Can I Make Espresso In My Keurig?
Have you ever asked yourself this?— can I make espresso in my Keurig? Unfortunately, the answer is no. Both coffee drinkers and Keurig fanatics are facing this taunting espresso problem. However, I have a solution to achieve that almost perfect espresso taste using a Keurig coffee machine. The result may not produce an authentic espresso flavor, but after making a cup of espresso, you will believe my words.
In this article, I will explain the reasons why you can’t make espresso in a Keurig. I will also share with you how to make an espresso with a Keurig.
What is a Keurig Machine?
The most popular single-serve coffee machine is known as the Keurig coffee maker. Keurig continues to create innovative coffee machines in the market to deliver new coffee experience.
Keurig presents some of the best single-serve coffee makers available on the market. Keurig machines use K-cup pods to extract rich flavor coffee.
Keurig's famous “K Cups” are tiny pods containing ground coffee. K-cup pods can be loaded on the machine to create delicious coffee easily. These pods offer in a variety of sizes, as well as flavors.
Keurig has gone to great lengths to preserve the freshness of the coffee inside these pods. K Cups come with a plastic layer containing the coffee, a filter layer, and a foil layer to keep moisture and air out.
Keurig machines have simple designs, and they can fit into any kitchen size.
The Reason Why Keurig Cannot Make Espresso
Coffee drinkers struggle to produce an espresso-like taste with Keurig.
Espresso is a different brewing method by forcing near-boiling water under pressure through finely-ground coffee for 20-30 seconds. The result creates a beverage that is thicker than a regular coffee. Additionally, a froth is formed on top of the espresso, which is called ‘crema.’ Crema should be reddish-brown color, with small bubbles released during brewing.
Even though espresso takes only 30 seconds to brew, it still provides a significant amount of caffeine. The process also preserves more volatile and aromatic coffee oil that you won’t find in your regular cup of coffee.
When brewed properly, the actual espresso under the crema will have a unique, rich taste, velvety mouthfeel, and aromatic scent. The shorter period of water exposure draws out less acid than other brewing methods. While still retaining 60% to 70% of the caffeine, espresso always delivers a bitter-sweet flavor.
Though coffee pods can contain fresh coffee, you should understand that it still won’t compare to the quality of freshly ground coffee. This sentiment is where K Cups can fall short. But there’s a remedy for this: the reusable k cup filter.
Rivo: The Special Espresso Machine by Keurig
The Rivo machine is exclusively designed to make espresso drinks. The Rivo espresso machine comes with a 15 bar pressure pump and uses coffee capsules to produce espresso. The powerful pump can create a café quality espresso with a consistent crema and a great taste. While a semi-automatic espresso machine requires time and skill to pull a shot, the Keurig’s Rivo can deliver authentic espresso taste. This machine also comes with some pretty nifty features that will make your home brewing experience a breeze.
- Rivo can froth cold milk for espresso-based drinks
- This espresso machine steams the milk, which results in a sweeter taste of the milk and that nice latte texture.
- Rivo can also serve single or double shots of espresso.
- The popular roaster Lavazza makes the K cups capsule.
The Rivo 500 is equipped with an automatic milk frother that prepares hot and yummy frothy milk for your espresso shot. This espresso maker can serve a delicious cup of coffee in a few minutes.
Here are the four Rivo packs currently available along with brief descriptions:
- Espresso Intenso (Dark Roast)
- Espresso Classico (Medium Roast) – A full-bodied blend with notes of tropical fruit and sweet floral finish.
- Espresso Delicato (Medium Roast) – offers a lingering aroma with balanced acidity, and notes of chocolate finish.
- Espresso Decaf (Medium Roast) – delivers a balanced flavor with gently sweet aroma and a satisfying, smooth finish.
How To Make Espresso In A Keurig
Fans of Keurig and the flexibility of this fantastic machine, brew one cup at a time to enjoy the coffee made from the espresso K cups. However, the lack of pressure to brew and crema should never take away anyone's enjoyment for a cup of coffee.
So, here are the steps to make espresso using a Keurig machine.
- You should pour clean water into Keurig’s water reservoir, then heat the water to 200 Fahrenheit degrees.
- You should clean the portafilter with a dry cloth and apply the brew ratio. The amount of coffee to put in the portafilter will be about 18 grams which can yield 36 grams of espresso. If you are making a single espresso, you can put about 7 grams of coffee beans into the portafilter.
- Use the one-two brew ratio; that means for every six ounces of water, you have to put around 1-2 tablespoons of ground coffee beans. If you have a coarse grind, the water will run through very fast. Otherwise, if you have a fine grind, the water will sit on top and run through very slowly.
- When you’re finish brewing espresso, you can put the portafilter back to the Keurig.
In my opinion, brewing espresso anywhere from 25 to 30 seconds can create a stronger shot. Find out more about keurigs.
Conclusion
If someone asks you, "can I make espresso in my Keurig" you know how to answer them. Being aware and knowing the reasons why also helps you get away from a bad coffee experience. Instead, you now know how to make a cup of rich espresso using your very own Keurig coffee maker.