If there is a preponderance of coffee mugs on campus, it’s for good reason.

As the weather drifts into typically chillier fall and winter temperatures, it’s reasonable to expect students to stock up on warm beverages. That means business could boom for coffee shops on and around campus.

“There will be more smoothies in warmer weather and hot drinks in colder weather,” said Kathleen Swoboda, Brew Bayou manager, via e-mail.

Midterms and finals are also very busy days, she said.

There are five Brew cafes on campus, including Brew Bayou in the Alumni Memorial Union, Brew Cudahy, Brew Straz, Brew @ the Bridge and Legal Grounds in Sensenbrenner Hall.

The Brews all offer locally roasted Stone Creek Coffee, which gives students a taste of what the Milwaukee area offers, Swoboda said.

All campus Brew employees are students. Swoboda said the cafes offer a great opportunity to work as a barista while going to school.

The Brews’ prices are comparable to other coffee houses in the area, including Starbucks Coffee, Alterra Coffee, Stone Creek Coffee Roasters and University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s The Grind, Swoboda said.

Besides the Brews on campus, area roasters aim to provide Milwaukee residents with locally produced items.

Alterra, founded in 1993 by Paul Miller and brothers Ward and Lincoln Fowler, has pushed its “strong coffee” trademark since its inception.

The company’s roasting and wholesale operations were moved to 2999 N. Humboldt Blvd. in 2007. Alterra at the Lake, on Milwaukee’s lakefront at 1701 N. Lincoln Memorial Dr., is one of its most popular venues.

This month, the company is adding two award-winning brews to its lineup, said Ramie Camarena, Alterra’s projects and communications coordinator.

“We’ll be selling two micro-lot coffees from Honduras that really put an emphasis on quality and connections to the farmer-producers involved,” Camarena said via e-mail.

She said the micro-lots from two farmers in Las Capucas, Honduras won a competition judged by Alterra’s green coffee buyer, George Bregar, and Scott Lucey, the company’s barista trainer.

Another popular hangout for Marquette students is Mocha, a coffee bistro at 124 W. Wisconsin Ave. The shop’s sales pitch is, “When was the last time you enjoyed your daily grind?”

According to Mocha operating partner Rod Hanson, the company’s name is a play on words. The “Mo” stems from its affiliation with the Mo’s Restaurants franchise and mocha itself is the company’s signature drink.

Hanson said Mocha resembles other independent companies in working to provide excellent customer service and quality of drinks. He said larger chains tend to focus more on volume and less on quality.

He added that Mocha is an attractive option to Marquette students because of its free Wi-Fi Internet and a unique atmosphere away from the dorms.

Anna Andrews, a junior in the College of Communication, regularly goes to Mocha for studying and relaxing. She said she enjoys using the Wi-Fi and paying for coffee with MarquetteCash.

“Mocha is a great place to go when you need to study, but want to escape campus for a bit,” she said.

Near campus, students can also get their coffee fix at Starbucks, 1610 W. Wisconsin Ave. Starbucks corporate media relations was unavailable for comment.