Last week I bought a [EDIT: 24] oz (or, if you insist, Venti) iced coffee with milk. It cost me $2.65. That doesn't sound like much, but it made me wonder why I needed to spend money on an iced coffee when I already have coffee beans and milk at home. So, I decided to do the math on buying iced coffee versus making my own. I use 2 tsp of fresh-ground coffee beans per cup, so a 12 cup pot will take 24 tsp or--handy conversion hint--8 tbsp.
At 8 tbsp per pot it only costs $0.96 to brew 96 oz of coffee--that's $0.01 per ounce. A Venti iced coffee from Starbucks costs $0.11 per ounce. Starbucks iced coffee is 1100% more expensive than making it yourself [EDIT: Not including costs for your time). (Here's the math if you're interested: There are approximately 75 tbsp. of coffee in a 1 lb. bag, according to toddycafe.com. The coffee I buy is $9/lb. $9 / 75 tbsp=$0.12 per tablespoon. $0.12 X 8 tbsp.=$0.96. There are 12 cups or 96 ounces in one pot. A Venti Starbucks iced coffee is 24 oz. $2.65 / 20 oz.=$0.11 per ounce.)
I tried to justify the expenditure because I was tired and it was hot out, so iced coffee quenched both. In reality, a little planning ahead would have saved me that cash. So, I decided to start making my own iced coffee and avoiding the drain on my wallet.
Here's my recipe for iced coffee:
- Brew an entire pot of coffee. (That way you'll have more to use later when you are in a hurry and don't have time to brew.)
- Let pot cool for about half an hour.
- Pour coffee into a glass pitcher (if the coffee is still warm, it won't melt).
- Place pitcher in fridge, let cool.
- Serve chilled coffee over ice and mix at a 3 to 1 ratio with milk (optional, but I prefer milk).
I've been taking my iced coffee to work in an extra cup and keeping it cool in the fridge. By 2 p.m. on hot day, nothing tastes better.
Leave me a comment with your money-saving food and drink tips or share your homemade coffee recipes. [EDIT: Check out Cornelieu Abel Condrea's comment below for some great counterpoints and an excellent recipe for making the best iced coffee.]
--Jens
Photo from this photostream and used with permission of a Creative Commons license.
This is the best and worst post for me to see today. Best, because I often feel guilty stopping for my Starbucks fix in the mornings on my way to work...And worst because a 1300% markup is ridiculous, even for a $2.61 grande iced vanilla Americano with room.
PS: I vowed that if we receive the espresso machine on our wedding registery, that would signal the end of my coffee shop addiction. *Sigh
Lauren,
There's no time like the present to fix your habits (pun intended). When you get home tonight fire up that machine and brew up a bulk batch to use quickly when you need it. Good luck.
Something I did last summer when it got really hot was to make my pot of coffee in the evening, then stick it in the fridge overnight. Then the next morning I have a refreshing pot of iced coffee ready to go. I don't think I'd have the patience to wait for coffee to cool down in the morning, and I need my morning coffee.
Well said Jens. Very interesting article and I thought I would play devil's advocate. There are some things to keep in mind when factoring all the costs:
1) Starbucks includes classic syrup as part of the operational costs when pricing their drink (¢40 in other beverages). This is not limited to classic syrup (you can substitute Vanilla, for example). You are afforded other things such as caramel drizzle, soy, and the option to get it blended at no additional cost.
2) Your price factors in brewing the entire 96 oz at one time but, for Starbucks standards, this is only feasible if you're willing to drink all that coffee within 8 hours (less if not left refrigerated) because it expires.
3) Starbucks actually recommends 2 TBSP per 6 fl oz of water in their brewed coffee recipe (more on this later)
4) You're costs don't reflect the 3:1 ratio you've prescribed for milk. Milk is a bit more expensive than coffee, hence $4 lattes.
If you're REALLY in for the authentic Iced Coffee then I have good news! I work for Starbucks until this Sunday and have over three years experience making this stuff.
Starbucks uses Terraza blend to make their iced coffee, which retails for around $10/lb (about the same as the stuff you buy and, in my opinion, the best quality. Rather than refrigerating their coffee after brewing, they brew it at double strength and then poor it over ice (it's fresher this way and tastes better). The four fundamentals of good brewed coffee are:
- GRIND - Make sure you have the most appropriate grind for your brewing method. A french press utilizes a really coarse grind so you don't get grounds escaping your metal filter. Turkish coffee uses a grind that is almost as fine as powdered sugar because they just stir it into water with a lot of sugar and leave it in there. Make sure you use the appropriate grind for the brewing method. All brewing methods aside, a finer grind creates more surface areas for your grounds and thus make the coffee stronger. The opposite is true for a coarse grind. This is where you can adjust how strong your coffee is, to an extent.
- WATER - Think about it... the majority of fluid in your "#1 Dad" mug is water. Don't don't spend a small fortune on good beans only to use tap water. I find this is the most overlooked ingredient in your coffee. It's funny when I'm helping people figure out why their coffee tastes bad only to find out the water reservoir in their brewer is covered in mildew leading to bad water. During the summer I probably give out more ice water at Starbucks than anything else simply because Starbucks triple filters their water to ensure it's better than any water (again, in my opinion).
- PROPORTION - Again, Starbucks uses 2 Tablespoons for every 6 fl oz of water in their REGULAR brewing method. For iced coffee you double that (4 Tbsp/6 fl oz) and then pour it over ice. This can also be area where you adjust how strong your coffee is. Don't get too crazy. Try to stay relatively close to the suggested proportions but this is you're cup of coffee, do what you want.
- FRESHNESS - For coffee snobs (myself included) coffee out of a Starbucks bag is only good for a week after the bag has been opened (as whole bean). Once it's been ground, it's only good for 24 hours. Iced coffee is good in your fridge for 8 hours, 4 if sitting on your counter. Obviously the freshest coffee makes the best coffee but don't forget the fresh water too. If you can't go through a lb of coffee in one week or if you don't have a good grinder DONT PUT COFFEE IN YOUR FREEZER. Simply seal it in a opaque (sunlight is bad) and seal it as best as possible. For some this means just tightening the bag after they use a few beans, others have cool ceramic jars with airtight lids.
My personal favorite Iced Coffee recipe was actually dubbed "The David" in Albany because it was a fellow employees special concoction. It's simply but delicious and I would literally have several customers come in on any given day and as for a "Iced Venti David." It's a:
"Iced Venti, Vanilla, Breve, Caramel Drizzle Iced Coffee with Milk"
All for that $2.65. While I agree with Jens that it's more rewarding and economic to make your own coffee, sometimes it's just nice to have it done for you. I suppose it's similar to dining out; once in a while is fine but don't make it a habit if you're keeping a tight budget. You can make "David" for pretty cheap. A bottle of Vanilla syrup is only about $8, the beans are $10, and you can get a single cup pour-over brewer for $5.99 (including cup!):
Anyway, excuse the wall of text but I thought I'd lend my two cents because Jens is such a awesome guy.
Abel,
Absolutely excellent points. Thanks especially for the tips/recipe on how to make the freshest, best iced coffee out there. I will also be cruising in for an Iced Venti David before you are done working at Starbucks.
--Jens
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