Los Andinos is an ethyl acetate (EA) decaffeinated coffee from Colombia; we've chosen to purchase EA coffees because the cup quality greatly exceeds what we've tasted from other decaffeination processes. It's also unique in that it's a local process, with the coffee being decaffeinated in the same country it was produced.

Ethyl acetate is produced from mixing fermented sugar cane (plentiful in Colombia) with acetic acid (vinegar); the green, unroasted coffee is heated slightly (well below roasting temperatures), then soaked in the ethyl acetate solution to dissolve caffeine, then rinsed and heated again to remove any remaining ethyl acetate.

Because of the decaffeination process, the coffee can look dark and oily like a heavily roasted coffee, but don't be fooled: the cup character is dynamic and full of the dynamic, sweet flavors we seek in our coffees.