Make Coffee Like A Barista (Without Leaving Your Dorm)

Imagine this: you walk into a Starbucks, slightly (very) sleep-deprived and you are greeted with a line packed with other irritable, slightly (very) sleep-deprived students. Once you get to the front, the cashier does not even make eye contact with you because their main focus is just getting coffee cups out. You finally get your coffee, made frantically by a barista/student, but the taste… suffices. It’s only okay, but it has caffeine and you need to stay awake for class. So you go about your day with this mediocre coffee as your life support.

Say goodbye to bitter, watered down, and most likely burnt franchise coffee, and say hello to fresh, globally sustainable, gourmet coffee! Better yet, say hello to no surprise added sugars because 2016 is all about being the healthiest self you can be!

Society is realizing the flaws of coffee shops, whether it is damaging their personal wallet, their health, or the environment. An upcoming trend in brewing your own coffee allows you to make coffee that best fits you, thus making you the best barista that you have ever had! Five star ratings for everybody!

However, one of the most important parts of coffee is, well, the actual coffee! Atlas Coffee Club, a Boston-based start-up, provides a simple way to receive coffee beans/grounds at your doorstep. Not only is it convenient, it is also global-conscious, freshly roasted, and user-friendly.

Not everyone is a coffee expert, so Atlas Coffee Club’s product comes with a tasting profile (matching the coffee with flavors from the region the coffee is grown) as well as brewing recommendations, both for an optimal tasting experience. Also, subscribers receive a postcard from the country the coffee was grown in… How fun is that!? Click here to purchase.

Now, don’t let the act of brewing coffee scare you, my future barista. Below, I have simplified coffee brewing to 2 ways that are crazy easy to do, even for a college student.

Cold Brew

This is my personal favorite, since cold brew coffee is less acidic than traditional coffee, so the flavor is more suitable. Also, this can be made in advance so you can get as much needed rest in the morning as possible.

You will need:

• 1 cup ground coffee beans, Fit U prefers Atlas Coffee Club’s coffee grounds
• 4 cups cold water
• 2 large bowls
• A strainer with a cheesecloth or a handkerchief

Directions:

1. Stir Atlas Coffee Club’s ground coffee with cold water in a large bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 12-24 hours. (I like to do this the evening before I want my coffee)
2. Strain the cold brew coffee with the strainer and cheesecloth/handkerchief into a second large bowl. Dispose the coffee grounds.
3. Serve coffee over ice, diluting it with a 1:3 or 1:2 ratio of coffee to water, depending on your taste. Refrigerate the remaining concentrate in a sealed container for up to one week.

Coffee Bag

In case you are in dire need of a spontaneous cup of coffee, or if you forgot to make cold brew!

You will need:

• 2 tbsp ground coffee, Fit U prefers Atlas Coffee Club’s coffee grounds
• 1 cup of hot water
• 1 coffee filter
• string
• 1 mug

Directions:

1. Pour Atlas Coffee Club’s ground coffee into filter and wrap filter around coffee grounds and tie it with a string, leaving enough to rest outside of your cup. This should look similar to a tea bag.
2. Put coffee bag into an empty mug and pour hot water into the mug.
3. Steep for four minutes, or until your desired taste. For stronger coffee, steep longer, and for weaker coffee, steep shorter. Discard filter.

As mentioned, Atlas Coffee Club is a great source to get coffee beans/grounds, especially for busy college students! Click here to purchase.