Coffee connoisseurs, unite!
Sure, you’ve got your go-to morning brew, but when it comes to that mid-afternoon slump, what do you like to fill your cup with? If you’ve been looking for something flavorful to add to your coffee cupboard, consider gathering ideas from your friends or coworkers through a tasting party.
Choose Your K-Cup Coffee Flavors
Purchase a range of K-Cups in medium, light and dark roast. Incorporate flavored K-Cups too. If you know your guests’ coffee-drinking styles, picking flavors they’ll enjoy will be easier. But if you’re not sure whether Joe from accounting prefers fruity or nutty blends, this list of favorites can get you started in selecting crowd-pleasing coffees for the tasting. Use a Keurig carousel to organize the flavors and make the process smoother for guests.
What you Need for a K-Cup Party
Coffee and carousel aside, you’ll need coffee mugs for everyone attending the tasting. If you don’t have enough mugs at home or in the office, you can always tell guests to B.Y.O.M. Consider handing out a list of the blends featured at the tasting so guests can take notes.
Keep plenty of water and snacks on hand to clear your guests’ palates in between blends, so they can distinguish subtle flavor differences. Crackers, plain pretzels and mixed nuts work well for cleansing the palate between brews.
While guests will taste more coffee when it’s black, they may prefer to drink coffee with cream, milk or sugar. Have plenty of these on hand so everyone can doctor their coffee to their own tastes.
K-Cup Coffee Tasting Tips
Like wine tasting, begin with the lightest brews and progress toward darker brews. Save flavored coffees for last—a cup of chocolate-flavored coffee could alter your impression of the next few blends due to their comparatively bitter flavor.
Since you’ll be trying several coffees, pour only a few ounces into each cup. Let everyone taste the brew, then discuss the pros and cons, and the best time or mood to drink it. Move on to the next coffee and repeat the process, giving everyone time to write notes about newfound favorites. Afterward, cleaning up is as easy as putting the mugs in the dishwasher and throwing out the used K-Cups.
A simple, fun party like this gives everyone a chance to try new coffees and to connect over a fresh cup. You just may find that you discover some new brews you love or become inspired to throw this type of party on a regular basis.
Image courtesy of Keurig.com.
About the author: Lindsey is a professional writer living in the Indianapolis area and she writes on behalf of Sears and other deserving brands. Currently, Lindsey is completing work on her master’s degree.
