Coffee as a kind of laxative

[Perro]

I love the taste of espresso. I have found it to also be a very efficient way of promoting bowel movements. One espresso does it for me but coffee at home does not have the same effect. I like Nespresso but it doesn't work the way real espresso does so my question is what coffee that I can make at home (I use French press) is likely to come close to the effect of espresso from a restaurant / cafe that has a professional espresso machine?

 

[Perro]

Espresso is known for its strong and concentrated flavor, as well as its ability to stimulate bowel movements in some individuals due to its high caffeine content and its effect on gastrointestinal muscles. When trying to replicate the effects of espresso at home using a French press, there are a few considerations to keep in mind:

1. **Coffee Bean Selection**: To achieve a bold and intense flavor similar to espresso, you'll want to choose dark roast coffee beans with a rich and full-bodied profile. Look for beans labeled as espresso roast or dark roast for a robust flavor.

2. **Grind Size**: A finer grind is typically used for espresso to extract the flavors more efficiently. While a French press usually requires a coarser grind, you can try grinding your coffee slightly finer than usual to increase the extraction and intensity.

3. **Brewing Time and Technique**: When using a French press, you can control the brewing time to extract more flavor from the coffee. Try extending the steeping time by a minute or two to intensify the brew. Make sure to press down the plunger gently to avoid over-extraction.

4. **Coffee-to-Water Ratio**: Adjust the coffee-to-water ratio to your preference to create a stronger brew. Increasing the coffee grounds relative to the water will yield a more potent cup of coffee that mimics the strength of espresso.

By experimenting with these factors and focusing on dark roast beans, a finer grind, longer brewing time, and a higher coffee-to-water ratio, you may be able to create a French press coffee that comes close to the bold and stimulating qualities of espresso. However, it's important to note that the unique characteristics of espresso, such as the crema and pressure extraction, may be challenging to replicate exactly at home without an espresso machine.

That's very useful information which I shall follow. As for real espresso machines, are there any models made for home? I assumed that the real thing is only for restaurants. Thanks again.

 

[pourover]

Where do you live? There's tons of home espresso machines, ranging from low-end to high end prosumer...

 

[Coffee_Mad_Man]

That's very useful information which I shall follow. As for real espresso machines, are there any models made for home? I assumed that the real thing is only for restaurants. Thanks again.

Yes, there are lots of espresso machines for home use. I have two suggested routes for you to choose:

Home Espresso route
Personally I've used high-end machines like Vibiemme Domobar Junior to low-end ones like the Solis.

Now I will say that I roast and grind my beans at home so it's pretty much like a home cafe (with the easy bowel movements!) - you don't have to do this you can just buy filter coffee from the store or online then it will depend on Noorjahan's first point about coffee bean selection...

Alternative Route
You could instead make turkish coffee on the stove, there are lots of videos on youtube of how to do it, like the one titled "Coffee Tips, How To Prepare Turkish Coffee Using A Cezve?" Note instead of using the turkish pot in those videos, I use a small 750ml to 1ltr saucepan, it works just as well. I also sieve the bits out with a very fine filter.
Just make sure no one is using the bathroom when you have this! You will immediately need to go!

You could try this second route and then if the taste is not to your liking you could try the home espresso route.

On another note

You said you have a French press. I feel it should still have enough kick to get the bowels moving, anyone else agree or disagree? Perhaps you could try different beans and let us know if this works.

Hope the above helps.

 

[Perro]

Yes, there are lots of espresso machines for home use. I have two suggested routes for you to choose:

Home Espresso route
Personally I've used high-end machines like Vibiemme Domobar Junior to low-end ones like the Solis.

Now I will say that I roast and grind my beans at home so it's pretty much like a home cafe (with the easy bowel movements!) - you don't have to do this you can just buy filter coffee from the store or online then it will depend on Noorjahan's first point about coffee bean selection...

Alternative Route
You could instead make turkish coffee on the stove, there are lots of videos on youtube of how to do it, like the one titled "Coffee Tips, How To Prepare Turkish Coffee Using A Cezve?" Note instead of using the turkish pot in those videos, I use a small 750ml to 1ltr saucepan, it works just as well. I also sieve the bits out with a very fine filter.
Just make sure no one is using the bathroom when you have this! You will immediately need to go!

You could try this second route and then if the taste is not to your liking you could try the home espresso route.

On another note

You said you have a French press. I feel it should still have enough kick to get the bowels moving, anyone else agree or disagree? Perhaps you could try different beans and let us know if this works.

Hope the above helps.

Thank you. Very helpful. I think I will look for an a non-too-expensive home espresso machine. Nespresso just doesn't do it for me. Glad I found this forum

 

[Perro]

Where do you live? There's tons of home espresso machines, ranging from low-end to high end prosumer...

Between NYC and Philadelphia. Any suggestions?

 

[Coffee_Mad_Man]

Thank you. Very helpful. I think I will look for an a non-too-expensive home espresso machine. Nespresso just doesn't do it for me. Glad I found this forum

Solis ones are not too bad to start with, mine was around £220, brand new, however you can probably get a much higher quality 2nd hand one on gumtree... i think the us equivalent is craigs list? Or ebay etc. You'll have to make sure the previous owner got it serviced regularly if it's a Vibiemme Domobar Junior, for example.

Actually there is a marketplace here, maybe someone here has a good machine, use Youtube etc to research as well though

PS if you do think of going with a Solis let me know so I can tell you all the querk (aka problems) and see if you'd be willing to live with them lol

 

[kapedefilipina]

Oh, I know exactly what you mean! There’s something about café espresso that just works, both in flavour and... the other perks, right? The key difference is that café espresso is brewed under high pressure, using super finely ground beans, which creates that strong, concentrated shot.

With a French press at home, you won’t get the same pressure, but you can still come close! Try using freshly ground beans (a medium-dark roast works well), and grind them finer than you usually would for French press—just not too fine, or it’ll get sludgy. Also, steep it a little longer, around 5 minutes, to extract more of the intensity.

It might take a bit of experimenting, but you can absolutely get a strong, satisfying cup at home that might just do the trick. Let us know how it goes!

 

[MntnMan62]

Interesting. I don't have an espresso machine at home so my go to brewing method at home is french press for cafe au lait. When at a coffee shop I always get a latte. But unlike you, when I have my morning cafe au lait, it always sends me to the bathroom for a number two. So I agree that coffee can act as a laxative of sorts but disagree that it is limited to espresso.