Coffee Does Not Equal Caffeine

Mar. 27, 2012
Enjoyed the blog with the above title I saw yesterday on Direct Trade Coffee Club's site: click here.
The author, Josh Leffingwell, explores a couple different coffee phenomena related to the fact that coffee is NOT equal to caffeine.  First, quantities. When connoisseurs are enjoying a top quality beverage, they're typically not drinking tons of it.  He notices that the customers at the high-end cafe, Madcap, in Grand Rapids, MI, are not consuming giant 2 liter cups of coffee, and it's not because the caffeine levels in Madcap's espresso is unusually high. The small quantities the customers are drinking indicates their emphasis on having "a taste" of something delicious and rare, as opposed to something so addicting (like the caramel bear lattes served at the place down the street), that bigger is always better.

Then Josh hits on a second reason "coffee does not equal caffeine". He states, "generally coffee lovers are in it for more than just the buzz. It is a FLAVOR and an EXPERIENCE." That's it -- the magic place where quality regular coffee and quality decaf coffee have the same goals and the same purpose for existence -- "flavor and experience". Any coffee - caff or decaff -- that calls itself "specialty" should offer both. 

Finding places to buy this kind of great tasting decaf coffee is gradually getting easier.  Madcap is one cafe that does a great job with decaf. For those who can't hop right over to Grand Rapids, try ordering here. Or if you're a commercial roaster, look for great green decaf beans at www.ArtisanCoffeeImports.com.