Onyx Decaf Colombia Inzá San Antonio review: a fruit-led decaf for filter and espresso

Onyx identifies the coffee as a blend of micro-lots from San Antonio in Inzá, Cauca, selected for decaffeination. Its summary labels Colombia, Caturra and Bourbon, washed process and a February 2024 harvest. The page is available now, but that old harvest field does not establish the harvest, varieties or age of the packet a US buyer will receive in November 2026. Ask Onyx for the present lot if crop identity matters, and use the physical roast date to judge the bag. This is the whole-bean product, not Onyx's separate instant decaf. [1]

Onyx says green coffee is steamed, exposed to sugarcane-derived ethyl acetate, washed and dried. This is the roaster's process description, not a Coffeedant inspection of the decaffeination facility. The module displays 24 mg caffeine per 12 oz. Brewing dose, drink volume and lot can change actual intake; decaf is not a promise of zero caffeine. Someone with a strict medical limit should seek product-specific advice rather than treating that module as their own measured dose. [1]

The roaster lists red apple, raw sugar, pear and maple, calls the roast Expressive Dark and displays a ground Agtron #99. Those labels tell you the intended direction; they do not mean that Coffeedant tasted apple or measured roast color. Onyx positions the bag for both filter and espresso. Its regional-lot description and old harvest field are reasons to expect possible change across purchases, even if the product name remains. [1]

Arne Preuss at Coffeeness says he bought this exact decaf for a pour-over comparison and reports a favorable cup with some roast character but enough intrinsic sweetness. That is his tasting of a bag at his publication time, not our tasting or a controlled assessment of the current batch. A 2026 Reddit owner gives useful counterevidence: in an oat-milk and maple iced latte they found the coffee's flavor overpowering. That is one self-selected recipe and palate, but it argues against promising a mild milk-drink result. [3] [4]

For a Kalita Wave, Onyx lists 25 g coffee to 400 g water at 206°F, a 1:16 input ratio, a 653 µm grind target and about 4:20 total drain. Pour stages matter to this recipe; its listed grind number is a reference, not a universal grinder dial. If your basket, water or grinder differs, treat the recipe as a measured starting point and record what changes the cup. Do not import this ratio into an espresso basket. [1]

For espresso, Onyx lists 18 g in and 45 g out, with a 24-second 9-bar segment after a short low-pressure start. That is a longer beverage ratio than a 1:2 shot. Different machines may not reproduce its pressure profile, so save dose and yield first and dial grind to the actual machine. A Fellow Aiden owner called an earlier bag a favorite when they first got the brewer, but their report does not validate the present lot or either of Onyx's published recipes. [1] [5]

Onyx says direct online coffee is roasted to order on weekdays and gives opened-bag storage guidance. That policy does not establish a reseller packet's roast date or the crop now in the bag. Inspect the seal and roast date on delivery, keep the beans closed away from heat and moisture, and grind near brewing. A smaller initial purchase limits waste if the fruit-led direction is wrong for your routine. [2]

The accessible product cart did not expose a reliable selected US whole-bean size and checkout total during this check. Confirm the exact size, shipping, tax and any subscription terms before ordering. A listed green-coffee cost or historic harvest on the page is not the retail price or a current-bag freshness measurement. No numeric price or discount is claimed here. [1]

Its strongest case is specificity: Onyx names the regional sourcing and EA method and publishes both filter and espresso starts. That can save experimentation for a household splitting decaf between a dripper and a machine. It does not remove the need for two grind settings, nor does it prove that a particular batch will match the roaster's notes or Coffeeness's earlier cup. [1] [3]

If you mostly make sweet iced lattes and want a quieter coffee base, the recent owner objection deserves weight. Stumptown Trapper Creek Decaf is an existing Coffeedant alternative that Stumptown positions for drip and espresso using a different, Swiss Water process. The decaf buying guide compares more exact bags by brewing method. Neither internal link is a claimed blind taste win against this Onyx bag. [4] [6] [7]

Choose a practical US whole-bean size, inspect the delivered roast date and ask about the current lot if harvest or cultivar matters. Start with the published Kalita or espresso recipe for your actual brewer, not both at one grind setting. Record the drink you normally make. The useful decision is whether this bag’s fruit-and-sugar direction fits that cup; a past independent pour-over tasting and one owner’s iced-latte objection cannot predict your own result.

Choose this Onyx decaf if an apple-and-sugar target and EA processing appeal, especially for Kalita or an adjustable espresso setup. Choose a different decaf if the priority is a neutral milk-drink base or Swiss Water processing. Power Nap is a half-caf Onyx blend, not a decaf substitute for a strict caffeine target. The product name alone cannot settle how the latest seasonal lot will taste. [1] [4] [6]

A reasonable first purchase is the smallest practical US whole-bean size, followed by a logged brew with actual bag date and recipe. Reorder only if the cup and delivered cost justify it for your routine. One independent positive pour-over account and a negative iced-latte account are both useful context, but they are different drinks and batches and do not form a representative satisfaction rate. [3] [4]

This is a research-led editorial assessment. Roaster records establish the listed product identity, composition and stated brew guidance. Independent reports and individual owners, where cited, supply limited context from their own bags and setups. Coffeedant did not buy, brew or taste this coffee, measure extraction or independently verify a farm lot.

Sources were checked through November 12, 2026. Price, stock, composition and roast date should be rechecked for the bag and seller you choose.