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Comment by anotheryou | Hacker News Reader

I love the cold-brew taste, but is there a way to make it taste strong without risking a caffein over dose?

Last time I made some at home my heart kept racing...

Decaf? Probably not at most cafes, but if you're making it at home.

Of course, the better answer is to simply gradually increase your caffeine tolerance until a pint of cold brew has no effect. :)

it's funny because decaffeinate process is basically like cold brew process

Plus, decaf from a good roaster is indistinguishable (at least to my limited palette) from normal coffee. It's definitely no longer the 70s where the only decaf option is watery Sanka.

Additionally, if you can find a caf and a decaf version of the same coffee, you can brew half-caf coffee.

One thing is that you need to use high-end decaf. I've found that decaf using the Mountain Water Process is good.

The percentage of caffeine removed varies widely in "decaf". Some decaf has almost no caffeine remaining, while other varieties basically are already "half-caf".

Does anyone else think that the bitter tastes in the decaf are just all wrong? I've heard that caffeine has a bitter taste and I think that I like it... but it could just be in my head.

Try substituting part of the coffee for chicory. It tastes a bit coffee-esque itself, has some great health benefits and imparts a nice oaky finish to your coffee. It's been used historically in times of coffee shortage and is probably due for a renaissance.

plant or flower? edit: root it seems. I wouldn't know where to get that :)

I bought a tin of Chickory Coffee in New Orleans. Looks like you can buy it premixed like that online.

Cafe du Monde is the brand of New Orleans coffee with chicory that you're most likely to see--though there are others. Note that chicory tends to be bitter though. That's one of the reasons (the other being French influence) that cafe au lait was a thing in New Orleans before Starbucks even existed.

These are all just standard ground coffee in cans as well, so I doubt it's great coffee compared to beans you can get these days.

After Cafe du Monde, Community is I think the number two coffee brand in New Orleans. It's what I grew up drinking.

They sell both coffee and chicory [1], as well as straight ground chicory.

[1]: http://www.communitycoffee.com/products/coffee/12-oz-ground-...

[2]: http://www.communitycoffee.com/products/coffee/12-oz-ground-...

thanks. Should have noted to be in the EU (germany)

I think it's used in "Caro" coffee substitute (among other grains though). Maybe that works to stretch coffee?

It's the root, roasted. Skip the premixed brands people are suggesting – the coffee is very low-quality. Get a bag and make your own blend with whatever coffee grounds you like: https://www.amazon.com/Frontier-Natural-Products-Organic-Gra...

Not sure about Germany, sorry.

You can experiment with grind, brewing time, and water temperature. I drink a lot of coffee that is "cold brewed" with warm to hot tap water for shorter times, then filtered and heated up (I like cold brewed flavor, not cold coffee). Usually if I get that heart racing feeling it is because I brewed too long.

This. Brewing temp and serving temp are often confused. I like hot brewed coffee, but I like cold brewed better. I do not like iced coffee.

I've been given confused glances at coffee shops when I ask for a cold brew coffee hot. :)

I sometimes drink the regular version of this. It is extremely concentrated to the point of being basically undrinkable without dilution. You could mix the decaf version into the regular version and add the same amount of water for a stronger taste.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00V3LRYMW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_Tzco...

You could have a real heart problem. Caffeine might be making your symptoms worse. I know I'm just some random person on the internet, but it might be worth checking out before experimenting with larger caffeine doses.

Thanks for the concern. It was the first and only time I had a racing heart like that. I think I'll be fine if I'm careful.

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