For many coffee lovers, decaf isn’t just an alternative—it’s a commitment to great coffee without the caffeine. That’s why we exclusively use water-based decaffeination methods, ensuring that our decaf remains chemical-free and full of flavor.

Our decaf coffee is carefully crafted to maintain the integrity of each bean, while removing caffeine with just water, coffee and time. Unlike some methods that rely on solvents like ethyl acetate (EA), our approach preserves the true character of the coffee—without chemicals.

So how does it all work? Let’s break it down.

The Water Process: How It Works

The Royal Select Water Process uses water to gently remove caffeine while retaining the coffee’s natural flavors. Here’s how:

Step 1: Preparing the Green Coffee

It all starts with carefully selected, unroasted green coffee beans. These beans are chosen by Royal Coffee for their cup profile, physical quality, and potential to shine as decaf.

Step 2: Hydration & Extraction

The beans are soaked in hot, purified water, which draws out both caffeine molecules and coffee’s natural soluble compounds. The result? A flavor-rich solution that will play a crucial role in keeping the coffee’s taste intact. 

Step 3: Caffeine Removal

This compound and caffeine rich water is passed through carbon filters that trap and remove the caffeine molecules—while leaving behind the coffee compounds that create flavor and aroma. The resulting solution is called Green Coffee Extract (GCE).

Step 4: Using Green Coffee Extract

Now, fresh green coffee beans are added to the caffeine-free, flavor-saturated water. Since the solution is already full of coffee’s natural compounds, only the caffeine migrates out through osmosis, while the flavors and body remain.

Step 5: Drying & Packaging

Once the coffee beans are 97–99.9% caffeine-free, they are carefully re-dried and prepared for export—ready to be roasted and become your next delicious cup of decaf. The GCE solution is filtered of caffeine and recycled to be used again for more batches of coffee decaffeination. 

Why We Don’t Use Chemical Decaffeination

Many decaf coffees on the market undergo chemical-based decaffeination, such as Ethyl Acetate (EA) or Methylene Chloride (MC) processes. While EA is often marketed as a “natural” solvent (since it can be derived from fruits or sugarcane), it still involves a chemical interaction with the beans. 

What is the EA Decaf Process?

In the Ethyl Acetate (EA) process, green coffee beans are warmed to open their pores, then soaked in ethyl acetate, which binds to the caffeine molecules and removes them. The beans are then rinsed and dried, with only trace amounts of EA remaining—far below any safety thresholds. While this method is considered safe, some coffee drinkers find that it can subtly alter the coffee’s natural flavor.

At Pacific Crest Coffee we only source water process decaffeinated coffees, ensuring that our coffee remains:

• 100% Chemical-Free – No solvents, no aftertaste, just pure coffee.
• Rich in Flavor – Water processing preserves the full-bodied, nuanced flavors of each origin more than chemical methods do. 

Freshness Matters: Small-Batch Decaf, Roasted to Perfection

Decaf drinkers love coffee for its flavor, and we believe that every cup of decaf should be just as bold, complex, and enjoyable as any other. That’s why we source in small, frequent shipments throughout the year and small-batch roast with the same attention to detail as all of our other coffee, ensuring the freshest, best-tasting decaf possible.

So whether you’re cutting back on caffeine or just love a great decaf option, try one of our delicious water-processed decafs!