The Great Coffee Substitute Review

I get it. For real coffee lovers/aficionados/fanatics there can be no adequate substitute for the genuine item, call it Java, Joe, Mud, or Jitter Juice. However, were you ever to be stranded on a desert isle with only the remnants of a parachute or flotsam raft and a salesman’s supply of samples of coffee substitutes, you’ll be glad you read this once upon a time.

I must put a disclaimer in here about now. My all time favorite coffee of choice would be early 1970s Indiana University coffee from the dorm dining hall. Made in large urns and dispensed into heavy IU ceramic coffee cups perched upon IU saucers, the trick for me was to add two sugars and fill the top one-third of the cup with whole milk from the stainless steel cow. It boosted, but mostly mellowed and smoothed my morning takeoff. Matched with the morning paper and an all-you-can-eat dorm breakfast of scrambled eggs, toast, bacon, and shredded hash browns, I still enjoy the memory of dorm breakfasts to this day. Great work days always followed. I’m definitely a sugar and cream guy.

Perhaps the first step down from real coffee would be instant coffee, which is, after all, a substitute for real brewed coffee, and some would say equally enjoyable. There is a wealth of instant coffee offerings. Go to an international market or co-op store in a big city or college town to get a real feel of what’s out there. Instant coffee is often from Italy or the Netherlands.

But I digress.

The primary coffee substitutes I have found that do not have coffee in their names are Postum, Roma, Cafix, and Pero. They are made from roasted cereal grains and sometimes chicory root. Coffee is made from roasted coffee beans, so there is some similarity. French and New Orleans style coffees often contain roasted chicory.

Here are the entrants!

Postum instant warm beverage, 8 oz plastic jar
Ingredients: wheat, wheat bran, molasses, wheat starch,
Origin: USA

Roma roasted grain beverage, 7 oz glass jar
Ingredients: roasted barley, roasted malt barley, roasted chicory, roasted rye,
Origin: Portugal

Cafix instant grain beverage, 7.05 oz glass jar
Ingredients: roasted barley, rye, chicory,
Origin: Poland

Pero instant natural beverage, 7 oz paper carton
Ingredients: barley, malted barley, chicory, rye,
Origin: Germany

As one can see from the ingredients list, they are all made from roasted grain and grain products, with two containing chicory, which is a root. I experimented with them all, brewing different strengths, with and without sugar, and using spring water, milk, and half and half. They all make a tasty brew that is not weak or watery.

All four come in containers of 7 to 8 ounces. The Postum jar is smaller, which means it is a more finely ground product that is heavier by the spoonful than the others. The Cafix and Roma are almost feather light. Some dissolve more readily than others, and they all smell great. If residue at the bottom is an issue, try using a frother to thoroughly blend all the ingredients. I stirred thoroughly with a spoon and had good results by first pouring boiling water over the powder and sugar, then adding the milk when it was thoroughly dissolved. Pouring milk over the powder did not work well. To make a kind of latte it was better if there was some hot water to dissolve the powder first, then filling the cup the rest of the way with milk or half and half.

For my tastes, using a slightly rounded spoon of powder is better than using more because the flavor balances better with the milk. If you like your coffee strong, use more powder to give the brew more heft. No matter how you make it, there is no acidic edge to these products. They are all what I call smooth and mellow. They’re comforting and satisfying. There is no caffeine jolt followed by a letdown.

And my favorite was . . . Postum made an exceptionally smooth brew with organic sugar, a thorough stirring, then half and half. It was delightful. It’s so rich that I use it to reward myself for work accomplished during the day. It’s truly an indulgence that will not keep me awake or cause caffeine withdrawal. If the day is especially cold and blustery, or if I’m looking out on a near blizzard in the afternoon, a cup of Postum with the top quarter cup filled with half and half is the way to go. It makes me smile.

Final conclusion: as with tea, make these hot drinks different ways and decide which you like best. I drink them all and I’m sure you can find a favorite from among the four. Happy tasting!

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