There’s nothing quite like rounding off a good dinner with an exceptional coffee. The rich flavours and familiar aromas can make it the perfect nightcap.
Having an espresso at the end of a meal is a well-known feature of Italian gastronomic culture, while in France a black coffee served after dining is more than acceptable. But in Australia many of us avoid caffeine late in the evening – or sometimes at any point of the day.
At Nespresso, our answer has been to refine our decaffeinated range: one that still maintains the taste and quality of our other coffees. We’ve done this by using two natural decaffeination processes: 1) by using water to dissolve the caffeine gradually and organically; and 2) by using carbon dioxide to cross through the coffee beans and extract the caffeine that way. This removes almost all the caffeine from the coffee beans before we roast them. The process after that – of roasting and blending – is just the same. Learn more about decaf cafe here.
As a result, the taste of our final coffee blends are unchanged: sample our popular Arpeggio capsule and the decaf Arpeggio side by side, for example, and you won’t be able to tell the difference. That makes our decaffeinated range the ideal option to enjoy late at night, and also at any time during the day. We’ve drawn up a list of the best page-turning books with our friends at Booktopia to enjoy with it.
We offer decaffeinated versions of many of our popular capsules. Here’s a guide to six of them.
Vertuo Altissio Decaffeinato
Full-bodied, creamy and bold, the Vertuo Altissio Decaffeinato coffee pod is just like the Vertuo Altissio, but without one crucial element: the caffeine. This is a blend sourced from the lush farmlands of Latin America and Brazil, comprising a decadent mix of Arabica and Robusta beans. That means bold cocoa notes, soft hints of cereal and a thick crema that lays on top of the extracted coffee.
Against that sweetness and smoothness, the Altissio Decaffeinato pod offers rich, roasty notes. Pour it with silk-smooth frothed milk for a cappuccino you’ll want to savour.
Original Arpeggio Decaffeinato
Sibling to the Arpeggio – Australia’s favourite coffee capsule – the Original Arpeggio Decaffeinato offers everything that makes the former such a favourite, minus the caffeine. So expect to find that same robust roastiness and bitterness, as well as the bold and energising flavours that make the Arpeggio an Australian favourite. Those tastes include a beautiful combination of fruity and cocoa notes: notes that stand out without ever being overwhelming. This is a blend that works just as well black or white. Pour it as an espresso or long black to delight in its intensity, or mix with milk to bring out its essential sweetness.
Vertuo Melozio Decaffeinato
The Vertuo Melozio Decaffeinato coffee capsule offers a burst of honeyed sweetness and smooth cereal notes. And as it’s a decaf, we’ve removed the caffeine before the roasting process began. But you’ll notice from a single taste that we’ve managed to preserve the gorgeous buzz of the original Melozio. Much of that is down to the pod’s biscuity sweetness, which jumps out even more when you add milk.
Original Volluto Decaffeinato
Made from a blend of Brazilian and Colombian Arabica coffee beans, the Original Volluto Decaffeinato is as sweet and light as the sunny Latin American climes from which it originated. This is a beautifully balanced coffee that’s lower on intensity and offers distinct sweet cereal and fruity notes. It’s the perfect antidote to a hard day: a blend that’s ideal for winding down in the evening. Preferably with a good book in hand. If you’re a fan of sweetness, add frothed milk to really bring alive those biscuity and caramel notes. Or pour it black for a slightly more intense – albeit decaffeinated – experience.
Vertuo Fortado Decaffeinato
If you’re searching for a long decaffeinated blend that’s lost none of its intensity in the process, look no further. The Vertuo Fortado Decaffeinato is the most intense coffee in the Gran Lungo range, and it’s a beauty. The mix of Indian Robusta and Colombian Arabica coffee beans we’ve selected have been split roasted, and each given a long roast, to help create rich, dark, woody flavours and distinct aromatics. This is a blend that feels perfectly rounded at the edges, highlighted by the Fortado’s sumptuous, velvety crema. Enjoy as a long black, or add a little milk to draw out its sweetness.
Original Ristretto Decaffeinato
The inspiration for the Original Ristretto Decaffeinato isn’t hard to guess: this is a classic, deeply intense, Italian-style coffee blend. The kind you’d find being served at any traditional espresso bar this side of Rome. We’ve roasted our own perfect version, creating a pod that’s packed with flavour and intensity, with character and charm, with a smoky roastiness and a pleasing bitterness. All without the caffeine. There are hints of fruitiness in there as well, which will jump out beautifully whether you opt to enjoy black or with milk.
Booktopia book recommendations
While a cup of decaffeinated coffee isn’t likely to keep you up long into the night, an unputdownable book might well do.
We’ve partnered with our friends at Booktopia to devise a list of the most addictive page-turners available right now.
They include Home Before Night – a nerve-jangling thriller about a mother’s race against time to find her son – from New Zealand-Australian author J.P. Pomare. And Killing Moon, the latest detective novel by bestselling crime thriller writer, Jo Nesbo.
Check out the full list here to find the title you’ll likely still be reading way past your bedtime.
