I used to drink coffee a lot. Multiple espressos a day. I went cold turkey and now I drink water.
Try a different tea? Lapsang Soochong or Pu-er for stronger flavor? Herbal teas are good if caffeine is what is disagreeing with you: red bush tea (rooibos), chamomile. Matcha is also good if caffeine is OK for you. If you like bitterness it probably sounds kind of weird but you can steep some lingzhi mushroom dried slices in water and after steeping a while it's pretty bitter. There's probably other mushrooms you can find too.
Or just go simple and sip water, maybe you'll find infinite "wateriness" is like no wateriness at all! Ha ha ha! :) You can add like tobasco to it, or bitters, or bitter gourd if you want bitter.
I quit coffee cold-turkey in Jan of last year [^0] due to health concerns. I ended up replacing coffee with a mushroom tea called Rasa [^1]. It’s pricey, but like you, I enjoyed the bitterness of black coffee, and its strong flavor. Being mushroom-based, Rasa has those strong, dark, bitter qualities . I like the Bold variety the best.
[^0]: https://keygen.sh/blog/i-quit/
[^1]: https://wearerasa.com
Herbal teas can be a good solution.
Please note that herbal teas do not usually contain tea leaves, so they don’t contain caffeine.
I was in a similar situation with coffee consumption (at a certain age I realised that consuming coffee after say 3pm disrupted my sleep) and i looked at this kind of products.
The good news is that the world of infusion is very large and there is a lot of variety… for example i now often drink a mint based herbal tea, sometimes with honey, and it’s very nice even when cold.
Tulsi tea.
No caffeine, flavorful, and has a ton of health benefits.
Quick googled response to “what does tulsi tea do for you”
> Strengthens the immune system, promotes longevity and enhances well-being. Promotes heart health by lowering cholesterol and high blood pressure. Reduces the negative physical and psychological effects of stress. Increases the body's efficiency in using oxygen, which improves stamina, strength and endurance.
I am chewing a gum. It keeps me focused and does not cause me headaches as overdosing on caffeine does. Also it keeps my mouth occupied and I have less tendency to snack around.
Tea without caffeine? There's a flavor variety that will fit just about any preference. Too watery? Add a cream, a milk, or make it stronger.
Some people drink "coffee" made from roasted chicory root. I've never tried it, but it is caffeine free.
Why not try decaffeinated coffee?
I enjoy sparkling water and Angostura bitters if I’m looking for a bit of flavor.
> Throughout the day, I take veeery slow sips of
Beer
I don’t know that coffee increases risk of cancer. I haven’t seen any evidence of that. Some studies show coffee reduces the incidence of some cancers. Trace amounts of chemicals possibly found in coffee unlikely to matter. The air we breathe seems orders of magnitude more carcinogenic.
Seems like an overblown worry given no actual link found between coffee and increased cancer risk in humans. Links between coffee and reduced cancer risk have been found.
For example:
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/acrylamide-in-coffee