Do you like to get creative with your decaf coffee drinks? Or do you like your iced decaf coffee stronger (or weaker) than others? Are you interested in making boozy coffee concoctions without the caffeine rush? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you might be intrigued by decaf coffee concentrate.
What is coffee concentrate?
It’s exactly what the name suggests: coffee that’s extra concentrated! With such a strong flavor, it needs to be diluted before you can drink it. Coffee concentrates are usually prepared iced, and like other iced coffee, they can also come in decaffeinated form.
Is there decaf?
Absolutely! Regular coffee concentrate contains lots of caffeine (usually, even more than regular iced coffee), so if you want to avoid the consequences of caffeine, you can drink decaf. You can read more about the effects of caffeine on the body here, but in the meantime, let’s learn more about decaf concentrated coffee.
Perks of decaf coffee concentrate
As I just mentioned, decaf coffee may be better for your health compared to caffeinated coffee. Health advantages of decaffeinated coffee have been topics of studies, such as this one that dives into its benefits on systemic health disorders.
But decaf coffee concentrate has a number of perks beyond its absence of caffeine. It takes up little space, and it can be stored more easily than regular iced coffee. Plus, if you buy it prepackaged, it can usually be stored in dry areas until it’s opened.
It’s also quite versatile. You can add your liquid of choice, meaning that you can create drinks like traditional iced coffee, iced lattes, and even coffee cocktails.
How is it prepared?
There are two steps on the path to a drink with decaf coffee concentrate: preparing the concentrate itself and using the concentrate to prepare a drink to your taste.
Exact brewing methods for decaf cold brew concentrate depend on who’s making it, but it’s generally made from ground decaf beans that go through a slow extraction process. This process uses cold water, just like the brewing method for traditional cold brew. You can either buy your concentrate or make it yourself.
Once you have your concentrate, you get to do the fun part and craft your drink. You can dilute it with a number of liquids, including water, your milk of choice, or even alcohol if you want a coffee cocktail.
Finding the best decaf coffee concentrate
If you’re on the hunt for the best product, fear not! There are plenty of fantastic companies that produce delicious and high-quality products. Here are some of the top brands and types of cold brew decaf coffee concentrate:
Javy Coffee
Check out the Javy microdose artisan-roasted 100% Arabica bean 30x cold brew decaf concentrate
Christopher Bean Coffee
We recommend trying the decaf Colombian coffee concentrate
Folgers Special Reserve Decaf
Folgers decaf concentrated liquid coffee
Cool Brew Decaf
Try the Cool Brew fresh cold brew liquid decaf concentrate
Grady’s Cold Brew Decaf Coffee Concentrate (Bean Bags)
Check out Grady's Cold Brew New-Orleans Style Decaf Bean Bags, which allows you to make your own concentrate
Meet the expert
Petie has a Bachelor’s degree in Foreign Languages and is currently a graduate student in Italy. With a passion for travel and cross-cultural learning, she has tried coffee all over the world. Previously a barista and coffeehouse manager, Petie is most knowledgeable about coffee bean flavor profiles, safe coffee practices, equipment, and fair trade coffee.