What to brew when the grain drink you relied on is gone
Postum, Pero, Cafix and Roastaroma kept a lot of households in a warm morning cup for the better part of a century, and supply has been unreliable for most of that time's last twenty years. If you are looking for the next thing, it is worth knowing that cacao is a different plant doing the same job — roasted dark, brewed in a press, bitter rather than sweet.
Ground for brewing. Nothing to dissolve.
How you actually make it
A press, three minutes, and that is it
Two tablespoons per 6 oz of water, boiling, stir and steep two to three minutes, press the filter down. That is the whole method, and it is printed on the back of the bag.
Or the machine already on your counter
A drip coffee maker works with a gold or nylon filter — 2 tablespoons per 6 oz, strongest setting. Never a paper filter: it clogs with cacao grounds and the pot overflows. A pour-over, an AeroPress, a tea infuser and single-serve cups compatible with Keurig® brewers all work too.
Black, or however you took the other one
It is unsweetened, so it will not taste like the grain drink you are used to — that was malty and slightly sweet from the molasses. This is bitter and roasted. Cream and a sweetener bring it a long way over, and the bag says so.
Side by side
Both ingredient statements are printed on the packaging. Nothing here is our characterisation of theirs.
| Choffy | Postum Original | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Roasted cacao beans, ground | Roasted wheat, instant |
| Ingredients | 1 | 4 |
| What is in it | Roasted cacao | Wheat, wheat bran, molasses, wheat starch |
| Contains wheat | No | Yes — three of the four ingredients |
| Gluten | Gluten free, as stated on our bag | Label reads “Allergen Alert - Contains: wheat”; their FAQ says it is not suitable for gluten allergies or sensitivities |
| Caffeine | ~20 mg in 8 oz, naturally in the bean | None, and they say so |
| Added sugar | None | None added; molasses is an ingredient |
| How you make it | Brewed in a press, drip, pour-over or a pod | 1–2 tsp stirred into boiling water |
| What is left in the cup | Grounds, like coffee | Nothing, you drink the powder |
| Sizes | 10, 32 and 80 oz bags, plus single-serve cups | 8 oz jar, 42 oz pouch |
Postum facts from postum.com, read 15 September 2026 — ingredient statement and the “Allergen Alert - Contains: wheat” line from their Original product page, the gluten wording from their FAQ, the directions from their own pack copy, sizes and prices as listed ($16.99 for the 8 oz jar, $55.00 for the 42 oz pouch). Postum is made by Eliza’s Quest Foods. There is no cost-per-cup row because their servings-per-container is published only as an image. Our gluten-free statement is printed on our own bag. Our caffeine figure is our own measurement, not an independent laboratory’s. Postum is a trademark of its owner. Choffy Inc. is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by Postum, and all comparisons are drawn from their own published materials on the date shown.
“Nigeria Dark Choffy satisfies my desire for bold yet smooth chocolatey flavor. I have enjoyed Choffy for over 5 years and this is one of my favs!”
Elizabeth · verified buyer
Where people from grain drinks start
Medium is the closest in gentleness. French is the closest to a strong dark cup. Nothing to brew with yet? The Starter Kit adds the press.
Medium Roast Variety Set Choffy Brewed Cacao
Three estates at Medium roast — the softest and roundest we make, and the nearest thing to the mildness of a grain cup.
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Ivory Coast Dark Roast Choffy Brewed Cacao
Ivory Coast Dark — earthy and smooth with a long finish, for anyone who took their Postum strong.
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Choffy Brewed Cacao - Medium Roast Starter Kit
Four medium roasts — Ecuador, Ivory Coast, Nigeria and Volta, 10 oz each — plus our 14 oz tumbler press, a French press and travel cup in one. The gentlest way to start, with nothing else to buy.
Shop thisComing from a grain drink
Is this a grain beverage?
No. There is no wheat, bran, barley, chicory or molasses in it. It is roasted cacao — the bean chocolate is made from — ground for brewing. That also means it is naturally gluten free, which several grain drinks are not.
Is it caffeine free like Postum was?
No, and that is the honest headline. Cacao carries caffeine naturally — about 20 mg in an 8 oz cup against about 96 mg for the same size cup of coffee on USDA figures. It is a smaller number rather than a zero. If zero is the requirement, chicory, barley and dandelion drinks remain the right category for you and are easy to find.
Is it instant?
No — it is brewed and strained, like coffee. A French press, a drip basket, a pour-over or a single-serve cup compatible with Keurig® brewers all work. Three minutes in a press.
Does it taste like Postum?
Not really. Grain drinks are malty and slightly sweet; this is bitter and roasted, closer to dark chocolate or black coffee. What does carry over is the warmth, the body and the ritual — which for most people was the point.
Is it gluten free?
Yes — our bags say gluten free, and there is one ingredient in them: roasted cacao. Postum’s label carries an “Allergen Alert - Contains: wheat” and their own FAQ says it is not suitable for gluten allergies or sensitivities, so if that is why you are looking, this is the swap.
From people who came from somewhere else
Google, Amazon and Walmart figures last checked 11 September 2026. The on-site figure updates itself.
“I tried the Choffy in the pods and also in the single serve bags. The bags leave a residue at the bottom of the cup. The pods give me a clean cup.”
“Loved the Nigeria medium roast but not so much the French roast.”
“This is my favorite so far, it actually smells and taste like coffee without the bitter taste. I'm so happy I ordered it. Thank you!”
Roasting cacao since 2006
We invented roasted cacao and we still do every step ourselves. If the cup you relied on is hard to find, this is a different plant doing the same job.
Shop every roast →