[2] Six varieties of Nespresso-compatible capsules from Rosso Caffe (photo courtesy Rosso Caffe).

[3] There’s liquid cold brew inside these K-cups. Use them in the machine, or pour over cold water and ice for iced coffee (photo courtesy Java House).

Boxes of K-cups for single-serve coffee makers are not inexpensive. You may be buying the same variety over and over again, because you don’t want to risk $10 or $12 on a box of K-cups you may not like as much (or up $38 on a box of Nespresso capsules).

Here’s an idea for picky palates: Create a K-cup club with a group of friends or co-workers. At regular intervals (monthly? quarterly?), a different selection of K-cups are purchased, the pods divided, and the cost split among participants.

With 10 K-cups in a box, each box can be split in half, among five people, or any other way you want to apportion.

If you want to try Illy’s new single origin coffees, for example, but aren’t sure if you’d prefer Columbia or Brasile, the group can try both—or perhaps, all four options, adding in the medium roast and dark roast blends.

You can have a “theme month,” for example, trying different brands of pumpkin or spice coffees, or all the Christmas blends.

It’s also an opportunity to try your regular pod variety across brands; for example, the dark roasts of Green Mountain, Illy, Starbucks, etc.

You decide how often it makes sense to meet or otherwise exchange. If you meet only quarterly for most of the year, it may make more sense to meet more often during the fall season, when so many specialty flavors are stocked.

How you structure your exchange is as simple as “whatever works for you.” Get the group members together and decide.

The goal remains: Try more varieties of coffee with minimized financial outlay. And the related benefit: Discover new favorites you wouldn’t have purchased on your own.
 
AN INNOVATION IN K-CUPS: COLD BREW FROM JAVA HOUSE

We’d also like to suggest an innovative K-Cup, Java House Cold Brew.

The brand recently launched new Dual-Use Liquid Cold Brew Coffee Pods [photo #3]. The pods hold cold brew concentrate instead of the conventional coffee grounds.

Cold brew, as its fans well know, creates a less bitter, less acidic, smoother cup of coffee. Now, cold brew buyers will be able to make their coffee in single-serve machines.

The all-natural concentrate is available in Columbian medium roast, Ethiopian light roast, Sumatran dark roast, and decaf medium roast..

Get yours at JavaHouse.com.
 
 
FOR MORE ABOUT COFFEE, CHECK OUT OUR COFFEE GLOSSARY
 
THE HISTORY OF COFFEE