Douwe Egberts Pure Decaf: How It Compares With Pure Gold

Douwe Egberts Pure Decaf: the evening jar in the Pure range

A weak decaf shows itself at the bottom of the mug, where it goes thin and a little sour. Pure Decaf finishes clean, and that is the main reason it earns a place next to the caffeinated Pure jars.

Published 26 Sep 2026 Curator-written, not crowdsourced

Douwe Egberts Pure Decaf: the evening jar in the Pure range, in summary: The decaffeinated jar in the Douwe Egberts Pure instant range: medium roast, low bitterness, a little lighter than Pure Gold and clean at the finish. About 95 mugs a jar, and like every decaf it keeps a trace of caffeine.

Last reviewed by the teas.co.uk team in September 2026.

A weak decaf shows itself at the bottom of the mug, where it goes thin and a little sour. Pure Decaf finishes clean, and that is the main reason it earns a place next to the caffeinated Pure jars.

Pure Decaf among the Pure jars

The Douwe Egberts section of our shop has four Pure instant jars: Pure Gold at 190g, Pure Gold Medium Roast at 400g, the darker Pure Indulgence and this decaf. The brand calls Pure Gold a rounded, well balanced medium roast and Pure Indulgence a classic dark roast. Pure Decaf keeps the house style of the caffeinated jars: medium, warm rather than dark, and low in bitterness.

The difference you notice is body. Next to Pure Gold it is a touch lighter and softer, but recognisably the same family and not hollow. That makes a two-jar kitchen work well, with Pure Gold until mid-afternoon and Pure Decaf after that. Behind it is a long history: the business began in 1753, when Egbert Douwes and Akke Thijssen opened a shop in Joure, in Friesland, and it is named after their son, Douwe.

Taking the caffeine out

The caffeine is removed while the coffee is still green and unroasted. The bean is softened with water or steam, the caffeine is drawn out using water, pressurised carbon dioxide or a solvent, and the dried bean then goes on to the roaster. Caffeine dissolves far more readily than the compounds that carry flavour and aroma, which is why a careful decaf still tastes of coffee. The method used for this jar is printed on the pack.

The one thing the process does cost is a little body, so nearly every decaf drinks slightly lighter than its caffeinated twin, and nobody can truthfully promise an identical cup. Nor does it remove every last trace of caffeine. For almost everyone that makes no practical difference, but if you have been advised to cut out caffeine completely, read the jar and ask your GP or pharmacist.

Making and pairing the evening mug

At a rounded teaspoon a mug, the 190g jar runs to about 95 cups. Water just off the boil is worth the wait here: the warm, mildly nutty smell of a fresh mug is exactly what boiling water drives off, and a decaf that smells of nothing has usually been scalded. A splash of milk also helps to cover the small gap in body.

Our pick for the Pure range is a butterscotch biscuit or a plain digestive, and the caramel side of a butterscotch crunch works nicely against the decaf's warm finish. Chocolate chip cookies and milk chocolate Hobnobs suit it too, because nothing in this jar is sharp enough to argue with them. If the evening mug is a nightly habit, cookies in small bags keep the portion sensible.

The packs we stock

Douwe Egberts Pure Decaf Instant Coffee, 190g (barcode 8711000449684)

What to eat with it

Border Butterscotch Crunch Organic Biscuits, 135g: butterscotch and caramel sit well against the warm, mildly nutty finish.
Maryland Minis Double Chocolate Chip Cookies Mini Bags Multipack, 6 Pack 118.8g: the double chocolate chip cookie in small bags, a sensible portion beside a nightly mug.
McVitie's Hobnobs Milk Chocolate Biscuits, 262g: milk chocolate and oats for a mug taken with a splash of milk.

Elsewhere in the Douwe Egberts range

The full range is on the Douwe Egberts brand page.

FAQ

How does Pure Decaf compare with Pure Gold? It is recognisably the same family, medium and low in bitterness, but a shade lighter in body and softer at the finish.

Does Douwe Egberts Pure Decaf still contain a little caffeine? Yes, a trace. Decaffeination takes out nearly all of it but never every last bit, so read the pack if you must avoid caffeine entirely.

How many mugs are in a 190g jar? About 95 at a rounded teaspoon each.

How is the caffeine taken out? From the green bean before roasting: the bean is softened, the caffeine is drawn out with water, carbon dioxide or a solvent, and the bean is dried. The method for this jar is on the pack.

Why does my decaf smell of nothing? Usually the water was boiling. Let the kettle settle for a moment before pouring so the aroma survives.

Curator's note: Keep this beside the Pure Gold and swap over after tea. Let the kettle settle before you pour and it holds its own right to the last mouthful. Lee, teas.co.uk, Tunbridge Wells.

In short: Douwe Egberts Pure Decaf: the evening jar in the Pure range

Field	Detail
Brand	Douwe Egberts
Packs we stock	190g
Category	Instant Coffee
Caffeine	decaffeinated
Switch to it	After teatime
Pair with	Pure Gold for the morning
Best with	A butterscotch biscuit