Having never been too much of coffee drinker before I discovered the joys of Keurig coffee makers, I was largely of the opinion that decaf coffee was pretty much pointless.  I mean, if it’s not going to wake you up in the morning, why bother?  Over the last few months, however, I’ve found myself craving coffee later and later into the day.  If I’m going to drink coffee at 9 PM, I’m left with 2 options; stay up half the night, or drink decaf.  With an alarm that goes off before 6AM, the latter seems like the way to go.

My sample of Caribou Decaf was provided by K-Cup Challenge sponsor, Shoffee.com.  For the most part, I’ve been very happy with varieties of tried from Shoffee, and as I guy solidly on board with the Caribou Blend (caffeinated), I would be plenty happy if the decaf variety amounted to more of the same.

The Description

Achieving balance in life is a challenge. Caribou Coffees signature blend meets that challenge, balancing a big-bodied, syrupy taste with a clean, snappy finish. The secret of this blends relaxed complexity is a rich hearty Indonesian bean, perfectly proportioned with Central American and South American varieties for lively fruit tones.

The Aroma

The aroma of Caribou Blend Decaf should be instantly recognizable for those who have already tried the regular variety. Most prevalent in the aroma are the velvety fruit notes.

Drinking it Black

Caribou Blend Decaf is smokey, and fairly acidic; although I didn’t notice until way after the finish. There is a slight bitterness that lingers a bit, but it’s not a deal-breaker or anything. As far as the flavor itself is concerned…it starts a bit nutty and finishes with the same touch of fruit that is present in the aroma.

While it’s certainly more than palatable black, I definitely prefer this blend with cream and sugar.

With Cream and Sugar

Just as with the caribou blend, the decaf plays very nicely with cream and sugar and makes for a very pleasant cup of coffee. It’s definitely a step above what you’ll find at your local big box coffee factory.

Final Thoughts

Fans of Caribou coffee, and more specifically the “Caribou Blend” will feel right at home with this decaf offering. I’m hard pressed to tell the difference between the two, which means there’s no need to trade a good cup of coffee for a good night’s sleep. Admittedly, this is the first decaf I’ve written a review for, but it’s among my favorites of the k-cup decaf varieties that have found their way into my B70.

Shameless Plug

I’ve running out ways to say this (which could be a problem because I’ve still got about 150 K-Cup varieties to try), but I’d really appreciate it if you’d support merchants like Shoffee.com who, through their generosity in providing samples, make the K-Cup Challenge possible.

Joe and the team at Shoffee have everything to meet your K-Cup needs, including Caribou Blend Decaf, and a complete selection of Keurig Brewers.  While browsing Shoffee.com make sure you check out their cupoftheweek blog for weekly deals on Keurig K-Cups.

While you here, check out the growing list of reviews in my K-Cup Challenge.

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