A decent decaff roast

[marionhaste]

Yes, yes - I know it's probably heresy, but I run a cafe and am frequently asked for decaff coffee. I can't see the point, meself, but can anyone recommend a good, Fairtrade decaff bean?

I'm hanging me nose over a Rwandan from Union Coffee Roasters. Has anyone tried it?

Thanks in anticipation

[lukas]

I don't know anything about that coffee, but I do know that decaf doesn't mean it's awful. I'm often quite surprised that decaf coffee or espresso isn't that bad ... good luck in finding a bean that suits you!

[marionhaste]

Thanks Lukas. That's rather an impressive crema. I'm quaite jealous.

[lukas]

Well, that was monsooned malabar, but it was actually a very awful shot, despit it looking quite good
I've totally overseen your introduction in the merry christmas thread... tell us more about your cafe!

[marionhaste]

Gawd no. I'm far too modest. But it's been open five weeks and it's going very well. We get the loveliest people in

[marionhaste]

Did I say modest? I meant shy. Gah.

[lukas]

Uhh, that must be exciting! Five weeks open ... now you made me really curious! Hope you're getting on well!

[Slimboyfat]

Hi there

Steve at Hasbean is a member here - he seems to have just got quite a range of new decaf beans in and is very helpful - be prepared to have an interesting conversation about Fairtrade though!

[bica]

A friend of mine ordered a decaff from hasbean a while ago, he didn't tell me it was decaff and when he gave me a shot I was pleasantly suprised might have to switch to decaff myself soon, I shouldn't be seeing 3am on the clock this many times a week good luck with the new place!

[Spanner]

I've tried most of Steve's decafs, currently having a Colombian Huila/Antioquia Blend which is one of the better I've tried. Not quite as good as "caf" in most cases but, properly extracted, still much better than you get in most cafes. He also does a decaf espresso blend which is not bad and suffers less from the seasonality you get with most single origins (ie they tend to run out at the end of the season - ah the difficulties of mother nature!).

To expand on Slimboyfat's comment above, Steve's coffee tends to not be "Fairtrade" but rather what he would call ethically traded. Simply, he/his suppliers deal with growers they know (and in a lot of cases have visited) and on the basis of paying them a fair price for the coffee they produce. In practice this is supposed to be above market because the coffee produced is of a higher standard. The theory behind this is that this gives a sustainable platform for the grower to develop their product/name without the risk of the subsidy being given to them being withdrawn (for example because Fairtrade changes its rules/rule sbeing impractical to follow etc).

Fairtrade on the other hand relies on a totally different platform. They will provide growers with a subsidy (some of which they can spend themselves, some of which goes to the "community") provided they follow certain rules (such a paying at least the minimum wage). Fairtrade then tries to recover the subsidy it has paid by charging its customers a higher price, largely on ethical (read "feel good" grounds). Some people object to this because (i) there is significant opportunity for corruption/cronyism in the selection and vetting process (ie whether they comply with the rules at any or all times and how often they get vetted) as well as the possibility of some of the rules being inappropriate (ii) it doesn't encourage improving the product (which long term leads to sustainability of price for any given producer) because the subsidy is based on other criteria and (iii) it is effectively substituting the "Fairtrade" brand for the ones of those big evil multinationals people so love to hate - this means that the growers remain beholden to someone new (admittedly someone who professes to have ethical aims rather than just profit) rather than developing their own names and thereby allowing them to join the global tading community in their own right.

Personally I like the thought of my supplier knowing the grower - a picture of the farmer on the wall would make a great talking point in a cafe!

Bet you wish you hadn't asked huh!

All the best
Andrew

[Gouezeri]

Good reply Spanner!
MH, if the comments above make sense to you, and are something you are interested in, send a PM or email to Hasbean and ask Steve for his text on FairTrade.

FairTrade has spent a LOT of money on advertising, to the detriment of all other approaches. Consequently, it is up to us to educate people that there are alternatives. CoE, as just one of the alternatives, is very keen to create lasting relationships between all in the trade. As a result, rather than buying coffee purely because it has a FT label (but with little real knowledge of where and to who the money is going), you're buying a coffee knowing exactly who grew it, the skill and effort that has gone into this, and that they have been rewarded justly.

So next time somebody asks if a coffee is FairTrade, you can tell them "No" with a big smile, and then proceed in telling them precisely where the coffee has come from, who owns the farm, the differences they have made to this year's crop, how well they did in the auction, and the difference the money they have earned, as a result, is making!
Further reading:
Coffee Hunter Field Trip - Guatemala
Adios Guatemala
or even Ha'way the lads. Hasbean sponsors a decent football team, for once

[marionhaste]

I do understand the pro/con Fairtrade argument and, indeed, our tea is "fairly- traded" rather than Fairtrade. But it is still the first question our customers ask: is it Fairtrade? They seem to see this as a guarantee and that's what they want.

Howeve, thanks very much for your comments, folks, which have been extremely helpful.

One kind person asked how it was going. To reply, it's going really well, although this is the worst time of the year here.

I had envisaged us mainly trading in coffee and our home-made cakes, but - unfortunately - the food we stuck on as an afterthought sideline is going too darned well and we have created a monster.

As such, I'm spending far too much time in the kitchen and not half enough at the coffee machine chatting with our fantastic customers. Gah.

[lukas]

Sounds fabulous! Hopefully you'll be able to educate your customers that your coffee is at least as good as your great cakes (it is, ain't it? Just had to ask )

[marionhaste]

Our coffee is fantastic. Just awaiting the arrival of a second grinder to expand our offerings.

[PhilSmith]

Where abouts in Whitby is your cafe? whats it called.
I have family in Scarborough and we regularly visit Whitby for the day.

phil


ps the cakes sound good.