WICKED JOEOrganic Coffee French Decaf, Whole Bean, 12 Ounce

I had been searching for a water processed decaf that is as good or better than Starbucks Verona decaf. This is it. For years I've bought Verona decaf, or if it's not available Pike Place decaf because they were a darker, richer roast than any other decaf I could find including Pete's, Tully's Trader Joes, and Whole Foods. But Starbucks is not water processed. Plus I don't like supporting Starbucks--too political. So glad I found Wicked Joe. It is every bit as good as Verona, maybe a bit better. And it's better for you.

I normally have just one caffeinated flat white in the morning to get me going, but lately, I've had a craving for an espresso drink in the afternoon, too. Since my local Safeway doesn't carry much in the way of decaf whole bean varieties, I decided to check Amazon and am glad I did. After looking at countless brands and reading a ton of reviews, I settled on Wicked Joe's French roasted decaf. Color me impressed. It smells delicious and tastes even better. If someone served me this without telling me it was decaf, I wouldn't have guessed. I like it just as much if not more than my caffeinated bean of choice. I will continue to purchase this for the foreseeable future. YUM! Since I only drink espresso with steamed milk, I can't speak to how this would taste brewed using other methods, but I can't imagine it being any less tasty.

Since my body turned on me I've been engaged in a long search for truly good decaf. Faced with COVID quantities of down time I've been ordering different higher-rated beans, experimenting with grind and brewing parameters to optimize each. With proper brewing this coffee comes in to its own, achieving satisfying strength and flavor with interesting aromas - I'm using an AeroPress with a metal filter, 170 degree F water for 2 min. and a medium-fine grind but experiment to find your sweet spot.

I went through company after company looking for a bold decaf that was ...decaf, others would still have too much caffeine in them and give me jitters, or would be bitter. I buy this in NH and live in FL in winter, was SO happy they put this on Amazon to purchase and the price beats what is in the store. It comes wrapped up in plastic and that helps to keep it fresh and save the package from punctures. Buy it you won't regret it.

My doctor wants me to drink decaf instead of regular. I drink Starbucks French Roast Whole Bean which I grind and do a pour over coffee. This Decaf has a good bite to it; and it tastes strong. It is a Dark Roast. Since Starbucks French Roast is dark and smokey I wanted something that comes somewhat close; this coffee fits the bill. I enjoy it and most likely will order again

I have tried so so many french blends, dark roasts, and decaf variations of such. Some are bitter or lighter than I would like. Some are weaker or have too much chocolate notes. The perfect coffee, in my personal opinion, is a Smokey smooth dark roast. This coffee is exactly that. I brewed mine in a French press the day after grinding the beans, which allows me to up the strength by letting it brew longer. For the first time brewing in a press I let it brew about 10 minutes, which is the minimum. And it was excellent. I may push to the 15-20 mark for a stronger taste. I normally drink Starbucks dark French roast. This coffee is the PERFECT alternative. I am one happy individual.

For the price point I expected a burned taste. While there are carbon notes in the finish, it's not a harsh detractor from the experience but instead gently compliments the bold flavors that make up most of the flavor. This is an exceptional coffee.

I had to change over to decaf coffee for health reasons. I was concerned that the coffee wouldn't taste as good or be as strong as the regular coffee I had been drinking, yet, this coffee was a fantastic find. Flavor is rich and bold, just as I like it. I have now purchased this a couple of times and will buy it again.