How to make strong coffee equivalent to Starbucks for cheaper?

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Nicolas
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Re: How to make strong coffee equivalent to Starbucks for cheaper?

Post by Nicolas »

nisiprius wrote: Fri Mar 05, 2021 8:20 am Brazil produces predominantly Robusta, so if you can find coffee that says it's Brazilian and discreetly avoids saying anything about "Arabica," it's probably Robusta.
According to Wikipedia...

Arabica dominates both Brazil and the world as a whole with about 70% of the production; robusta accounts for the remaining 30%.

https://youtu.be/LLjXSQksHQg
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Nightowl99
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Re: How to make strong coffee equivalent to Starbucks for cheaper?

Post by Nightowl99 »

If you don't want to throw away the Folgers you already have, try mixing it with Starbucks from the grocery store, maybe starting with one scoop Folgers to three scoops Starbucks. It will still taste mostly like Starbucks.
abyan
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Re: How to make strong coffee equivalent to Starbucks for cheaper?

Post by abyan »

Orangutan wrote: Fri Mar 05, 2021 7:00 am I own a single serve drip machine but I find myself walking to the corner Starbucks and paying $2.65 or so for a grande Pike Place roast. The Starbucks coffee has 330mg of caffeine and gives me a nice productivity boost/buzz. I use Folgers at home but it’s not the same and I can’t seem to replicate the Starbucks caffeine strength. Solutions for a strong coffee at home?
You need to buy better coffee. I love Peet’s, and buy it in bulk at my grocery store when it’s on sale. Then use an Italian stovetop coffee maker, like this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001J1L59E/r ... NMH6XPQ2PR

I find the 6-cup size coffee maker is perfect for making two strong cups of coffee. (It means 6 espresso sized cups).
NS_Bane
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Re: How to make strong coffee equivalent to Starbucks for cheaper?

Post by NS_Bane »

Samosa22 wrote: Mon Mar 22, 2021 3:26 pm
NS_Bane wrote: Fri Mar 05, 2021 7:32 am Equipment:
Burr grinder - Baratza Encore ($130)
Kettle - Cuisinart electric kettle CPK-17 ($99)
Brewer: Aeropress ($30)

Use freshly ground beans. Starbucks uses medium to dark roasts. Even their blonde roasts are on the darker side. When you buy your beans, get light roasts. Lightly roasted beans retain more caffeine, and will not have any bitterness. If you use the aero press to brew your coffee and light roast beans, you won't need any cream or sugar.

There are tons of YouTube videos which are just a couple minutes long and show you how to use an aeropress to brew coffee. I use the electric kettle at 200f when brewing.

I use 1 oz of beans to make 16 oz of coffee. If that's not enough, you can up the amount of beans you grind until you find the right buzz.

With this equipment it takes me 4-5 minutes to make 16 oz of coffee in the morning.
Excellent detailed comment. I have decided to buy the equipment and have a question regarding Baratza encore grinder: Does the grinder work well for small amounts of beans per grind? I would be grinding just enough beans to make 1 or may be 2 coups of coffee.
Sorry just saw this comment. Grinder works great for small amount of beans. My wife only drinks 8 oz of coffee and likes it lighter, so I grind 0.4 ounces of beans for her. Not a problem at all with the Baratza Encore.

FYI I use a cheap Amazon kitchen scale to weigh the beans.
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MJS
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Re: How to make strong coffee equivalent to Starbucks for cheaper?

Post by MJS »

Some old fashioned techniques for improving sub-par coffee, from the days before Starbucks:
1. Add a pinch of salt to the coffee grounds before brewing
1a. Add a grind of salt to the mug.
1b. Add a pat of salty butter to coffee mug.
2. Make Swedish egg coffee ... tedious for small pots.
3. Add eggshells to the coffee grounds.
4. Use really tasty water.

Depression-era coffee was not fancy!
Ipsa scientia potestas est. Bacon F.
Limoncello402
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Re: How to make strong coffee equivalent to Starbucks for cheaper?

Post by Limoncello402 »

Pike Place in a Clever Coffee Dripper. Like a Melita, but allows you to brew to desired strength. Inexpensive buy on amazon.
MRMN
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Re: How to make strong coffee equivalent to Starbucks for cheaper?

Post by MRMN »

If you're gonna use cheap coffee, and need to add more grounds to get something resembling flavor and a caffeine kick -- I suggest making egg coffee.

Google it, but it's how Scandinavians make their coffee -- get full strength coffee, minus bitterness, and smooth finish. Takes a little effort and time to boil and strain, but worth it if you want some quality coffee on the cheap. It's what I make when I know I'm having guests over for brunch or family gatherings.

I'll wait for everyone to come back in a week with all their +1 replies to this....you're welcome in advance.
Bilbo463
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Re: How to make strong coffee equivalent to Starbucks for cheaper?

Post by Bilbo463 »

I buy Starbucks Italians Roast beans, coarse grind them in a OXO burr grinder, and use a French Press to make the coffee. Been doing that for many years and I always enjoy my coffee.
Chadnudj
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Re: How to make strong coffee equivalent to Starbucks for cheaper?

Post by Chadnudj »

Doohop65 wrote: Fri Mar 05, 2021 7:07 am Buy a grinder and freshly roasted beans or roast your own. I roast my own every week and use a pour over. My dw prefers my coffee to Starbucks by a wide margin.
I'll add to this that if you do grind beans, once you do so store them in an airtight container, preferably one that forces all the air out of the container/vacuum seals it. I'm fond of the Airscape coffee storage canister (sold on Amazon; they also make one for marijuana if that is legal in your area and something you enjoy) -- we used to store ground coffee in a ziploc in the fridge, and it's SOOOOO much better out of the Airscape.

(Or you could grind what you need every day, but that's a PITA if you ask me)
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englishgirl
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Re: How to make strong coffee equivalent to Starbucks for cheaper?

Post by englishgirl »

If anyone's an Aldi shopper, the Fair Trade single origin coffee they sell under the Barissimo "brand" is great (according to my simple tastes). I always get the Colombian one. It helped me kick the Starbucks habit.
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sid hartha
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Re: How to make strong coffee equivalent to Starbucks for cheaper?

Post by sid hartha »

Orangutan wrote: Fri Mar 05, 2021 7:00 am I own a single serve drip machine but I find myself walking to the corner Starbucks and paying $2.65 or so for a grande Pike Place roast. The Starbucks coffee has 330mg of caffeine and gives me a nice productivity boost/buzz. I use Folgers at home but it’s not the same and I can’t seem to replicate the Starbucks caffeine strength. Solutions for a strong coffee at home?
Hi. A grande at Starbucks is 16oz. I'm not sure how many oz your single serve machine will brew at a time but you will most likely have to play with the coffee to water ratio to get something equivalent, and then brew 2 8oz cups to get to the total of a grande. You could start with a ratio 15:1 (water to coffee) and adjust up or down from there. But if it's not a good machine then the extraction could be too weak for your taste.

If you want to ditch the single serve machine I find that you can make good strong coffee very cheaply with a french press at home. You could either brew it hot or you can also make cold brew in a french press. I would get something better than Folgers. Good luck.
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jabberwockOG
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Re: How to make strong coffee equivalent to Starbucks for cheaper?

Post by jabberwockOG »

Ditch the Folgers, it's not worth drinking. Starbucks is not much better.

Get a decent burr grinder for approx $100.

Buy good quality whole bean coffee - (Peets, Kirkland, Mayorga, Ruta Maya, etc.). Costco has fantastic prices on 2-3 lb bags of whole bean coffee.

Get a $12 pour-over Melita cone and filter set.

Grind your beans every morning as the water is coming to a boil. Use enough beans to give you exactly the flavor and kick that you desire. Done deal.
philpill
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Re: How to make strong coffee equivalent to Starbucks for cheaper?

Post by philpill »

i recommend only costco beans. use dark roast and a burr grinder. personally i prefer a percolator..coffee is HOT and full bodied. costsco carries starbuck's french roast at half the price sold in starbuck's retail stores. tinkering with grind and quantity will give very different results.
sid hartha
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Re: How to make strong coffee equivalent to Starbucks for cheaper?

Post by sid hartha »

jabberwockOG wrote: Thu Apr 01, 2021 8:22 am Ditch the Folgers, it's not worth drinking. Starbucks is not much better.

Get a decent burr grinder for approx $100.

Buy good quality whole bean coffee - (Peets, Kirkland, Mayorga, Ruta Maya, etc.). Costco has fantastic prices on 2-3 lb bags of whole bean coffee.

Get a $12 pour-over Melita cone and filter set.

Grind your beans every morning as the water is coming to a boil. Use enough beans to give you exactly the flavor and kick that you desire. Done deal.
I second the pour over recommendation. It's cheap and fairly easy when you get the hang of it to make really good coffee. Pour over seems to be very similar to auto drip with the added benefit that you can actually see what's going on with the brewing process and therefore control many of the variables better.
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praxis
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Re: How to make strong coffee equivalent to Starbucks for cheaper?

Post by praxis »

investingdad wrote: Sun Mar 21, 2021 11:55 am Has anyone mentioned cold brewing?

Cold brew caffeine extract is quite high. It also gives a very flavorful and easy drinking cuppa coffee.

Twelve hours in a French press in the fridge will do nicely.
I'm surprised it took this much thread to mention cold brew. I received a Toddy rig for Christmas 2 years ago that cold brews about 6-8 cups. It's a large plastic funnel with a fabric filter under the reservoir and a rubber cork in the drain hole. Before that I used a mason jar. I buy Sam's Choice French Roast and put a cup of that coffee into the funnel and pour in water from the glass carafe it sits on. That's my ratio. Then I stir it well to wet the grounds. It often sits on my counter for 2 days before I pull the plug and it filters into the carafe so it gets very strong. I can keep it in the fridge for 2 weeks. You can mix the brewed coffee concentrate 50/50 with water or milk and heat it in the microwave. You can make it exactly as strong as you want. It is astonishingly smooth coffee, not at all bitter. The best thing about this rig is the filter. And that I always have a pitcher of very strong coffee available. I have used Starbucks and my own home ground dark roast and it comes out so smooth with cold brew that I am fine with cheaper coffees.

Now I love good rich coffee. I stopped roasting at home because I like dark roast and it smokes too much so (every morning) it's Ruta Maya (costco) dark roast whole beans through a burr grinder and into our French Press with just-boiling water for a 4-7 minutes steep.

If you are like me, you are skeptical of cold brew. Try it yourself in any jar. It doesn't need a top. Figure out a filter method. Use a French Press like the above or just strain it and pour it back into your jar. The longer it steeps, the stronger it gets.
Nicolas
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Re: How to make strong coffee equivalent to Starbucks for cheaper?

Post by Nicolas »

praxis wrote: Thu Apr 01, 2021 5:15 pm I stopped roasting at home because I like dark roast and it smokes too much
I roast in my garage. In nice weather I roast on my deck. Never inside the house.
lazydavid
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Re: How to make strong coffee equivalent to Starbucks for cheaper?

Post by lazydavid »

Nicolas wrote: Thu Apr 01, 2021 5:20 pm
praxis wrote: Thu Apr 01, 2021 5:15 pm I stopped roasting at home because I like dark roast and it smokes too much
I roast in my garage. In nice weather I roast on my deck. Never inside the house.
I roast on a cutting board I set top of my stove, and the range hood helpfully routes the smoke outside for me. :)
investingdad
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Re: How to make strong coffee equivalent to Starbucks for cheaper?

Post by investingdad »

praxis wrote: Thu Apr 01, 2021 5:15 pm
investingdad wrote: Sun Mar 21, 2021 11:55 am Has anyone mentioned cold brewing?

Cold brew caffeine extract is quite high. It also gives a very flavorful and easy drinking cuppa coffee.

Twelve hours in a French press in the fridge will do nicely.
I'm surprised it took this much thread to mention cold brew. I received a Toddy rig for Christmas 2 years ago that cold brews about 6-8 cups. It's a large plastic funnel with a fabric filter under the reservoir and a rubber cork in the drain hole. Before that I used a mason jar. I buy Sam's Choice French Roast and put a cup of that coffee into the funnel and pour in water from the glass carafe it sits on. That's my ratio. Then I stir it well to wet the grounds. It often sits on my counter for 2 days before I pull the plug and it filters into the carafe so it gets very strong. I can keep it in the fridge for 2 weeks. You can mix the brewed coffee concentrate 50/50 with water or milk and heat it in the microwave. You can make it exactly as strong as you want. It is astonishingly smooth coffee, not at all bitter. The best thing about this rig is the filter. And that I always have a pitcher of very strong coffee available. I have used Starbucks and my own home ground dark roast and it comes out so smooth with cold brew that I am fine with cheaper coffees.

Now I love good rich coffee. I stopped roasting at home because I like dark roast and it smokes too much so (every morning) it's Ruta Maya (costco) dark roast whole beans through a burr grinder and into our French Press with just-boiling water for a 4-7 minutes steep.

If you are like me, you are skeptical of cold brew. Try it yourself in any jar. It doesn't need a top. Figure out a filter method. Use a French Press like the above or just strain it and pour it back into your jar. The longer it steeps, the stronger it gets.


Like you said, cold brew is extremely smooth. The acidic tones are almost non existent.
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praxis
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Re: How to make strong coffee equivalent to Starbucks for cheaper?

Post by praxis »

lazydavid wrote: Thu Apr 01, 2021 5:36 pm
Nicolas wrote: Thu Apr 01, 2021 5:20 pm
praxis wrote: Thu Apr 01, 2021 5:15 pm I stopped roasting at home because I like dark roast and it smokes too much
I roast in my garage. In nice weather I roast on my deck. Never inside the house.
I roast on a cutting board I set top of my stove, and the range hood helpfully routes the smoke outside for me. :)
The last straw was an early morning runner on our street seeing the smoke billowing off our front porch from my attempt to roast outside calling the fire department whose loud truck raced down our street at 6AM and squealed to a stop out front. The firefighter was not happy with me and I stored away my roaster.
edgeagg
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Re: How to make strong coffee equivalent to Starbucks for cheaper?

Post by edgeagg »

praxis wrote: Fri Apr 02, 2021 8:59 am
lazydavid wrote: Thu Apr 01, 2021 5:36 pm
Nicolas wrote: Thu Apr 01, 2021 5:20 pm
praxis wrote: Thu Apr 01, 2021 5:15 pm I stopped roasting at home because I like dark roast and it smokes too much
I roast in my garage. In nice weather I roast on my deck. Never inside the house.
I roast on a cutting board I set top of my stove, and the range hood helpfully routes the smoke outside for me. :)
The last straw was an early morning runner on our street seeing the smoke billowing off our front porch from my attempt to roast outside calling the fire department whose loud truck raced down our street at 6AM and squealed to a stop out front. The firefighter was not happy with me and I stored away my roaster.
i roast on my grill using a roasting drum and a rotisserie skewer. I have modified my drum so that it is open at one end and I can measure the bean temps that way. Excellent results and the neighborhood smells of roasting coffee :-)
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familythriftmd
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Re: How to make strong coffee equivalent to Starbucks for cheaper?

Post by familythriftmd »

Madvillain wrote: Sun Mar 21, 2021 1:54 pm If you just want strong coffee, get an stovetop Italian espresso maker (Moka pot). Some of the best $30 I've spent in my life. The coffee is much stronger than conventional American-style drop coffee, but not as strong as "real" espresso:

https://www.amazon.com/Bialetti-06800-s ... B000CNY6UK
I agree with the Moka, and welcome to the forum!
zlandar
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Re: How to make strong coffee equivalent to Starbucks for cheaper?

Post by zlandar »

Krups used to sell a Moka brewer:

https://www.krupsusa.com/faq/BREAKFAST- ... 8000035468

Makes strong tasting coffee and it's very hot. Unfortunately they stopped selling them a couple years ago.
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familythriftmd
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Re: How to make strong coffee equivalent to Starbucks for cheaper?

Post by familythriftmd »

zlandar wrote: Fri Apr 02, 2021 6:53 pm Krups used to sell a Moka brewer:

https://www.krupsusa.com/faq/BREAKFAST- ... 8000035468

Makes strong tasting coffee and it's very hot. Unfortunately they stopped selling them a couple years ago.
There's always the old standby, the Bialetti Moka Express.
https://www.bialetti.us/coffee/stovetop ... _7_22.html
Madvillain
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Re: How to make strong coffee equivalent to Starbucks for cheaper?

Post by Madvillain »

familythriftmd wrote: Fri Apr 02, 2021 10:31 am
Madvillain wrote: Sun Mar 21, 2021 1:54 pm If you just want strong coffee, get an stovetop Italian espresso maker (Moka pot). Some of the best $30 I've spent in my life. The coffee is much stronger than conventional American-style drop coffee, but not as strong as "real" espresso:

https://www.amazon.com/Bialetti-06800-s ... B000CNY6UK
I agree with the Moka, and welcome to the forum!
Thanks! Long time lurker, just decided to join recently.
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crinkles2
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Re: How to make strong coffee equivalent to Starbucks for cheaper?

Post by crinkles2 »

This is my approach

https://athome.starbucks.com/coffees-by ... -original/

About 50c each?
Cycle
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Re: How to make strong coffee equivalent to Starbucks for cheaper?

Post by Cycle »

Just use a massive scoop of foldgers and do pour over. Same thing.

You just want the caffeine and extra coffee grounds will get you there.
Never look back unless you are planning to go that way
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Kagord
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Re: How to make strong coffee equivalent to Starbucks for cheaper?

Post by Kagord »

I'm surprised of all the Folgers coffee drinkers here with the $5K watch, $2400 Breeo backyard fire pit with options, Wolf/Subzero appliances, and $200K sports car typical BH crowd. Folgers is my coffee of choice as well and, for the record, I wouldn't pay $500 for someone to crack a locked floor safe in concrete I found hidden in a house I just bought (most companies that had bearer bonds are probably out of business anyways).
dukeblue219
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Re: How to make strong coffee equivalent to Starbucks for cheaper?

Post by dukeblue219 »

Kagord wrote: Sat Apr 17, 2021 4:53 am I'm surprised of all the Folgers coffee drinkers here with the $5K watch, $2400 Breeo backyard fire pit with options, Wolf/Subzero appliances, and $200K sports car typical BH crowd.
Not sure what BH you visit, but I see a lot more "Should I transfer to a new brokerage for a fund that offers 0.01% lower ER?" , "My dividends posted a penny short, so I spent an hour on hold with Vanguard to ask why", "I have $8MM in savings, can I afford a Camry or should I stick with Corolla" or "anyone who spends over $200/mo on groceries for a family of six is crazy" posts than the ones you mention.

Quite the group here :D
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Doom&Gloom
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Re: How to make strong coffee equivalent to Starbucks for cheaper?

Post by Doom&Gloom »

dukeblue219 wrote: Sat Apr 17, 2021 5:36 am
Kagord wrote: Sat Apr 17, 2021 4:53 am I'm surprised of all the Folgers coffee drinkers here with the $5K watch, $2400 Breeo backyard fire pit with options, Wolf/Subzero appliances, and $200K sports car typical BH crowd.
Not sure what BH you visit, but I see a lot more "Should I transfer to a new brokerage for a fund that offers 0.01% lower ER?" , "My dividends posted a penny short, so I spent an hour on hold with Vanguard to ask why", "I have $8MM in savings, can I afford a Camry or should I stick with Corolla" or "anyone who spends over $200/mo on groceries for a family of six is crazy" posts than the ones you mention.

Quite the group here :D
Yep. It sure seems like a bifurcated distribution at times. I seem to be the only poster not at one extreme or the other :D

But back to coffee: This past Christmas DS gifted me a coffee subscription that sends coffee from various roasters periodically. After that subscription expired, I renewed it on my own dime. I'm still enjoying the variety even though I occasionally get a dud. It's a little pricey, so I guess I'm going to have to find something extremely frugal to counterbalance it so that I can maintain my middle-ground BH status.
dukeblue219
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Re: How to make strong coffee equivalent to Starbucks for cheaper?

Post by dukeblue219 »

Doom&Gloom wrote: Sat Apr 17, 2021 9:28 amThis past Christmas DS gifted me a coffee subscription that sends coffee from various roasters periodically. After that subscription expired, I renewed it on my own dime. I'm still enjoying the variety even though I occasionally get a dud. It's a little pricey, so I guess I'm going to have to find something extremely frugal to counterbalance it so that I can maintain my middle-ground BH status.
Bean Box? We just started two months ago and have enjoyed the small portions on weekends. It's $15/mo I think, and quite a good variety.
playtothebeat
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Re: How to make strong coffee equivalent to Starbucks for cheaper?

Post by playtothebeat »

If you want more caffeine, use a lighter roast.
If you want less acidity, use a darker roast.
GoldenFinch
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Re: How to make strong coffee equivalent to Starbucks for cheaper?

Post by GoldenFinch »

TomatoTomahto wrote: Fri Mar 05, 2021 8:13 am
GT99 wrote: Fri Mar 05, 2021 7:57 am Folgers? You probably haven't been chastised enough for that decision. Folgers is what people who don't drink coffee keep in their house for guests.
LOL. Yeah. At least the passive aggressive ones. :D
Folgers is like time traveling back to the previous century. :twisted:

The best way to get more caffeine is very obviously to drink more coffee. Coffee tastes good so it’s nice to drink more! Make a pot of real coffee at home (freshly ground) and then enjoy a few cups until you feel appropriately caffeinated. You will save time and money and will probably work faster and better than all of your colleagues.
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Doom&Gloom
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Re: How to make strong coffee equivalent to Starbucks for cheaper?

Post by Doom&Gloom »

dukeblue219 wrote: Sat Apr 17, 2021 9:43 am
Doom&Gloom wrote: Sat Apr 17, 2021 9:28 amThis past Christmas DS gifted me a coffee subscription that sends coffee from various roasters periodically. After that subscription expired, I renewed it on my own dime. I'm still enjoying the variety even though I occasionally get a dud. It's a little pricey, so I guess I'm going to have to find something extremely frugal to counterbalance it so that I can maintain my middle-ground BH status.
Bean Box? We just started two months ago and have enjoyed the small portions on weekends. It's $15/mo I think, and quite a good variety.
Trade Coffee. Price varies by roaster; I think all of mine have been $16-19 so far.

https://www.drinktrade.com/
hvaclorax
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Re: How to make strong coffee equivalent to Starbucks for cheaper?

Post by hvaclorax »

I, too never go to Starbucks. A friend told me “their coffee is good, pleasant surroundings, nice music, and free internet. Stay away or they may soon rule the world.”
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GG1273
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Re: How to make strong coffee equivalent to Starbucks for cheaper?

Post by GG1273 »

can always buy a bag of Pike's Peak whole bean (grind yourself or have them do it) and make it at home

I really like their Guatemala Antigua - I buy a bag and grind it at home. I do have an upscale Starbucks one nearby and can get their specialty offerings. Also Good - Peruvian and Costa Rican are excellent!
Alf 101
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Re: How to make strong coffee equivalent to Starbucks for cheaper?

Post by Alf 101 »

I'm a little late to this party... I guess my question to the OP is do you want strong coffee, or coffee that tastes like Starbucks'? Or would you -- and it's entirely possible -- like better coffee than Starbucks?

Roasting your own beans is a level of commitment found in a select few. I don't see that this is where the OP stands in his coffee journey. I also think espresso is a whole different animal -- perfect if you have infinite time, money, and the fire to geek out.

If you want better coffee, you need to buy fairly freshly roasted beans. There is some debate about this, but the consensus is coffee beans are at their peak up to 3-4 weeks past when they're roasted, but usable/pretty good out to 3 months. This is why people roast their own beans, or order beans online from a roaster. These people aren't drinking Folgers. There's also he need to store your coffee beans somewhere dark and in an airtight container.

Beans that were roasted within the last 1-2 months should be found in most large grocery stores. You can buy a burr grinder, something like the Baratza Encore or Capresso Infinity, that will cost in the $90-140 range. Or you could buy a cheaper blade grinder that would run you $20-30. Burr grinders are often recommended because they produce more consistent results and a more uniform grind (especially for flat burr grinder). From a macro perspective, buying whole beans, grinding them, and immediately making coffee will be the greatest step up.

Then you need to consider your water, as that's mostly what coffee is. If you drink tap water and think it's just fine, great. If your tap water is terrible, then you have probably already explored other options.

You will need a coffee maker. Most people think of a drip coffee maker. We bought my Mom an 8-cup Bonavita, which currently retails for about $130. You can easily spend $50 or less. The internet is full of coffee machine reviews, and places like Walmart or Target will have shelves full of options.

Many have also mentioned using a french press. In full disclosure, I have an espresso machine, a drip coffee maker, and an Aeropress -- and I probably use my french press the most, making a quick thermos of coffee before leaving for work. As a rule, french press coffee is stronger than coffee from a drip machine.

If the OP is only really after a caffeine delivery system, find something you like and drink more of it. Try a different number of beans, or grocery store ground coffee. At home I have nice coffee, at work we have a tub of Folgers, and it still works.
rooms222
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Re: How to make strong coffee equivalent to Starbucks for cheaper?

Post by rooms222 »

Chadnudj wrote: Wed Mar 31, 2021 3:52 pm
Doohop65 wrote: Fri Mar 05, 2021 7:07 am Buy a grinder and freshly roasted beans or roast your own. I roast my own every week and use a pour over. My dw prefers my coffee to Starbucks by a wide margin.
I'll add to this that if you do grind beans, once you do so store them in an airtight container, preferably one that forces all the air out of the container/vacuum seals it. I'm fond of the Airscape coffee storage canister (sold on Amazon; they also make one for marijuana if that is legal in your area and something you enjoy) -- we used to store ground coffee in a ziploc in the fridge, and it's SOOOOO much better out of the Airscape.

(Or you could grind what you need every day, but that's a PITA if you ask me)
I just wanted to thank you. I got an Airspace for coffee from their ebay store, as it was cheaper than Amazon.
TechieTechie
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Re: How to make strong coffee equivalent to Starbucks for cheaper?

Post by TechieTechie »

Vtsax100 wrote: Fri Mar 05, 2021 9:12 am But a brick of cafe bustello. $3. Two tablespoons per cup made by pour over. Or drip if you want. It is made with robusto beans. Cheap, doesn’t taste awful and will give you the caffeine you want.
I love Starbucks Quad Mochas, and when making them at home, I used to use Costco organic dark roast + burr grinder + french press. But I didn't want to spend 10 minutes in the AM waiting for my coffee.

So now, I use Bustelo's instant espresso and Monin Chocolate sauce (it's what Sbux uses for their mochas). It's not quite Sbux quality, but its pretty darn good. Even my family says so :)
Trader Joe
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Re: How to make strong coffee equivalent to Starbucks for cheaper?

Post by Trader Joe »

"How to make strong coffee equivalent to Starbucks for cheaper?"

The answer to your question is very simple.

You cannot.
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AnnetteLouisan
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Re: How to make strong coffee equivalent to Starbucks for cheaper?

Post by AnnetteLouisan »

Pilon ground espresso coffee, on the stovetop, “cowboy style.” Pilon is (still) $10 at Walmart for 36 oz (a 3 month supply for one person) It’s a step up from Bustelo and Lavazza.
Last edited by AnnetteLouisan on Thu Nov 11, 2021 8:09 pm, edited 2 times in total.
csmath
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Re: How to make strong coffee equivalent to Starbucks for cheaper?

Post by csmath »

I only quickly skimmed about a third of the posts but didn't see this mentioned in that brief scan... cold brew. Cold brewing coffee for 18 - 24 hours creates a cold-brew concentrate that is recommended to be diluted. It has a higher caffeine content by volume. Just don't dilute it and add whatever you would normally add to it for tweaking flavor. You can even heat it up after brewing if you want something warm.

I definitely still recommend fresh ground beans but there are also two pretty substantial side benefits.
  1. You can brew several days worth all at once and refrigerate it.
  2. It is a lot less acidic due to the lack of heat in the brewing process.
mrc
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Re: How to make strong coffee equivalent to Starbucks for cheaper?

Post by mrc »

Every Starbucks I've ever tried tastes burned to me. So I appreciate this thread — and intend to do the exact opposite to avoid that taste.

I roast my own beans and appreciate a good dark French roast. I like a strong cup now and then. I never get that burned taste and I am really glad.
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tetractys
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Re: How to make strong coffee equivalent to Starbucks for cheaper?

Post by tetractys »

Starbucks is pretty good but at home I also want to save. That is money & time. So I use the generic instant dark roast. No need to mention the brand because it’s available in just about every store I’m aware of—only the label and the lid color are different. A whole jar is less than two S. Tall Pike Roasts. The amount put in the cup determines caffeine content.
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tetractys
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Re: How to make strong coffee equivalent to Starbucks for cheaper?

Post by tetractys »

csmath wrote: Thu Nov 11, 2021 5:31 pm I only quickly skimmed about a third of the posts but didn't see this mentioned in that brief scan... cold brew. Cold brewing coffee for 18 - 24 hours creates a cold-brew concentrate that is recommended to be diluted. It has a higher caffeine content by volume. Just don't dilute it and add whatever you would normally add to it for tweaking flavor. You can even heat it up after brewing if you want something warm.

I definitely still recommend fresh ground beans but there are also two pretty substantial side benefits.
  1. You can brew several days worth all at once and refrigerate it.
  2. It is a lot less acidic due to the lack of heat in the brewing process.
Remember the percolator? Cold brew tastes exactly like that!
260chrisb
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Re: How to make strong coffee equivalent to Starbucks for cheaper?

Post by 260chrisb »

I've come very close in my opinion with Cafe Bustelo. Not real expensive, Latin flavor, and finely ground. The yellow bag can't be missed and is cheaper than the can for the same size but the bag is a mess to open. I bought the can once on sale and now refill it from the bag.
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tooluser
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Re: How to make strong coffee equivalent to Starbucks for cheaper?

Post by tooluser »

I've been making strong brewed coffee since college, almost 40 years. This advice is no better than the others above:

1) Use a drip coffee maker. Preferably a high-end one like Moccamaster if you want it automated and controlled (i.e. very consistent). But a pour-over like a Chemex or Melitta will do just fine.
2) Grind fresh from good quality whole beans every time.
3) Experiment to find the amount of coffee per volume of water that you like. Professional coffee tasters usually recommend 60g per liter. I like 30g per liter. This works out to about 1-2 Tbsp of coffee grounds per 8 oz mug, as others have recommended.

Once you find your coffee to water ratio, stick with it. Try different coffees and find what works for you.

I am not a caffeine hound. Two mugs of full strength coffee per day eventually results in heart palpitations and bad sleep for me. So I do a 50/50 half caff blend by weight of whole beans, and drink about 3 mugs per day. Occasionally I will do the grande Pike Place and it is indeed a rush, perfect if I have some serious concentration to do, but I could not do that every day. Death Wish coffee advertises as having twice the caffeine (naturally through crop selection) and is available in most grocery stores, probably at a higher price than Starbucks.

More and more, I like the idea of making little shots of espresso or Cuban coffee as desired, and getting more liquid volume from other sources. A little treat of flavor and caffeine, rather than a longer term session that can result in cold coffee that doesn't taste right, even if you reheat it.
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Re: How to make strong coffee equivalent to Starbucks for cheaper?

Post by JohnnyP853 »

Lol. This is hilarious. I am the wife of the account holder here. For fun money I work at Starbucks. You said you buy a grande Pike at Starbucks. Buy a bag of Pike from Costco. The drip coffee is always Pike. Their dark roast varies. You want a caffeine hit, try Death by Coffee. Also grind your coffee right before you brew and use filtered water. I have a Breville Barista Pro for espresso drinks and lattes as well as two French presses, a pour over and a Breville Grind Control coffee maker. If you want a strong espresso, get a blond roast. The longer the roast the less caffeine, blond roast has more caffeine than a dark roast because there is less roasting time. I think that a French press has a smoother taste than a drip coffee but everyone has their own taste. Cold brew. So funny about the comments on that. We take our coffee and grind it as for a paper filter. Then we place it in a filter and tie up the ends, put it in a bucket, dump cold filtered water on it and let it sit 20 hours. Then filter it out and cut it with water 1:1 ratio. Thats it. You can do that in a french press as well as an ice cream bucket if you want a lot. But seriously, throw the Folgers away if you don't like it and buy the Starbucks flavor of coffee you like. They have it on the shelves or you can ask for it at the drive through. Even if you throw the Folgers away, you'll still save money by purchasing a bag of beans. Cheapest is costco.
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Re: How to make strong coffee equivalent to Starbucks for cheaper?

Post by seawolf21 »

Lots of good advice here. Only thing I would add in addition to a grinder is to buy a scale and liquid measuring cup for the water. Both are cheap and will do wonders in allowing you to reproduce your desired coffee/water ratio. Also use filtered or R/O water for best results.
mrjohnanderson007
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Re: How to make strong coffee equivalent to Starbucks for cheaper?

Post by mrjohnanderson007 »

Use more, finer grounds. Not that complicated...
ItzaHoot
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Re: How to make strong coffee equivalent to Starbucks for cheaper?

Post by ItzaHoot »

I have to agree with an earlier poster. I've tried Starbucks multiple times and at multiple locations. Even stayed in hotels that bragged about serving Starbucks in their restaurants or lobby's. Every cup tasted burnt unless you doctored it to death to hide the flavor.

If you want great coffee, start with great beans. Grind them in small batches (daily) at home with a burr grinder. Buy an insulated stainless steel french press (often available for campers from REI or Amazon).

Start with "toilet water" which is an old term for water from a tap/faucet that was stored overnight to let it "breathe"/release the chlorine/bromine/whatever else your water is treated with. Store the water for at least overnight in a glass container without a lid/cover. in Also, if your water is heavily mineralized/flavored, consider using a charcoal filter.

Measure your grinds into the press and add a small amount of boiling water to thoroughly wet the beans. Some people also like to add a pinch of salt. Give it a few seconds for the grinds to soak and then add the remaining water. This also lets the boiling water cool a little so you don't release as many oils into your coffee. After that, let the grinds soak, soaking time to be determined by trial and error, and then finish using the press.

Enjoy!
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