By Andrew Sweeney
Medill Reports

Whether it is just black, mixed with milk and chocolate or thrown together with ice and caramel, coffee in all its forms is a deep-rooted feature of American life.

The average price of a cup of joe in the U.S. has gone up by a dollar over the last 10 years, even as coffee production has increased and the wholesale price is at its lowest point ever.

So why are consumers paying more?