In Italy caffè d'orzo is made in traditional Italian espresso machines in cafes. Italian families tend, instead, to make it using an orziera, a special moka pot adapted to barley.
During World War II and in the post-war era, caffè d'orzo and chicory became popular substitutes for coffee, which was expensive due to rationing and food shortages. In European countries with a very long post-war period, like for instance Spain, this image of barley as a cheap surrogate of coffee still remains in the memory of the population. In Italy there are dozens of roasters making caffè d'orzo and it is a very popular drink. Outside of Italy the consumption of caffè d'orzo as a healthy drink is also increasing slowly, especially in Germany.
A variety called café de cebada ("coffee of barley") in Spanish and simply Cevada in Portuguese is available in Latin American markets, though it is often more of a roasted barley tea than a coffee-like beverage. Instant roasted barley drinks are sold under various brand names (although most of them are made with a mix of cereals, not only barley) such as Caro (Europe, New Zealand), Pero (Switzerland, US), Barleycup (UK) and Ecco (Chile), among others.