Why does decaf coffee taste so different from normal coffee?

Lots of people enjoy a cup of decaf coffee as a way to experience the taste of java without the caffeine kick. To the most dedicated coffee lovers, however, the very idea of drinking decaf is blasphemy. It turns out that decaf detractors aren't just being snobby: chemistry can explain why it often tastes worse. read more

Some contribute to its taste, some to its aroma, and some (mostly caffeine) to its kick. The sheer variety of chemicals, and their differing amounts in different coffee beans, is what gives coffee its complex flavors. And it is this complexity that explains why decaf doesn’t really taste like its caffeine-filled cousin. read more

Specialty coffee people know that one must roast decaf coffee differently than regular coffee, so they do. The result from starting with quality beans and specialty roasting is you can achieve a cup of decaf that many cannot taste as being different than regular coffee. read more

In order to see if our tasters could really tell the difference between regular coffee and decaf coffee, we tasted the same roast, from the same establishment, prepared two different ways -- hot and iced. read more