Starbucks Coffee

Fundamentals For Brewing Great Coffee At Home, For Less

(NAPSI)-As many Americans work with tighter budgets these days, they're looking for ways to make small changes in their routines to save money. One way many consumers are saving money without sacrificing their favorite morning ritual is by brewing coffee at home. In fact, a recent study by the National Coffee Association shows that 80 percent of coffee drinkers now brew their morning cup at home.

According to Ann-Marie Kurtz, Coffee Experience Team Manager at Starbucks Coffee Company, brewing high-quality, great-tasting coffee at home only costs about 25 cents per cup-news you can be happy to wake up to. Anyone can brew the perfect cup of coffee with a few fail-safe tips:

1. Use great-tasting water. Coffee is 98 percent water, so the water you use greatly affects the taste. For the tastiest results, use fresh, filtered water free of impurities (avoid soft water, if possible). Water heated to just off the boil (195° to 205°F) does the best job of extracting the coffee's full range of flavors. Water that is too cool will mute the flavor and dull the aroma.

2. Make sure to follow the correct proportion of coffee to water. Reference the side of the coffee package for instructions, if available. Too many coffee grounds result in bitter coffee. Too few grounds result in coffee that doesn't achieve full flavor. Proportion is the most common coffee-making mistake and the easiest to correct. If coffee brewed at this concentration is too strong for your taste, consider adding hot water after brewing is complete.

3. Keep coffee fresh. Coffee's big enemies are oxygen and moisture. Store coffee in an airtight container at room temperature. Brewed coffee should be stored in a thermal carafe and never left on the burner or reheated.

4. Ensure your coffee grind is right. Different brewing methods require different grinds. Coffee ground too fine will trap water and result in an unpleasant brew. A grind that's too coarse leaves coffee weak and without distinguishing flavor. Most coffee drinkers agree that the best coffee-thick, rich and true to its flavor profile-is made in a traditional coffee press using a coarse grind.

And of course, it's important to start with a quality coffee suited to your taste buds. Coffee companies like Starbucks are making it more convenient and cost effective than ever to try a variety of premium-quality coffees. With new Starbucks 5-ounce packages available in grocery stores, for example, customers can easily explore new varieties. To learn about a wide variety of flavors and how to select your favorite coffee, visit www.starbuckscoffeeathome.com.