How Is Our Coffee Decaffeinated?

Decaffeination sounds simple, but the method matters. Some processes strip caffeine using synthetic solvents. Others rely on nothing but water. Mama Brew uses a natural process that sits between the two: a naturally derived Ethyl Acetate (EA) method combined with high-mountain spring water. Here's how it works, and how it compares to the other methods you'll see on coffee packaging.

The Three Main Decaffeination Methods

Solvent Method (synthetic): Uses chemical solvents such as methylene chloride or synthetic ethyl acetate to strip caffeine directly from the beans. Effective, but it introduces synthetic chemicals into the process.

CO2 Method: Uses pressurised carbon dioxide to draw caffeine out of the beans without solvents. Chemical-free, but capital-intensive and less common outside large-scale industrial operations.

Swiss Water Method: Uses only water and time, relying on osmosis and activated charcoal filters to remove caffeine with zero solvents of any kind.

How Mama Brew's Coffee Is Actually Decaffeinated

Mama Brew's decaf is processed using a natural Ethyl Acetate (EA) method, sourced directly from our decaffeination partner in Colombia. Here's what that means in practice:

• High-mountain spring water and natural EA are the only two substances the coffee ever contacts. No synthetic solvents are used at any stage.
• The EA itself is naturally derived, produced through a sugar cane based fermentation process rather than manufactured synthetically. Ethyl Acetate also occurs naturally in the coffee bean itself, as well as in many fruits and vegetables. Our processing partner notes that a ripe banana naturally contains around 20 times more EA than our green decaffeinated coffee.
• The process is gentle by design. It avoids excessive heat and pressure, which helps preserve the bean's natural structure and flavour characteristics, unlike more aggressive industrial methods.
• The result is 99.9% caffeine-free, verified by our processing partner, and our decaf has been rated above 85 points on the SCAA quality scale by their customers.
• Origin-level processing. Our beans are decaffeinated at origin in Colombia, one of the few naturally decaffeinated-at-origin coffees available, rather than being shipped green and processed elsewhere.

Why This Method, Specifically

Coffee contains over 1,000 natural compounds, and caffeine is only one of them. A gentler, natural process protects the rest of what makes coffee taste like coffee, rather than stripping flavour along with caffeine. Choosing a naturally sourced solvent over a synthetic one meant we could offer a decaf that's free from synthetic chemical residue, without giving up the quality or taste profile our customers expect.

Is This Method Safe During Pregnancy and Breastfeeding?

Mama Brew's Decaf sits under 6mg of caffeine per serving and our Low Caff under 30mg, both within NHS guidance for pregnancy. The natural EA decaffeination process itself contains no synthetic chemical additives, and Ethyl Acetate is a compound naturally present in the coffee bean, as well as in many everyday fruits.

This article is for general information and does not replace advice from your midwife, GP, or healthcare provider. Always check with a healthcare professional about your individual dietary needs during pregnancy and breastfeeding.