Baristas Say This Is the Best Decaf Coffee at the Grocery Store (It’s Under $10)

Recently, I reached out to a number of coffee experts to get their take on the best store-bought coffee beans. After consulting with them, I immediately went out to buy their recommended bag, and let me just say: They’re experts for a reason.

The beans they suggested changed my coffee game completely—my lattes come out smooth, bold, and balanced. In fact, the beans gave me a whole new confidence in my brew. I found myself inviting friends over for a cup and opting out of coffee shop visits.

Which is why, when I heard some family was coming to stay with me, I asked ahead of time how they liked their coffee (I wanted to make sure I had the right brewing materials for their preferred form of bean juice), anxious to show off my new favorite beans. But I wasn’t prepared for my cousin’s response: They drink decaf.

Suddenly, I was back at the drawing board, with no idea which bag of beans to buy. I called upon my coffee expert community to come to my rescue.

The Coffee Connoisseurs

• Johny Morrisson: Former barista and founder of coffee website Coffee About

• Mark Morphew: Founder of Bean Ground and member of the Roaster’s Guild of Europe

The Top Decaf Coffee Beans on the Market

“A store-bought decaf that’s consistently reliable? My top pick is Peet’s Decaf Major Dickason’s Blend,” says Bramlett. The others agree because, as it turns out, a good decaf coffee is hard to come by. “The biggest problem with most decaf is that it tastes thin or flat,” says Morphew, explaining that this is due to the decaffeination process.

Often, roasters will use chemical solvents to extract caffeine from the beans, which impacts the end flavor. “I look for beans that use the Swiss Water Process or a CO₂ process,” continues Morphew. “These methods remove caffeine without stripping as much flavor from the coffee itself.”

So, loads of decaf options won’t hold up to caffeinated beans taste-wise, but that’s not the case for Peet’s. “Peet’s uses a water process with no chemicals,” explains Morrisson. “It’s hard to find a decaffeinated coffee that is strong enough and bold enough, but this one nails it.”

He describes the dark roast as having a true coffee flavor—rich, smooth, and not bitter. Bramlett adds that it’s easy to brew well, and it’s roasted in a way that holds onto richness and body.

Morphew also appreciates that Peet’s Decaf Major Dickason’s Blend hits all the same marks he looks for when buying regular coffee beans: “The blend has a clear roast date, good packaging, and beans that still smell lively when you open the bag.”

As for how to brew them, the experts urged me to go for whichever method I use with my normal beans. Where Bramlett likes espresso, Morrisson French press, and Morphew pour-over, there is one thing you’ll want to keep in mind: Regardless of how you plan to brew, Morrisson explains, “decaf beans are more porous, so they absorb water differently. You’ll want to grind them slightly coarser than you would regular coffee and sometimes pull longer extraction times.”

Read More: I Asked 3 Coffee Pros the Best Place To Store Coffee Beans—They All Said the Same Thing

Read the original article on Simply Recipes