuming world. James:
Thank you for your valuable and much-needed-in-the-coffee-industry comment about the decaf consumer being the one who is most dedicated to drinking coffee for the taste. They are the “epitomy” not the “evil stepchild” of the coffee consuming world.

]]> By: Ruth Ann http://www.jimseven.com/2009/02/02/decaf/#comment-98178 Ruth Ann Sat, 06 Feb 2010 16:58:54 +0000 http://www.jimseven.com/?p=806#comment-98178 R. Willbur - I've heard comments like yours a lot, "you need to have decaf on the 4th, maybe you should rethink somethings", and appreciate your message of promoting moderation. However, I hope coffee industry professionals realize that thinking like this is dangerously close to simply turning away business. Coffee professionals who would encourage consumers to drink NO COFFEE rather than order a decaf must have some rose-colored glasses about what will happen if you repeatedly tell people who drink coffee for the taste (James' point in the blog) that you have nothing for them. If you truly want to encourage moderation in the 4-latte consumer, why not suggest he/she start with decaf on the 2nd, or even the 1st, so as to just enjoy the taste and not overload on caffeine? R. Willbur – I’ve heard comments like yours a lot, “you need to have decaf on the 4th, maybe you should rethink somethings”, and appreciate your message of promoting moderation. However, I hope coffee industry professionals realize that thinking like this is dangerously close to simply turning away business. Coffee professionals who would encourage consumers to drink NO COFFEE rather than order a decaf must have some rose-colored glasses about what will happen if you repeatedly tell people who drink coffee for the taste (James’ point in the blog) that you have nothing for them.

If you truly want to encourage moderation in the 4-latte consumer, why not suggest he/she start with decaf on the 2nd, or even the 1st, so as to just enjoy the taste and not overload on caffeine?

]]> By: Dann de Wolff http://www.jimseven.com/2009/02/02/decaf/#comment-98003 Dann de Wolff Wed, 13 Jan 2010 23:08:34 +0000 http://www.jimseven.com/?p=806#comment-98003 So I get that this an old post, and I don't know long it's been availible for, but has anyone tried the Opus One natural decaf? It's genetically modified to have as little caffeine as possible, but because it's not treated, it pours and tastes great... One of my mates even used it as a single origin in the recent state Barista championships... Definately worth a look at... So I get that this an old post, and I don’t know long it’s been availible for, but has anyone tried the Opus One natural decaf? It’s genetically modified to have as little caffeine as possible, but because it’s not treated, it pours and tastes great… One of my mates even used it as a single origin in the recent state Barista championships… Definately worth a look at…

]]> By: Will Frith http://www.jimseven.com/2009/02/02/decaf/#comment-96261 Will Frith Thu, 28 May 2009 01:59:59 +0000 http://www.jimseven.com/?p=806#comment-96261 totally agree. same goes for non-fat/low-fat milk... why even? can't you just order a 6oz drink that tastes good, rather than a giant "america-size" 24oz non-fat with tons of sugar to cover up bad shots and watery milk? we're a society of addictions, us modern consumer capitalists... "what are you into these days?" just means "what's your newest addiction?" with a heap of "addiction counseling" and 12-step programs making money off of it, rather than encouraging moderation. god bless michael pollard. totally agree.

same goes for non-fat/low-fat milk… why even? can’t you just order a 6oz drink that tastes good, rather than a giant “america-size” 24oz non-fat with tons of sugar to cover up bad shots and watery milk?

we’re a society of addictions, us modern consumer capitalists… “what are you into these days?” just means “what’s your newest addiction?” with a heap of “addiction counseling” and 12-step programs making money off of it, rather than encouraging moderation.

god bless michael pollard.

]]> By: Will Frith http://www.jimseven.com/2009/02/02/decaf/#comment-96260 Will Frith Thu, 28 May 2009 01:52:22 +0000 http://www.jimseven.com/?p=806#comment-96260 then i would argue that you've never had a good espresso... blame your barista for your opinions about espresso. then i would argue that you’ve never had a good espresso… blame your barista for your opinions about espresso.

]]> By: Kai Lo http://www.jimseven.com/2009/02/02/decaf/#comment-95893 Kai Lo Fri, 20 Mar 2009 22:36:50 +0000 http://www.jimseven.com/?p=806#comment-95893 After adding cream/sugar/ and some chocolate into my coffee, it would taste the same whether it is decaf or not. I'm not a coffee expert, but I can never taste the difference. I can't drink espressos because that is the nastiest stuff ever on earth. After adding cream/sugar/ and some chocolate into my coffee, it would taste the same whether it is decaf or not. I’m not a coffee expert, but I can never taste the difference. I can’t drink espressos because that is the nastiest stuff ever on earth.

]]> By: He Wishes His Decaf Were Dead « Brave Little Roaster http://www.jimseven.com/2009/02/02/decaf/#comment-95675 He Wishes His Decaf Were Dead « Brave Little Roaster Mon, 23 Feb 2009 19:08:16 +0000 http://www.jimseven.com/?p=806#comment-95675 [...] H. sums up the industry’s stance on the subject well at the beginning of an appropriately named post. It has been a necessity in catering to the requirements of a certain demographic, but an [...] [...] H. sums up the industry’s stance on the subject well at the beginning of an appropriately named post. It has been a necessity in catering to the requirements of a certain demographic, but an [...]

]]> By: triptogenetica http://www.jimseven.com/2009/02/02/decaf/#comment-95553 triptogenetica Sun, 08 Feb 2009 19:43:31 +0000 http://www.jimseven.com/?p=806#comment-95553 yes! decaf is important! I keep a decaf available at home at all times, green, as well as my regular. I like it myself, in the evenings, but it's also very pleasant to serve to friends - people who like coffee, but won't have one because, "it's late, I won't sleep", or to people who drink decaf regularly and are always disappointed by it. Offering a good CO2 decaf to someone who's only ever had SWP pregrounds before is a really feel-good thing to do. yes! decaf is important!

I keep a decaf available at home at all times, green, as well as my regular.

I like it myself, in the evenings, but it’s also very pleasant to serve to friends – people who like coffee, but won’t have one because, “it’s late, I won’t sleep”, or to people who drink decaf regularly and are always disappointed by it.

Offering a good CO2 decaf to someone who’s only ever had SWP pregrounds before is a really feel-good thing to do.

]]> By: Ben Kaminsky http://www.jimseven.com/2009/02/02/decaf/#comment-95519 Ben Kaminsky Wed, 04 Feb 2009 04:16:42 +0000 http://www.jimseven.com/?p=806#comment-95519 James, where was your decaf grown? James, where was your decaf grown?

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