Free Coffee: Get Your Cup on National Coffee Day 2012

If the first words out of your mouth every morning are, "I’ll have a large coffee" — or if you can’t even speak until after you’ve had your java fix — there's a national holiday created especially for you.

America will put staunch tea drinkers to shame Saturday on National Coffee Day, when coffee fiends can rejoice and celebrate their beloved coffee bean with free brew from national chains.

Coffee was first brought to America in the mid-1600s in a shipment en route to "New Amsterdam," now known as New York, according to the National Coffee Association. We have that shipment and the Boston Tea Party to thank for turning the nation into coffee drinkers.  

Local businesses are participating in the national celebration:

• Caribou Coffee is offering fans a free small cup of Amy’s Blend coffee Saturday. Fans need to show the coupon (image attached to this story) either printed or on their phone. Caribou has one Waukesha location at 1890 Meadow Lane.

Amy's Blend, which adds citrus and melon flavors, supports men and women impacted by breast cancer in honor of Caribou's original roastmaster, Amy Erickson, who lost her battle with breast cancer in 1995. From Saturday through Nov. 7, Caribou will donate 10 percent of all Amy's blend sales — coffee, tea and merchandise, to CancerCare, a national nonprofit organization committed to providing free support services for anyone affected by cancer diagnosis.

• Nora B's doesn't necessarily have a National Coffee Day special — but you can print a coupon for a free coffee off its website anytime. Nora B's is located at 890 Elm Grove Rd. in Elm Grove.

• Krispy Kreme is offering one free 12-ounce House Blend Coffee per customer at participating stores on Saturday, with no purchase necessary. The company is also holding a contest in conjunction with their 75th anniversary. Participants will have a chance to win two free bags of coffee per month for the next year. Since Brookfield's Krispy Kreme closed, the closest location is 2900 S. 108th St. in West Allis

What’s your favorite blend, and where do you get it? Tell us in the comments.