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SCORE 7/10
El Meridiano Decaf from Redemption Roasters offers a robust take on decaf coffee, proving that you can keep the richness without the caffeine.
This coffee, hailing from the Tolima region of Colombia, is produced by a cooperative of local farmers and offers a taste profile that balances sweet chocolate and molasses with a touch of crisp apple and caramel.
It’s a decaf that doesn’t compromise on flavour or ethical standards. We like it.
EXPERTS REVIEW
[insert Joes review here]NOT EXPERT REVIEW
Smell: Fruity and sweet when ground, dark like Italian coffee coffee
Flavour: There’s elements of fruit on the top but it feels dislodged from a dark roast coffee undertone. Not as well balance as some decafs, but nice none-the-less
Creme: Lots
Taste after 30 days: Fine
Taste when cold: no better, actually a bit bitter, weirdly.
NOT COFFEE REVIEW
Packaging: Nice enough, clean. Logo is nice
Sustainability: Big social score, working with prisoners.
Roast date listed: Yes, and a Best Before Date listed too.
ESSENTIAL INFORMATION
Country (with commentary): Colombia
Region: Huila
Producers: 20+ blend
Varietal: Castiolo, Caturra, Colombia -1500-1750ft
Process: Washed, Sugarcane Decaffeination
Blend/ Single origin: Blend
ABOUT THE ROASTER
Redemption Roasters is a coffee company with a distinctive approach to business; they stand out in the coffee industry by integrating social rehabilitation into their operations.
They combine high-quality coffee production with a strong social mission: reducing reoffending through training and employing prisoners in the UK.
The journey of Redemption Roasters began at HMYOI Aylesbury, a young offenders’ institute, where they established their first roastery. Recognising the limited job training opportunities within prisons, which often restrict inmates to roles in cleaning or cooking, Redemption Roasters set out to change this by providing a more stimulating and beneficial skill set through specialty coffee production and training.
Their work extends from the young offenders’ institute to HMP The Mount, which houses their commercial-scale roastery, allowing inmates to engage in and learn the entire coffee production process, from roasting to logistics1.
This unique integration of social purpose and business has allowed Redemption Roasters to tap into a new workforce, offering offenders not just employment but a career path post-release. The ethos of their sourcing strategy is similarly aligned with empowerment and social justice.
They source coffee from regions and producers who face social challenges, such as former paramilitary farmers in Colombia who are transitioning away from conflict and crime towards sustainable coffee production. They also work to decolonise the industry by empowering indigenous communities and promoting gender equality by buying from and supporting female coffee producers1.
The brand’s impact goes beyond the prison walls, offering a range of specialty coffees that have a narrative of transformation and quality.
Their coffee offerings include single-origin coffees with unique profiles, like those from Guatemala and Nicaragua, which feature complex flavours and notes23. The company’s partnership with CAP UK, which facilitates art programs for prisoners, also emphasises their commitment to the holistic rehabilitation of prisoners by engaging them in creative outlets and using this art to decorate their coffee shops4.
