Split shot: The rise of the half-caf

A trend that’s in the early phases of adoption is the rise of half-decaf/half caffeinated coffee blends. It’s not just in your Starbucks latte anymore – in some spots you can get it right in the bag. A trend that gives customers the option to enjoy a bit of caffeine in the afternoon without staring at the ceiling late at night. Or a better morning brew for those coffee drinkers who love coffee but hate the jittery feeling that can come from a fully caffeinated cup. Termed a “split shot”, you’re essentially replacing half the caffeinated coffee with decaf to balance out the mix. It’s especially popular for those that are paying close attention to their caffeine consumption.

In fact, Swiss Water Decaf, one of the most prominent decaf roasters in the world, just challenged international roasters to create the best tasting half-caf blend this summer. We didn’t participate in that one, but it did get me thinking about the spectrum of caf/decaf blends and how there might be more to the idea, versus the typical either/or scenario. And for those that are caffeine conscious, this type of roast could help bridge the gap from simply switching to full decaf all the time. 

I’ve started to see more roasters and cafes look holistically at their cafe to decaf offerings, offering more decaf drinks than just a traditional drip roast. I think we’re still a ways away from having decaf options as a prominent piece of a coffee companies roasted options, and you still aren’t seeing many roasted blended half-caf available for sale in bags, at least not yet. 

What do you think? Would you buy half-caf blends if we offered it?