Coffee in Europe
 

I have a health condition where I need to drink regular American coffee (normally iced), not espresso-based coffee, daily. I've been studying abroad in London and been able to get by on my usual Starbucks iced coffee (although most baristas here actually seem blindsided by the concept and I have to walk them through it) but I'm going to be in Paris, Spain and Italy for the next month and I think they only have espresso coffee over there.

Does anyone know where and/or how to find American filter coffee throughout southern Europe?

I'm going to be staying with my girlfriend's relatives for a couple weeks and they might have a coffee machine I can use to brew my own coffee but I'm nervous for when we're staying at hostels or cheap motels.

Thanks!

I'm not sure if this will be helpful but what is the difference in caffeine intake between an expresso (I'm guessing 1 oz of coffee) and one of those Starbucks giant coffees? I would think it would be the same amount of caffeine. Isn't American coffee just watered down?

I've seen lots of places in Europe offering Cafe Americano so I'm sure you could get American coffee in just about any decent size town/city. I just came back from Sicily and I was often asked if I wanted American coffee.

You could carry a jar of instant coffee and boil water in hostels or ask for hot water in cafes or at breakfast in hotels and add your own coffee. I'm sure no one would think anything of it.

You can also get decaf coffee/espresso if you don't want the caffeine.

Could I be very nosy and ask what type of health condition requires you to drink coffee?

I prefer filter coffee too, so when I travel I bring ground coffee, a plastic cone and some coffee filters. And sometimes I take a large mug.

You actually HAVE to drink AMERICAN coffee daily? That's certainly unique.

What is "American coffee" anyway? Just weak coffee, as far as I know. It's not as though we grow coffee here in the USA - it all comes from somewhere else and then is just prepared in different ways. Espresso is simply a method of preparation, not a kind of coffee, either; nor is it the onlyt coffee option in Spain, France, and Italy - there are dozens of types of preparations. So I guess I don't understand the issue. Order weak coffee or café américain or caffé americano or buy a jar of Nestle's instant at any supermarket.

I have an IBS issue where the one way I can produce normal bowel movements is through drinking American style coffee. Super frustrating but generally doable thanks to the abundance of Starbucks' in the U.S.

I'm not sure what makes it works but it's very specific. It's not caffeine because Americano's or anything espesso doesn't work and neither does decaf. I've found Starbucks iced coffee as the best thing that will do the trick. I hate to have to depend on coffee so greatly but after the past couple years this is the only thing that's worked for me.

Starbucks has many coffee outlets in France, Germany and as you know Britain.
But if you have to have this coffee every day, I would take some with me.
I actually have a thermal mug, made by Melitta, that you insert a coffe pod into the bottom tighten the closure fill the lining with water and place it in the microwave.
The water goes through the pod and you have a brewed cup of filtered coffee.
The mug is plastic, weights next to nothing but is a little bulky. The pods weigh next to nothing and take up very little room.
Finding a microwave might be a problem for you.

If you like iced/cold coffee, you find them in the coolers with dairy products. Those ready-made iced coffees are usually made from regular coffee and not espresso.

Btw.. I thought an "Americano" was still an espresso, just watered down with hot water (instead of hot milk).

If you go to Barcelona, there is an enormous Dunkin Donuts right in the middle of the main square, and, as others say, Starbucks are all too evident.

Sorry, but this makes no sense to me and I am certainly familiar with IBS, which is a common condition in my family. The coffee you are drinking is just watered down and filtered. My guess is that it is has nothing to do with the type of coffee bean, but the process of brewing it. It definitely is the caffeine that is "assisting" you. The caffeine serves as a stimulant to the muscles of your digestive track and simultaneously acts as a diuretic. The extra water in the coffee you drink, particularly iced, is just increasing the volume that enters your system at one time. Unless a doctor were to explain otherwise, I don't see how watering down any type of coffee would not work the same way for you. Technically, drinking a cup or two of espresso and a glass of water at roughly the same time would have exactly the same effect, as well.

I'm wondering further if it isn't the ICED water in addition to the coffee that is helping your system properly kick start. Some people with IBS say that cold liquids in the morning give them stomach cramps. Perhaps your particular stomach needs that cold water in addition to the caffeine stimulant. It could be why that exact combo works for you. I don't think it has anything to do with the coffee and cold water actually being mixed together in the glass, although it's more convenient that way.

Okay, that's enough. I'm sure I've sufficiently grossed out the Fodorites.

I wonder? Smells a bit to me.

Let's see how far this thread goes & how many suggestions the OP receives...

incidentally, what is called american coffee [which is less highly roasted than the coffee used for making expresso] has MORE caffeine in it than an expresso, because the roasting process drives it off.

so perhaps it's the combination of the caffeine and cold that does the trick.

whatever it is, it's clearly very important to you to get it right!

Have you googled "Starbucks" in the areas you are going to ?

kbecker22 - your condition sounds grave and I feel awful for you, unfortunately there is no American style coffee in France, Italy or Spain. I suggest you stay in London or perhaps even return to Ohio or Oklahoma or Oregon to receive the proper coffee style for your ailment. God bless!

unless i miss my guess the starbucks ice coffee is brewed double strength this counters the effect of the melting ice which waters the coffee down. dunkin also dou]es this to iced coffee drinks

In Italy, you can order a cafe shakarato, which is an iced coffee but contains no ice. They shake the coffee and ice in a cocktail shaker and then pour into a glass. It arrives very cold. You can order it con zucchero (with sugar) or not. It is one of my favorite beverages in Italy, especially on a hot day.

I have severe IBS so I understand the reasoning. It doesn't always make sense, but I would (and do) whatever works. I too would suggest maybe just bringing your own coffee and a filter and kind of dripping it yourself into a mug or glass. The bigger ciies usually have Starbucks but to be on the safe side I would assume that you should make it yourself.

Good luck!
TRacy

Are you sure it;s the coffee that is working - and not the milk in the coffee? In any case - I don't know anyplace - even in a small town - where you can;t get cafe americano (as in brewed coffee with milk added). Now - the milk may be arm - and you may need cold milk. I wold experiment here to see if you require real while milk - and if it needs to be cold.

(I have a friend with IBS and she needs whole milk - cold is preferable.)

Bring your coffee grounds with you as suggested and in worse case scenario buy a small drip coffee pot to use anywhere you are.

Plenty of Starbucks in larger cities in Spain.

I like a strong cup, cause it puts hair on my chest. Hey, how bout instant packets? You can put a weeks worth in your wallet.