Descamex's water-based decaf: steamed beans lose caffeine to a saturated solution of coffee solubles, with no solvent named.
The Mountain Water Process is Descamex's water-based decaffeination method. The company describes steaming the beans, extracting caffeine with a water-based saturated solution of coffee's soluble solids under controlled flow, temperature, pressure and vacuum, drying gently in a triple drying system, and polishing. Descamex says it has operated since 1981 and also offers a methylene chloride European Method. The page read does not explain the name.
How it worksDescamex describes four stages: steaming and preparing the beans, extracting caffeine with a water-based saturated solution of coffee's soluble solids under controlled flow, temperature, pressure and vacuum, gentle drying in a triple drying system, and polishing.
Step by step
- 01
Steam and prepare the beans.
- 02
Extract caffeine with a saturated solution of coffee solubles.
- 03
Dry gently in a triple drying system.
- 04
Polish the beans.
History
Descamex says it has operated since 1981. It also offers a separate European Method using methylene chloride.
Our notes on Mountain Water Process are still being checked against their sources, so for now this page shows only the facts we can stand behind.
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Sources · 1 Every sentence here was checked against a source we read. Taste notes are what guides describe, not promises about your bag. Last revised 2026-09-30. Some details here are less settled than others.
- Mountain Water Process · Descamex