# Looking to grow a good coffee replacement.



## tikiman (Mar 1, 2011)

SO, as a coffee addict I'm looking for options. What everyone's favorite? Coffee really dosn't store well I've found and much like tea, lost of flavor and vitamins. I know you can grow coffee beans, but the amount would probably minimal and it's to cool in upper Northern California for them to grow. So what works well? I'm sure I'm not the only one looking.


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## ZoomZoom (Dec 18, 2009)

Please elaborate on coffee not storing well.
We buy those 2-3# plastic tubs of Maxwell House with the mylar seal and they last for many years.


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## 101airborne (Jan 29, 2010)

ZoomZoom said:


> Please elaborate on coffee not storing well.
> We buy those 2-3# plastic tubs of Maxwell House with the mylar seal and they last for many years.


Even sealed in those plastic tubs after only 2-3 years the coffee will start to go "flat" loosing it's flavor and such. About the only thing I've found that lasts is either freeze dried or those vaccum packed individual ones. Even then the shelf life is ordinarially less than 10 years.


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## 101airborne (Jan 29, 2010)

tikiman said:


> SO, as a coffee addict I'm looking for options. What everyone's favorite? Coffee really dosn't store well I've found and much like tea, lost of flavor and vitamins. I know you can grow coffee beans, but the amount would probably minimal and it's to cool in upper Northern California for them to grow. So what works well? I'm sure I'm not the only one looking.


 While growing your own coffee is possible, you can even purchase dwarf coffee trees raising a decent amount of beans. the thing is the growing is the easy part and just a start. You have to harvest, dry, roast and grind the beans. 
As for alternatives there are many you can use. Chickory is one, it is a prolific grower, easy to maintain, BUT still needs to be dried/ roasted and ground. But it (at least to me) seems to store better than coffee once the roots are dried. Dandelion isn't bad as well. Acorns work as well although its somewhat bitter and is labor intensive,


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## terri9630 (Jun 2, 2016)

My husband is a coffee fanatic/snob. We buy the whole beans and store them. Hubby is working on a bag now that is 4 or 5 years old. We put them in a 6 gallon bucket with a small hole in the lid- for off gassing. Hubby grinds them right before using and he says they taste fine. He drinks it for the flavor and caffeine, he's not worried about vitamins and such with coffee. If things get bad enough that we can't restock before he runs out then he will have lots of work to take his withdrawals out on.


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## ZoomZoom (Dec 18, 2009)

101airborne said:


> Even sealed in those plastic tubs after only 2-3 years the coffee will start to go "flat" loosing it's flavor and such. About the only thing I've found that lasts is either freeze dried or those vaccum packed individual ones. Even then the shelf life is ordinarially less than 10 years.


I'm an addict, not a connoisseur. If my daily dose is Maxwell House out of my Mr. Coffee, I don't know if I would notice "flat". 

I've never tried 10 years of storage. I know it works for toilet paper but never had a 10-year cache of coffee. 

And for the record, I'm in my mid-50's and have yet to ever drink a Starbucks. I don't know nor care what I'm missing. I bitch at the wife if she makes a pot of "fu fu coffee" (flavored) without me at least having a mug of straight-up black coffee already set aside for me.

_It's also taboo in our house to not leave at least 1 mug of coffee in the pot for the first person that gets up the next day. (Yes, day-old coffee). They get to drink that while a new pot is brewing._


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## Magus (Dec 1, 2008)

Hi there.
somebody say "coffee substitute"?
two cups of heavily roasted [nearly burned] cracked corn boiled in a quart of water for an hour, add caffeine tabs as needed.
you can eat the mush after you get the goodie with butter and salt.


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## Genevieve (Sep 21, 2009)

I'm considering tea plants myself. there is a russian variety that can be grown in cold/cooler climates

its caffeine so I figure its better than nothing


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## Caribou (Aug 18, 2012)

Genevieve said:


> I'm considering tea plants myself. there is a russian variety that can be grown in cold/cooler climates
> 
> its caffeine so I figure its better than nothing


Interesting. Link?


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## camo2460 (Feb 10, 2013)

There's a lot of Coffee substitutes out there as has already been mentioned, but they are just substitutes that have no Caffeine, which is why most People drink Coffee. The only substitute that I know of that has Caffeine, and does taste some what like Coffee, is Yaupon Holly which has been used by Hill People and Indians for Hundreds of Years. The only Caveat is that there are several varieties of Holly which are Poisonous and it only grows in certain areas. While it is nice to have our Morning Cup of Coffee, we all have to admit that in a true SHTF situation there are many little Pleasures that will no longer be available to us, or be available only on a very limited basis, so we might want to experiment with some of these substitutes just to get the feel for it.


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## Cotton (Oct 12, 2013)

Carolina buckthorn, Rhamnus caroliniana grows prolifically all over the south, can’t kill the stuff. Long ago its berries were used as a coffee substitute.

Careful though, almost as long ago it was grown commercially. Its twigs and leaves were processed into a powder. It was used in US hospitals when movement was required, in the days before ex-lax.


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## CrackbottomLouis (May 20, 2012)

A lot of my family is English from southern Africa so I grew up with tea instead of coffee. So that's my fall back.


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## tikiman (Mar 1, 2011)

101airborne said:


> While growing your own coffee is possible, you can even purchase dwarf coffee trees raising a decent amount of beans. the thing is the growing is the easy part and just a start. You have to harvest, dry, roast and grind the beans.
> As for alternatives there are many you can use. Chickory is one, it is a prolific grower, easy to maintain, BUT still needs to be dried/ roasted and ground. But it (at least to me) seems to store better than coffee once the roots are dried. Dandelion isn't bad as well. Acorns work as well although its somewhat bitter and is labor intensive,


This is one thing I looked into. If I lived say in the Bay Area or south ( why? ) then it might be a plan, but they need heat and humidity. Way to cool here during the winters. Plus if you think there might be problems cooking meat outdoors drawing scavengers, can you imagine roasting coffee?


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## tikiman (Mar 1, 2011)

Tea may be the way to go. I too have both sealed coffee tubs and what I call bricks, but opening one recently did leave that " flat" taste. In someways I know I should cut back now to lower the withdrawals ( tried this a few years ago, dr.s request, and the wife thanked me when I went back to regular coffee ) I'm thinking of a longer lasting problem than just a few days/ weeks without a trip to the store


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## BillS (May 30, 2011)

https://www.hilinecoffee.com/blog/does-coffee-go-bad/

There's no such thing as a coffee molecule. Coffee - whether it exists in bean or ground form, or it's sitting in front of you in a cup - is made up of as many as a thousand different compounds, including carbohydrates, amino acids, and lipids. With the passage of time, those compounds undergo physical and chemical changes that alter the aroma and taste of both the raw material and the finished product. Carbs go stale, lipids go rancid, volatile organic compounds evaporate, and other components change with exposure to oxygen (oxidation) or water. Even small changes can have a significant impact on the taste of your coffee.

How long your coffee will last depends on its form, as well as where and how it's stored. If taste is your concern, your best bet is to store coffee in an airtight container somewhere cool, dry, and dark. Stored this way, ground coffee can be used for a few months past its expiration date, whole bean for up to nine months, and instant coffee for up to twenty years.


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## rhrobert (Apr 27, 2009)

pffft, ground coffee a few months past expiration? I've opened a can almost 10 yrs old. MMMM good. Not sure about these new crap foil peel offs though...they might go bad before their expiration...lol


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## Griff (Jan 12, 2013)

Yaupon Holly - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ilex_vomitoria

Yerba Mate - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yerba_mate

Ilex Guayusa - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ilex_guayusa


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## ZoomZoom (Dec 18, 2009)

Went for a walk in the woods yesterday afternoon and it hit me (_not really as I didn't actually walk into the tree_).

Sassafras. _Not native to western States._

You can make tea and there's 100 other uses from the tree, including medicinal.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sassafras


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## AmishHeart (Jun 10, 2016)

Yerbe matte Tea will wake you right up


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## CrackbottomLouis (May 20, 2012)

I like Earl Grey so I have bergamot as well as tea. I have plenty of loose twinning Earl Grey in tins and haven't had any problem with any of it going bad. It also has the benefit of having a less carrying smell if you are on the move.


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## tikiman (Mar 1, 2011)

I've started stocking tea in several of my kits along with some instant coffee. I travel a lot for buisness and it's always a option at the hotels. One or two here and there and I've got a pile going so far. Nice thing is a couple of the local stores are starting to stock some nice loose teas.


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## Starcreek (Feb 4, 2015)

Chicory is an excellent replacement for coffee and grows almost everywhere in the summer.Save​


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## Tacitus (Dec 30, 2012)

They drink barley tea in Asia. It's not bad at all. Roast the barley, and then steep the roasted barley to make "tea."


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## tikiman (Mar 1, 2011)

Tacitus said:


> They drink barley tea in Asia. It's not bad at all. Roast the barley, and then steep the roasted barley to make "tea."


Or one could add yeast and hops..... Just saying

Been looking to ID local chicory here but what I thought I found was told wasn't it by the local nursery.


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## Meerkat (May 31, 2011)

Vacuum seal the beans?


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## 101airborne (Jan 29, 2010)

ZoomZoom said:


> And for the record, I'm in my mid-50's and have yet to ever drink a Starbucks. I don't know nor care what I'm missing. I bitch at the wife if she makes a pot of "fu fu coffee" (flavored) without me at least having a mug of straight-up black coffee already set aside for me.


 Well I can tell ya, you haven't missed anything not going to starSUCKS!!!! I've been 3-4 times when out with a friend that is an addict. To me coffee is Maxwell house or folgers. Black with one sugar when I have it. Flavoring ain't got any place in coffee, OR water.


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## 101airborne (Jan 29, 2010)

tikiman said:


> This is one thing I looked into. If I lived say in the Bay Area or south ( why? ) then it might be a plan, but they need heat and humidity. Way to cool here during the winters. Plus if you think there might be problems cooking meat outdoors drawing scavengers, can you imagine roasting coffee?


tiki...... Let me look back through some of my files, but there actually is a dwarf coffee tree/ bush that is excellent container grown. Supposedly winters well in less extreme areas ( extreme northern u.s. and such) but if you have room you could bring it in over the winter. If memory serves it only grows a couple of feet tall.


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## 101airborne (Jan 29, 2010)

rhrobert said:


> pffft, ground coffee a few months past expiration? I've opened a can almost 10 yrs old. MMMM good. Not sure about these new crap foil peel offs though...they might go bad before their expiration...lol


 That's the thing If you could get coffee in REAL cans like you used to get that you needed a can opener to open I think it would last a lot longer. Remember the "woosh" sound of air entering the can when you pierced the top with a can opener? Even the plastic "tubs" aren't 100% air tight and the "cardboard" cans with the pull off aluminum on top even worse.

I've actually entertained trying to get some done. I have a friend that goes to (I think) a Mormon cannery of Latter day saints which ever, a couple times a year and has some stuff canned for him. He's going to check and see if he gets some fresh roasted and ground coffee and can it as an experiment.


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## 101airborne (Jan 29, 2010)

ZoomZoom said:


> Went for a walk in the woods yesterday afternoon and it hit me (_not really as I didn't actually walk into the tree_).
> 
> Sassafras. _Not native to western States._
> 
> ...


 We've got lots of trees here. When I gather this year I'll send you some.


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## terri9630 (Jun 2, 2016)

Meerkat said:


> Vacuum seal the beans?


The beans off gas for a while and will blow the seal. That's why they put the one way valves in the vac pack bags. I don't know how long that happens though.


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## ZoomZoom (Dec 18, 2009)

101airborne said:


> We've got lots of trees here. When I gather this year I'll send you some.


Thanks but please don't send me sassafras. I have more than I want already. You can post/send what you do with your sassafras.


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## Starcreek (Feb 4, 2015)

tikiman said:


> Been looking to ID local chicory here but what I thought I found was told wasn't it by the local nursery.


This is what it looks like. I took this picture near me. It grows all along the roadside....until the county bushhog crew mows it down.


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## tikiman (Mar 1, 2011)

101airborne said:


> That's the thing If you could get coffee in REAL cans like you used to get that you needed a can opener to open I think it would last a lot longer. Remember the "woosh" sound of air entering the can when you pierced the top with a can opener? Even the plastic "tubs" aren't 100% air tight and the "cardboard" cans with the pull off aluminum on top even worse.
> 
> I've actually entertained trying to get some done. I have a friend that goes to (I think) a Mormon cannery of Latter day saints which ever, a couple times a year and has some stuff canned for him. He's going to check and see if he gets some fresh roasted and ground coffee and can it as an experiment.


Yeah, it seemed like the old cans held up as long as you hadn't open them. The small folders bricks do the same. Only one I have had taste off after several years storage was a can of yuban picked up at Costco. Been sticking to grinding my own or maxwell house. Folgers started bothering my stomach although I was raised on it. Almost like the beans have a higher acid count.


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## tikiman (Mar 1, 2011)

Starcreek said:


> This is what it looks like. I took this picture near me. It grows all along the roadside....until the county bushhog crew mows it down.


See! That's what I thought it was. Here in northern cal. It turns a bolder blue, but still the same plant. Your right, I probably mow acres of it in the field. Now to see how t o process it and try it.


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## AmmoSgt (Apr 13, 2014)

hmm no substitute for coffee the green coffee beans are good for 2-3 years just in the burlap bag .. heck back in the dy of sailing ships they just threw the burlap bags in the hold and sailed around for a year or two to get back to Europe .. green coffee beans dry canned and protected from heat and light last 25 years

I get my beans here http://coffeebeancorral.com/ and I get my canned green coffee beans here http://www.mredepot.com/Green-Coffee-Beans-p/fe651.htm

If you sign up for their email thingy you will be notices of sales and specials you know like 10 or 20% off free shipping ect


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## AmmoSgt (Apr 13, 2014)

ZoomZoom said:


> Went for a walk in the woods yesterday afternoon and it hit me (_not really as I didn't actually walk into the tree_).
> 
> Sassafras. _Not native to western States._
> 
> ...


You got to be real careful with sassafras .. there is a reason they quit using it http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-suppl...gredientid=674&activeingredientname=sassafras

When you get to know me you will know I am very pro herbal medicine and wildcrafted food ... but the warnings and cautions on sassafras are legit. please be careful


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## BillM (Dec 29, 2010)

*Depression Coffee*

Back during the depression, some people dried Dandelion roots and ground them to use as coffee.

Slaves used burned cornmeal as a substitute for coffee .


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## crabapple (Jan 1, 2012)

11 Healthy Coffee Alternatives (that you may find in your own yard)
11 coffee alternatives (that you just might find in your own backyard!), via SustainableBabySteps.com
127

There are a lot of reasons to seek out coffee alternatives: from the environmental impact of coffee production to the health impact of a caffeine addiction. But giving something up is always much harder than replacing something unhealthy with a better, healthier option.

In our article, Coffee Facts & Tips to Keep It Green, I outlined the impact coffee can have, including:

deforestation
disruption of bird migration
waste associated with coffee drinking
In that article, I also discussed the benefits of shade grown coffee versus traditional farming methods, and some easy steps to minimize the waste associated with coffee drinking. Here I'd like to offer you some healthy alternatives that Nature provides that are also more friendly to your budget.

Most of these options came from a very cool book called Edible Wild Plants from Peterson Field Guides, meaning many of them may be found in your own backyard. Healthy, economical, and local. Can't get much better than that.

11 Natural, Healthy Coffee Alternatives
Keep in mind that the flavor and strength will vary from coffee. Experimentation with roasting, quantity needed and percolation methods will be needed to find the flavor and strength you prefer.

Also remember that safe foraging means becoming acquainted with the plant. I recommend a field guide to help you identify the plant properly, and avoid any mixup. Illness or death is rare, but it can happen so be safe.

American Beech for a coffee substitute
Photo Source

American Beech 
Known as Fagus grandifolia, the kernels within the thin-shelled nuts can be harvested after they drop in the fall, roasted and ground into a suitable coffee alternative.

Chicory for a coffee substitute
Photo Source: Forest Wanderer

Chicory 
Chicorium intybus has roots that can be harvested from fall through early spring, roasted in an oven until dark brown and brittle, then ground and prepared like traditional coffee grounds. (Use roughly 1.5 teaspoons of Chicory for each cup of water.)

Cleaver's Goosegrass for a coffee substitute
Photo Source

Cleavers, Goosegrass 
Known as Galium aparine, the ripe fruit can be found in early summer and slow-roasted until dark brown for a fantastic coffee alternative.

Dandelion coffee alternative
Photo Source

Common Dandelion 
Taraxacum officinale has roots that can be harvested from autumn-early spring. Slow roast then in the oven until they are brown and brittle, grind them and use them in the same manner as traditional coffee grounds.

Feverwort for a coffee substitute
Photo Source

Feverwort, Tinker's Weed 
You can find the ripe berries of Feverwort, known as Triosteum perfoliatum, in the late summer to mid-fall. Dry, roast and grind them. Add 1-2 tsp to cold water, bring to a boil and allow to steep until your desired strength is achieved.

Kentucky coffee tree for a coffee substitute
Photo Source

Kentucky Coffee Tree 
Interestingly, Gymnocladus dioica offers seeds and pulp that are poisonous when fresh, but make a wonderful caffeine-free coffee when roasted and ground. Seeds can be harvested from fall to early spring.

Purple Aven, Water Aven for a coffee substitute
Photo Source

Purple Avens (or Water Avens) 
Geum rivale offers a rootstock that can be harvested year-round and is closer to hot chocolate when boiled and mixed with milk and sugar, but I call that a damn fine coffee alternative.

Scotch Broom for a coffee substitute
Photo Source

Scotch Broom 
Cytisus scoparius gives seeds in the summer that can be roasted and ground. Be sure not to consume them raw as they can be mildly poisonous.

Sunflower for coffee alternatives for a coffee substitute
Photo Source

Sunflower 
Known as Helianthus annuus, most people don't realize you can roast and grind the sunflower seed shells to make a coffee substitute.

Twig tea can be used as coffee
Photo Source

Twig Tea 
Also known as Kukicha, this Japanese tea is made from the twigs and stems of green tea. Steeped for longer than a minute makes it a very strong,, almost bitter flavor for a coffee-like substitute. You can purchase twig tea, or grow your own green tea and use the whole plant for tea and coffee.

Yellow Goat's Beard for a coffee substitute
Photo Source

Yellow Goat's Beard 
Tragopogon pratensis offers roots that can be harvested in fall to early spring. Roast and grind them for a coffee substitute.

Learn More About Wild For


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## crabapple (Jan 1, 2012)

Here where:

http://www.sustainablebabysteps.com/coffee-alternatives.html


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## tikiman (Mar 1, 2011)

Thanks crabapple. Some of those I know, but havnt tried, and some I've never heard of probably due to where they grow. Going to have to check them out.


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