I Quit Starbucks Coffee
I know it sounds drastic and to be fair it is! In this post, I'll explain my reasoning for going cold turkey on Starbucks coffee and my newfound alternatives.
This past Christmas (aka Covid Christmas) I was gifted with the wonderful Breville Bambino by my lovely parents. This was my big gift as this bad boy is a pretty penny at $300. It can pull a double shot and with its built-in milk frother, it can make pretty much any drink imaginable. This ultimate espresso machine is simple for the beginner yet customizable enough for the expert. It boasts a remarkable ready-to-start time of 3 seconds and has preset shot settings that are reprogrammable for the user's preferences. It honestly makes me feel like a real pro even if I am far from it!😂 (pic of my coffee corner)
During the winter months, I experimented and practiced whenever I could and got pretty good at making lattes at home. I found that when I did go get a coffee from Starbucks it tasted flat and burnt. I then evaluated the cost of my coffee habits. For example, if I get coffee every day during the workweek for a month (five days a week and four weeks a month). That would be twenty days of buying coffee and at anywhere from $3 - $5 for a grande coffee. The total is anywhere from $60 to a whopping $100 per month! As a college student, I definitely don't have that kind of money to be spending on imo mediocre coffee.
I understand that I am fortunate to have an expensive espresso machine and can make more crafted beverages with it but espresso is just one of the few ways to enjoy great coffee at home! I have included some great alternatives that can be made easily at home.
Great Non-Watered Down Iced Coffee:
This really great for summer and super easy all you need to do is prepare ahead of time!
What you'll need:
ice cube trays
coffee
glass
Steps:
Brew coffee of your choice ahead of time and pour the coffee into ice cube trays and let chill (this is the real game-changer and what keeps the coffee from tasting watered down or diluted)
Whenever you want to enjoy an iced coffee brew the coffee and let it sit a bit to bring down the temperature so that it doesn't melt the coffee cubes too fast
Throw in a couple of your coffee cubes in a glass and pour your coffee over
Add whatever additives you like and enjoy!
I live in Texas and this is my immediate go-to when summer rolls around. I also really enjoy chai tea and I have made chai tea ice cubes too!
Cold Brew at Home!:
I learned this recipe because my mom really enjoys cold brew. This is a very basic version and I haven't explored too much into the cold brew world but I have seen lots of Starbucks specialty cold brew recipe dupes online!
NOTE: This method takes anywhere from 12- 24 hours to steep depending on how strong you like your coffee.
What you'll need:
Masson jar or sealable container
mesh strainer
cheesecloth (optional but pretty helpful)
spoon
glass
Steps:
Get ground or grind your own coffee
I usually go with a 1:4 coffee to water ratio there are countless opinions on the ratio but I like to keep it simple.
Stir the grounds and room temperature water together until the water is brown and they seem thoroughly mixed
Seal and leave in the refrigerator for anywhere from 12 hours to 24 hours. Again this depends on how strong you want the coffee to be
When the coffee has finished brewing, strain with either a mesh strainer and or a cheesecloth to catch the grounds. Remember do not force the straining of coffee, let gravity do the work
It may take a couple of passes through the mesh strainer so you may need to repeat step 5 a few times (Also don't get discouraged if there are still some residual grounds when using a mesh strainer it will still taste good and most likely the grounds will settle to the bottom)
Make your cold brew how you like it or from a special recipe. If you are making cold brew for the first time know that cold brew is stronger than regular coffee!
Cold brew can be kept for over a week in the refrigerator
While I haven't gotten to experiment much with this type of coffee I can understand the hype. Cold brew is essentially the bougie version of iced coffee
Moka Pot:
This last recipe is for all my espresso drinkers out there! Now you might be thinking what the heck is a Moka Pot?! Well my friend this is a Moka Pot!
I love my Moka Pot! These can range from $20-$35 and besides being a pretty good price they are extremely user-friendly. You put it on the stove and boil water and as the water boils it creates pressure that pushes the water through the coffee grinds. It's as simple as that. Very little user interaction is needed.
While I don't know the history behind the Moka Pot I can tell you that my grandmother traveled a lot and during her travels, she bought one. I found it when we were going through her stuff after she passed away and I thought I would try it. And I haven't gone back since! It is so much easier to prepare and make that sometimes I prefer it over my Breville when I make coffee before work or school.
What you'll need:
a Moka Pot
mug
stove
coffee
Steps:
Fill the water tank with water but make sure that the water level doesn't go past the safety valve (I find using lukewarm or hot water works better than cold water)
Put your grounds into the filter basket and level the grounds with the lip of the basket. Some people pack the grounds down but I think it makes my espresso taste more acidic when I do
Place the filter basket into the water tank, then place the rubber ring, and filter plate on top
Screw on the upper chamber
Place the whole thing on the stove careful to place the handle outside of the flame or heat so that it won't burn your hand when you go to pour the espresso
Wait for it to steep and make a bubbling sound that signals when the water has been completely boiled out of the water chamber.
Take the Moka Pot off the stove and let it sit for a minute (careful to not let the coffee sit too long or the acid accumulates and leaves a grainy residue in the upper chamber spout)
Pour your espresso and prepare your coffee how you like it
After all these different ways to make coffee, you might be left with lots of coffee grounds. And I have just the solution for that too! Dried Grounds are great for your plants! I actually gave my sister-in-law grounds to mix with the dirt for her new plants this spring and they look great!
With so many alternative ways to make coffee both hot and cold, I haven't needed to go to Starbucks for my daily coffee fix. I encourage you to try out some of these coffee recipes and who knows you might just be hooked too! Now I'm going to get back to enjoying my nice cup of coffee.☕
- Mei-Lin Rose
