This coffees decaffeinated by the sugar cane method. The green coffee is steamed to allow for caffeine extraction, then the coffee is placed in a solution of water and Ethyl Acetate, a natural solvent derived through the fermentation of sugarcane. This a gentle and natural way to decaffeinate green coffee as this method avoids excess temperatures seen in other processes. It selectively removes 97% of caffeine from the coffee, leaving a decaf coffee that roasts and tastes much closer to a normal Colombia coffee.
Ethyl acetate occurs in ripening fruit. A ripe banana contains about 20 times more Ethyl Acetate than decaffeinated coffee using this process. It is also worthwhile mentioning that due to the volatility of Ethyl Acetate, any residual compound evaporates at just 70 degrees. As coffee is roasted to above 200 degrees all remaining traces of Ethyl Acetate are completely gone
