The Java Dilemma: Saving on Coffee in Tough Times

How You Can Skip the Coffee Shop and Make Great Coffee at Home

The weak economy can be a buzz kill -- just ask one of the nation's most prominent coffee retailers.

Starbucks Corp. last week reported a 97 percent drop in fourth-quarter profits, a decline blamed in part on fewer U.S. consumers getting their caffeine fix at the popular coffee-shop chain.

If you're among the Americans cutting back on their coffee-shop java, chances are you've at least considered getting your caffeine fix at home instead … and doing so, experts say, doesn't necessarily mean sacrificing your taste buds.

"If you get a decent coffee maker and decent coffee, you can make great coffee at home and save money and enjoy it," said Jack Groot, the president of the Midwest Barista School and JP's Coffee & Espresso Bar in Holland, Mich.

So exactly what is a belt-tightening, amateur "barista" to do? ABCNews.com talked to Groot, coffee consultant Ed Arvidson and Consumer Reports' Robert Karpel to find out.

Plain Coffee

Achieving satisfaction from your standard cup of joe starts with great coffee beans. Beans from a roaster or a coffee shop will likely be more expensive than grocery-store coffee but they'll be fresher, Groot says. Expect to pay between $9 and $15 a pound.

Next, consider investing in a coffee grinder. This, too, is a matter of freshness. Groot says that buying coffee beans and grinding them yourself will ensure that grounds you ultimately use in your coffee will be fresher than a retailer's ground coffee.

Experts agree that burr grinders -- devices equipped with grinding wheels -- are superior to blade grinders, which as the name indicates, use metal blades to chop beans. A burr grinder, Karpel says, will run you between $60 to $250. Arvidson, a senior consultant for Bellissimo Coffee InfoGroup, says a decent grinder will cost at least $100.

And finally, after you've ground your coffee, it's time for the final step: the coffee maker. One of the most important things to look for in a home coffee maker, Karpel says, is its ability to heat water to the proper temperature -- between 195 and 205 degrees Fahrenheit.

Cuisinart coffee makers, Karpel says, have been rated highly by Consumer Reports subscribers and cost about $80, while Groot recommends machines made by Bunn, which run about $100 to $130, and Capresso, which are in the $170 to $200 range.

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Starbucks earnings lowered on consumers' move to home-brewed coffee

...That's where Caffe-Amante comes in!
There was a time when getting a coffee at Starbucks Corp. – whether it’s a basic “tall bold” or a souped-up venti concoction – was considered a relatively cheap treat, though those of us with a daily Starbucks habit might think otherwise.

However, a report from RBC Capital Markets analyst Larry Miller indicates that even that daily cup of store-bought java is one of the victims of the credit crunch. Mr. Miller lowered his 2009 earnings estimates – to US90¢ from US95¢, saying the move “reflects our proprietary survey work, which suggests Starbucks sales continue to weaken as consumers are changing their habits and brewing more coffee at home.” He also lowered his target price on the stock - to US$14 from US$17 - based on a multiple of 15 times his 2009 estimates. Starbucks shares trade at about US$11.

It is Mr. Miller’s view that Starbucks will be "a mid-to-high-teen earnings grower long term, but with near term challenges.” He added there are other factors that may impede the company meeting his target price or earnings estimates – primarily rising green coffee and the difficulty in obtaining suitable sites to meet its aggressive growth targets.

Tea Brewing

Don’t let the fancy teapots fool you! Brewing the perfect cup of tea is easy. We’ve outlined simple instructions as well as some tips below.

DIRECTIONS:

1. Bring fresh, cold water to a rolling boil.

2. LOOSE TEA: Add tealeaves to a teapot, fill-your-own teabag or infuser basket. Use 1 to 2 teaspoons (adjust to taste) per cup (8 oz) of water. TEA SACHET: Place tea sachet(s) in teapot or cup. Each sachet brews 1 to 2 cups (8-16 oz) of tea.

3. Pour boiling water over black & herbal tea. Allow water to cool slightly before brewing Green Tea, White Tea and Mat’. Cover.

4. Infuse (steep) leaves for suggested time (see chart). Do not oversteep or tea may become bitter.

5. Remove tea sachet, bag or infuser from water or strain leaves. ENJOY!

ICED TEA
To make fresh iced tea, follow the directions above but use twice as much tea to account for dilution by ice. Once cool, pour over an ice-filled cup and garnish with lemon, fruit or mint.

Brewing loose-leaf tea is as simple as brewing a teabag’only instead of a teabag, use an infuser or Fill-Your-Own teabag to keep the leaves out of your cup. By replacing your old teabag with an alternate method, you will be rewarded with a much higher quality, better tasting, and healthier brew.

ADDITIONAL TIPS:

START WITH GOOD WATER
Even the best tea will taste only as good as the water used to prepare it. Avoid distilled, mineral and soft tap water which will weaken tea's flavor. Bottled, spring or filtered water is best and will provide a much livelier and more aromatic infusion.

NEVER OVER STEEP
Over steeping can make tea taste bitter. If you prefer strong tea, do not over steep; simply use more leaves.
DON’T JUDGE BY COLOR
Different types of tea will yield their own unique hue. For example, White Tea naturally brews a pale, golden color while Black Tea will yield an intense, deep ruby-red or chocolate brown. Instead of using color to tell you when a tea’s done steeping, simply use a timer.



The chart below can help you get started:
VARIETAL AMOUNT/8oz STEEP TIME

WHITE 2-3 Teaspoons 4-5 minutes

GREEN 1-2 Tsp 1-3 minutes

PEARL 1 tsp 4-5 min

OOLONG 1-2 Tsp 4-5 min

BLACK 1-2 tsp 4-5 min

RED 2-3 tsp 3-5 min

YERBA MATE 2-3 tsp 3-5 min

CHAMOMILE 2-3 tsp 4-7 min