Kit Leffler

Whether you’re trying to get through a 10-page sociology paper, read 100 pages for bio or just need a little warming up on a cold day, don’t do it with coffee from a can. It’s kind of like drinking vodka from a plastic bottle — it’s cheap and it tastes horrible. Instead, opt for some local coffee shop brews and get it fresh.

Ken Davids, editor of The Coffee Review online, says, “The green color of the coffee bean, the way in which it is roasted and how it is brewed all contribute to the quality and character of the final experience of the coffee.”

Just ask Ashley Somerhalder, barista at Milton’s Coffee and Wine, 920 Massachusetts St. She says the reason Milton’s coffee tastes so smooth is the bean they use, Thanksgiving roast. Thanksgiving beans were rated No. 2 in The Coffee Review online 2004’s 12 best coffee beans and are Milton’s most popular order. Buy a cup to go for $1 or hang out at your table and enjoy a bottomless mug for only $1.50. It’s inexpensive and delicious. Now that’s more like it.

But Milton’s is just one of many Lawrence coffee shops that serves fresh tasting coffee. Henry’s, 11 E. Eighth St., makes coffee from PT’s Coffee Company beans out of Topeka. PT’s is a Kansas micro-roaster, meaning they roast their coffee beans in small batches. That, in turn, creates a smooth, full-bodied coffee taste.

So just remember, if you need a cup of coffee to make it through your 9:30 a.m. class; keep it fresh, find it local and stay away from the can.

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Coffee Café Glossary

Café au lait: One part brewed coffee mixed with one to two parts of steamed milk.

Brewed coffee: Coarse-ground coffee steeped in hot water.

Caffe latté: One part espresso mixed with two parts steamed milk topped with froth.

Cappuccino: Equal parts espresso, steamed milk and froth.

Espresso: Hot water forced through finely ground dark coffee.

Caffé Macchiato: Espresso mixed with a spoonful of froth.

Mocha: Espresso mixed with steamed milk and chocolate syrup.

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Kit Leffler

Barista Ashley Somerhalder, Topeka senior, prepares a mocha while working at Milton's Coffeehouse on Massachusetts St. Friday afternoon.

What’s your favorite coffee drink?

At Starbucks: “Grande dark brewed coffee. Just black and premium, that’s how I like it.” Jerod Meagher, Leavenworth freshman, says.

At Henry’s: “Double tall latte. Every time.” Noelle Alexander, Santa Fe, N.M., senior, says.