HEB Donut Shop - Regular and Decaf -Review

As we embrace October and the cooling weather, Mr. Brew and I always consider partaking in Sober October - even with our caffeine intake. So we are on the hunt for a good decaf that allows us to enjoy the comforts of coffee without any of the caffeine.

While perusing our favorite aisle in HEB, we saw that Cafe Ole not only has Donut Shop coffee, but they also have a decaf version. So we brought them both home to compare and contrast this popular coffee style!

Fully Caffeinated Donut Shop

A traditional Donut Shop coffee is known for being fresh, bold, and flavorful without being overly sweet. After all, you need its darker, sultry flavors to pair well with the sweet and scrumptious donut you’ve picked out from the bakery.

HEB Cafe Ole Donut Shop delivers that classic coffee flavor. This medium roast coffee is lightly smoky, with a smooth mouthfeel and medium to full body. When brewed to our usual specs in the French press (50g, 200℉ water) we found it to be smooth with some malty flavors that remind me of toasted bread and butter. It has a clean finish that is slightly acidic and provides a lemony citrus taste to brighten the mouth feel and cleanse the palate.

This is a great coffee to use when wanting to pair with something sweet because of its milder, roastier flavors.

How does decaf compare?

The Decaf Donut Shop from Cafe Ole brings the same toasty, malt flavors with a brighter mouthfeel and more refreshing acidity. Decaf Donut Shop maintains the medium-roast qualities to cut back on the acidity, but has a thinner, lighter body than the fully dosed caffeine version.

If you are looking to cut back on your caffeine but don’t want to compromise on the flavor of your coffee, Cafe Ole Donut Shop is a great alternative that brings the same flavor profile without the caffeine high to follow.

Barista Note: Running low on the fully caffeinated or want a small caffeine addition on the decaf variety? Cafe Ole’s Donut Shop pairs well with chicory for darker, earthier flavors. This is one of my favorite combinations. Not overly sweet, but not too bitter either – the perfect complement for any pastry or breakfast delicacy.

Cheers,

Mrs. Brew