CRAFT
Belonging ✦ Craft Joy Courage Results
Team 1 · Coffee Education Presentation

Meet
the Team

Today we demonstrate the value of Craft — excellence in everything we make and do.

Jenny
·
Vasilis
·
Nikos
·
Giannis
·
Lefteris
·
Kyriakos
Today's Value: Craft — Mastering the Art of Coffee
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★ STARBUCKS® COFFEE SINCE 1971 ★ SEATTLE
Starbucks Coffee Education · Since 1971

HOUSE
BLEND

The Art & Science of Coffee

Medium Roast Latin America Toffee & Cocoa Since 1971
1971
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Chapter 01

The Coffee Press

Brewing coffee is all about extracting the best flavours. The way a coffee is brewed directly influences its aroma, acidity, body and flavour — the four pillars that define every great cup.

The Coffee Press is a Starbucks favourite. Unlike paper filters that absorb the coffee's precious oils, the press retains them — resulting in a rich, full-bodied, deeply flavourful cup that truly showcases what a coffee has to offer.

Try tasting the same coffee using two different brew methods. The differences can be striking — a lesson in how method shapes flavour.

8-Cup Coffee Press Recipe
54 g
coarsely ground coffee
+
1 litre
90°C – 96°C filtered water
01
🫘
Coarse Grind
Freshly and coarsely ground coffee. Grind just before brewing for maximum freshness and flavour.
02
💧
Add Hot Water
Pour hot water (90–96°C) over the grounds. Ensure all coffee is saturated for even extraction.
03
⏱️
Steep 4 Minutes
Place the lid on and allow to steep for exactly four minutes. Patience is the secret ingredient.
04
☕
Press & Pour
Press down the plunger slowly and steadily, then pour immediately. Enjoy without delay.
Chapter 02

Four Fundamentals
of Brewing

Every cup begins with these four fundamentals. Master them, and you master the art of great coffee.

01
Fundamental One
Proportion
The recipe for great coffee is 2 tablespoons (10 g) of ground coffee for every 6 fl oz of water. Too little makes a bitter cup; too much creates off flavours.
2 tbsp per 6 fl oz · The Golden Ratio
02
Fundamental Two
Grind
Proper grind is determined by brewing method. Coarse for a coffee press; medium for flat-bottom drip; fine for cone filter; extra-fine for espresso. Always grind just before brewing.
Coarse → Press · Medium → Drip · Fine → Espresso
03
Fundamental Three
Water
Coffee is 98% water. Use clean, fresh, filtered water that tastes good on its own. The perfect brewing temperature is 90°C – 96°C for full extraction.
90°C – 96°C · Perfect Extraction Range
04
Fundamental Four
Freshness
Think of coffee as fresh produce. Store in an opaque, airtight container at room temperature and use within a week of opening. Never reheat brewed coffee.
Use within 1 week · Airtight · Room temperature
1971
Chapter 03 · The Coffee

Starbucks
House
Blend

It's deceptively simple. A blend of Latin American beans roasted to a glistening dark chestnut colour. Loaded with flavour — balancing tastes of toffee and dusted cocoa, with just a touch of sweetness from the roast. This is our beginning: the first blend ever created, back in 1971, and it set the course of how our blenders and roasters work even today.

Medium
Roast
Medium
Acidity
Medium
Body
Washed
Process
★ STARBUCKS® HOUSE BLEND NOTES OF TOFFEE & DUSTED COCOA MEDIUM ROAST
Growing Regions

Latin American Origins

We purchase more coffee from Latin America than any other region because of the consistent taste and quality. Farmer Support Centers across the region help uphold the excellence that makes House Blend possible.

Chiapas, Mexico
Antigua, Guatemala
Alajuela, Costa Rica
Manizales, Colombia
Minas Gerais, Brazil
Flavour Profile

What You'll Taste

🍬
Toffee
A rich, caramel-like sweetness that develops during the roasting process. Warm, indulgent, and lingering on the palate.
🍫
Dusted Cocoa
A subtle, dry chocolate note — not sweet, but deeply satisfying. Think bittersweet cocoa powder rather than milk chocolate.
🍎
Pairing Notes
Beautifully complemented by nuts, apples, and blueberries. A coffee that invites food pairing as part of the full experience.
Chapter 04

Tasting
Characteristics

All our coffees can be differentiated, with practice, by identifying these four characteristics in each cup.

👃
01
Aroma
The way a coffee smells — earthy, spicy, floral, or nutty. Aromas are directly related to the coffee's flavour. Always smell before you taste.
⚡
02
Acidity
The lively, palate-cleansing sensation felt on the sides and tip of your tongue. It's the brightness of the coffee, not pH. House Blend: medium acidity.
💧
03
Body
The weight of a coffee on your tongue — light, medium, or full. Like comparing nonfat milk with whole milk. House Blend sits at a balanced medium.
👅
04
Flavour
The way a coffee tastes. Flavours vary greatly — from citrus to cocoa to berry — and register in different parts of your mouth.
Chapter 05

Four Steps
of Tasting

At Starbucks, tasting and sharing coffee is a daily ritual. Taste two or three coffees together, starting with lighter bodies and moving to fuller ones.

Step 01 👃
Smell
Always smell a coffee before you taste it. Your mouth can distinguish five tastes — your nose can differentiate a trillion different aromas.
Step 02 💨
Slurp
A good, noisy slurp. This sprays coffee across your tongue and palate, letting you taste all the subtleties and nuances hidden in the cup.
Step 03 🗺️
Locate
Think about how the coffee feels in your mouth. What is its weight? Where on your tongue do you experience the different flavours and sensations?
Step 04 🗣️
Describe
What words would you choose? Describe the aroma, the flavours, the feel. Do you detect much acidity? What flavours come to mind for comparison?
From the Cupping Room
❝
House Blend, our very first blend, set the course for the next fifty years of coffee blend development at Starbucks. A true reflection of us — and a truly delicious cup of coffee.
Starbucks Coffee Masters · Cupping Room Notes · 2026