The Keurig has become a lifesaver for busy coffee lovers everywhere. However, many of us avoid the Keurig—and the time saver—because it can be extremely challenging and frustrating figuring out how to make your coffee strong enough. But after reading this article, you’ll be a pro at making a strong cup of coffee with a Keurig.
There are a number of ways to make a strong cup of coffee using a Keurig, including double brewing your coffee, choosing the right K-Cup for personal preference, and using the strong button on your Keurig. Finding the right water-to-coffee ratio is important to ensuring the success of these methods.
Key Takeaways
- Some Keurig’s have a “strong” button that can help adjust the strength of your brew.
- Reusable K-Cups allow you to mix and match your grounds to create the perfect blend.
- Doubling up your K-Cup can draw out the bold flavors of the grounds.
- Choosing the right level roast will help increase your coffee’s strength.
- Key Takeaways
- How to Make Your Keurig Coffee Stronger
- Use the Right K-Cup Appropriately
- Take Advantage of Reusable K-Cups
- Press the Strong Button
- Common Reasons Your Keurig Brew is Weak
- New Keurig Causing Watery Coffee
- Keurig Lacks Proper Cleaning
- Unfiltered Water Can Cause Problems
- Heat Makes a Difference
- Reusable K-Cup Not Reaching Potential
- To Wrap It Up
In this article, we will help you navigate the process of making a strong cup of coffee using a Keurig.
How to Make Your Keurig Coffee Stronger
As coffee lovers, we expect a certain little kick or buzz to feed our coffee addiction. Unfortunately, it can be quite difficult to experience that when you taste the tepid coffee that Keurigs can sometimes produce. But we’re here to help you combat that using a few tips and tricks.
Use the Right K-Cup Appropriately
There are two major components to your cup of coffee—water and coffee grounds. Choosing the right coffee blend is the key to making your coffee stronger. Using an extra bold K-Cup can not only make your coffee taste better and bolder but also pack the caffeine punch we look for.
Aside from using an extra bold blend, doubling your K-Cups can strengthen your coffee. Obviously, the more grounds you have, the more the water can saturate and draw out your blend’s powerful flavors. Alternatively, using a darker roast can cut down on the number of grounds you need to pack that punch.
Take Advantage of Reusable K-Cups
While it may be more time-consuming, using a reusable K-Cup can have a couple of benefits. This method can both save you money and allow you to customize your brew to the desired strength.
Store-bought K-Cups contain approximately 2 tablespoons of coffee to be used with about 6 ounces of water. Working out the right water-to-coffee ratio will help you figure out how much coffee to put in your reusable K-Cup.
Aside from the amount of coffee, trying different blends, brands, and roast levels will help you discover your perfect combination. A medium coffee grind is an ideal size to draw out the most flavor in less amount. The smaller the grind, the more coffee you will need to make it stronger.
Press the Strong Button
Most of the newer, high-end Keurigs feature a “strong” button used to adjust the strength of your brew. It works by slowing down the brew time of the machine and allowing the grounds to be more heavily saturated.
By doing this, both the bold flavors and rich aromas can be pulled out to reach their full potential. It’s honestly the most simple way to achieve a strong cup of coffee via a Keurig. It’s so simple that all you have to do is place the pod, place your cup, and press the button. To learn more about the “strong” button, check out our article What Does The Strong Button on a Keurig Do?
Common Reasons Your Keurig Brew is Weak
Like with most problems, there are a few reasons that your Keurig is brewing weak coffee. But why? Why is your Keurig brewing weak coffee? Why is your coffee coming out watery? Let’s take a look!
New Keurig Causing Watery Coffee
Brand new Keurigs have a common problem—producing watery coffee. This is usually because the Keurig hasn’t been properly primed. To avoid this issue, prime your Keurig before attempting to use it. These steps can help you:
- Thoroughly wash the water reservoir with soap and warm water using a soft washcloth or sponge.
- Be sure that the puncture needles are completely clean.
- Run the Keurig through a cycle, but do not add a pod during this initial cycle.
Keurig Lacks Proper Cleaning
Sometimes, the hustle and bustle of daily life put cleaning your Keurig at the bottom of the to-do list, so we take a few shortcuts in that part of the routine. But this can take a toll on your coffee with the built-up oils, dirt, and grime. It can also lead to nasty, bitter coffee or even cause your coffee to be weak. These tips will ensure your Keurig is as clean as possible:
- First thing first—electrocution is painful—UNPLUG IT!
- Remove the water reservoir carefully and wash it with warm, soapy water.
- Thoroughly clean the pod puncture needles to prevent build-up and allow the water to run through smoothly. (Pro Tip: Use a sewing needle or paperclip in the head of the puncture needle, moving it around to remove any particles clogging it.)
- Run a brew cycle using white vinegar or a descaling solution to make sure it’s completely clean.
Unfiltered Water Can Cause Problems
While tap water may be the cheaper option, it can wreak havoc on the flavor of your coffee. The extra minerals in the water can lead to a build-up in your Keurig that prevents the coffee grounds from reaching their maximum potential. Use filtered water, or alternatively, you can use a filter in the water reservoir of your Keurig.
Heat Makes a Difference
If your Keurig isn’t really doing your coffee justice, it may not be getting hot enough. Aside from overall flavor, it prevents the extraction of flavors from the coffee grounds resulting in weak coffee. These tips might help:
- Try running a hot water cycle without a pod to get your Keurig nice and hot to “preheat” it.
- Choose a model like the Keurig Supreme or Elite that allows you to adjust the temperature.
Reusable K-Cup Not Reaching Potential
Reusable K-Cups may be the cheaper option, but they aren’t without their faults. Sometimes the reusable K-Cups can prevent your machine from reaching its maximum potential.
They can also fill mugs with sediment and coffee grounds if you’re not careful. But changing the amount of ground you fill it with and the roast level usually takes care of this issue.
Check out these tips for reusable K-Cups:
- Make sure the reusable K-Cup is thoroughly washed and completely dry before adding your coffee grounds.
- Overflowing the K-Cup can cause the coffee to overflow when it’s being brewed. Try to keep it about halfway.
- Switch to a dark roast blend to increase the strength of your coffee brew.
- Don’t go over six ounces of water or you risk a watered-down cup of coffee.
To Wrap It Up
Brewing a strong cup of coffee using a Keurig can be a challenge. But these tips will help you avoid the otherwise inevitable frustration you will experience. The K-Cup truly is the key to enjoying your coffee, whether you use a store-bought pod or a reusable K-Cup.
Taking advantage of the machines’ provided enhancements like the “strong” button will cut down on time and frustration. Combining the methods provided here will help you get the boldest, strongest, and most enjoyable cup of coffee right from your own home kitchen. Enjoy!
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