Decaf | Ethiopia Washed Bio

Haile's relationship with coffee has been complex. As a child, his family was displaced from their home near Yirgacheffe due to large-scale coffee production. However, Haile later reconciled with coffee, returning to his roots and establishing Shakisso Farm in the Guji highlands. Haile's journey includesmilitary service, imprisonment due to his outspokenness on social issues, and eventually studying BusinessManagement in Moscow. He returned to Ethiopia to teach and became involved in cooperative management, focusing on coffee cooperatives. Under Haile's leadership, Shakisso has played a pivotal role in transforming Guji into a prominent coffee region. Collaborating with Tesfaye Bekele and Menno Simons, Haile has helped establish numerous washing stations and drymills in the area.

The CO2 decaffeination process, also known as the supercritical carbon dioxidemethod or sparkling water decaf, is a popular and generally well-regarded way to remove caffeine from green (unroasted) coffee beans. It's considered a "natural"method because it doesn't involve harsh chemical solvents likemethylene chloride.

Here's a breakdown of the process:

1. Preparation of Green Coffee Beans:

1. Green coffee beans are firstmoistened with water. This causes the beans to swell and their pores to open,making the caffeine moleculesmore accessible for extraction.
2. The beans are then placed in a high-pressure extraction vessel.

2. Introduction of Carbon Dioxide:

1. Liquid carbon dioxide (CO2) is pumped into the sealed vessel at high pressure (typically between 73 and 300 atmospheres) and a specific temperature (around 31°C to 65°C) .At these conditions, CO2 enters a "supercritical" state, where it has properties of both a gas and a liquid. This supercritical CO2 acts as a highly selective solvent.
2. In some variations, known as "subcritical CO2" processes, lower temperatures and pressures are used, which is said to be even gentler on the coffee's flavor components.

3. Caffeine Extraction:

1. The supercritical (or subcritical) CO2 circulates through the coffee beans. It selectively binds to and dissolves the caffeinemolecules. The larger aroma and flavor compounds of the coffee are generally left intact within the bean.
2. This circulation typically lasts for several hours (e.g., 8-12 hours) to ensure sufficient caffeine removal.

4. Caffeine Separation and CO2 Recycling:

1. The caffeine-rich CO2 is then transferred to a separate chamber, often called a "scrubber" or "absorption chamber."
2. In this chamber, the pressure is reduced, causing the supercritical CO2 to return to a gaseous state. As the pressure drops, the CO2 loses its affinity for the caffeine, and the caffeine precipitates out, effectively separating from the CO2.
3. Activated charcoal filtersmight also be used to remove any remaining caffeine from the gaseous CO2.
4. The now caffeine-free CO2 is re-compressed and re-circulated back to the extraction vessel to be used for another batch of beans,making it an environmentally friendly and efficient process.

5. Drying the Decaffeinated Beans:

1. Once the desired caffeine level (typically less than 0.1%or 0.08%for decaffeinated coffee, with at least 97%removal) is reached, the CO2 circulation is stopped.
2. The decaffeinated coffee beans are then discharged from the vessel and gently dried to their originalmoisture content.

Advantages of CO2 Decaffeination:

• Chemical-Free: Thismethod avoids the use of synthetic chemical solvents (likemethylene chloride), which is amajor draw for consumers concerned about chemical residues.
• Flavor Preservation: Supercritical CO2 is highly selective for caffeine,meaning it extracts very little of the flavor and aroma compounds from the coffee beans, leading to a decaf coffee that retainsmuch of its original taste profile.
• Environmentally Friendly: The CO2 is largely recycled and reused, reducing waste.
• Safety: Carbon dioxide is a natural, non-toxic, and non-flammable substance.