Tradition and Swiss Water Decaf

At Tradition Coffee Roasters, we take great pride in delivering high-quality coffee to our customers. That certainly includes our decaffeinated options, which are often overlooked by other roasters. If you’ve stopped by our roastery in Kailua, you may have heard me talking about this from time to time.

Coffee purists

I believe that the flavor of decaf coffee is just as important—if not more important—than regular coffee. Here’s why: Tradition Coffee Roasters sees our decaf drinkers as coffee purists—people who love the taste and aroma of coffee for exactly what it is and nothing more… they don’t need, want, or perhaps can’t have the caffeine. They just want great-tasting coffee, and they deserve to have it.

At Tradition Coffee Roasters, we're also committed to delivering a healthier option for decaf coffee that tastes just as awesome as its caffeinated cousin. That's why we've chosen the Swiss Water decaffeination process as our preferred method and not the more common process that uses chemicals.

Our coffee is certified “organically decaffeinated” in the Swiss Water Decaffeination Process. There are many ways to decaffeinate coffee, and many use chemicals (not my preference with anything). SWD also gets the coffee 99.9% caffeine-free.

You might be thinking... “Brian, why drink decaf?”

Well, our SWD coffee is the perfect drink for those who want to enjoy coffee later in the day. Back when I was fighting fires with the FDNY, I used to be able to drink a 16 oz coffee and head straight to bed. Unfortunately, that’s not the case anymore. 3 PM is my personal cut-off. Getting older isn’t always awesome, but at least I’ve found the solution.

SWD is also a great option for those who are sensitive to caffeine or who simply want to/need to cut down on their caffeine intake. Finally, it’s also a great choice for parents with keiki (kids) like ours who love coffee but definitely don't need the extra energy boost.

Research time

Recently, I had a great conversation with Melissa Tremblay, the Senior Marketing Director at Swiss Water Decaf, where they complete the decaffeination process before it arrives at our roastery. I wanted to get the facts straight before sharing them with you. She really helped me understand how this chemical-free process preserves the natural flavors and aromas of the coffee while removing the caffeine. (Fun fact: They’re not in Switzerland—they’re in BC, Canada.)

SWD is also a great option for those who are sensitive to caffeine or who simply want to/need to cut down on their caffeine intake. Finally, it’s also a great choice for parents with keiki (kids) like ours who love coffee but definitely don't need the extra energy boost.

Watch this video

How do they do it? (If you’re more of a visual learner, watch this video and then come back to tie it all together.) Or, read on.

Swiss Water decaffeination is considered to be a gentle process that preserves the flavor and aroma of the coffee beans. Unlike other decaffeination methods that use solvents or chemicals, the Swiss Water process only uses water, which is considered to be a natural and safe way to decaffeinate coffee. The Swiss Water process is also considered to be more environmentally friendly than other decaffeination methods. One of the benefits of Swiss Water decaffeination is that it allows the coffee to retain its natural flavor and aroma. This is because the process only removes the caffeine and does not affect the other compounds that contribute to the flavor and aroma of the coffee. This results in a cup of decaffeinated coffee that tastes very similar to its caffeinated counterpart. We’ve heard that some people (and roasters) might think decaf coffee is a lesser product, but we couldn't disagree more. We take the same care and attention with our decaf coffee as we do with our other coffee, sourcing high-quality beans and meticulously roasting them to bring out the best flavors.

At Tradition Coffee Roasters, we believe that coffee is more than just a beverage—it’s a shared tradition and a passion. That's why we're committed to delivering the highest quality coffee to our customers, whether they're drinking regular or decaf. We see our decaf coffee as an essential part of our lineup, and we're proud to offer it to coffee lovers who appreciate the beautiful taste and aroma of coffee.

Whether you’re a daily decaf drinker or not, I encourage you to give our decaf products a try or share it with someone who does.