For those of you who have been blissfully brewing your coffee 8 cups at a time, it might come as a surprise that there is a technology out there used by thousands of consumers to brew coffee one cup at a time.  Not so long ago, a group of folks had the idea to make it simple to brew a single cup of coffee without the hassle of grinding beans or keeping coffee grounds fresh in a large container.  In 2004, consumers were introduced to the Keurig brand of single cup coffee makers, and the K-Cup was born.

The basic design of the K Cup is comprised of a plastic container housing a standard coffee filter. The cup/filter combination is then packed with ground coffee beans and is then sealed with an air-tight foil lid. The consumer then places the K-Cup in a Keurig-style brewer, where the brewer punctures a hole in the bottom of the K-Cup and the foil lid then forces hot pressurized water through the K-Cup and into a mug.  The result is a fresh, steaming-hot cup of coffee.

Keurig has licensed the K-Cup technology to to a variety of coffee and tea makers including Green Mountain, Caribou and Newman’s Own.  From these companies you will be able to find a variety of coffees, teas, hot chocolate from sources around the world.  If you have a favorite blend of coffee, chances are you will be able to find a K-Cup supplier.

Once only the realm of corporate offices, consumers now have a wide variety of models from which to choose.  Although they created the technology, Keurig is not the only manufacturer of k cup coffee makers.  There are models by Bosch and Breville that can utilize the K-Cup technology to make an equally delicious cup of hot coffee.

Find out the best models
Visit my K Cup Coffee Makers web site for the most popular options.

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A most frequent fault in the use of the filtration method is the failure to understand the fine degree of grinding necessary to the best results. When the grind is not sufficiently fine the extraction is, of course, weak. A fine grind (like fine cornmeal) is essential. It does not retard the flow if the filter is of right dimensions. A powdered grind (like flour) is so fine that it is apt to “mat” itself into a resisting floor.

Many users of the filtration method pour the liquid through more than once. This gains some added color, but adds undesirable element, depreciates flavor and is especially inadvisable when the grind is sufficiently fine. _One pouring_ only is recommended for the best results.

The chinaware, or glazed earthenware pot, sometimes called theFrench drip pot, with a chinaware or earthenware sieve container for the grounds at the top through which the water is poured, being free of all metal, is inviting in purity and in hygienic merit. Together with the filter bag, it is subject to the above remarks on dimensions. A chinaware sieve cannot be made as fine as a metal sieve and cannot of course hold very fine granulation as can cotton cloth. More coffee for a given strength is, therefore, required. The upper container should be wide enough, for a given quantity of coffee, as to allow an unretarded flow, and the more openings the strainer contains the better.

In any drip, filtration or percolating method the stirring of the grounds causes an over-contact of water and coffee and results in an overdrawn liquor of injured flavor. If the water does not pass through the grounds readily, the fault is as above indicated and cannot be corrected by stirring or agitation. Many complaints of bitter taste are traced to this error in the use of the filtration method.

It is not necessary to pour on the water in driblets. The water may be poured slowly, but the grounds should be kept well covered. The weight of the water helps the flow downward through the grounds. Care should be taken to keep up the temperature of the water. Set the kettle back on the stove when not pouring. If the water measured, use a small heated vessel, which fill and empty quickly without allowing the water to cool.

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