Poland
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 spelt 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 the Czech Republic, the 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.
