Low Acid Coffee, "Swedish Coffee"

I have severe acid reflux and could not drink coffee for years. Now that my condition is controlled by medication, I do sometimes enjoy coffee, but brewing it this way relieves the concerns that the medication might not be enough. 

The use of an egg in the grounds clarifies the coffee and makes it less acidic. Brewing coffee with an egg does seem odd, but the egg does not leave an "eggy" flavor in the coffee.  It clarifies the coffee flavor so the texture is smoother.  This is lighter and clearer in color than coffee generally is. That does not mean it is weak or watery.

Step 1: Ingredients

1 cup ground coffee
1 egg with the shell washed
1/2 cup of cold water
8 cups of boiling water

Quality ingredients create a quality product. Filtered water creates better coffee because the main ingredient tastes better from the beginning. I do not drink coffee on a regular basis, so I no longer purchase high quality beans. I do not keep a coffee grinder in my home, etc. However, I tried to purchase the most affordable ground coffee that was not "bottom of the basket" coffee. However, other people will make their low-acid coffee using less expensive coffee, and they are very satisfied. 

Step 2: Equipment

One (1) bowl for beating egg
One (1) fork or egg beater
One (1) 1-cup and one (1) 1/2-cup measuring cup (or a combination of these, I only used a 1-cup measuring cup)
One (1) pot for boiling water and making coffee (it needs to hold a minimum of ten cups)
One (1) spoon for stirring the pot
Whatever you prefer to put in your coffee (if you don't take it black)
A way to filter the coffee
Something to filter the coffee into
Brita filter for filtering the water (recommended, not absolutely required)

This coffee is made in a pot on the stove, and there are a variety of ways to filter the coffee.  Here are several suggestions.

1.  If you own a coffee pot with a coffee filter and basket, you can take the filter basket out of the coffee maker, put a coffee filter in the basket, place the basket on top of the coffee carafe, and pour the coffee into the basket. This might require a second person to hold the basket still.

2.  If you own a french press, you can pour the coffee into a french press, then partially press the grounds out. If using this method, do not press the grounds all the way down or the coffee will become cloudy and receive an odd flavor. Once the coffee is filtered through the press, rinse the remaining grounds from the pot you brewed the coffee in, pour the coffee into the pot, rinse out the french press, and pour the coffee back into the french press for serving.

3.  If you have a wire mesh colander and a second pot, place the colander over the pot and pour the coffee into it. If the second pot is not large enough to hold all of the coffee, you can pour some coffee into the pot, transfer the coffee to a second container, and then finish filtering the coffee. The coffee needs to be filtered when it is done brewing. If you leave the grounds soaking in the coffee, the grounds will continue brewing and the coffee will become bitter. It might become eggy (I have never left the grounds long enough to find out).

5.  When I no longer had access to a french press or a wire mesh colander, I went to the local thrift store to see what I could find. I found a filter basket for an old coffee maker and a hot chocolate pitcher. They fit together perfectly so I could pour into the basket without holding it. I forgot to purchase filters, but paper towels make good filters.  

6.  Search your cupboards and the local thrift store for a system that might work for you. It's amazing what you will find!

Step 3: Boil Water, Beat Egg

Put eight cups of water on the stove to boil while you prepare the coffee for brewing.

Crack the egg into the bowl, and put the eggshells aside for usage in a few minutes (if you accidentally threw them out because of habit, don't worry about it, the eggshell step can be optional).  Beat the egg.

Step 4: Coffee Grounds

Add one cup of ground coffee to the beaten egg and mix until the coffee grounds are well coated.  

Crush the eggshell (I use my fingertips to crush the eggshell into the mixture).  

Add the eggshell to the grounds and mix them together.  This step is optional.  I have prepared this coffee without the eggshells, and it was quite tasty and still did not add to my acid reflux.

Add 1/2 cup of cold water to the grounds.  Mix well.

Step 5: Brew Coffee

Add the coffee ground mixture to the boiling water.

Stir for four minutes or until the foaming slows down.  Stir it as quickly as possible (obviously, your arm will tire, and you will slow down as you continue!). When it comes time to strain, you will find some cooked egg in the pot. This is to be expected, and it will not make your coffee taste eggy. 

When the foaming slows down OR at the end of four minutes, remove from heat.

Step 6: Strain the Coffee

You want to strain the coffee fairly quickly when it is done brewing. The coffee grounds will continue brewing even the pot is removed from the heat because they are in hot water.  The coffee will become bitter if it continues to brew too long.

Pour the coffee from the pot into the straining method you chose previously.

The filtering process will appear "creamy," as you can see in the picture.

Step 7: Enjoy!

Once your coffee is filtered, add your favorite coffee condiments (soy milk, milk, non-dairy creamers, sugar, etc.), or enjoy it black. I like this coffee not only for the low acid content but for the smooth, clarified flavor.

I prefer black coffee, but I always put a creamer into it to "cushion" the remaining acidity.  Remember, it is not no-acid, it is low-acid!  If you are drinking this coffee for it's low acid content, avoid drinking it on an empty stomach.

I always prepare this for brunch because it is such a special treat. My coffee drinking guests enjoy it because it's just a touch smoother and different than what they are used to.

*******
Please note that I am not a doctor and none of this is supported by medical science. This is supported only by what I have been told and what I have experienced personally. I originally found the recipe years ago in a non-alcoholic beverages book published by MADD. I don't have that book anymore, so I'm not sure what the exact recipe says.

Comments

[GABRIAL]

This type of coffee is great! Smooth as can be. Absolutely no egg flavor. The acid latches to the calcium and protein in the egg and shell; similar to "cowboy coffee". A couple of Swedish friends told me about this a few years back. They called it Church coffee and they said they used Reindeer cheese instead of creamer (no joke). I have yet to find Reindeer cheese though....

[CassM1]

I belong to a church that has its roots in sweden and this is how we make coffee at church functions like the swedish smorgasbord that we have every year. I swear no matter what coffee grounds you use, the coffee always tastes great.

[tankaer]

Cold brewing the coffee also yields a less acidic cup. Just add water and coffee grounds to a mason jar and allow to steep overnight. Filter in the morning. Drink cold or heat on the stove or microwave. It is also more caffinated than hot brewed coffee.

[GenerallyOdd]

I drank cold-brewed coffee back when I had indigestion but now that I don't have that problem, I find I really prefer it hot-brewed. And I drink a LOT of it. I LOVE coffee!

[GenerallyOdd]

I had indigestion from a teenager up until I was in my 40s and THEN an old farmer told me how to fix it, which is unbelievable, but I haven't had indigestion in over 10 years.

Go to the kitchen and get a cup of water. Drink it down. Don't sip it, drink it down. THEN do it again. Drink it straight down.

You might not be able to do it, but stay in the kitchen and drink it one or two ounces at a time. Don't set it down, or you'll walk off and leave it.

I had to drink my first cup a little at a time and it gagged me. But the second went down much easier and I haven't had indigestion since. I've had a couple of "precursers", but the water always gets the job done.

I think that if you have indigestion, you're dehydrated. Period. No matter how much water you think you're drinking, you're not drinking enough. I can eat anything I want, now. And it's AWESOME!!! I confess, I was royally pissed, initially, but nobody knows this so you can't really blame anyone for not telling you. Or, at least, that's what I tell myself. I don't like being cranky so I talk myself out of it, whenever possible, LOL!

[GenerallyOdd]

I just had a thought - I wonder if maybe it isn't how much water one drinks - say, in the course of a day - but how much one drinks at ONCE. Because I sip a lot of water throughout the day but I've still had that feeling of a bout of indigestion on the way a couple of times...interesting...if you think about it, there's nothing natural about sipping water. Mammals don't "sip" it. They drink it. And it's not always available but when it IS, they don't pussy-foot around with that "sipping" nonsense, ROFL! I might experiment with that...less water but drinking what I DO drink, one or two cups at a time. Straight down.

[kriemer]

When I was young (I'm old now) my mother would keep mix the coffee grounds with eggshell from the morning breakfast "to make the coffee less bitter".

Having learned a very little bit of chemistry I believe that the calcium acts to neutralize the acid in the coffee (an internet search seems to conform this). Obviously, the finer the eggshell is crushed the more surface area is available to interact with the coffee so this might be something that one can play around with to inject some art to your coffee preparation.

The whole egg, no idea.

[spark master]

I always wondered how they did that. There are difference between coffees but part of the flavor profile incorrectly taken by people is that darker coffee is stronger. I beg to differ, stronger coffee has more coffee beans to water. For me Stud buck$$ coffee is bitter and if made in a shop watery, no matter how bitter. As coffee beans are roasted, they get darker till they are real black (espresso) then for espresso they are ground super fine.. We now only use whole bean 100% Columbian coffee from BJ Wholesale a deal one of the few in the store. I may renew my membership just for that. Tastes like good coffee from when I was A kid. yummy.

I may actually be brave and try this one day so I must ask do you use a whole egg or just the whites?

When you clarify soup stock to make "bullion" you take Jelly like 100% fat free cold stock cover in egg whites with the shells and slowly bring to a simmer the egg whites set up and capture all the bits in the stock making it very very very clear. You skim out the "raft".

I wonder if you could do this with just the whites??

this was a very cool instructable, thanks

[dmatthews6]

OK starbuck's pikes peak is blah BUT decaf italian roast (not all stores carry it) is the only decaf that I have found that tastes like good coffee. It's great for after dinner coffee ( i like to bring it for hostess presents and everyone is very ,very happy when I do.)

[dmatthews6]

Dark roast coffee also has more of the acid roasted out and a richer flavor.
I have acid reflux annoyed by regular coffee but not a nice thick cup or 4 of dark roast or espresso.

I have read of using egg shells in with the grinds, but not whole eggs.

PS: If you can see through it, it ain't coffee.

[mousewrites]

In the first step, you say "Brewing coffee with an egg does seem odd, but the egg does leave an "eggy" flavor in the coffee."

Do you mean does, or does NOT leave an eggy flavor?

Great 'ible!

[ourika]

mousewrites - I did mean that it does NOT leave an eggy flavor! Thanks for letting me know. I'll go correct that now :-)