What Is Sugarcane Decaf? The Ethyl Acetate Process Explained

Decaf labels have become surprisingly detailed. Next to “Swiss Water” and “CO2,” you will now often see “sugarcane process” or “EA decaf,” especially on Colombian coffees. What is sugarcane decaf? It is green coffee decaffeinated with ethyl acetate (EA), a naturally occurring compound that, for this process, is produced by fermenting sugarcane. The solvent binds to caffeine and carries it out of the beans, which are then steamed to remove the remaining EA before roasting.

The method has a reputation for keeping a sweet, fruity character. Here is how it works, what it means for safety and taste, and how it stacks up against other decaf methods.

Key takeaways

• Sugarcane decaf uses ethyl acetate made from fermented sugarcane to remove caffeine from green coffee.
• At the best-known plant, Descafecol in Colombia, the process removes at least 97% of the caffeine.
• Ethyl acetate is permitted for decaffeination in the US and the EU, and it occurs naturally in fruit, wine and beer.
• It is one of four main decaf methods; Swiss Water and CO2 use no added chemical solvent.

In this article

1. What is sugarcane decaf?
2. The process step by step
3. Is ethyl acetate decaf safe?
4. How sugarcane decaf tastes
5. Sugarcane vs Swiss Water vs CO2 vs methylene chloride
6. FAQ

What is sugarcane decaf?

Ethyl acetate is a simple ester, the same family of compounds that gives many fruits their aroma. It forms naturally during fermentation and is part of what makes young wine smell fruity. Because it can be produced by fermenting sugars, a decaf plant located in sugarcane country can source it locally.

That is exactly what happens in Colombia. Descafecol, the only decaffeination plant in Colombia’s Andean coffee region, uses ethyl acetate from sugarcane producers in Palmira, in the Cauca Valley, and water from the Nevado del Ruiz volcano. Coffee grown nearby can be decaffeinated without being shipped overseas first, which is part of why so many Colombian decafs carry the “sugarcane” label.

Two naming notes:

• “Natural decaf.” Some sellers use this phrase because the EA comes from a natural fermentation. It is a marketing term, not a technical category.
• “EA process.” The same chemistry can use synthetic ethyl acetate. “Sugarcane” tells you where the solvent came from.

For a broader overview of how caffeine is removed, see our guide on how decaf coffee is made.

The process step by step

This is the sequence Descafecol’s importers describe:

1. Steaming. Green beans are steamed at very low pressure to remove the silver skin and start opening the bean structure.
2. Moistening. Hot water soaks the beans so they swell and soften. This loosens caffeine, which in coffee is partly bound to chlorogenic acid salts.
3. Extraction. Ethyl acetate is circulated through the beans repeatedly, dissolving caffeine, until at least 97% has been removed.
4. Solvent removal. Low-pressure saturated steam strips out the remaining ethyl acetate.
5. Drying. The beans are vacuum-dried in drums back to about 10–12% moisture, similar to regular green coffee.
6. Cooling and polishing. Fans cool the beans, and a light coating of carnauba wax protects them from humidity during storage and shipping.

After that, the coffee is roasted like any other green coffee. Roasting reaches temperatures far above ethyl acetate’s boiling point of about 77 °C (171 °F), so any trace left after steaming has every chance to evaporate.

Is ethyl acetate decaf safe?

Ethyl acetate is permitted as a decaffeination solvent by food regulators on both sides of the Atlantic:

• In the US, FDA regulations (21 CFR 173.228) list ethyl acetate as a solvent that may be used to decaffeinate coffee and tea.
• In the EU, Directive 2009/32/EC lists ethyl acetate among permitted extraction solvents for food, including decaffeination.

It also occurs naturally in many foods, including bananas, apples, wine and beer, and it is widely used as a flavoring. The steam stripping and roasting steps leave very little behind.

The decaf safety debate in recent years has centered on a different solvent, methylene chloride. The FDA allows it for decaffeination with a residue limit of 10 parts per million, but some consumer groups have petitioned for that approval to be revoked. If you want to avoid it, look for decaf labeled sugarcane/EA, Swiss Water or CO2. Our article on caffeine in decaf explains how much caffeine remains in a typical cup.

How sugarcane decaf tastes

Every decaf method removes some flavor compounds along with caffeine, and the starting coffee matters more than the method. That said, roasters often describe sugarcane decafs as:

• sweet, with caramel, panela or brown sugar notes
• softly fruity, sometimes with red apple, citrus or tropical hints
• round and creamy, with moderate acidity

Some tasters notice a faint fruity or “winey” note that they associate with the EA process. Others cannot tell it apart from a regular washed Colombian. Since Colombia grows plenty of sweet, balanced coffee, the reputation is also partly about the beans that go in. Our guide to Colombian coffee covers that profile.

Sugarcane vs Swiss Water vs CO2 vs methylene chloride

Which one should you choose?

• Want the most natural-sounding label and sweetness: sugarcane/EA.
• Want no added solvent at all: Swiss Water or another water process, or CO2.
• Want the best taste: focus on freshness and the origin; a fresh decaf beats a stale one regardless of method.

Our decafs

Feel Espresso’s decafs use water processes. Peru Decaf is a Swiss Water Process single origin from the Norandino cooperative, with caramel, citrus and a smooth body. Decaf Espresso is water-process decaf roasted dark for rich, chocolatey shots, and Half Caf blends regular coffee with water-process decaf for half the caffeine. Like all our coffee, they are roasted 1–5 days before delivery, which matters even more for decaf, since it can taste flat sooner.

Sugarcane decaf FAQ

Is sugarcane decaf caffeine-free?

No decaf is fully caffeine-free. The Descafecol process removes at least 97% of the caffeine, so a cup still contains a small amount.

Does sugarcane decaf taste sweet?

It adds no sugar. Many tasters find it sweet and fruity, partly because of the process and partly because of the Colombian coffees often used.

Is sugarcane decaf better than Swiss Water?

Neither is objectively better. EA decaf uses a naturally occurring solvent; Swiss Water uses none. Taste depends mostly on the beans and freshness.

Can you smell ethyl acetate in the coffee?

Generally no. The solvent is steamed out, and roasting drives off volatile traces. Any fruitiness comes from the coffee’s own aroma compounds.

Sources

1. Colombia Descafecol Cauca Decaf (process description), InterAmerican Coffee.
2. 21 CFR 173.228 Ethyl acetate, US Code of Federal Regulations.
3. 21 CFR 173.255 Methylene chloride, US Code of Federal Regulations.
4. Directive 2009/32/EC on extraction solvents, European Union.
5. Decaffeination methods, Kaffeemacher.

Facts checked in October 2026.

Keep reading: Why coffee makes me tired · Caffeine and sleep · Single Origins