Here’s to Colombia! I return to this origin again and again, because it always gives me complex cups with unique personalities depending on the brewing method.
Colombia is one of today’s leading producers, hovering at number two in sheer production and adding up to a whopping 10% of global coffee exports. It’s far from a quality over quantity situation, though, and this origin has been my favorite for a while now. Onyx Coffee Lab, Counter Culture Coffee and Methodical Coffee are just a few of the incredible single origin and specialty decaf coffee bags I’ve tried from this country.
Colombian coffee is often sweet and nuanced, boasting a wide medley of flavors and often creamy, heavy mouthfeels. I can’t get enough.
What does Ruby Coffee Roasters add to Colombia’s reputation? Does it hold up among today’s best single origin decaf coffee? Let’s take a look at this leading origin and why it remains a powerhouse. If you want to see more on quality decaf coffee, check out my recent review on Methodical Coffee’s Decaf Cauca.
Without further ado:
Origin
This single origin decaf coffee bag hails from the Cauca region in Colombia. This slice of land is considered absolutely perfect for growing coffee, boasting the volcanic soil and high altitude needed to bring consistently high-quality harvests.
Coffee quality is a discussion that depends heavily on the drinker — one person’s trash is another person’s treasure — but usually means a mix of strong flavor and few defects. If you’ve ever had coffee that tasted stale, bland or even funny, that was likely a commodity batch from a bad harvest or a squandered bag from a lackluster roaster.
The best single origin decaf coffee combines consistent climate, the skill of experienced farmers and careful handling to arrive impeccable at your doorstep. A fresh roast with a fresh grind doesn’t hurt, either.
After a while you can easily taste the difference.
Roaster
Ruby Coffee Roasters is a microroaster from Wisconsin, starting out small and gradually expanding to include a tasting room and larger shipping houses.
They’re currently rehauling their business model to accommodate the pandemic, shutting down in-person gatherings and focusing on shipping out their coffee locally and nationally. Their portfolio ticks off many of today’s leading producers, including Colombia and Ethiopia.
They do, however, have a bag from the Democratic Republic Of Congo, which is an origin I’d love to try someday. How often do you hear about Congolese coffee?
Packaging
This coffee packaging feels like a cute, old-timey advertisement in the corner of my eye. You know the ones, where they go for bubbly graphics and a strict less-is-more approach.
The business name is packed into a speech bubble, with the red, white and green hearkening to a classic apple. Packaging design is a delicate balance between flexible and still needing a few basic rules to ensure it’s doing its job. This bag makes sure to have all the information front and center. You have the origin, the flavor notes, the roast date, the bean variety and the processing method, among others.
The fine details can be a contentious point in coffee culture, particularly when it comes to routine snootiness, but all the details that go into making coffee are incredibly important.
Coffee production is a lot of work and the very reason why the bag tastes so memorable. It’s no coincidence the best single origin decaf coffee I’ve tried had a strong visual approach that caught the eye and effectively translated the foundation of the business.
Speaking of which!
Aroma
Marvelous! Outstanding! Delicious!
My instant thoughts popping the bag open and taking in my first breath. The beans are sweet and bright, filling up the room in an instant (and making me consider adding some sort of coffee potpourri to my bedroom).
I really catch the apple here, with a little of that honey. It’s the kind of bag I’d use to show a newcomer just how varied the classic coffee scent can get.
Mouthfeel/Roast Level
This is a medium-roast single origin decaf coffee. The mouthfeel is a little on the creamier side all around, though the pourover is quintessentially thinnest and smoothest.
Flavor Notes
Oh, this one was delicious. I never wanted it to end.
This single origin decaf coffee bag boasts a range of flavor notes: red apple, dark fudge, honey and caramel. I was expecting vivid sweetness and it more than delivered. It’s not sugary in the least, giving you that tight pop of fruit with a honeyed kick. The dark fudge is, characteristically, most pronounced in the Moka pot.
Milk and sugar adore this candied bag, its flavors strong enough to puncture through and keep your cup tasting distinct.
On top of smelling incredibly good and a solid mouthfeel across all brewing methods, I was satisfied all-around. What is the best single origin decaf coffee? This one is firmly on the list.
This proves the selling power of a carefully tended single origin: an experience that’s hard to get anywhere else. The closest bag I can compare this to is Olympia Coffee’s Decaf Asterisk, another Colombian coffee with dominant sweet notes.
Final Verdict
Sweet and fruity fans, I’ve found one of the best single origin decaf coffees around.
Fruity, honeyed and impeccably sweet, this delectable decaf bag is a shining example of both the function of the single origin and the power of modern decaffeination methods. The chocolate fudge takes a little bit of a backseat here unless you have a Moka pot (keeping the bag humble, I presume), but I heartily recommend it even if you’re a strict fan of chocolate notes. It’s just that good.
This is further cementing my goal to get a classic espresso machine so I can really get the full brunt of each bag I buy. Until then, I’m in good hands.
While this bag is no longer being sold, they have another specialty decaf bag from Aguacate in Colombia with cherry, milk chocolate and pear notes.
You can find Ruby Coffee Roasters at their site here.
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