Should Your Café Serve Decaf? How to Add It to the Menu Without Wasting Beans

Written by Tiny Tiger Coffee

It's 7 pm on a weekday. A couple finishes dinner at the table by the window and waves you over. "Two cappuccinos, please. Do you have decaf?" You say sorry, no.

That one "no" cost you two coffees and maybe a regular. Serving decaf doesn't need a second machine or a big stock of beans. It needs a small jar, a little routine and a few minutes to brew.

Who asks for decaf

You'll hear the question from:

• Evening guests. People who love coffee but don't want to lie awake at midnight.
• Pregnant guests, and others who have been asked by their doctor to cut back on caffeine.
• People cutting down. Some guests now keep to one regular coffee a day and want a second cup that won't add to it.

Our decaf coffee explainer covers what decaf is and how the caffeine comes out.

Three ways to serve decaf without a second hopper

Most cafés sell only a few decaf cups a day, so a full hopper would leave beans waiting to be finished. Pick one of these instead.

1. A second grinder kept for decaf. Best if you sell decaf every day. Load a day's worth at most.
2. Single dosing from a small airtight jar. Weigh 18 g of decaf beans from the jar, drop them into your main grinder, and grind. No extra equipment. You do need to purge before and after (see below).
3. A manual grinder kept for decaf. One that reaches espresso fineness costs far less than a second electric grinder. Slower, but fine for a few orders an evening.

Dialling in decaf espresso

Start from the same house recipe you use for your regular espresso: 18 g in, 30 to 40 g out, in 27 to 30 seconds. Then expect one difference. Decaf usually extracts faster, because the decaffeination process leaves the bean more porous, so it gives up its flavour more easily.

• Pull one shot at your regular setting and note the time.
• If it tastes bitter or harsh, go a touch coarser and keep the same yield.
• If it runs very fast and tastes sour, go finer, as you normally would.
• Change one thing at a time and taste every shot, on its own and in a little milk.
• Write the decaf setting down separately from your regular one.

Our guide to dialling in espresso grind size in a café walks through the full routine.

Purging when you switch

When you single dose through your main grinder, coffee from the last regular shot is still in the burrs and chute. Without a purge, your "decaf" is partly regular.

• Before the decaf shot: move to your decaf setting, then grind a few grams of decaf and throw them out.
• After the decaf shot: return to your regular setting and purge a few grams of regular coffee before the next order.
• Ask your grinder supplier roughly how much it holds back, and purge at least that much.

Keeping decaf fresh

Decaf goes stale faster than regular coffee. The same porous structure that makes it extract quickly lets air in quickly too.

• Buy small. Order only what you will use within a few weeks.
• Keep it airtight and away from heat. Keep the bag sealed and refill a small opaque jar for the bar.
• Respect the roast date. Like any coffee, don't use it in its first 10 days after roasting.

Putting decaf on the menu

• Add one line under your coffee list: "Any espresso drink can be made decaf." Whether you charge extra is your call.
• Lead with milk drinks. Most evening decaf orders will be cappuccinos and lattes, made with full cream milk just like your regular ones.
• Train the bar. Everyone should know the jar, the decaf setting and the purge.
• Mark the order. A "D" on the cup or the ticket stops a mix-up during a busy evening.

The decaf we roast, Decaffeinated Toasted Almond, is a 100% arabica natural from Hoysala Estate in Chikmagalur, decaffeinated with supercritical CO2 and roasted medium dark. Laboratory tests show a 99.95% caffeine reduction, and in the cup it tastes of green apple, caramel and toasted nuts. For espresso, buy it as whole beans and grind to suit. Cafés can order it through our café program alongside their regular coffees.

If you want to become a B2B partner of Tiny Tiger, take a look at our café program and get in touch. We'll help you choose coffees for your menu and get them dialled in.

Common questions

Do I need a separate grinder for decaf?

No. Single dosing from a small airtight jar through your main grinder works well if you purge before and after.

Why does my decaf espresso taste bitter at my usual setting?

Decaf extracts faster than regular coffee. Pull a shot at your usual setting first, then try a touch coarser with the same yield and taste again.

How long does decaf stay fresh in a café?

Not as long as regular coffee. Buy small amounts you'll use within a few weeks, keep them sealed and away from heat, and don't use them in the first 10 days after roasting.