Acorn coffee

[John Fenna]

I have just had my first go at making Acorn "coffee" - and if anything I find it better than Dandelion "coffee".
I followed a recipe passed down to me through the family...
Pick your Acorns green - just when a gentle sqeeze will pop them out of their cups

Boil the acorns in water for 15- 20 mins to remove some of the tannins an make husking them easier

Dry the acorns then roast them - I did mine under the grill....

Then grind them - the pictures lie...the acorns are actually dark brown - not carbon black!

then treat the acorn powder like ground coffee - filter and milk/sugar to taste

OK - it is not coffee but it is a nice drink - nicer than Dandelion coffee in my book!You could do this over a fire in the woods - but it is raining out there!

 

[treadlightly]

Thanks John, so many acorns around at the moment, it's good to have a use for them.

 

[John Fenna]

Thanks John, so many acorns around at the moment, it's good to have a use for them.

Not many around here!
That was the total that I found in a mile long walk through oak trees!

 

[Hoodoo]

Thanks for the info. Never tried it but it looks interesting.

 

[udamiano]

Nice 'how to' john Last time I tried acorn coffee it was too bitter for my tastes, could have been the age of the acorn though. Will give your method ago

 

[Shewie]

Good stuff John, that looks much better than when I tried it

I think I went wrong on just about every step

We picked them up off the floor when they were brown, we took them back and peeled them, popped them in a pan and roasted them for about half an hour. We ground down what was left and then put it through a paper coffee filter. Not too cracking I tell ya

 

[treadlightly]

Not many around here!
That was the total that I found in a mile long walk through oak trees!

Really? To walk in the woods round here at the moment is to be bombarded with falling acorns.

 

[Andy BB]

I've seen the green nuts crushed a little, then hung in a flowing stream in a muslin bag overnight to leach out some of the tannins. But boiling for 20 minutes seems easier!

 

[Mesquite]

Looks interesting John, I'll have to grab a few next time I'm out.

Really? To walk in the woods round here at the moment is to be bombarded with falling acorns.

Same here,

 

[John Fenna]

Lucky dogs!

 

[Mesquite]

Lucky dogs!

Nah... sorry but my dog's aren't interested at all in the acorns

 

[RonW]

Maybe a stupid question, but why not use the brown acorns?
These are the ones that are ripe, right?

Unfortunately very little acorns up here...

 

[John Fenna]

Maybe a stupid question, but why not use the brown acorns?
These are the ones that are ripe, right?

Unfortunately very little acorns up here...

It seems that using green Acorns reduces the amount of bitter tannins in the drink....

 

[Melonfish]

Might give this a bash actually, Tried Goosegrass coffee the other week, i think we over toasted it tbh but it was still and interesting drink, a lot harder and time consuming to collect then acorns mind.
ta
pete

 

[Chiseller]

cheers for sharing this John. does it have a coffee like kick ? ive seen acorn drinks described as 'warmers' as opposed to coffee.

if u can find my filter for my old jetboil, I'll try your recipe an compare it to Mr Hamiltons. for his you have to dry the corns for a day or two ! so this makes yours a more practical trail brew
thankyou

 

[John Fenna]

No kick - unfortunately!
I dried mine in a dehydrator for speed...but I think you can force dry them over a slow heat in a frying pan....

 

[topknot]

Nice one John , but its not in your coconut cup

Cheers Andy

 

[Chiseller]

cheers John, I'm still looking for my filter