That’s the question. If I grind the beans and toss them in my morning smoothie will I get the same buzz? Is munching on chocolate coated espresso beans just as good a sipping espresso?
I think you will get your buzz. When they decaffienate coffee, they often do it in somewhat warmish CO2 above its critical point, and the caffiene just dissolves away. I think all that has to happen is solvation at room temperature, which your digestion will do if it can absorbe caffiene at all (which obviously it does).
Yeah, you can get a caffeine buzz by eating coffee beans whole. They sell them chocolate-coated here and they’re good.