What is Swiss Water Decaf? (And Why It Matters)
Not all decaf is created equal. Here's why the Swiss Water Process produces a cleaner, better-tasting cup — and why we chose it for our Mamae Ursa.
Decaf gets a bad reputation. For years, it was the coffee you ordered when you didn't really want coffee — flat, lifeless, and vaguely disappointing. But that reputation is outdated. Done right, decaf can be just as complex, flavourful, and satisfying as its caffeinated counterpart. The key is in how the caffeine is removed.
At Souter Bros, we chose the Swiss Water Process for our Mamae Ursa — and here's why.
How Caffeine is Usually Removed
Most commercial decaf is produced using chemical solvents — typically methylene chloride or ethyl acetate — to strip caffeine from the green coffee beans. While these solvents are largely removed during the roasting process, many specialty coffee roasters (us included) prefer to avoid them entirely.
What is the Swiss Water Process?
The Swiss Water Process is a 100% chemical-free method of decaffeination, developed in Switzerland in the 1930s and now carried out at a dedicated facility in Vancouver, Canada.
Here's how it works:
- Green coffee beans are soaked in hot water, which draws out the caffeine along with other soluble compounds (flavour, oils, etc.).
- This water — now full of caffeine and flavour compounds — is passed through an activated charcoal filter. The filter is sized to trap caffeine molecules while allowing the smaller flavour compounds to pass through.
- The result is Green Coffee Extract (GCE) — water that's full of flavour but free of caffeine.
- A new batch of beans is then soaked in this GCE. Because the water is already saturated with flavour compounds, only the caffeine migrates out of the beans — preserving the coffee's character.
- This process is repeated until 99.9% of the caffeine is removed.
Why Does It Taste Better?
Because the Swiss Water Process preserves more of the bean's natural flavour compounds, the resulting decaf tends to taste much closer to the original coffee. You get the complexity, the aroma, and the body — without the caffeine.
It's also completely transparent. The Swiss Water Process is certified organic and third-party verified, so you know exactly what you're getting.
Meet Mamae Ursa
Our Mamae Ursa is a single origin Brazilian decaf from the Mogiana region, processed using the Swiss Water method. The name means “Mother Bear” in Portuguese — a nod to the warmth and comfort this coffee brings.
Expect hints of malt, toasted nuts, and caramelised sugar on the nose, with rich dark chocolate and roasted almonds in the cup. Smooth, creamy, and clean — it's the perfect evening coffee, or a brilliant option for anyone looking to reduce their caffeine intake without sacrificing flavour.
