Tasty coffee-tasting coffee substitute?

July 25, 2010 8:36 PM

I can't really drink coffee (stomach issues) but love the bitter flavor, so I'm looking for recommendations for good coffee substitutes.

There are various brands of this sort of thing in the grocery stores I visit (the only brand name I can remember is Postum but I think that may have been discontinued) but I'm looking for the very best tasting one - the least herby and the most bitter. Does anyone drink this and have one that they love? (Just to clarify - I'm not looking for teas or yerba mate-type things). Thank you!

posted by anonymous to food & drink (24 answers total)

Cafix is wonderful and delicious. The ingredients of the instant are barley, chicory, malted barley, figs and beet root extract.

Roasted dandelion root beverages are also pretty yummy.
posted by Cat Pie Hurts at 8:39 PM on July 25, 2010

Cafix.

There's also Pero, which is made from just barley and chicory, but I find it to be bland compared to Cafix.
posted by Cat Pie Hurts at 8:41 PM on July 25, 2010

Have you tried different ways of preparing real coffee? For instance, many people find cold-brewed coffee much gentler on the stomach.
posted by kickingtheground at 8:42 PM on July 25, 2010 [4 favorites]

I used to like Postum when it was made, and when we could get it from the States. There's a homebrew recipe here.

The Yerba Mate my local cafe makes tastes sort of smoky. There are different kinds with other flavours - grassy, sweet, and mixes of all three. There are also blends; e.g. green tea and lemongrass Yerba Mate.

I've also heard of (but not tried) Ersatz coffee; it's supposed to be closer to the real thing than most substitute drinks.
posted by Hardcore Poser at 8:54 PM on July 25, 2010

I've heard of Teeccino, but never tried it.
posted by cabingirl at 9:34 PM on July 25, 2010

Tried Teeccino a while back and was really disappointed with it.

Nthing Pero (barley+chicory IIRC) and Yerba Mate.

Mate is really interesting stuff, and the flavor is wonderful. I would recommend Rosamonte Suave for deep flavor without being overbearing.

If you shop at a latin american supermarket, you can buy a kilo for less than $5. That would last a normal [read: non-superhuman uruguayan diehard] person almost indefinitely.

You can pair that with unbleached paper filters from adagio tea ($3 for 100) because the mate comes loose in that big package. Here.
posted by bradly at 9:52 PM on July 25, 2010 [1 favorite]

On review: saw that you don't want mate.
posted by bradly at 9:54 PM on July 25, 2010

2nding the cold press recommendation here. I mean I assume your stomach issues are related to the acidity of coffee -- cold pressing greatly reduces the presence of acid in coffee and it tastes amazing!
posted by johnnybeggs at 10:15 PM on July 25, 2010

Swish and spit? I mean you probably don't want to do that socially, but, in the privacy of your own kitchen ... why not?
posted by wobh at 10:27 PM on July 25, 2010

I'll second dandelion root coffee...
posted by russm at 10:32 PM on July 25, 2010

If you're after herby and bitter, you might want to try Crodino , the non-alcoholic version of the Italian aperitif Campari. It's not hot like coffee, obviously, but it has a similar flavour profile without being caffeinated or particularly acidic. It also comes in delightfully adorable little bottles.
posted by cilantro at 11:28 PM on July 25, 2010 [1 favorite]

I'm not looking for teas

Still, have you tried pu-erh tea? "Deep, rich, and full-bodied, which is what I like in pu erh. mildly spicy (think cinnamon or nutmeg, not chili peppers), slightly smokey finnish. Anyone who is looking for a coffee replacement will find both the price and the taste of this tea favorable."
posted by iviken at 1:53 AM on July 26, 2010 [2 favorites]

I've had Teeccino and really like it. It's not quite as bitter as coffee, but it does have a similarly strong flavour.
posted by Solomon at 2:53 AM on July 26, 2010

If your stomach issue is related to acidity, try Euromild--it's real coffee but with less acid.
posted by tetralix at 4:58 AM on July 26, 2010

A little googling shows there are products out there for your complaint. Here's one: JAVAcid.

Or you can try Gentle Java or similar blends.
posted by Obscure Reference at 5:27 AM on July 26, 2010

Also, try dark chocolate that's 70-90% cocoa. Maybe not to drink, though.
posted by jander03 at 5:33 AM on July 26, 2010

A couple other chicory and barley drinks that satisfy coffee cravings (other than the caffeine) for me are Caf Lib and Inka
posted by mendel at 6:43 AM on July 26, 2010

Thanks everyone!

I actually drink a very small amount of coldpress coffee in the afternoon - I seem to be able to tolerate a few tablespoons then. I just can't take it in the mornings but crave that bitter flavor (and coffee experience). I'll be hunting for Cafix - that sounds good.

Swish and spit - ha! I don't know, that doesn't sound too fun.

I don't know why I don't tolerate coffee. My stomach issues are under investigation at the moment. (Perhaps the topic for a future post...) In the meantime, I want a mug of something hot and dark brown!

(didn't mean to post as anonymous in the original post)
posted by kirst27 at 6:51 AM on July 26, 2010

Oh, I am the OP - looks like it doesn't ID me as such when I post anon!
posted by kirst27 at 6:52 AM on July 26, 2010

Celestial Seasonings' Roastaroma FTW!

I'm terribly sensitive to caffeine, so when I want that bitter, black brew, but can't afford the caffeine hit (even of decaf), I turn to Roastaroma.
posted by IAmBroom at 7:43 AM on July 26, 2010 [1 favorite]

Also, while I love pu-erh tea, I wouldn't call it a coffee substitute. Also, it refers to any smoked tea from the Pu'er district of China, so I wouldn't say that (generically)it was "mildly spicy (think cinnamon or nutmeg, not chili peppers)". Additionally, every example of pu-erh tea is waaaaay beyond a "slightly smokey finnish." (quotes from iviken's post).

People 2 cubicles over knew when I was drinking pu-erh at work, from the smoky scent. It's that strong (and I don't drink it at work anymore!).
posted by IAmBroom at 7:49 AM on July 26, 2010

Strongly seconding Roastaroma, and offering up Krakus coffee substitute as an alternative.
posted by burntflowers at 12:23 PM on July 26, 2010

Guayaki makes many different Yerba Mate blends which taste similar to coffee, and can be made using a french press. They do not have the acidic effect of coffee (and are also filled with minerals and other good stuff). Here is the Dark Roast Java Mate. You can read reviews there and elsewhere. I love the Vanilla Nut, personally.
posted by thegreatfleecircus at 1:42 PM on July 26, 2010

Kentucky coffee tree.
posted by Eshkol at 6:51 PM on July 26, 2010