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Caffeine in Keurig
You may have heard the term "Keurig" here and there, but what exactly is a Keurig?
Published October 26, 2021
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Shruti Gupta
Coffee experts@Era of We
A Keurig is a beverage brewing system for personal and commercial consumption. It was manufactured by the Keurig Dr. Pepper company, which is based in the United States.
The company manufactures K-cup pods, which is essentially a beverage mixture in a single-serve "pod," called a "K-cup" pod, as well as custom proprietary machines called "brewers" that can use those pods to create beverages.
The Keurig system was invented by John Sylvan and Peter Dragone. It came into existence in the early 1990s when John Sylvan was trying to solve the problem of stale coffee in the workplace by creating a single serving pod of coffee grounds and a machine that would brew it. He enlisted the help of his old college roommate Peter Dragone to create a business plan for his invention. The company officially came into existence in 1992. It took time and money to perfect the original prototype; after multiple rounds of tweaks and design changes, the Keurig machine was finally launched in 1997. The first brewing system was delivered in 1998.
But exactly what kind of beverages can a Keurig make?
Although initially a Keurig was used to make hot coffees, it has increased the varieties available under it to include, among other beverages, cold coffees, teas, cocoas, ciders, lemonades, fruit-based drinks, and dairy-based drinks. Over time Keurig has created a network that boasts over four hundred varieties and over sixty brands of coffee and other beverages. And while its primary product is the "K-cup" pod, it also sells pods for use in carafes and mugs as well.
So how is a cup of coffee made from a K-cup pod?
Making a cup of coffee from a K-cup pod is super simple. All you have to do is make sure there is enough water in the reservoir, open the lid of the coffee chamber in the Keurig and place the K-cup pod, close the lid, select your cup size and just hit "brew" on your Keurig brewer.
The K-cup pod consists of a plastic cup with an aluminum lid and a filter. Each pod is filled with coffee grounds encompassed by a paper filter and is nitrogen flushed and sealed for freshness. The design of the pod makes it impervious to oxygen, light, and moisture.
The machines brew the K-Cup beverage by piercing the aluminum foil seal with a spray nozzle while piercing the back of the plastic pod with a discharge nozzle. Hot water at a temperature of 192 degrees Fahrenheit is passed at a specific pressure through the pod. Since the coffee grounds in the K-cup pod are encompassed in a paper filter, the hot water passes through the grounds and the filter, capturing the flavor and filling up the cup kept below.
Now let's talk about the "caffeine" of it all. Each k-cup pod contains between 75 and 150 mg of caffeine per 250 ml cup. However, the amount of caffeine in a K-cup entirely depends on the roast of the coffee. The darker the roast, the less caffeine in the grounds.
So what do people generally think about Kuerig coffee?
Keurig coffee is generally not very highly regarded. The Keurig coffee is weaker in flavor and caffeine content on average. The reason for that is the water is in contact with the coffee grounds for seconds rather than minutes, which leads to only a small amount of coffee oils being extracted in the water. This deficiency can be remedied by using a finer grind, which would increase the surface area in contact with the hot water; however, that will also lead to the presence of coffee grounds in your cup, which may affect your coffee experience.
About the author
Shruti Gupta
I like coffee and I like writing, reading, and traveling, all with a cup of coffee in my hand. My recommendation? Brew some coffee (nutty flavors preferred), make it strong, add a little cinnamon and brown sugar, and a touch of soy milk, you've got happiness in a cup! Best served chilled :)
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