Dulces Suenos - CO2 Decaf -

This coffee is a blend of coffees produced by smallholder farmers in Moyobamba, Northern Peru, with a small component from Ahuachapán, El Salvador, also produced by various smallholder farmers.

The coffee has been decaffeinated in Germany using the CO₂ method.

At the beginning of the process, the green coffee is treated with water, steam and heat. This causes the beans to swell, making the caffeine more accessible for extraction. The coffee is then placed in extraction vessels, where liquid carbon dioxide is passed through the green coffee. Under these conditions, the CO₂ selectively bonds with the caffeine and carries it out of the bean.

The caffeine-bearing CO₂ is then vaporised, allowing the caffeine to be separated. The carbon dioxide is subsequently condensed and liquefied again so it can be reused in the next extraction cycle. This cycle is repeated until the caffeine has been almost entirely removed from the coffee.

After decaffeination, the coffee is carefully dried at a low temperature to return the beans to an appropriate moisture level for storage, transport and roasting.

The CO₂ method is designed to target caffeine extraction while limiting the removal of other compounds naturally present in green coffee, including fats, proteins, amino acids, sucrose and chlorogenic acids.