Symposium Coffee Roasters Decaf

Symposium Coffee Roasters are based in Norwich, Norfolk.

Launching their first coffee in 2020 they are going from strength to strength.

We reviewed one of their wonderful Kenyan coffee in December, which had some great feedback.

The owner Steve has a real passion for high-quality coffee and is helping spread the word of speciality coffee in Norwich and throughout the UK.

Symposium source the majority of their coffee from East Africa. A region that is famed in the speciality coffee scene for producing world-class washed coffees that produce some extraordinary flavour notes, however, it is also a region of poverty and exploitation of people and the land.

Symposiums sustainable coffee sourcing model focuses on direct trade & sourcing through carefully selected coffee importers that encourage producers to improve the quality of their coffees meaning a higher price.

This can make a huge difference to household incomes as well as protecting the forests in East Africa. When farmers can build profitable coffee businesses, they don’t have to clear trees to create space for agriculture.

Join the Club

While sourcing coffees that are sustainable in coffee-growing countries is incredibly important so too is the responsibility of businesses in consuming countries to be environmentally friendly.

They use Dutch coffee Pack bags that invest in CO2-reducing projects in coffee-growing countries so the emissions that are needed to produce their bags are compensated.

Another big talking point in the coffee industry from an environmental standpoint is coffee roasting. In many cases, it is a huge gas-powered oven heated to over 200 degrees.

Symposium, however, use a Giesen W6E electric roaster which is cleaner, more sustainable and does not emit any noxious gasses compared to a gas roaster.

We sip and slurp coffee from all over the world. Discover which of these were our teams favourite.

The Origin

The El Buho decaf coffee from Symposium coffee roasters originates from the Tolima region of Colombia.

A country that has coffee running through its veins is also at the forefront of coffee innovation, with many techniques unique to Colombia producing some fascinating results.

The decaffeination process of this coffee is often described as the ’natural process’. This sugarcane process uses ethyl-acetate as a selective solvent to remove caffeine from the green coffee, this is a naturally occurring organic compound produced by the fermentation of fruits.

By using the ethyl-acetate produced by the sugarcane industry, the decaffeination process is conducted locally and in country, ensuring the reducing of the carbon footprint of the coffee.