Making regular coffee low acid?

by Harmony
(MI)

Low acid cold-brew coffee concentrate.

Low acid cold-brew coffee concentrate.


QUESTION:

I have recently started having some stomach issues and was told my my Dr. to cut the caffeine. WHAT IS HE NUTS!

So, I was talking to some of my friends about cutting my caffeine intake and it was suggested that I try a low acid coffee. Well I was having a hard time finding a low acid coffee at the health store and asked about it. They told me I can make my own low acid coffee by grinding my own beans and drinking my coffee with in 20 minutes of being brewed or use a single cup maker.

I am curious, is this true? Is lowering the acidity of my coffee really that easy?


ANSWER:

I don’t think it is true. Sorry about that.

However, there are a couple of ways you really can reduce the acidity of your coffee. (Plus a weird one!)

Option one involves adding crushed egg shells to the coffee grinds before you brew.

When researching this a couple of years ago I learned that people have been adding egg shells to coffee grinds for a long time now, including in the movie "The Big Store", in which Harpo adds eggshells to the coffee maker's basket when he's making Groucho's breakfast.

It seems that the calcium compounds in the eggs shells help neutralize the acidity in the coffee, resulting in a milder and less acidic brew.

This is probably a great tip for people with sensitive stomachs.

Option two is to use a cold-brew process. The cold-brewing method reduces the amount of acid in any coffee by a huge amount.

This means you can use any coffee beans and still get a low-acid brew.

The brewer you need to use is called the Toddy Cold Brew System. There is no hot water or "brewing" involved. All you use is cold water and ground coffee.

The low-acid coffee it produces is actually a concentrate. You keep this in the fridge, for up to three weeks, and then add some concentrate to a mug and then top it up with water when you're ready for a cup of coffee.

As far as I know, this is the best solution for low-acid coffee. Toddy claims that their method reduces acid in coffee by 67%.

You can learn more and buy your Toddy Cold Brew System from Amazon

Option three - the weird one - is a way of making coffee in some parts of Indonesia, called Charcoal Coffee. Put simply, the coffee is heated by dropping a red hot chunk of charcoal into the coffee mug. This heats the coffee and, it is suggested, reduces the acidity.

Further reading...

How do you make Swedish coffee?.

Comments for Making regular coffee low acid?

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Calcium Carbonate
by: Nick

You can buy powdered calcium carbonate on Amazon. People use it for making toothpaste. Add about 1/4 to 1/8 tsp to the grounds to neutralize the coffee without making it salty or adding any other unusual flavors.
check for pH
by: coffee_tycoon

pH is a good rule of thumb. Most companies do not post their scores or, if they do, they do not document them. Check out mavericks coffee. They post there scores, the lab results and they have had just about all the other companies tested that claim to be low acid. http://maverickscoffee.com/content/18-low-acid-coffee .(Not trying to be spammy just saying!)
You can buy it ground or in K-cups and its great
by: AnonymousAnonymous

I purchased it on Amazon. I like bold coffee, and there were choices; mild, bold etc. The brand I purchased is Trucup., the bold is wonderful, smooth and my stomach is very happy.
Baking soda
by: Anonymous

If you're not into Simply Smoother by Folgers, you can try 1/2 and 1/2 decaf and regular coffee. Maxwell makes a light coffee version. Like someone else stated out a pinch and I do mean tiny pinch of baking soda in your brewed coffee. You can also add 1/4 -1 tsp of baking soda to the large container of coffee grounds. Of course, unless you're lactose intolerant, you can use milk or creamer made from milk to soften up the coffee.
Low Acid Coffee
by: Jon B

An extensive study conducted by the Toxicology Department at UC Davis suggests that acidity in coffee is directly correlated to the levels of Chlorogenic Acid in coffee. It's not the Ph level. It's not the caffeine. It's the Chlorogenic Acid.

The coffee with the lowest levels (magnitudes lower) in the US is Bella Rosa Coffee Company of Santa Rosa, California. (www.bellarosacoffeecompany.com).

The folks at Bella Rosa have invented a coffee roaster that uses convection technology rather than conduction. To my knowledge, they are the only company in the country that has this type of equipment.

This proprietary equipment is capable of roasting coffees of excellent quality and flavor (all organic & fair trade) without the high levels of Chlorogenic Acid.
Baking Soda
by: Anonymous

Just add a small pinch of baking soda to your coffee. It doesn't change the flavor. I took pH strips then tested my coffee before and then figured out how much baking soda it took to lower the acid to alkaline. It was a very small pinch. Much easier and cheap.
Cold brew + Eggshells
by: LJA

I make cold brew by putting 1/2 cup (maybe a little heaping) of grounds in a (roughly) quart jar. Exact measuring is not important. Add eggshells to the jar and 18-24 hours later pour all through a paper coffee filter. [I use a wire strainer basket to hold the filter. My coffee maker is in the closet but you can use that basket and drain into the carafe.]

Some oils stick to the paper filter. These are acidic, bitter, and raise cholesterol so I don't skip the paper filter.

I save shells when I use eggs. They get cracked, as drained as possible, and into the microwave for 1 minute. [30 seconds was insufficient and haven't tried any other time.] There is always some membrane or egg white. If there is a lot it becomes brittle from the microwaving and can be wiped off after microwaving and cooling. The membrane holding the shell together is not a problem; no need to pick it off.

Although cold brewing does lower the acidity quite a lot, I found that eggshells improve the taste. Also, when I was experimenting I found that, with enough time and eggshells, the "oil slick" found on top of any cup of black coffee disappears.
easier way then eggshell
by: Brandon

I was using eggshell for coffee but i realized quickly that i was running out of eggs faster then i was i coffee so i found this site called hebrewscoffeesmoother.com and for like 4 bucks i can brew over 200 cups of smooth coffee with one of their bags and its so much better then egg shell. So check it out
How many egg shells to add?
by: Anonymous

How many egg shells do I need to add to my basket of coffee grinds for a 12 cup pot?
just buy it!!
by: Anonymous

I've read all your comments and why go through all the trouble of egg shells, charcoal, blah blah blah. I've tried low acid coffees and love the Trader Joe's brand. It's dark, smooth, really good coffee and no more knife in the belly symptoms. I haven't tried other low acid coffees but will. The problem is what to do when we're eating out? I just went out for bacon and eggs and coffee breakfast. Could that be the problem? mmmmmm?
A
Easiest way to avoid acid
by: Anonymous

From the AeroPress insert/manual:

"AeroPress brew has one fifth the acid level of drip brew and one ninth the acid level of French Press brew. It's easier on your tummy."

Since I suffer from GERD and have been told to cut back to 1 cup a day of coffee (Ha!) I'm always looking for delicious ways to make coffee that won't kill me. If you haven't tried using an AeroPress, I'd certainly recommend it- not just for the low acid, but for the excellent taste, combined with speed, economy and easy cleanup.
-m.m.
Crushed egg shells - no Salmonella worries?
by: Anonymous

I'm not afraid of eggs, typically, but is there any worry about using raw egg shells to make coffee. Rinsing and drying them out wouldn't eliminate Salmonella risk, would it? Maybe the heat from brewing would?

Editor's Note: I keep the shells from when I cook eggs. I then microwave the egg shells to dry them and kill any bacteria. Then I crush them.
How do you use the crushed egg shells?
by: Anonymous

So, how exactly do you use the egg shells? Do you take a raw egg, crack it open, remove the egg and rinse off the shells? Then do you let them dry out and crush them to use? Or do you hard boil the eggs - I assume rinse off - and use them to brew?

Thanks so much!

Editor's Note: The first answer. Dried and crushed shells.
low acid coffee
by: Anonymous

The statement your friends made is responding to his perceived idea of what the problem is- he's thinking you just are tasting burnt or acid in the coffee thus complaining about burnt coffee. But its really more than that- you're talking about pain. My main issue is not in the stomach but the HORRID HEARTBURN after drinking coffee, tea, juices. The idea of drinking coffee within 20 min off the brew will not eliminate the origin since the acids are released from the bean within the first 30 or 40 seconds after hitting hot water. The cold brew method is the only one I have seen that addresses this chemical reaction. By slowly steeping grinds you get flavour, caffeine, aroma and body but not 70 % of the acids.

I hate the toddy brewer, hate it. Its ugly, cheap plastic, and a ridiculous pull plug that let's the coffee drip out all over ones hand before placing it on the farm cow sized milk jug nasty white heffa' thing. The clean up is awful too, and be careful not to pack in the plug or you can't get it out; oh and be careful not to stir because you can scratch the filter! Its got no lid either! Can you believe this? NO LID! YOU HAVE TO COVER IT WITH PLASTIC WRAP AND THEN FACE LEAVING THAT ON THE COUNTER TO 24 hr. If I pay 40 $ for a damn coffee maker I had better get a lid!

A terrible design and ppl only put up with it because its large and cheap, the first thing one sees when initially shopping for cold brew methods. I have two items I use; one is the hario 1 qu glass infusion cafe system; easy peasy. And very beautiful on the counter. No messy clean up; left out the grounds and tap them into the garbage or compost bin or sink- boom.... you're done.

It was 25 bux. I made 1 qt every night. And that lasts about 24hr, just in time for the latest batch that's getting done. I love its easy set up and clean up. Ok enough of lecturing; hope you learned something- quizz on Monday. M riley, elgin il .
Product Removes Coffee Acid
by: George Sharpe

There is a product on the market which removes acid from any brand of coffee during the brewing process. It's called He-Brews Coffee Smoother. Add a little of the powder (about 1 tsp. for a 10 cup pot) to your coffee grounds BEFORE you brew it. As the coffee brews, the powder removes the acid from the coffee providing a smoother tasting cup of coffee without the bitterness or acid. It works perfectly and cost a little over a penny per cup of coffee. No more acid reflux, indigestion or heartburn from drinking coffee. The best thing, you can still drink your favorite coffee. No special coffee to buy. It can be found at www.Hebrewscoffeesmoother.com.
A HUGE THANKS TO ALL
by: Marie

lOVE MARC THE SHARK COMMENTS. I LOVE COFFEE. I WAS ADVISED CINNAMIN NEUTRALIZES ACID, BEEN DOING THAT. BUT I THINK I'LL TRY EGG SHELLS. THOSE OLD FOLKS MOST OFTEN KNOW WHAT THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT. MY DAUGHTER DOES THE EXPRESSO THING, I MIGHT DO THAT TOO. HAS A GOOD TASTE. ENJOY ALL YOU COFFEE LOVERS.
Espresso is low acid
by: Deb

I developed an ulcer, and the coffee at work and other places started to absolutely tear up my stomach. But, I had no problem with the espresso I got at Starbucks. I asked them about it, and the barista told me that espresso is low-acid. Aha! So I buy the espresso beans now, to make my coffee at home. Voila! No more stomach issues with coffee. I make enough for a thermos if I'm going to be at school or work for several hours.
Cold Brew
by: Susanne

I have a cold brew system and I love it! It is true, it makes the acid lower resulting in a smooth cup of coffee without giving up the strength and flavor that you love.
Egg shells bind chemically with the acid
by: Anonymous

Egg shells are calcium carbonate and neutralize the acid, my grandmother did the same thing. I have the same problem she had and love coffee way too much to give it up.

JAVAcid.com has these packets you add to any coffee that contain calcium, fiber, DGL an vitamin D and do not change the flavor, an old idea improved with other digestive health ingredients.
Fa-gedda-boud-it!
by: Marc the Shark

Tell your Doctor to fa-gedda-boud-it! Don't give up your coffee! The coffee detective is right. My aunt Maria used to make what she called swedish coffee (probably Italian and stolen by dem swedes!) and she would put the crushed egg shells in the coffee basket with the grounds, go figure! It lowers the acidity and actually improves the flavor...makes it mellow, so's I don't feel like breakin' somebody's legs ya-know-wha-di-mean?

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