Grain coffee came to Poland from Prussia (at the end of the 18th century), but since then little has changed in the production of this drink. Just like in the past, it is made from roasted rye grains, wheat (including spelled wheat from organic farming) or barley, and sometimes also from dandelion root, sugar beet or chicory. In some regions, coffee substitutes are prepared from fenugreek or lupine seeds. Less popular additions are figs or acorns. The first grain coffee factory in Poland was established on the initiative of Ferdynand Bohm in 1818 in Włocławek. It produced coffee from roasted grain with the addition of chicory. This plant was first imported from the Netherlands, but soon afterwards its own cultivation began on the outskirts of Włocławek. Initially, grain coffee was drunk only in Greater Poland and Silesia by the poorest social classes. Over time, especially during both world wars, it appeared on all tables.
In Czech Republic, a Kávoviny Melta brand has been roasting grain coffee since 1896.
Such roasted grain mixes are also used as a base to make podpiwek, a type of non-alcoholic beverage.
Cereal coffee is popular in East Asian cuisines—Korea,2 Japan, and China each having one or more versions (usually roasted grains simply steeped in hot water).
Grain-like seeds and pseudocereals are used to make similar drinks.
Grain teas can also be blended with green tea or other tea drinks.
Traditionally known as "Kafir coffee3" in Ethiopia, cereal coffee made from roasted sorghum offers a bright, citrusy taste with a subtly astringent finish.
"How Cereal Coffee Became The Ultimate Coffee Alternative". 2023-12-26. Retrieved 2023-12-26. https://thegoldenlamb.com/coffee-history/cereal-coffee/ ↩
Alex Jung, "20 delicious Korean drinks", CNN.com, October 13, 2011. http://travel.cnn.com/seoul/drink/20-best-korean-drinks-741087 ↩
Tirfe, Million; Alemu, Asnakech; Alemu, Wondie; Woldearegay, Mengistab; Asfaw, Getachew; Gerba, Heran; Kadi, Duru; Fentie, Atalay Mulu (2023). "A three years antimicrobials consumption in Ethiopia from 2017 to 2019: A cross- sectional study". PLOS ONE. 18 (4): e0284038. Bibcode:2023PLoSO..1884038T. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0284038. ISSN 1932-6203. PMC 10079031. PMID 37023072. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10079031 ↩