Coffee: A Little Really Does Go a Long Way

by Allison Aubrey

Morning Edition, September 28, 2006 · People who love coffee consider it more than just a drink. It's part ritual, part pick-me-up, part habit.

"It sort of gives me a lift," says long-long-longtime coffee drinker Rich Warwinsky. "And if I manage it well and drink it two or three times a day, half and half, I'm not too crazed."

With this description, it sounds as if Warwinsky is referring to a drug habit. And in fact, he is.

"Caffeine is a drug that can affect our central nervous system and affect some pretty important areas of our lives," says American University caffeine researcher Laura Juliano.

Caffeine content varies from brew to brew, so it's hard to know how much you're getting. It depends on everything from the roast and grind to your barista's technique – and the rain in Kenya.

Here, tips on how to make sure your java jumps, from Joseph DeRupo of the National Coffee Association:

Serving Size: The industry standard for a cup is six ounces, but most people super-size their coffee to at least 16 ounces (that's a "grande" at Starbucks). That amount of coffee could deliver as much as 400 milligrams of caffeine. Studies suggest just 100 milligrams of caffeine (the amount in a six-ounce cup) are needed for the average person to get a lift -- so watch out for buzz overload.

Type of Bean: Of the two commonly used coffee plant varieties, arabica beans have half the caffeine of robusto beans. How do you know which you're drinking? Some companies, like Starbucks, advertise that they use only the more expensive and flavorful arabica. It's not a point of pride if your coffee is made with robusto, but it will give you a bigger buzz, ounce for ounce. Plant growing conditions, such as soil moisture, also affect caffeine content, but that's out of your hands.

Roast: Darker roasts actually have less caffeine than light roasts, even though the flavor is stronger. Roasting burns off some of the caffeine, so opt for a dark French or Italian roast for a less jolting cup.

Grind: Rougher grinds create more tiny surfaces on each grain of coffee. This allows more caffeine to seep out of the bean and into your brew. If you're buying your own grinder, a "burr" grinder yields more caffeine, while a "blade" grinder leads to a more laid-back cup.

Brewing: In general, the longer you brew, the more caffeine you get out of the beans. So a long steep in a French press yields more juice than a drip maker.

Espresso vs. Coffee: Despite its eye-opening reputation, espresso actually contains less caffeine than brewed coffee, due to its deep roast and quick brewing. You can actually drink three shots of Starbucks espresso and get about the same 195-milligram dose as a 12-ounce coffee. -- Erika Engelhaupt

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Starbucks Accused of Abusing Monopoly Power in Violation of Sherman Act

Seattle coffee-house files suit which could have impact nationally

September 25, 2006

SEATTLE - An independent specialty coffeehouse owner filed a proposed class action lawsuit today against Starbucks Corporation (NYSE:SBUX), claiming the company, from its monopoly position in the specialty coffee market, engages in a range of anti-competitive activities aimed at eliminating competition.

Filed in U.S. District Court, the suit alleges that Starbucks has exploited its monopoly power in the specialty coffee retail market to stifle competition through a series of predatory practices including exclusive lease agreements, "cluster bombing" of stores and competitor buy-outs.

Among the allegations leveled in the complaint, Penny Stafford - an independent coffee-shop operator - claims that Starbucks locks out competition through a series of exclusive lease agreements with property managers of Class A high-rises, preventing other specialty coffee shops from operating in the same building.

In this practice, Starbucks frequently offers to make lease payments higher than fair market value in exchange for a property owner's agreement to prevent competitors from leasing space in the same building, the complaint says.

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