Brewing and caffeine levels

[Alex&Rufusmom]

I'm not sure if my system is changing or if there is truly a difference in the amount of caffeine found in a perked cup of coffee vs a cup of coffee made from one of those individual coffee filters that attach to the top of your mug?? Can anyone tell me if its the same amount and I'm doomed to drinking decaf from now on or if I will find coffee more soothing to my tummy if I perk it??

Thanks

Stacy

[weinoo]

It's probably more a case of the acid in the coffee that you're brewing rather than the caffeine. .. perking it, I would imagine, releases the most amount of acid...

For a low acid coffee, you should try cold- brewing...you can then reconstitute the cold-brewed with hot water or drink it as iced coffee.

[Alex&Rufusmom]

It's probably more a case of the acid in the coffee that you're brewing rather than the caffeine. .. perking it, I would imagine, releases the most amount of acid...

For a low acid coffee, you should try cold- brewing...you can then reconstitute the cold-brewed with hot water or drink it as iced coffee.

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Mitch, thanks for the reply. And I think it is the caffeine . When I drink decaf I don't have the stomach upset. But what I'm wondering is if the individual coffee filter method results in a stronger cup of coffee than the perked coffee??

[weinoo]

I don't know if I'd call a drip brewed cup of coffee "stronger" than a perked cup...but I'd certainly call it a better cup. Once you boil coffee (and reboil it over and over again), which is what a percolator does, you're extracting all the unwanted stuff from the grounds.

The decaffeination process may well reduce the acidity of the coffee.

Can you tell us what type of coffee you're using?

Try the cold brewed method and see how that works. Or, maybe the aeropress is for you - check it out here!

It brews an espresso "style" of coffee - concentrated and it can then be diluted with hot water to make an Americano. Remember, espresso has a good deal less caffeine than other brewing methods!

[Alex&Rufusmom]

I don't know if I'd call a drip brewed cup of coffee "stronger" than a perked cup...but I'd certainly call it a better cup.  Once you boil coffee (and reboil it over and over again), which is what a percolator does, you're extracting all the unwanted stuff from the grounds.

The decaffeination process may well reduce the acidity of the coffee. 

Can you tell us what type of coffee you're using?

Try the cold brewed method and see how that works.  Or, maybe the aeropress is for you - check it out here!

It brews an espresso "style" of coffee - concentrated and it can then be diluted with hot water to make an Americano.  Remember, espresso has a good deal less caffeine than other brewing methods!

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Mitch,

I think my boyfriend read your mind!!!! He came home today from a business trip with an " Aero press" LOL It does look a great deal like a French press but as your link points out, it is not a French press. So I'll will try it and see what I think. Are there any tips as to how to use it? And I think you are right about the caffeine not really being the problem. I can drink caffeinated soda, chocolate anything but coffee. So lets hope the new Aero press helps?? Thanks again for your assistance. Well try it tonight after dinner.

[weinoo]

Mitch,

I think my boyfriend read your mind!!!!  He came home today from a business trip with an " Aero press"  LOL  It does look a great deal like a French press but as your link points out, it is not a French press. So I'll will try it and see what I think. Are there any tips as to how to use it? And I think you are right about the caffeine not really being the problem. I can drink caffeinated soda, chocolate anything but coffee. So lets hope the new Aero press helps??  Thanks again for your assistance.  Well try it tonight after dinner.

←

That's great! To use the aeropress, you want to grind the coffee finer than you would for drip...and water temperature should be cooler as well. Stir the slurry for about 10 seconds, then plunge and enjoy - I find the aeropress makes a very smooth tasting coffee. Oh yeah, make sure you put the aeropress on a cup that is pretty stable, otherwise you may end up with coffee all over the floor!

[Alex&Rufusmom]

Mitch,

I think my boyfriend read your mind!!!!  He came home today from a business trip with an " Aero press"  LOL  It does look a great deal like a French press but as your link points out, it is not a French press. So I'll will try it and see what I think. Are there any tips as to how to use it? And I think you are right about the caffeine not really being the problem. I can drink caffeinated soda, chocolate anything but coffee. So lets hope the new Aero press helps??  Thanks again for your assistance.  Well try it tonight after dinner.

←

That's great! To use the aeropress, you want to grind the coffee finer than you would for drip...and water temperature should be cooler as well. Stir the slurry for about 10 seconds, then plunge and enjoy - I find the aeropress makes a very smooth tasting coffee. Oh yeah, make sure you put the aeropress on a cup that is pretty stable, otherwise you may end up with coffee all over the floor!

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Mitch,

I had to let you know how the aero press worked out. Adam loves it.... thinks it makes a great cup of coffee. Unfortunately for me, there was no change in my reaction to coffee. I even tried making a cup of decaf this morning. I think my coffee drinking days are over!!!!! : sad: I refuse to believe that I can't drink coffee without feeling ill. So I'm just going to lay off the stuff for a while and try a different brand of coffee to see what the affects are then. But thanks for your assiatance.

Stacy

[sugarseattle]

have you had the same reaction with espresso? I'm fairly sensitive to over-caffeination, and I find espresso easier on my system than drip coffee. french press is usually out of the question.

[weinoo]

have you had the same reaction with espresso? I'm fairly sensitive to over-caffeination, and I find espresso easier on my system than drip coffee. french press is usually out of the question.

←

This makes sense for a couple of reasons...

1) Properly pulled espresso has less caffeine than drip or French press coffee, and

2) You're only drinking an ounce or two or three of espresso - most everyone that drinks drip or French press is drinking a good 8 - 10 ounce cup! (Well, at least we are).

[phaelon56]

If even decaf is affecting you than I'll guess that caffeine is not the issue. You might consider trying a Toddy System.

It's a cold brew system that yields a concentrate which can be added to iced drinks or reconstituted as a hot cup of coffee by adding about 3 parts hot water to 1 part Toddy concentrate.

It stores well after brewing for about 7 - 10 days in the fridge. The appeal for many people - apparently due to the cold brewing system - is that the components of conventional hot brewed coffee that seem to affect many people are minimized if not eliminated.

The trade-off is that some subtle but noticeable flavor components are also reduced. But at least it's still coffee and will be far better than the average cup you'll get in many places if you brew it with good quality beans.

[Alex&Rufusmom]

have you had the same reaction with espresso? I'm fairly sensitive to over-caffeination, and I find espresso easier on my system than drip coffee. french press is usually out of the question.

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I have not tried espresso. I was of the impression that it has even more caffeine than coffee?? But it seems I'm wrong!!! LOL So I will try it. But we have figured out what the problem was and it has nothing to do with coffee or caffeine levels. But I do need to have minimal levels of caffeine right now. Thankfully, I can still drink coffee.

Stacy

[Alex&Rufusmom]

If even decaf is affecting you than I'll guess that caffeine is not the issue. You might consider trying a Toddy System.

It's a cold brew system that yields a concentrate which can be added to iced drinks or reconstituted as a hot cup of coffee by adding about 3 parts hot water to 1 part Toddy concentrate.

It stores well after brewing for about 7 - 10 days in the fridge. The appeal for many people - apparently due to the cold brewing system -  is that the components of conventional hot brewed coffee that seem to affect many people are minimized if not eliminated.

The trade-off is that some subtle but noticeable flavor components are also reduced. But at least it's still coffee and will be far better than the average cup you'll get in many places if you brew it with good quality beans.

←

Thanks for the alternative but since I have found out it is not caffeine that is bothering me, I think I'll sick with trying espresso for a while. Less caffiene so I'm told. :-) The cold brewing sounds really complicated.

Stacy

[chromedome]

I have found that, oddly enough, weaker coffee tends to give me "gut-rot," while stronger coffee does not. I can handle a cup from my moka pot, or a cup of drip coffee made my way (strong!!!) with no problems, but I can't drink coffee from most restaurants or coffee shops until midday. Espresso is fine, too...it's just mediocre, conventional coffee (you know, the kind that's everywhere) that gets my stomach upset.

I guess that works out okay, come to think of it.