London Coffee Festival, Decaf, and the Rise of Coffee Without Compromise
Try the Decaf that became a London Coffee Festival highlight here
London Coffee Festival has always been a place where coffee people go to discover what is changing in the industry.
The coffee industry uses it as a check-in on old friends, and the consumer days are a great opportunity to try new coffees, new roasters and see what the new ideas are that are coming through. In recent years, one of the biggest shifts has been something that used to sit quietly in the background:
Decaf.
For years the closest you'd get to decaf at London Coffee Festival was a "death before decaf" T-shirt. Roasters wouldn't have brought it, they offered decaf because they had to not because it formed part of what they were excited about. No, London Coffee Festival was about showing off your best coffee - and nobody's best coffee was ever their decaf.
That is exactly why we created Nott Coffee.
Nott exists to prove that decaf can be beautiful. Not just acceptable. Not just “good for decaf”. But genuinely good coffee in its own right.
Decaf at London Coffee Festival
In previous years, we have taken Nott Coffee to London Coffee Festival and served decaf to thousands of people who did not expect to be impressed by it.
That has always been the fun part.
People would walk up curious, sometimes sceptical, sometimes openly doubtful. Then they would taste the coffee and realise that decaf had moved on.
Sweetness. Balance. Fruit. Body. Clarity. All the things people look for in speciality coffee just without the caffeine. We treat decaf the same way we treat regular coffee, and the proof is in the cup.
For many visitors, it became one of those unexpected festival moments: the stand they did not plan to visit, serving the coffee they did not expect to enjoy. People were disarmed by decaf when they'd reached the point where more caffeine would have finished them off. We offer something truly refreshing, delicious and drinkable.
Why speciality decaf is having a moment
The demand for decaf is not just coming from people who have given up caffeine completely.
It is coming from people who love coffee but want more control over when and how they drink it.
A morning espresso? Caffeinated, maybe.
A second coffee in the afternoon? Perhaps decaf.
An evening brew after dinner? Definitely decaf.
More and more coffee drinkers are realising that choosing decaf does not mean opting out of flavour. It simply means choosing coffee that fits better into their day.
That change matters.
Because when people start asking for better decaf, roasters have to take it more seriously. Green buyers have to source better lots. Cafes have to dial it in properly. And the whole category gets better.
Decaf should not be the compromise option
At Nott, we do not think decaf should sit at the bottom of the menu.
It should not be stale. It should not be dark-roasted to hide defects. It should not be treated as a backup option for awkward customers.
It should be roasted with the same care as any other speciality coffee.
That means choosing coffees with sweetness and structure. Roasting them to preserve character. Brewing them properly. And talking about them with the same enthusiasm we would give to any other coffee we love.
The best decaf does not need an apology.
It needs a better reputation.
What makes Nott Coffee different?
Nott Coffee is focused entirely on decaf.
That focus is important. We are not treating decaf as an add-on to a wider coffee range. We built the brand around it.
Our aim is simple: to make decaf feel desirable.
Coffee for people who love the ritual, the flavour, the comfort, and the craft of coffee — but do not always want the caffeine.
Whether you are caffeine-sensitive, pregnant, trying to sleep better, cutting back, finding that your GLP-1s have disrupted your caffeine tolerance or just fancy another coffee without the buzz, Nott is made for you.
No compromise. No judgement. No sad little decaf option at the end of the menu.
Just proper coffee.
Looking for decaf after London Coffee Festival?
If you discovered us at London Coffee Festival in a previous year, or if you are searching for great decaf after visiting the festival this weekend, Nott Coffee is still here doing what we have always done:
Making decaf worth talking about.
You can order Nott Coffee online and brew it at home, or follow us to see where we are serving next.
Because decaf is no longer the coffee people settle for.
Done properly, it can be the coffee people remember.
Try the Decaf that became a London Coffee Festival highlight here