American Coffee - Java Blog

With the Keurig K-cup  machine, providing guests with coffee has never been easier

Whatever event you’re hosting—whether it’s a dinner party with a few friends or a holiday party with the entire block—serving coffee provides a warm and hospitable atmosphere. But we’ve all been to those parties where the coffee detracted from the experience rather than enhanced it. Follow these 10 tips and successfully serving coffee to your guests will never have been easier.

1. Provide Variety
   While there are many delicious flavors of coffee available, not everyone is a fan of Hazelnut flavored coffee or a bold Colombian blend. Make sure your guests have options; they may want something additional flavor, or prefer a different strength of brew than your other guests. An easy way to supply this kind of variety is with different blends of Keurig K-cups, which come in a wide array of flavors and roasts.
2. Give Non-Coffee-Drinkers Options
   Not everyone enjoys coffee, so it’s wise to have some alternatives on hand. Good staples to stock up on include herbal teas, caffeinated teas and hot chocolate. With a single serving Keurig K-cup machine, these can be ready-to-make for your guests with minimal effort on your part.
3. Let Guests Customize their Cup
   For some, beverage “condiments” are necessary to make a cup of coffee or tea enjoyable. Make sure to have an ample supply of cream, sugar and sugar substitutes accessible for your guests to use. Not all sweeteners are created equal, so make sure to have multiple types available.
4. Make a Statement
   Afraid you might have coffee to talk over without any conversation topics? Certain Keurig K-Cups such as Green Mountain’s Fair Trade Rainforest Nut blend support a Free-Trade system to help bring poverty-stricken farmers around the world overcome poverty.
5. Don’t Run Out
   With traditional coffee makers, there’s always the risk that someone will take the last cup and you’ll be left scrambling to brew another pot of coffee—a painfully long process. The Keurig K-Cup Machine can ensure that your guests will always have access to a fresh, custom cup of coffee. It’s something to consider so you won’t be left with the reputation of being an inconsiderate host.
6. Avoid Burnt, Thick Coffee
   Once the coffee rush slows down, it’s okay to just let coffee seat on a heating plate to keep it warm, right? This may be a seemingly easy option, but if coffee is left on a heating plate for even a few minutes after brewing, it will start to burn, thicken and get a bitter taste. Nothing will kill a party faster than guests reacting to stale, burnt coffee. A great solution to this is a single-serving coffee maker that will allow coffee on demand.
7. Encourage Refills
   Don’t let your supplies run low! Look for discounts or other ways to keep coffee stocked so guests can feel free to go back for more.
8. Keep it Fresh
   Insulated carafes can be a great way to keep coffee warm, but they won’t prevent it from getting sludgy or keep it warm for longer than an hour or two. The best way to provide your guests with continually hot coffee is to heat-as-you-go, with a constant fresh-brew of coffee is with a single-serving coffee maker.
9. Respect Decaf Drinkers
   Whether you’re using a single-serving coffee maker or a traditional coffee brewing system, make sure to have decaf on hand for people with medical needs or a distaste for strongly caffeinated coffees.
10. Take the Low-Stress Approach
    Your coffee set-up should suit the way you entertain. This may involve having back-up supplies prepped and put away so you can pull them out quickly mid-party. Look into getting the Keurig K-Cup Machine if you want a simple, guest-friendly way to make fresh coffee with little maintenance during an event.

Who doesn’t love to celebrate the holidays with family and friends?  The folks at Gloria Jean’s and Coffee People® are kicking off the holiday season a bit early this year and to get Santa and the rest of us all in a jolly mood, we have an all new K-cup® coffee for the Keurig® single cup coffee system: “Santa’s Buzz“.  Don’t worry the traditional favorites are back too with Gloria Jean’s® Sleigh Ride and Ginger Snap coffee k-cups®.

Distinctively Yours has a new addition to their line of premium coffee pods. Cafe Roast is a superb blend of 100% Arabica coffees. This medium bodied coffee pod is 9.5 grams and will work in most single-serve pod brewing systems.

It’s that time of year again when the leaves start changing and the crisp Fall air settles in. For some it’s a change that is dreaded all summer long but for others it’s a refreshing and anticipated time. With the change of season comes the return of the Autumn coffee flavors. For Keurig® users, Green Mountain once again has Pumpkin Spice (reg and decaf) and Autumn Harvest Blend kcups® available. For pod lovers it’s Melitta® with Pecan Pie and Pumpkin Spice flavored pods, which are compatible with most pod brewers. Nothing tastes better than a steaming hot cup of gourmet coffee while enjoying the beautiful colors of Autumn.

The news is out that Keurig® will soon be releasing the Mini B30 model as a less expensive home brewer. Based on the technology and design of the commercial B130 unit that is used in the hospitality industry, the B30 is the perfect little unit for your vacation home or college dorm room. With a small profile (11″H x 10″ D x 7″ W) this brewer will fit almost anywhere, but don’t let the size fool you, the Mini still delivers the great tasting coffee that is expected from a Keurig® coffee maker and also uses the same k-cups®.  Marketed as a “personal brewer” , the unit can hold only 8 ounces of water, colors available will be black and white. Expected price will be around $80.00 .

Cuisinart® Coffee is now available in single cup pods. American Coffee Services has partnered with Conair® Hospitality to bring you a premium coffee pod, designed with the traveler in mind. These pods were designed and tested in the Cuisinart® single cup hospitalty brewers to ensure a great coffee experience every time.

Single cup coffee has been around for many years in varying forms, but it was not until recently that serious coffee drinkers have taken an interest. Over the years there have been attempts in the commercial office coffee environment, to come up with a decent single cup coffee system but most have fallen short of the quality that true coffee lovers desire. One big reason for the failure was that the coffee was not truly fresh brewed but rather freeze dried.

Then it arrived…. It was ten years ago that Keurig® came on the scene and changed everything. Partnering with Green Mountain Coffee®, Keurig® managed to start a revolution in the workplace with a single cup coffee system that was simple to use, required very little user maintenance and produced an excellent cup of fresh brewed coffee. Not only could we get a great cup of coffee but we also had a choice. In the beginning choices ranged from somewhere around 10-20 varieties of roast profiles and flavored coffees. Our jobs were now worth going to, knowing the steaming hot cup that awaited us, but wait what about weekends??

Good coffee at home….While Keurig® was busy in the workplace people were looking for ways to fill the void at home. Along came coffee pods! Melitta® was one of the first on scene in the U.S. to offer a reasonably priced single cup coffee pod maker, the One:One. Coupled with coffees like “Buzzworthy” and “Cafe Kind of Day” not only did we now have a reason to wake up on Sunday but we also had coffees that fit our mood. About the same time Senseo® arrived in the USA and with it’s smooth frothy topping and cute “elbow macaroni” design people instantly feel in love. Mr. Coffee® and Black & Decker® soon followed along with the “Home Cafe” pod brewer. Great single cup coffee had finally made it’s way into our kitchens.

Keurig® comes home…One comment always made by employees with a Keurig® in their office was “I wish I had one at home”. Keurig® was well aware of the commotion they started in the workplace and after a few years of waiting finally delivered the B100, their first home brewer. Keurig® has since realeased 3 more models, the B40, B60, and B70 units.

Single cup coffee is here to stay, most of us who have tried it could never turn back!