The Best 9 Decaf Blends For Coffee Lovers To Sip On

The world is full of two types of people: the coffee addicts—the ones who need caffeine and the sweet smell of that bean juice in the morning to survive. And then there are those who don’t need, like, or want coffee.

But this divide doesn’t cover a third type of person: the decaf lover. Decaf fans like the taste of coffee but don’t need the energy boost, or perhaps prefer to enjoy a cup of joe in the evening when caffeine wouldn’t be ideal.

Either way, there are a few rules to follow when brewing your decaf that will make for the best cup. First, look for a water-processed blend. “They're more flavorful and cleaner than chemical-processed coffees, and also degrade in quality more slowly over time,” said Jiyoon Han, a Q grader—basically the sommelier of the coffee world—and owner of Bean & Bean Coffee.

"Water-processed" means water is used as a solvent for caffeine as opposed to other chemicals. "Water-processed coffees have cleaner, more pleasant flavors," said Zoey Thorson of the Barista Guild, a community of professional baristas. "These are my favorites, especially for home use, where it may take a couple weeks to get through a bag of beans."

When it comes to the grind, go coarse. “The decaffeination process lessens the density of the beans," Thorson said, "so they extract all their flavor quickly, hence the need for bigger particles.”

And keep it fresh. “As with regular coffee, fresh roasted and fresh ground is best,” Han said. “It's suggested that all coffee is better when consumed closer to when it is roasted.”

If you’re on the hunt for the best blends of decaf to sip on morning, noon, or night, here are 9 brands to check out.