Decaf coffee [NA]

Daleandee

Daleandee

Final Approach
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Dale Andee
Seeking opinions from connoisseurs (those with discriminating taste) of decaffinated coffee(s) available for a Keurig machine as to what is considered the best flavor/taste available.

How do you prefer it ... black & bitter or sweet, blonde, strong, fresh, & hot?

Asking for a friend ...
 
I don’t go much for high-dollar foo-foo coffees. My favorite decaf k-cups are Community and Eight O’Clock coffees.

BTW, don’t forget that you can get an adapter k-cup which you can fill with any ground coffee you prefer. It takes away some of the convenience, but it works okay if you like buying whole beans and grinding your own.
 
JOhnH said:
I didn't realize that people that use Keurig machines cared much about taste.
Learn something new every day.
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I have to agree. When I break out my drip machine I remember what good tastes like compared to my kurig.

That said, I tend to like to Sams store brand decaf.
 
I've flown to a lot of airports and have yet to find a single Keurig that tastes better than anything I've ever bought in a bag.
 
Isn't the caffeine the whole point of coffee? Decaf tastes awful. Last resort coffee.

About 35 years ago several of us went on a fishing expedition. Took tents and sleeping bags. The wife of one of the fellows packed the food. She was a health-food buff, and we should have been a little more alert. Anyway, we drive way out there, hike off into the bush to a river, and it starts raining. The fish won't bite. It's cold and miserable. We break out the food and get some water boiling. No coffee anywhere. Just this jar of "Dacopa," a "healthy" coffee substitute, made from dahlia bulbs. Seriously. Made us some cups, and every one of us took one sip and threw the stuff into the brush. What an awful fix. Awful night, too. Next morning we packed up. No more of this. Still raining. Hiked out, drove into town, and went straight to McDonald's and filled up on real health food. Back when McDonalds still tasted good.

Here in Canada we can get some real good coffee. I like the President's Choice (a Canuck brand) West Coast Dark Roast, in beans.
 
Dan Thomas said:
Isn't the caffeine the whole point of coffee? Decaf tastes awful. Last resort coffee.
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Not for me. I only started drinking coffee as a way to get warm after some very, very cold photo missions. I honestly could drink decaf all the time since the caffeine isn't why I drink it.
 
Decaf can taste good, it's just that most coffee places don't sell enough, they buy a bag and by the time they use it all it's gone stale. Also, roasting and brewing profiles are different, and using a Keurig or a regular drip coffee maker won't do it any favors.

Here's what the 2007 World Barista Champion has to say about it:
 
Peets dark roast decaf is my favorite. I drink it black, I like it hot and bitter.
 
I don't like coffee to begin with. I only drink it for the caffeine and sometimes I'll opt for a girly energy drink instead.

And I'll take the office Keurig hands down over the bitter acid served up by the Peet's next to the gym.
 
Dan Thomas said:
Isn't the caffeine the whole point of coffee? Decaf tastes awful. Last resort coffee.
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I love the taste of full test coffee and used to consume far too much. I switched to decaf as a personal compromise.
 
Initial Fix said:
I love the taste of full test coffee and used to consume far too much. I switched to decaf as a personal compromise.
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When I developed hypertension and went onto a BP med, I switched to decaf. Makes no sense to take a pill to knock down my BP while drinking something that elevates it.
 
I like my Keurig sweet and rich.

When there is a complimentary K machine, I select Cocoa, don't know if it is decaf, but it is hot and good.
 
Keurigs seem to be ubiquitous in my travels these days. That's just one reason I carry an Aeropress and hand-operated espresso machine (espressor?) when I travel. As the nice Customs Inspector said on my arrival in New Zealand, "You really like your coffee, dontcha."
Keurigs belong in a closet, in the back and waaaay up high.

Nauga,
whose has a goal of pulling an espresso while crossing the International Date Line.
 
Have to say I’ve been on decaf for years. When I use the keurig I keep it simple Dunkin brand or McDonalds.
 
JOhnH said:
I didn't realize that people that use Keurig machines cared much about taste.
Learn something new every day.
Click to expand...

This site agrees with me:
www.nytimes.com

The Best Keurig Machine (But We Really Don’t Recommend It)

After making over 50 cups of coffee and tasting over 20 blends of K-Cups, we don’t recommend that anyone buy a Keurig machine. Here's why.
www.nytimes.com www.nytimes.com
We hate to break it to you, but after more than 20 hours spent researching and testing Keurig machines, we don’t recommend them for anyone. Keurig machines brew expensive coffee that we didn’t find particularly strong or tasty. And they often break within warranty, all while taking a toll on the environment. A Keurig also doesn’t save you much time, shaving just a few minutes off other single-cup brewing setups. If you absolutely must get one, the Keurig K-Classic was the best model we tried. But you don’t really need a Keurig machine.
We understand why Keurig appeals to so many people: It’s easy to use and lets you choose from a huge variety of blends and flavors every time you make a cup of coffee. But a Nespresso machine offers a similar experience with better-tasting coffee and a smaller environmental impact. And other methods of brewing coffee, such as a pour-over, French press, or regular old coffee maker, cost less and taste much better than either Keurig or Nespresso, for just a bit more effort. With so many options available, we recommend you buy literally any other setup before you buy a Keurig.
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I'm not into decaf . . . but I would recommend London Fog raincoats for wear while taking a shower. :cool:
 
I switched to decaf about 3 months ago, better for me. I drink coffee for the taste not for the caffeine. It would really get me wound up at work and that was not good.
I stopped the caffeine for my blood pressure mainly but also it helped me over all. I drink a couple cups decaf before bed because I like the taste.
I like McD decaf in a keurig machine because my wife bought me one. This past weekend I was looking for my old drip coffee maker because I was out of decaf cups. I think my wife tossed my old coffee maker. I am going to get another one and see if it tastes different.
 
Gary Ward said:
I switched to decaf about 3 months ago, better for me. I drink coffee for the taste not for the caffeine. It would really get me wound up at work and that was not good.
I stopped the caffeine for my blood pressure mainly but also it helped me over all. I drink a couple cups decaf before bed because I like the taste.
I like McD decaf in a keurig machine because my wife bought me one. This past weekend I was looking for my old drip coffee maker because I was out of decaf cups. I think my wife tossed my old coffee maker. I am going to get another one and see if it tastes different.
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I have a drip, keurig, and also make cowboy coffee (not for awhile now). A friend gave me some McD decaf from their keurig the other day and it wasn't bad but I wondered if there was something better to offer and thus the reason for the question. I'd be interested in your comparison of decaf in the two different machines. I still like my caffine but I might consider taking it out of my line up as I get older.
 
Hengelo said:
Try tea.
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I have replaced a lot of my coffee with herbal tea. But in the morning, it is COFFEE. STRONG Coffee.
I heat the water for the tea in my coffee pot. This also serves to help clean the coffee pot every day.
 
I have no idea about decaf, but the K-Cup I landed on a long time ago after trying lots of them, is Peet's Major Dickinson's Blend
I agree that many of the K-cup options aren't very good but I found that this one is rich enough. Worth the trade-off to get a consistent and fresh cup every time and whenever... quick and easy.

My solution instead of going decaf was to limit to two cups in the morning...well sometimes three. No more the rest of the day

And now I'm going to really make you coffee nerds dizzy... a couple years ago when I went "no-carb" carnivore, I started using heavy cream + a tablespoon or so of unsalted butter + 1 raw egg. Umulsify it with one of those milk frother whisks. It's not at all like you'd think and It really makes it thick and rich!
 
It’s worth mentioning for those that drink decaf is that Peet’s decaf uses the Swiss water process. It helps retain the original flavor of the bean. A few other not so well known brands use the same process. I wouldn’t drink any other decaf. Also, since caffeine amps me up too much, I’ve always consumed very little coffee when needing to get alert. I eventually started combining decaffeinated grounds and caffeinated grounds when making my coffee. Its a full serving of coffee with my own preference of how much boost.
 
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TrueCourse said:
I eventually started combining decaffeinated grounds and caffeinated grounds when making my coffee. Its a full serving of coffee with my own preference of how much boost.
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This is what I do after my first full power cup in the morning. I do a 2/3 decaf, 1/3 caf cup around lunchtime, to drink throughout the afternoon. If I'm out of the house and have to stop at some convenience store that doesn't have decaf, I will make a full power cup and regret it later when I can't sleep.

I use a single cup, drip coffee maker, and would never own a Kuerig again. They do not make a k-cup strong enough to fill my coffee needs in the morning.
 
TrueCourse is correct in that the Swiss water decaffeination process is the best way to preserve the original attributes of the original bean. (I spent years as a coffee snob--I'm over it now, though I still roast my own).
 
Sorry, I like my coffee with lots of sugar and cream. In fact my favorite is French vanilla.....so this thread is way above my head.
 
Captain said:
Sorry, I like my coffee with lots of sugar and cream. In fact my favorite is French vanilla.....so this thread is way above my head.
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Where ya been Captain?
 
Captain said:
Sorry, I like my coffee with lots of sugar and cream. In fact my favorite is French vanilla.....so this thread is way above my head.
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Yep ... I like sweet, blonde, strong, fresh, & hot! :yes::yesnod::yes::yesnod::yes::yesnod:
 
Peet's Major Dickason Blend in decaf. In the refillable Keurig cups. Truly extraordinary coffee.
 
Half Fast said:
So, @Daleandee , did your friend find an acceptable decaf?
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Seems they were pretty happy with the McD's they had. I was wanting to make a better suggestion to them for when I was there. :D Haven't been to see them lately ...
 
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