Coffee

Coffee

The Mythical Coffee Bean

According to legend, a goat herder noticed that his goats became friskier than usual after consuming the red cherries of a wild shrub. Curious, he tasted the cherries himself. He was delighted by the cherries' invigorating effects - after all, the days of herding must have been long and tiring - and shared this magical discovery with the world.

In the centuries that followed, the people of this land absorbed coffee into their culture and daily routine. Traders and religious pilgrims mixed ground coffee cherries with animal fat to make a sustaining snack for their journeys.

Arab holy men experimented with brewing coffee by parching the cherries and steeping them in water. They welcomed the invigorating brew as an accompaniment to their long prayer services.

Sometime in the fifteenth century the cultivation of coffee began, and for many centuries to follow the Yemen province in Arabia served as the world's primary source of coffee.

Coffee reached European countries in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, with coffeehouses opening in Istanbul in 1554 and in Venice in 1683. Its popularity led to the establishment of the first coffeehouses in London in 1650.

Coffeehouse culture spread throughout Europe over the next decades and eventually hit the American colonies. It was in one of these New World establishments, the Green Dragon of Boston, that the idea for the Boston Tea Party was conceived. What better way to protest the unfair tea taxes imposed by the King than to enjoy an alternate beverage?

As coffee's worldwide popularity grew, so did the demand for beans. The Dutch introduced large-scale coffee cultivation to Java (an Indonesian island) at the end of the 17th century. Coffee arrived in Latin America several decades later, when the French brought a cutting of a coffee plant to Martinique. Today, coffee plantations throughout Africa, Southeast Asia and the Americas supply most of the world's coffee.

Brewing the Perfect Cup

Often the simplest things are the most elusive. But the key to a great pot of coffee is no mystery; it merely depends on first-rate ingredients, good equipment and proper technique. Buy your coffee frequently from a quality source, store it in a dark, cool, dry place up to two weeks (freeze for longer storage) and follow the instructions below. You'll make a fine pot every time.

Make sure your coffee maker is scrupulously clean; residual oils turn rancid over time.
If using, rinse paper filters in hot water to remove loose paper pulp and bleaching agents (if white). Also, flavor oils thus release into the brew, not the filter.
If you must use tap water, run the faucet to clear the water sitting in the pipes. Colder and fresher makes a tastier, livelier brew.
Warm the pot! Just a few swishes in hot water will help maintain the coffee's temperature and flavor.

Measure the coffee

This is arguably the most important step in brewing great coffee...and where most errors are made.

The rule of thumb is:
1 tablespoon of ground coffee for each 6 ounces of water, or 30 ml of coffee per 180 ml of water

This ratio (1:6) is appropriate for most manual and electric brewing systems but there are some exceptions (see Tips).

A "cup" from most automatic drip makers measures 5 ounces; adjust accordingly. For instance, a 12 cup automatic would require 10 tablespoons of ground coffee.

For a milder pot of coffee, use the 1:6 ratio, then dilute to taste with fresh hot water. The result has more body and flavor than if you'd just used less coffee.

Add the coffee to the maker

For any drip system, automatic or manual: simply add the ground coffee to the filter (be it paper, nylon, cloth, gold-plated or some other metal). Do not pack down.

For a French press: add the coffee directly to the glass carafe.

Turn it on!

For an automatic drip system, simply pour the water into the holding vessel and replace the carafe (covered) to the warming unit.

For any manual method, place a pot of fresh, cold water on the stove over high heat. Watch closely until the water measures between 195 and 209 degrees F. (you'll see steam and tiny bubbles at the edge of the pot). Remove from heat as soon as desired temperature is reached. DO NOT BOIL.

Brew!

For an automatic drip coffee maker: If possible, set the machine for number of cups to be prepared. Then flip the "on" switch! When the brewing is complete, stir to combine (the coffee at the bottom of the pot is stronger than what's on top).

For a French press: Pour the proper amount of water directly over the grounds; stir to blend. Wait a moment, then stir again. Position the plunger mechanism on top of the carafe, wait only 3-5 minutes, then push the plunger to the bottom of the pot to separate the brew from the grounds. To serve, don't empty the pot completely: some bitter residue always lurks at the bottom of the pots.

Coffees

Starbuck's Brands

Arabian Mocha

Complex, exotic coffee from Yemen is in perfect balance with the rich body and slightly spicy flavor of Java to create a rare, wild and satisfying blend. We also offer a Swiss water-processed decaffeinated version, which blends coffees from Ethiopia with Estate Java to reach the desired taste profile.

Ethiopia Sidamo

This coffee offers soft and fleeting floral aromas, a tart lemony acidity and complex, fruit-like flavor. What's most spectacular, though, is its exotic lemon-pepper taste.

Expresso

Our Espresso Roast is blended and roasted to make the Caffè in Caffè Latte truly memorable. This remarkable "signature" blend of Latin American and Indonesian coffees was developed in the late 1970s after months of blending and tasting. It is caramelly, smooth and creamy, with a great balance and a slightly sweet finish.

French Roast

Our darkest roast, French Roast is a light-bodied blend of Latin American coffees that is very low in acidity and intensely smoky. These beans can "take the heat" - standing up to a roast that would cause many other coffees to go up in flames.

Guatemala Antiqua

Our Guatemala offering is an elegant, complex coffee with great depth and a refined acidity balanced by a subtle cocoa background. We also offer a fine decaffeinated Guatemala.

Gold Coast Blend

Complex, full-bodied and intense, this coffee displays our finest Latin American and Indonesian coffees accented with Italian Roast's smoky sweetness. Introduced in late 1987 to celebrate the opening of Starbucks in Chicago, Gold Coast Blend was designed to be the richest cup of coffee imaginable, featuring unequaled complexity and depth.

Italian Roast

Our Italian Roast is a medium-bodied blend of Latin American coffees roasted a bit darker than our Espresso Roast. This coffee offers a sturdy, sweet, slightly smoky flavor with a clean finish. Interestingly enough, Italian Roast has no universal definition in the coffee world. For example, on the East Coast of the United States, Italian Roast usually refers to the darkest roast, while on the West Coast, French is more likely to signify the darker roast (as it does in Starbucks coffee lineup). Our Italian Roast makes a terrific drip coffee, but we generally don’t recommend it for espresso brewing, as we feel it lacks the complexity to provide a truly great shot of espresso.

Kenya

Kenya is a favorite. Perfectly balanced, with wonderful, intense flavors. It hits your whole tongue at the same time; it is refreshing and not overpowering. It's a full-on taste experience without being heavy. Bright, complex, fruity, hints of grapefruit. Very good hot or iced.

Sulawesi

Indonesia's most elegant coffee, Sulawesi offers an earthy aroma, smooth full body and complex herbal flavor

Sumatra

Earthy and unpredictable, Sumatra has an unusually concentrated flavor; heavy, full body; and deep, earthy aroma. It is our best-selling single origin coffee, and we also offer an outstanding decaffeinated Sumatra.

Caffe Verona

Blended first for a Seattle restaurant then added to the Starbucks core lineup by popular demand, Caffè Verona is a coffee education in itself. The acidity of Latin American coffees and the rich earthy flavor of Indonesian coffees from Yukon Blend® are both detectable. An addition of Italian Roast contributes a pleasant and smoky sweetness. Origin, roast and blend are all on display in Caffè Verona.

Seattle's Finest Brands

(R) Regular Coffee... (D) Decaffeinated Coffee (Decaf coffees available in the Swiss-water process)

AMARETTO: Beans flavored with almond for a truly delightful taste (R&D)

HAZELNUT SUPREME: Flavored with the rich creamy taste of hazelnuts (R&D)

CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY: A combination of the taste and aroma of chocolate and raspberry that will send your taste buds dancing (R&D)

DUTCH CHOCOLATE: Flavored with natural rich chocolate (R&D)

IRISH CREAM: Flavored with chocolate and Irish cream for that taste of the Emerald Isle (R&D)

VANILLA NUT: A wonderfully smooth coffee flavored with a hint of vanilla and nut (R&D)

SOUTHERN PECAN: A true southern flavor of pecans with a rich mellow taste (R&D)

MACADAMIA: A soft nutty flavor from Hawaii with all the richness of the islands (R)

RUM ROYALE: Like the finest of all rums, deep and dark with a spicy flavor (R)

CHOCOLATE MINT: The perfect after-dinner treat for your enjoyment (R)

CHOCOLATE CHERRY CORDIAL: A delightful flavor, sweet and aromatic like sun-ripened cherries blended with a full-bodied chocolate (R)

CINNAMON: The agreeably sweet woody aroma is quite delicate yet intense. The taste is well defined, fragrant and warm (R&D)

COCONUT CREAM: A sweet nutty taste from the tropical islands (R)

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