Africa Boda Boda SWP Decaf

This decaf coffee was processed by Swiss Water Process in Vancouver BC, whose patented process uses only water to remove 99.9% of the caffeine content and leaving much of the volatile compounds intact. We're calling it "Boda Boda" blend, as a way of paying tribute to the amazing "boda boda" motorcycle taxis common to East Africa. It's amazing to see just how many passengers these drivers will cram on two wheels, regularly shuttling 3, 4...even 5 people around bustling cities and on dusty roads! Have cargo to move too? No problem! Boda boda drivers don't seem to have any qualms defying the laws of physics! The coffees that went into this blend are from stations Mutovu and Karambi in Nyamasheke, Rwanda, and a small amount of dry process coffee from Gakenke site in Kayanza, Burundi. We're finding that a small amount of dry process goes a long way in decaf, helping to bring out sweetness and body, as well as imparting fruited cup accents. This blend turned out quite nice, with balanced sweetness and hints of fruit and spice in light to medium roasts. It should also work well for espresso, though we haven't tried it yet ourselves. I want to mention that this decaf does not have a pronounced 'crack'. At least in the roast batches we tested. Keep an eye on the physical coloring and fracturing too, if your roaster allows. In our experience, there were a couple audible 'snaps' that marked the beginning of 1st Crack, and we then went off of time and sight rather than sound.

*We've come across some beans that are darker in color, with a sticky surface, occasionally clumped together. There's nothing wrong with the coffee! It's a buildup of what Swiss calls "green coffee extract", and is a part of the water decaffeination process. Normally this "GCE" is reabsorbed by the coffee, but occasionally some dries on the surface. It's not a foreign substance, or harmful in any way! It also has no caffeine or flavor, and will dissipate in the roaster.