Blogs • Posted by Jordyn Williams • 13th September 2023
Are You Ready For Half Caff?
What is Half Caff?
Simply put, a half-caff coffee is a 50:50 blend of caffeinated and decaffeinated coffees. A roaster should carefully select the coffees to complement each other. Therefore, to create a great-tasting cup with half the caffeine of a regular brew. The two coffees get roasted separately, requiring different handling, and then combined into a single blend of low caffeine great-tasting coffee.
What is our Two Chimps Half Caff Blend?
We combine two great coffees: a classic profile Brazilian coffee full of beautiful, smooth chocolate with cheeky sugarcane decaffeinated Colombian. This adds a rich, sweet acidity reminiscent of raisins and sultanas. Both coffees get treated to a separate but equally carefully medium roast, before being blended, bagged, and sold. Whether that’s in person, at the roastery or through our webshop with free 1st class tracked delivery on orders over £25.
We’re really pleased with this blend. It’s balanced, easy drinking with just the right amount of sweetness and acidity. Plus, is works really well when brewed in a filter or cafetiere.
What is sugarcane decaffeination?
Sugarcane, alongside the Swiss and sparkling water methods, is one of the best techniques for removing caffeine from raw or green coffee. The sugarcane process decaffeinates coffee using an organic compound found in the sugar cane – a crop that is readily available in Colombia.
First the green beans are steamed to open up their pores and enable the caffeine to be extracted. The beans are then submerged in a solution containing the compound extracted from the sugarcane which bonds with the caffeine, removing it from the beans. Once this solution is saturated with caffeine the tank is drained, and a fresh solution is added. This process is repeated until around 95% of the caffeine has been removed. The beans are then washed in pure water before being dried until they reach a moisture content level of 10-12%.
Why would you want to drink it?
Whilst its known to boost adrenaline levels and brain activity, increase plasma-free fatty acid counts and speed up fat oxidation, excess consumption of caffeine can lead to several problems, including high blood pressure and insomnia.
The recommended daily caffeine intake for an adult is 400 milligrams, which is roughly four or five cups of brewed coffee. With half caff, that number moves up to eight to ten! .
It’s also a great coffee to drink later in the evening, either after a good meal (when a coffee feels so tempting but sleep is not far off), or when you’re knocking back your fourth espresso martini!
Give me all the half caff details!
Roast profile – Medium
Origins – Brazil and Colombia
Decaffeination process – Sugarcane
Brew device – Cafetiere / Filter / V60
Flavour profile – Classic Brazilian smooth-bodied chocolate meets juicy Colombian raisins with a complex sweet acidity.
Now you know everything there is to know about half caff! Why not give it a try?
Jordyn joined Two Chimps in September 2023 to start his career in coffee roasting. Since learning to roast the amazing coffee at Two Chimps, he is a firm believer in the stronger roast style and continues to enjoy testing out new coffees from different areas of the world.
What Jordyn does outside of the treehouse:
In his free time, Jordyn is a dad to a four-year-old girl who keeps him on his toes. When he’s not taking her out on her bike or colouring in Bluey paintings, he’s dreaming about the days when he can go golfing for some peace.
Jordyn says…
“I’m really glad I made the decision to join the Two Chimps troop and start my coffee roasting career. I love experimenting with different coffees and sharing them with our customers. I’m a firm believer of “you can’t buy happiness, but you can buy a coffee and that’s kind of the same thing”.”
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