For decaf with milk, start with a chocolate-led coffee such as our Brazil MC Process. If you prefer hazelnut and fruit notes, consider Colombia Swiss Water Process. The best decaf coffee for you depends on the flavour you enjoy, how you brew and whether you have a preference about the decaffeination method.
At Northside Coffee Roasters in Morpeth, Northumberland, we offer both styles. Here is how to choose between them and get a satisfying cup at home.
Choose the flavour first
A process name tells you how caffeine was removed; it does not tell you everything about the flavour. Read the tasting notes alongside it. Origin, roasting and your brewing recipe also matter, so one decaffeination method is not a guarantee that you will prefer the cup.
Choose Brazil MC Process decaf if you enjoy cocoa, praline and caramel. Its familiar chocolatey profile makes it our straightforward recommendation for a decaf latte, cappuccino or flat white.
Choose Colombia Swiss Water Process decaf if hazelnut, fruit and peach notes appeal to you. It is an option to explore when you want a different flavour profile, or specifically want Swiss Water decaffeination.
These are tasting descriptions, rather than added flavours. Milk and your brew recipe will change how clearly individual notes come through.
Swiss Water and MC decaf: what is the difference?
Decaffeination happens to the green coffee before roasting. Swiss Water uses water, Green Coffee Extract and filtration to remove caffeine without using methylene chloride or ethyl acetate solvents. You can read the processor’s explanation of the Swiss Water Process.
MC stands for methylene chloride, a solvent used to extract caffeine. It describes the decaffeination method, not a roast style. Our Brazil coffee uses this process; DRWakefield provides a plain-English guide to MC decaffeination.
If avoiding those decaffeination solvents is part of your buying preference, choose the Swiss Water option. If you are choosing mainly for a classic cocoa-and-caramel cup with milk, Brazil MC is a useful place to start. Neither label replaces reading the coffee’s flavour description.
Whole beans or ground decaf?
Buy whole beans if you have a grinder. They let you adjust the grind to your equipment, which is particularly useful for espresso. A bean-to-cup machine needs whole beans in its bean hopper; follow the machine’s instructions if it has a separate pre-ground chute.
Without a grinder, choose the listed Espresso or Filter ground option to suit your brewer. If you use a cafetière, moka pot or another method and are unsure which option to select, ask us for grind advice before ordering.
A starting recipe for decaf espresso
For a manual espresso machine, try 18.5g of ground coffee in a basket suited to that dose and aim for 37g of espresso in the cup, in around 25–30 seconds. Weigh the drink rather than measuring the crema in millilitres. This is a starting recipe, not a pass-or-fail target.
Dial in the decaf separately rather than assuming your regular coffee’s grind setting will suit it. If the shot runs quickly and tastes sharp or thin, try a slightly finer grind. If it runs slowly and tastes dry or harsh, try a slightly coarser grind. Keep the dose and target yield steady while you adjust, then refine by taste.
A starting recipe for filter decaf
For a V60 or similar pour-over, start with 19g of coffee and 300g of brewing water. Try a total brew time of around 3–4 minutes, then adjust the grind and pouring to your brewer. The finished drink weighs less than the water you added because some water stays in the grounds.
For a stronger cup, try a little less water at the same dose; for a lighter cup, try more. Make one change at a time so you can tell what helped.
How much should you buy?
Both retail decafs offer 250g and 1kg sizes. A 250g bag gives roughly 13 brews at a 19g dose, before allowing for dialling-in coffee. Start there when comparing flavours. A 1kg bag makes more sense once you know your favourite and use it regularly. Keep the remaining coffee sealed, cool and dry, away from heat and strong odours.
Does decaf contain caffeine?
Yes, a small amount can remain. Decaf means reduced caffeine, not completely caffeine-free. The amount in a finished cup varies, so we do not give a caffeine figure for these coffees without product-specific testing.
Find your next decaf
Start with Brazil MC decaf for a chocolate-led milk drink, or explore Colombia Swiss Water decaf for hazelnut and fruit notes. Check availability for your chosen size and grind on the product page.
Our current retail delivery options are free standard UK delivery with Royal Mail Tracked 48, a £3 Tracked 24 upgrade, or click and collect at checkout. The service names are not guaranteed arrival times. For more help matching coffee to your taste, read our coffee choosing guide.