Gourmet Coffee Habit Costing Consumers as Much as $1,500 Yearly

Gourmet coffee consumers rarely consider the cost of their

daily coffee in terms of the expense to brew premium whole

bean coffee at home (50 cents to 75 cents) with prices of

a pound of gourmet coffee beans versus a two or three cup

a day ($4.50 to $6.00) coffee drinking habit when purchased

at premium coffee houses. A recent Washington Post article

discussed Seattle law students spending money from their

student loans for Starbucks coffee across the street from

the Seattle University School of Law.

Erika Lim, director of career services at the law school has

launched a campaign to reduce coffee consumption by students

attending the university on student loan money. She points

out that students are spending education loans on luxuries

like latte instead of necessities like a loaf of bread. That

borrowed money takes years to repay and many students don't

do the math to see that study time with 2-3 cups of coffee

at Starbucks over 4 years can cost them significant sums -

as much as $4500 in principle, interest and fees on their

student loan - over the course of their education. An

online calculator has been posted for those interested in

calculating their caffeine expenses at:

http://www.hughchou.org/calc/coffee.cgi

Gourmet Coffee drinkers have become accustomed to paying $2

or more per cup for fresh brewed coffees at Premium coffee

houses - and many sources are predicting those prices may

increase to as much as $4 per cup soon due to expected

increases in green coffee prices. But smart gourmet coffee

consumers have long known that premium coffee brewed at home

costs just 12 cents or so per cup, depending on preferences

for coffee strength.

Many coffee producers recommend starting with 1 tablespoon

of fresh ground gourmet coffee beans per standard 6 ounce

cup of water. Starbucks recommends double that amount for

stronger coffees at 2 tablespoons per 6 ounce cup. A pound

of gourmet coffee (that is 16 Ounces or 1 Lb.) divided

by 1 1/2 Ounces comes to roughly 10 pots of 10 cups

(6 Ounce cups) equaling 100 cups for the cost of one pound

of gourmet coffee beans. At the average of 1.5 tablespoons

per 6 ounce cup and average size of 12 ounce coffee mug,

you can expect 50 cups of home brewed coffee per pound of

gourmet beans!

Prices of premium gourmet coffee beans range between $10

and $18 per pound, making a cup of home-brewed gourmet

coffee, made fresh to your liking, cost only between .10

cents and .25 cents per cup or between $1.00 and $2.00 per

pot of coffee! Even the rarest and most expensive coffee

sold, the exotic Kopi Luwak, at $175 per pound, is still

less than $1.75 per 6 ounce cup when brewed at home! So

if you have expensive tastes and want a 12 ounce mug of

the rarest and most expensive coffee on the planet, you

still need only pay what some premium coffee houses charge

for a latte ($3.50) for that rare privilege.

When consumers learn that they can purchase gourmet whole

bean coffee for between $10 to $18 per pound, then fresh

grind and brew at home for significantly less than gourmet

coffee companies charge, many see home brewing premium

gourmet coffee as luxurious treat. Purchasing a thermos

or a large travel mug to take coffee with them from home

makes drinking rich, fresh roasted coffee a possibility

for about one-seventh the cost of buying that coffee from

expensive and crowded coffee shops.

Many so-called premium coffee houses keep their coffee

heated on warmers after brewing, but this practice causes

the flavor to turn bitter after less than an hour of

warming. It is actually more likely you will get a rich

flavorful cup of coffee from an insulated thermos or

insulated type pump containers. Reheating coffee can

destroy the flavor of good gourmet coffee - just as quickly

as extensive warming.

Coffee purists prefer to make individual cups with a coffee

press, fresh grinding beans for each cup and drinking the

entire amount brewed before it turns cold to get the maximum

enjoyment from their beans. Microwave a good cup of coffee

that has gone cold and you'll see how much better it is

freshly brewed. Using good clean, fresh water is essential

since coffee is 99% water and bad tasting tap water can

quickly ruin even the best fresh ground beans.

You can enjoy great gourmet coffee more and pay less for the

privilege by starting with whole beans and grinding them

yourself with a $20 coffee grinder. Make only what you can

drink or carry with you in a nice thermos or travel mug

instead of reheating coffee later. Use good tasting water

and keep your brewing equipment clean to prevent the

rancid bitterness that can come from previous grounds in

crevices.

You can brew at home with fine gourmet coffee beans, fresh

ground and brewed in a French press coffee maker, carry a

fancy thermos of great coffee to work or school and enjoy

the best coffee available for far less money than you would

spend at crowded and expensive premium coffee house.

© Copyright 2005 http://www.TastesofTheWorld.net

Written by Mike Banks Valentine for Tastes of The World coffee company, focusing on specialty gourmet coffees which are not readily available in the United States. Rare Gourmet Coffee is their business so they make shopping with them risk free. "If you are happy tell a friend if you are not tell us"

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