Sugarcane is not just sweet, it's also used in this coffees decaffeination process. A naturalcompound called Ethyl Acetate, derived from sugarcane, is mixed with water to create asolution. Green coffee beans are soaked and steamed in this mixture to remove caffeine.The beans are then cleaned, and the process is complete.Colombia is a leader in sugarcane decaf and coffee production. They use their abundantsupply of sugarcane to make molasses, which is fermented into ethanol and combinedwith acetic acid to produce ethyl acetate. The beans are steamed, soaked in water andethyl acetate, and undergo multiple cycles to extract about 97% of the caffeine. Theremaining ethyl acetate is removed through steaming, and the beans are dried, polished,cleaned, and ready for shipping.What makes the sugarcane method unique is that the beans retain a delightful sweetness,even after the ethyl acetate is burned off during roasting. This sweetness pairs well withColombian and Central American coffee beans, enhancing the overall flavor.
