Instant Coffee Options in Australia

[Omen]

Coles and woolworths sell this cold drip in glass bottle from Melbourne, it's nice.

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www.coles.com.au

Have you ever concidered taking cyproheptadine for your gut issues? It's over the counter here.

Yeah I tried cypro recently actually and didn't like its effect on my gut. My body is in a really sensitive/bad place at the moment and I'm really sensitive to supplementation - the only supplement that has seemed to help is a specific brand of digestive enzymes.

Trying to keep my health at a level where I can still maintain a job.

Never noticed that cold drip coffee at Coles. That's something I would definitely experiment with, thanks!

 

[Omen]

I am curious what it is about coffee that causes the bloating. Robusta has less sugars, lipids, and acids than arabica—so if one of those things is the irritating agent, robusta might be better.

Whatever it is, please report back if you figure it out (I’ll do the same). Coffee makes me bloated too and I’d love to be able to tolerate it. I’ve tried many many brands and they all have that effect on me. Never tried roasting my own though, and lighter roasts seem better than dark roasts.

Will do. It's interesting that you can tolerate tea better than coffee, for me it's the opposite which is a shame because I would love to be able to have one cup of tea a day, I feel it's therapeutic.

I do think coffee tolerance comes down to metabolism/health but also what other foods you are eating. When I worked my health back up to a really good point I was feeling amazing drinking 4 cups a day (even if it was a latte from 7/11). Was also eating lots of boiled potatoes at that time (1.5kgs per day). Have zero tolerance to carbs at the moment though.

When I did carnivore I could only tolerate 1 weak cup a day. My health hasn't improved but digestive enzymes allow me a slightly more varied diet now including half a dozen eggs and plenty of steamed vegetables. I can now drink 3 cups black without negative effect (assuming the source of coffee isn't causing issues). Also in a brief period where I was doing well on white rice, steamed vegetables, minimal fruit and some meat/eggs I couldn't tolerate any coffee.

 

[AlaskaJono]

French press notes: med/course grind, 4 minutes steep time max. If one very sensitive to caffeine or Acidity, then go 2-2:30 min. Or less. I have used espresso ground store bought Lavazza in emergencies, and steeped 45 seconds to a minute. Effin' strong, and can produce same results as a coffee enema. Just sayin', be prepared.

All things coffee: This site- www.sweetmarias.com - is where I bought green beans from when I lived in N. America. He has extensive information on the site regarding everything from wild coffee trees 25 feet high in Ethiopia to the dozens of varieties of coffee grown in India. Also how to roast, travelogues, etc.. .There is literally months of reading when you explore the site. Roasting Picture Tutorials, etc..

Tom is the dude who started it in the late 90s, from helping small farmers grow better quality beans, and supporting home roasters to get great quality beans at reasonable prices. HE started as a small business to help small time coffee nuts like himself. Cool....
Example: I bought Geisha (or more correctly) Gesha beans, a special variety, back in 2005 for about USD $5 @ lb, and now it is $250 AUD @kg - for GREEN BEANS! I def can't afford that nowadays..... So, yeah, coffee beans are getting expensive for the better quality ones, and if you find a good supplier of beans, maybe from your local roaster, who knows? I did get some beans from my local in Tassie, until the beans started to taste off.... and the price went up so forget it.

 

[Omen]

Still on the search for a coffee that agrees with my stomach.

@Rinse & rePeat I saw you mention in a post the Mt Hagen instant coffee. Even though it's expensive to get it my country (~$22/100g compared to the usual ~$10 I would pay) I'm considering trying it. Do you think this brand would be good for someone with an extremely sensitive gut? I've tried two other organic brands lately and neither with success.

Also going to try the cold drip coffee that @Herbie recommended. Will update if it agrees with me.

 

[Rinse & rePeat]

Still on the search for a coffee that agrees with my stomach.

@Rinse & rePeat I saw you mention in a post the Mt Hagen instant coffee. Even though it's expensive to get it my country (~$22/100g compared to the usual ~$10 I would pay) I'm considering trying it. Do you think this brand would be good for someone with an extremely sensitive gut? I've tried two other organic brands lately and neither with success.

Also going to try the cold drip coffee that @Herbie recommended. Will update if it agrees with me.

I don’t know, but the Hagen isn’t a harsh instant coffee. I think before I would spend $22 on that instant, I would try the cold brew first, I have made that myself many times. I make my cold brew in this, and leave it overnight.

 

[Omen]

I don’t know, but the Hagen isn’t a harsh instant coffee. I think before I would spend $22 on that instant, I would try the cold brew first, I have made that myself many times. I make my cold brew in this, and leave it overnight.

Yeah you are right. Once I have tried these last two brands I have just bought if still no success I will buy a french press and try some cold brew.

If I'm drinking 3 cups a day and getting roughly 60mg per cup with instant and I make one batch of cold brew daily how would I know how much caffeine I'm getting per cup I make? Is it just something you experiment with or is it easy to measure out? Thanks for the response.

 

[Rinse & rePeat]

Yeah you are right. Once I have tried these last two brands I have just bought if still no success I will buy a french press and try some cold brew.

You could just make cold brew by mixing your coffee grounds with cold water and let it sit over night and strain off the grounds through a sieve.

 

[Rinse & rePeat]

If I'm drinking 3 cups a day and getting roughly 60mg per cup with instant and I make one batch of cold brew daily how would I know how much caffeine I'm getting per cup I make? Is it just something you experiment with or is it easy to measure out? Thanks for the response.

I don’t worry about how much caffeine I get. I don’t feel that coffee wakes me up in the morning, or keeps me from sleep, if I have it later in the day. Last year I was drinking 3 to 5 cups a day and now I drink one to 2 cups a day. I briefly looked on the internet and see that they have strips and devices that measure the amount of caffeine in a drink….

What is a Coffee Refractometer? - Atlas Coffee Club

Refractometers are usually used in scientific labs, but now there is a refractometer that is specifically geared towards creating the perfect cup of coffee.

club.atlascoffeeclub.com

 

[Rinse & rePeat]

Not sure if I was unlucky and purchased a bad batch but would like to have a backup in mind if they have changed their source and I can no longer drink it.

I have a really sensitive stomach and have tried Coles organic and Replublica but they also didn't agree with me so hoping some fellow Australians can share some good options.

I prefer instant for simplicity but am open to other options.

7 Reasons You're So Sensitive To Caffeine

7 Reasons You're So Sensitive To Caffeine

www.huffpost.com

 

[GTW]

As Paracelsus wrote 500 years ago,
What good is it to diagnose an illness when you don't have a cure?
I can answer that otherwise rhetorical question. The process is a step to finding a cure.
Re the Huff Post article. There is a huge variation in individual metabolism and tolerance of caffeine. Their simplistically-titled liver enzymes are the efflux pumps in the Cytochrome category. There are also efflux pump inhibitors, those in grapefruit are well documented. Efflux pumps and inhibitors are also active in the intestines and the blood-brain barrier. (Don’t eat grapefruit if you are self-dosing Ivermectin.)
It helps to know what factors could be in play but you have to determine for yourself how you respond to caffeine, nicotine, any other drug, food or substance.

 

[Omen]

Just wanted to give an update in case anybody cares.

I think I've found a brand that agrees with me. Constipation and inflammation seems to have eased and yesterday I even had 4 cups instead of 3 and didn't notice anything negative from it. Funny thing is this brand isn't even organic so pesticides clearly aren't the issue. All of the other brands I've tried so far have been organic and some of the reactions have been pretty bad. I find this instant quite smooth and tastes decent (as far as instant coffee goes).

Using Vittoria Instant Coffee (Italian).

Obviously there are different reasons for each individual's coffee intolerance but hopefully I have found a brand I can stick with until my metabolism is better and I'm less sensitive.

@Vileplume

 

[Vileplume]

Just wanted to give an update in case anybody cares.

I think I've found a brand that agrees with me. Constipation and inflammation seems to have eased and yesterday I even had 4 cups instead of 3 and didn't notice anything negative from it. Funny thing is this brand isn't even organic so pesticides clearly aren't the issue. All of the other brands I've tried so far have been organic and some of the reactions have been pretty bad. I find this instant quite smooth and tastes decent (as far as instant coffee goes).

Using Vittoria Instant Coffee (Italian).

Obviously there are different reasons for each individual's coffee intolerance but hopefully I have found a brand I can stick with until my metabolism is better and I'm less sensitive.

@Vileplume

That's awesome, thank you for sharing.

I've tried a ton of different coffees over the last year, and they all made me bloated. But I haven't tried instant. For now I'm doing all right without coffee, but I might try that brand. Thanks again, and glad you found one that works for you.

 

[GTW]

Organic for coffee is about sustainable agriculture and workers' health.
The roasting temps destroy/inactivate pesticide residues.

 

[Omen]

Spoke too soon. Should have given it a couple of weeks before posting but that instant coffee definitely messing with my stomach.

Decided I'm done with instant coffee as I'm just not hopeful that I will find something that will agree with me at this stage (that's also accessible in my country). Buying a french press tomorrow so I will experiment and hopefully find a brewing style that agrees with me. First up I will be trying cold press but I do have a question for any experienced coffee makers here...

Should I bother buying a hand grinder right now? One I was recommended is currently on special but it's still $145 which seems a high investment considering I don't know if this will work out. Should I just prioritise finding a coffee style that agrees with me and start off by purchasing pre-ground organic beans?

 

[AlaskaJono]

Spoke too soon. Should have given it a couple of weeks before posting but that instant coffee definitely messing with my stomach.

Decided I'm done with instant coffee as I'm just not hopeful that I will find something that will agree with me at this stage (that's also accessible in my country). Buying a french press tomorrow so I will experiment and hopefully find a brewing style that agrees with me. First up I will be trying cold press but I do have a question for any experienced coffee makers here...

Should I bother buying a hand grinder right now? One I was recommended is currently on special but it's still $145 which seems a high investment considering I don't know if this will work out. Should I just prioritise finding a coffee style that agrees with me and start off by purchasing pre-ground organic beans?

I wouldn't buy a hand grinder for $145. I have a Hario hand grinder. From Ebay.com.au some years ago for about 70$. Should last a lifetime.

Separate issue, I would suggest you try the cold brew method if you are sensitive as most definitely this has much less acidity than hot brewed coffee. Look online for a recipe amount of water and amount of coffee. A 2 litre jar or larger could work with a strainer/filter for cheap $$$. Or the regular old hot brew french press, which is my current method. Experiment, and see how you go.

 

[timr]

For the past 5 years I've been drinking Nature's Cuppa organic instant coffee and recently had a jar that tasted different and bloated me.

Not sure if I was unlucky and purchased a bad batch but would like to have a backup in mind if they have changed their source and I can no longer drink it.

I have a really sensitive stomach and have tried Coles organic and Replublica but they also didn't agree with me so hoping some fellow Australians can share some good options.

I prefer instant for simplicity but am open to other options.

Instant coffee in Australia is typically much more acidic than brewing coffee. If you don't want the hassle with grinding your own, use ground coffees from a good brand and make filter coffee (with paper/funnel) - paper filter takes out some of the oils. Try a few good brand ground coffees, or even a decaffeinated one Lavazza is good) to see what works for you. Italian style medium roast blends/roasts are typically milder.

 

[GTW]

There is acidity and bitterness in all coffees. Lighter roasts are more acidity, often described as citrus or bright. Darker lose acidity for bitterness often called more robust, more back palette taste. Without bitterness coffee would be nothing.
Coffee "oils" contribute to the bitter taste. The oils are terpenoids in the same category as cannabinoids CBD, THC.
With a pot and a strainer or filter you can duplicate the results of any fancy **** device by controlling grind, coffee grounds to water ratio, water temperature, residence/soak time.
A paper filter absorbs oils. The paper itself influences the flavor, bleached or unbleached. Paper filtered coffee has been shown to reduce the blood pressure rise. You might find it easier on your stomach.

 

[GTW]

OMG! A word for donkey is censored!

 

[Omen]

Thanks for the suggestions both of you.

My only concern with the filtering was in regards to bleach or other contaminants but I will give this a try and see how it goes.

I was doing some reading yesterday and apparently companies are allowed up to 10% of the grounds to contain insects etc (which is commonly cockroaches?). I hope this is just a myth, not sure the validity of it.

 

[GTW]

As I read somewhere, pesticide residues in coffee are denatured by roasting. So much for insects. 10% seems extreme. When I buy green coffee beans I don't see any. Good hyperbolic sales pitch if you want to one-up the competition.
Read the fine print on coffee paper filters. Oxy bleach/hydrogen peroxide or percarbonate generated bleach should not be problematic. Unbleached brown paper gave a flavor I did not like.