“Coffee is for everyone – caffeine isn’t.”
This is the operating motto of Talking Crow Coffee Roasters, and it might as well be written on the walls here at DecafLife HQ. Talking Crow is at the forefront of a modern decaf boom that sees roasters offering not just one decaf option, but making decaf the focus of the company overall.
Talking Crow Coffee Roasters was founded in 2017 by married couple Carol and Eric. Carol was diagnosed with extreme adrenal fatigue after giving birth to her eighth baby, and her doctor told her to cut caffeine out of her diet. Carol made it her mission to roast decaf coffee that was every bit as complex, rich, and varied as caffeinated coffee can be.
Eric still drinks caffeinated coffee, and Talking Crow also sells caffeinated beans. Many companies advertise their decaf roasts by stating that it tastes just as good as their caffeinated options. At Talking Crow, it’s their caffeinated coffee that you can be assured tastes as good as their amazing decaf.
In an interview with DecafLife, Carol explained to us how the company convinced coffee drinkers to try decaf. They regularly set up at farmers markets in Washington State, where the roaster was founded, and offered free samples to customers. “Because we had roasted coffee for sale that was both regular and decaf,” Carol explains, “most assumed they were tasting regular.” Customers were amazed to find out they were drinking decaf. “Word spread FAST and before we knew it, people were seeking us out for their decaf needs,” Carol tells us. Stories like this show how well Talking Crow bridges the divide between caffeinated and decaf drinkers, and it reminds us that great coffee is great coffee no matter its caffeine content.
Talking Crow is also committed to lowering their carbon footprint by roasting all their beans in a fluid bed air roaster. This electrically powered roaster doesn’t require the fossil fuels that gas or propane do. Carol tells us that they’re currently working on biodegradable packaging options as well.
The roaster also goes above and beyond in offering information about their beans to their consumers, something we always appreciate seeing. All of their decaf offerings are decaffeinated using the Swiss Water Process.
In 2023, Talking Crow moved from Washington to Arkansas, causing them to briefly pause taking orders. As of February 2024, we’re happy to say they’ve reopened! Now is a perfect time to try out some of their offerings.
During our interview, Carol told us something that resonated with us just as much as her company’s motto: “decaf drinkers are the real coffee connoisseurs, after all, they drink coffee solely for the flavor.” As she puts it, decaf drinkers know their stuff. They know the origin and the tasting notes of their coffee. When you approach your coffee as a drink, not as a caffeine delivery system, you build a deeper understanding and appreciation for it. We might have to put that on our office walls too!
