Coffee Head goes Native (Red makes acorn coffee)

[British Red]

Well, found a great pile of ripe acorns when out and about, so I thought I’d give the acorn coffee a try having been inspired by Toddy and the Capn

I shelled a good few by squeezing between thumb and forefinger. A few were stubborn so I applied my Leatherman squeezing top to bottom

Now these were big acorns, so I roughly chopped them down to a more manageable roasting size. Actually, after first roast, I needed to take them down to a slightly smaller size.. Small pea / coffee bean is ideal

So I chucked the roughed chopped pieces into the heavy pan I roast my coffee in

I shoved the pan on my stove and roasted outdoors – loads of smoke and a lovely smell rather reminiscent of hazel nuts I thought

Always a bit tricky roasting anything new so I kept the pan moving and went for a darker brown colour. Its worth noting that the skin dries and flakes away as you roast. A good flick into the air on a breezy day and the skin just blows away

Finally got a nice dark colour going – checked occasionally on the softness of the larger piece. I was going for a good hard consistency. Let them cool and bunged the pieces into my coffee grinder and ended up with a nice coarse powder

Placed the powder into a cafitiere and added some boiling water and left it for about 5 minutes

Acorns really do make a very pleasant drink – nutty and smooth. Not coffee of course but neither is blackberry leaf of peppermint and I like them too!

Tastes really nice - found stack of beechmast too - ate that though

Red

 

[Toddy]

Good stuff Red Glad you found it tasty.
I usually double roast mine but that's so I can store it and have it freshly done later on in the year.

Beech nuts are good munchies, aren't they?

atb,
Toddy

 

[British Red]

Love em to bits - nicer than hazel. I've heard too many are bad for you but never noticed this myself

Red

 

[Big John]

Excellent, we're out in the woods next weekend, I must get some ready for roasting and trying out in the open.

 

[Simon E]

Oh man! another thing for the 'To Do' list!

Do you feel you could have put them into a 'multi-chef' and then roased or is it better to leave them a bit bigger, then grind?

 

[British Red]

I think you need to roast then grind - they would scorch I feel if roasted in too small a piece. Its almost more cooking and drying in the pan then increasing the surface area by grinding to help the liquid penetrate

Thats said - who knows?

Red

 

[stovie]

Very good Red.

we roasted chestnuts on the fire this weekend, and drank too much firewater. The coffee kept the stitching straight though
And I'm still on the straight and narrow