Facts about coffee and caffeine:
Caffeine varies between species of coffee trees. Arabica coffees contain about 1% caffeine by weight in green form, while robusta beans contain about 2% by weight
Decaffeination
All decaffeination methods must remove 97-99% of the caffeine present in order to be sold as decaffeinated. This means that decaffeinated coffees are, for all practical purposes, caffeine-free. While a cup of regular coffee might contain 100 mg or more of caffeine, a typical cup of decaffeinated coffee contains less than 3 mg of caffeine.
The beans at Alakef come decaffeinated a variety of ways. One of the common methods is the use of a solvent called dichloromethane. Also known as methylene chloride, this solvent is considered very safe. Most of the solvent comes off in the decaffeination process, and the rest burns off during the roasting process. In fact, according to Dr. Terry Mabbett, a contributor to Coffee and Cocoa International magazine, “Anything more than a trace amount of this solvent in a decaffeinated roast and the cupped infusion would defy the laws of physical chemistry” (Coffee and Cocoa International, 20-21 May/June 1999). Many roasters prefer this method because it results in a much better tasting cup of decaffeinated coffee.
Another method is the trademarked Swiss Water method. Also determined very safe, this process only uses water and charcoal to extract caffeine. Because it uses more water, the flavor can be affected, which is why roasters may choose to use other methods of decaffeination.
Caffeine
Surprisingly, the strength of the taste of coffee has nothing to do with the amount of caffeine it contains. Rather, caffeine content depends on the type of coffee, the degree of roast and the ratio of coffee to water used during the brewing process.