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It's easy to think that the sky's the limit once you have a Keurig coffee maker. These machines seem capable of pretty much anything, but can a Keurig make espresso coffee?
The short answer is yes, kind of. Sit back and relax as I walk you through how to make espresso with Keurig coffee makers.
Making Delicious Espresso With a Keurig - How To Guide
Unless you own the Keurig Rivo[1], your Keurig coffee maker is not like an espresso machine, but you can still make espresso at home with Keurig – sort of.
It can make a concentrated coffee similar to espresso with its espresso K-Cups[2] and a little know-how.
Wondering how? Here is a general guide with simple steps on how to make espresso with Keurig machines.
1. Select Your Capsule And Prepare
When it comes to choosing your K-Cup, it is vital that you choose one that is as bold and dark as possible to emulate the espresso flavor.[3]
There are espresso K-Cup options available that can help imitate a delicious cup of espresso.
If you are using a reusable K-Cup, it is important that you do not grind your espresso beans into a fine or ultra-fine style as you would for normal espresso; these are too small and will clog your exit needles.
Instead, grind your coffee to medium or medium fine. Then, simply fill the pod and pat it down with a spoon for the best results.
Once you have your standard K-Cup ready, place it in your machine as usual.
2. Brew On The Smallest Option
Cup sizes are vital at this stage. In order to get the strongest cup possible, you must select the smallest brew option to get as close to espresso as possible.
This means selecting the espresso, shot, or strong option - whichever is smallest on your device. A true espresso has a 1:2 coffee-to-water ratio and is 1.5 fluid ounces of water.
The closest you can get when making espresso in a Keurig that is not the Rivo is 2, 4, or 6 fluid ounces of water to coffee.
By picking the smallest Keurig cup size, you get a strong cup or concentrated cup that is much closer to real espresso.
3. Place Your Cup Under The Brew Head And Start
Once you are ready to go, place a standard-size cup under the brew head and start your Keurig machine.
A larger cup will catch the splashes better and save you from cleaning up a messy counter.
4. Pour The Coffee Into An Espresso Cup
This is optional but can enhance the experience of having espresso-style coffee drinks with your Keurig espresso shot.[4]
If you do not have an espresso cup, you can stick with the larger one you just used or find the smallest cup in your cupboard.
5. Add Any Delicious Extras
If you want to feel more authentic, you can add cream to your espresso cups.
Alternatively, you can pour your coffee over ice and add milk as well as any syrups, milk, or toppings you like to make iced coffee or another strong coffee drink of your choice.
How To Use Espresso Pods In a Keurig Machine
When it comes to Keurig K-cups or coffee pods, selecting the right one for your pod machine is essential. If you cannot get a hold of an espresso-style Keurig pod, try finding a dark roast coffee pod flavor.
This will help mimic the flavor of espresso. Reusable cup fans need to ensure that they choose a medium or medium-fine grind to ensure they do not clog their Keurig coffee machines.
The other vital thing to note is the cup size brew button. If you want a Keurig to make espresso, you need to select the smallest shot size possible for authenticity.
The Keurig K-Cafe line has a shot button to help you get closer. Rivo owners can simply use the Espresso option to get as close as they can get to a real espresso.
For someone with a Keurig Mini, you need to follow our tips above to get your Keurig to create espresso imitations.
Authentic Espresso Vs Keurig “Espresso” - What’s The Difference?
The main difference between an authentic espresso and a Keurig brewer espresso comes down to how the coffee gets made and the water pressure.
Espresso is a concentrated shot of coffee that has a thin crema top if pulled correctly.
This perfect cup of caffeine is beloved the world over for its bold, rich flavor and sophisticated brewing process. This nectar of the gods is excellent by itself or works perfectly as a base for other coffee shop classics.
Espresso machines force hot pressurized water through coffee grounds at high pressure to extract the coffee.
Specifically, an espresso machine uses 9-15 bars of pressure and hot water that is around 190-194 degrees Fahrenheit.
A Keurig coffee machine uses gravity to push hot water through the grounds with significantly less pressure, in a similar way to a drip coffee maker.
Another key difference comes down to the coffee grounds themselves.
Espresso ground coffee is often either fine or ultra-fine, whereas Keurig espresso pods contain medium to medium fine grounds and other flavorings to craft single-serve coffee.
Finally, Keurig coffee comes in many different roasts, like regular coffee, but brewing espresso shots takes dark roast coffee only.
These differences may seem small, but they add up to essentially two different drinks: a real espresso and a pale imitation.
This distinction is key for coffee lovers and can separate the luxurious espresso from other standard brewed coffee beverages.
FAQs
Can you make espresso lattes in a Keurig?
Yes, it is very easy to make espresso lattes with Keurig models like the K-Cafe[5] and Rivo, as they have a built-in cappuccino and latte systems. It is possible with non-latte-designed Keurig machines, but you may need to buy extra tools like a milk frother to make steamed milk.
What is the shot button option on a Keurig?
The shot option on a Keurig is designed to produce a shot of concentrated coffee, often around two ounces of water.
Can you use Starbucks espresso in Keurig?
Yes, if you have the Starbucks espresso K-Cups, you can make an approximate flavorful cup of coffee that mimics an espresso. If you only have ground coffee beans, you can put them in a reusable K-Cup and give it a try depending on the grind - remember that finely ground coffee beans may clog the system.
Does Keurig K Cafe Smart make espresso?
The Keurig K-Cafe Smart[6] does not make an authentic espresso as it lacks the pressure bars and technique for that. However, if you are craving espresso, you can use espresso roast K-Cups and brew an iced espresso or concentrated coffee shot.
Conclusion
Most Keurig machines can only brew regular coffee (like a drip machine) and do not produce espresso.
However, it is possible to create coffee with a rich flavor similar to espresso using a Keurig machine. Unfortunately, only certain Keurig machines offer the ability to make true espresso, like the Rivo.
If you are genuinely passionate about making real espresso, we recommend that you purchase an espresso maker or upgrading to the Rivo - this will get you brewing espresso coffee with ease.
If you stick to your Keurig machine, you still get caffeine and a cup of coffee at the end - what more do you need?
References:
1. https://www.keurig.com/medias/Rivo-R500-UserGuide-061412B.pdf?
3. https://www.keurig.com/beverages/dark+roast/c/darkRoast?cm_sp=dark-roast-_-Top-Nav-_-darkroast101
4. https://www.nordicnest.com/tableware/cups--mugs/espresso-cups/
5. https://www.keurig.com/Home-Coffee-Makers/K-Caf%C3%A9%C2%AE-Special-Edition-Single-Serve-Coffee-Latte-%26-Cappuccino-Maker/
