Espresso without the heartburn

September 5, 2021 9:11 AM

I used to use a moka pot to make espresso for lattes, until the acid reflux became too much. I don't get acid reflux if I get lattes or coffee from coffee shops (what gives?!?) How can I get espresso (without the heartburn) at home without spending a fortune? I miss my lattes, but don't miss the heartburn.

From what I understand, a moka pots seem to bring out acidity in coffee. I'm not a coffee nerd or snob, so I'm not sure about the technical terms. What I do know, however, is that I miss having homemade lattes! Could it also be the blend of espresso? I'm too lazy to buy my own beans and grind them, and I've usually just used Lavazza Rossa or Illy Espresso Classico.

I don't get acid reflux if I buy a latte from Starbucks or any other cafe, etc. It seems to be the espresso from the moka pot that really causes it.

I'm reluctant to buy an at home espresso, because every one I've had seems to break after a year and a half. They just seem like a waste of money and I'm not going to bother purchasing an industrial one. Unless... someone can recommend an espresso machine that is pretty durable and won't cost a fortune? (I also have limited countertop space, which made the moka pot great!).

Is it time to look into something like a Nespresso machine or something similar (I already have an Aeroccino)? I just hate the idea of using pods, but if it will allow me to have homemade lattes, I'll take it!

posted by VirginiaPlain to Food & Drink (17 answers total)

I have a Nespresso (that I got for free—not sure I would pay money for it). I love it for convenience, but a moka pot makes a better cup of coffee. I would try some other beans.
posted by 8603 at 9:23 AM on September 5, 2021

Have you experimented with adding a pinch of baking soda?
posted by MonkeyToes at 9:27 AM on September 5, 2021 [2 favorites]

Cold Brew your coffee, you can heat it later. Cold brewing removes the acidity from coffee giving you a smoother, less bitter cup, without reflux. Also, it tastes really good.
posted by evilDoug at 9:28 AM on September 5, 2021 [4 favorites]

Oh, and this.
posted by evilDoug at 9:29 AM on September 5, 2021

It's not going to be the same as espresso-based drinks, but you might want to try an aeropress. They can be picked up pretty cheap.
posted by knapah at 9:51 AM on September 5, 2021 [4 favorites]

I recently replaced my Espresso Gaggia Classic - the previous model lasted over 20 years, so I think I got my money's worth. It's easy to use and makes good espresso. I have a Nespresso Aeroccino milk frother for when I want a cappuccino or a latte, and it works great.

FWIW, I drink 2-3 espressos a day and do not have acid reflux or heartburn.
posted by mogget at 10:06 AM on September 5, 2021

We switch from using regular espresso in a drip maker to a low acid coffee when we're having reflux flares. I keep this brand around for those times -- - not sure whether it's the best tasting low acid coffee, but as another coffee drinker unwilling to grind beans, I can get it with beans already ground. I do make lattes with it.
posted by nantucket at 10:10 AM on September 5, 2021

Seconding the bicarb, though I wouldn't put it in the coffee, I'd scrub the pot with bicarb to remove baked on acidic oils.
posted by k3ninho at 10:32 AM on September 5, 2021 [1 favorite]

I don't get acid reflux if I buy a latte from Starbucks or any other cafe, etc. It seems to be the espresso from the moka pot that really causes it.

That’s largely because a moka pot doesn’t produce the level of pressure required to quickly pull an actual espresso shot. Your moka is kind of cooking the espresso grounds. You need to switch from using espresso roasts and grinds in the moka to a lighter roast of coffee, with a bit of a coarser grind.
posted by Thorzdad at 10:35 AM on September 5, 2021 [9 favorites]

If you cold brew your coffee, as someone else suggested, (which I came here to suggest) you can brew it as a concentrate and then still warm it and steam milk for it. It will be somewhere between a cafe au lait and a latte, and it will be delicious.
posted by Night_owl at 11:29 AM on September 5, 2021 [1 favorite]

I have not had heartburn since I bought a Nespresso.

It makes 40ml espresso shots, and if you start to think about how much you are consuming (if two regular cups are 500+ml and two espressos are 80ml) it seems obvious the espressos are going to be less irritating. Even if they are more acidic per ml compared to brewed coffee, it's just a lot less of this acidic liquid sloshing about in your insides. Mine came with a milk frother so I'm drinking cappuccinos every day. I use Barista Oat Milk and it works perfectly.

You can also find low acid coffee. I buy Frog Friendly but I do not know how widely available it is. It's better than regular coffee but I found if I had a lot of it it was still a problem.

Espressos are less caffeine as well (in general). Again, not per ml, but overall a 250ml+ cup of coffee is just going to have more, and for some people the caffeine and its effects on the esophagus are the reason for the heartburn/reflux.
posted by cape at 11:39 AM on September 5, 2021 [1 favorite]

I'm not an expert but my impression is that darker roasts are less acidic. I would also just ask at a local roaster or email one of the big roasters. It should be pretty easy to set up a monthly subscription with a nearby roaster, and then you don't have to think about it. Lavazza or Illy are just italian supermarket coffee, and while I don't know much about their acidity, it would not surprise me if you could find something that is less prone to give you heartburn at a local roaster.
posted by melamakarona at 11:40 AM on September 5, 2021

(Sorry, not seeing how to edit, but wanted to add:)
For example, see the recs on this page https://coffeechronicler.com/best-coffee-beans/low-acid/
posted by melamakarona at 11:59 AM on September 5, 2021

For me, very slow pour-over coffee and chicory (orange can Cafe Du Monde is the iconic version) with hot milk fills the same role as a latte at home. It's not the same, but it's good. I like the Vietnamese coffee sit-on-the-cup metal pots, since you can screw them down hard and get a five minute brew. (Traditionally, you combine it with cold sweetened condensed milk. But, just combining it with hot milk also makes a very nice drink.) You can also just do it with a pour over cone, though I'd probably let the grounds and water steep for a minute or two first. The chicory adds a dark, rooty flavor that isn't acidic and might be worth trying.
posted by eotvos at 1:48 PM on September 5, 2021

I've usually just used Lavazza Rossa or Illy Espresso Classico.
You're using the medium roast Lavazza rather than their darker roast blends (Super Crema, Crema e Gusto, some other one) that would probably be a bit less acidic. They're also kind of a pain to find in Canadian grocery stores outside of Toronto. Illy is also sort of a medium roast as well. A moka pot will always accentuate whatever acidity's in your coffee so as long as you're using an appropriate grind, you might prefer a darker roast.

That brings me to grind size. When you use too fine of a grind in a moka pot, you end up with under-extracted coffee which would explain why you're getting an acidic brew. The Lavazza you're buying, despite the symbol on the package that suggests otherwise, is probably a bit too fine for a moka pot, as is the Illy if you're not buying the variety specifically ground for moka pots.

One option is to buy an inexpensive manual burr grinder and experiment with both whole bean supermarket coffee and stuff from local roasters. The most simple alternative if you're okay with Starbucks coffee is to buy beans there and have them ground for moka pot.
posted by blerghamot at 3:38 PM on September 5, 2021 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: blerghamot what grind size would be the best for the moka pot? For example, I looked up the options for Starbucks and they just offer 4: coffee press, pour over, coffee brewer, espresso. I'm guessing espresso isn't the one that I'd need to ask for.
posted by VirginiaPlain at 4:04 PM on September 5, 2021

Here’s a good article on brewing/ grind size for a Moka Pot. You can go to any independent coffee shop/ roastery and ask for beans ground to the right size. The coffee shops I used to work at had a setting for Moka pots right on the grinder. I hope this helps!
posted by Champagne Supernova at 4:25 PM on September 5, 2021