From the aroma of the beans to brewing, there’s no hint this is a decaf coffee. I prepare 17g 2.5/1 92c grind 13 Philos with 200d burr 35 seconds. Rich cherry brightness followed by a sweet chocolate lingering finish. Creamy body.
Love to hear it. Thanks so much for the review 🙏
The sidekick it great on its on or mixed with the Break of Dawn full caffeinated. Thank you Frequent. Delicious
As someone who is trying to get off the caffeine train, I am LOVING the taste and variety of Frequent's Decaf options! True to their name, I find myself frequently going for a refill. 10/10 recommend!
Very good Decaf, and your shipping was incredible fast. Will definitely be buying more and will be giving your information to my Decaf friends !!
Haven’t tried the coffee yet , waiting for it to develop a little more , crazy fresh roast only roasted 3 days ago !!
Super impressed how fast Frequent coffee shipped my order !
I ordered this coffee on 7/18, it was roasted on 7/19 and I received it on 7/22 and the way from California to Pennsylvania !
Freshest and Fastest coffee delivery I’ve ever experienced !!
And I’ve bought coffee from more than 50 different coffee roasters from the US and other countries, very impressed !!
Will definitely buy from Frequent coffee again and I Love a good Decaf.
Solid espresso with milk, exactly what you'll expect every morning
Great decaf daily-driver
Great flavor. The roast was spot on and it was a great bean to brew.
This is my daily driver. Nice smooth and flavorful coffee. Great roast. No lingering burnt taste or bitterness. It’s hard to believe it’s decaf!
love sidekick. Fruity, flavorful, delicious decaf!
Absolutely delicious decaf!
Thanks, Susan!
So far, I can only say this has been “just OK”. I’m getting more sour flavors than normal and have started trying different water which does appear to be making a difference. But, at the end of the day, I don’t think it’s going to be a flavor profile that I will pick.
Hi John, thanks for sharing your experience. We appreciate your feedback. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions or need assistance!
I like the fact that I can choose the grind.i actually learned something new about decaf in regards to sugarcane, I ended up going down a rabbit hole and found it very interesting. The taste was very pleasant and smooth. My only complaint was that I would have liked a darker roast, which I have had conversations with them and they pointed me towards the "evening" one (I forget the name) as it is a tad bit darker. I will be trying this next time I order.
Hi Michael, thank your feedback! We really appreciate it. For reference, the darker roasted one is called After Dark Drip 😊
Smooth chocolate espresso with a subtle cherry note. I gravitate towards lighter roast that are more fruit forward.
Thanks for the feedback, Bryce!
Delicious. Everyday medium roast flavor profile. My first decaf whole bean coffee. I just got it, and I’ve already had an espresso, a latte, and a filter coffee. So glad I can have great decaf coffee. Leagues above any other decaf I’ve ever tasted, and better than most caffeinated coffees.
Love to hear it 😍 Thanks, Daniel!
A solid daily driver for those looking for a more subtle decaf. Have it on subscription and compliments the more specialty decafs from Frequent perfectly.
Thank you for the nice review!
Smooth, great roast, a little like medium, some real fruit comes through. Great price. thanks
Thanks, David!
Comforting, soothing, chocolatey, delicious coffee
Thank you 🙏
The best decaf coffee I’ve ever tasted. First, I can’t even tell it’s decaf— I mean, what kind of voodoo magic do they do to those beans to make them taste so good?!? Second, I’m just hooked now.
Love to hear it, thanks Stephanie 🙌
Pretty rare to find a coffee that my wife likes, but once we found Sidekick that became her go to decaf. Just a good, solid cup of coffee to have before bedtime (or anytime).
Love to hear it. Thanks, Chris 🙌
Nice smooth almost creamy taste. Excellent decaffeinated coffee.
Thanks, Scott!
Excellent decaf for espresso
Thanks, NS!
So much better than the decaf you get from any of the major coffee retailers or at the grocery store. Even better than the decaf I have purchased at some of the smaller independent shops too. Frequent Coffee is clearly taking pride in making great decaf. Worth every penny if you want to drink decaf that tastes as good as regular coffee. I look forward to trying their other blends. Thanks for making decaf taste great.
Thanks for the kind words!
First time Frequent purchaser. My first brew was a V60 which I very much enjoyed but was totally amazed by the shot of espresso I just had. May be one of the best shots I’ve ever pulled, caf or decaf.
That's awesome to hear. Thanks so much for the review!
Solid espresso daily
Thanks, Jesse 🙌
I am a long time decaf drinker -- espresso, pourover, aeropress, moka, etc. I was tired of every roaster only having one decaf that often was too roasted and just not given much care. So I started doing research, and I am delighted that I found Frequent with a robust set of offerings. So far I have had the Sidekick and the Jitterfree Delight, and both perform well for my Baratza Forte / La Marzocco GS3 as well for Vario pourover. I really appreciate the delicate flavors/aromas that most decafs just don't have. Frequent also provides great instructions about brewing the decafs at lower temperatures. For the Sidekick, a finer grind is also a key that Frequent discusses in their great blog on sugarcane process of decaffeination. I am definitely going to be a regular.
Thanks so much for the kind words! We truly appreciate your support 🙏
Way too sour.
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Common Questions
Does Sidekick work for espresso?
A lot of customers find it great for espresso. The chocolate and brown sugar notes hold up well under pressure and it takes milk without disappearing. Order the Fine grind, or whole bean if you have a grinder. If you want a more traditional dark roast espresso, After Dark Drip is the other good option.
Has Sidekick been reviewed?
Coffee Review scored it 92 points. Coffee Review is the longest running independent coffee publication and scores blind on a 100 point scale, so it is an outside assessment rather than our own claim. Our Red Bourbon holds their record for the highest score ever given to a decaf, at 94.
What grind should I use?
Match your brew method, then go a step finer than you would with full caf. Sugarcane EA decaf is less soluble than regular coffee, so a slightly finer grind brings out more sweetness and body. We offer whole bean, coarse, medium, and fine.
How much caffeine is in Sidekick?
Sidekick is sugarcane EA decaffeinated, which typically leaves roughly 2 to 7mg per 8oz cup against 80 to 100mg in a standard cup of coffee. These are typical industry ranges, not measured values for this lot. Actual content varies with dose, grind, and brew method, and we do not lab test individual batches. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a guarantee.
Why should I wait 2 to 3 days before brewing?
Freshly roasted coffee releases carbon dioxide for the first few days, which interferes with even extraction. Giving it 2 to 3 days after the roast date lets that settle. The roast date is printed on every bag.
How is Sidekick different from your other decafs?
Sidekick is the medium roast everyday bag, built to be reliable rather than unusual. If you want something darker, After Dark Drip is our dark roast. If you want a solvent-free process, Jitterfree Delight is Swiss Water. If you want the one that scored 94 at Coffee Review, that is the Red Bourbon.
Can I get Sidekick on subscription?
Yes, in both 12oz and 5lb, at 20% off every order rather than just the first. Delivery every week through every four weeks, and you can pause, skip, or cancel whenever you want.