- Keurig Alta is a single-brew system that uses tablets of compressed coffee
- AltaRounds are compostable, and are brewed in the Keurig Alta machine
- The Alta machine is also fully backward-compatible with K-Cups
Keurig is famous for its K-Cup coffee pods, but it’s breaking away from the traditional capsule format with a single-serve system called Alta that uses tablets of compressed coffee with no individual packaging. According to a press release, “Keurig Alta represents the future of single-serve — and the future of Keurig,” though you don’t need to worry about your favorite coffee pods disappearing any time soon.
The new coffee tablets, called AltaRounds, have a recipe code printed on the surface, and are brewed using a new Alta coffee maker that uses the code to determine the right brew style, pressure, and temperature for your drink.
The concept is very similar to the pressed coffee tablets used by the Lavazza Tabli system I tested this week, but there are a few key differences. For example, Keurig’s AltaRounds have a thin plant-based coating to keep the coffee fresh, prevent breakage during transit, and help generate the pressure for brewing. Lavazza’s coffee tabs are uncoated, and don’t have a code to provide brewing instructions.
Keurig’s first Alta coffee maker is quite different to Lavazza’s Tabli machine as well. The Tabli only prepares espresso, whereas the Keurig Alta also has an integrated milk frother for more complex drinks like lattes and cappuccinos. A color screen on the Alta machine walks you through a range of coffee and espresso beverages, and the system is backwards-compatible with K-Cups in case one of your favorite drinks isn’t available in Alta format yet.
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(Image credit: Keurig)
The switch to AltaRounds will be gradual, and K-Cups aren’t vanishing overnight. Keurig Alta Coffee & Espresso is the first brand of AltaRounds, and six varieties will be rolling out after the machine’s launch:
- Single Shot: medium roast single espresso
- Double Shot: dark roast double espresso
- Bold Ambition: dark roast coffee
- The House: medium roast coffee
- Fresh Take: light roast coffee
- Sweet Spot: caramel flavored coffee
Peet’s Coffee AltaRounds are coming soon as well, with more brands to follow.
AltaRounds are packaged in an SFI-certified paperboard carton, and their coating is made from an NSF-certified plant-based material that includes alginate from seaweed harvested off the coast of France.. The whole AltaRound, including coffee and coating, is certified for home and commercial composting, so you can dispose of them just like ordinary coffee grounds.
A limited early access bundle is available direct from Keurig until October 15, while supplies last. Pre-orders will ship October 21. The bundle is priced at $499.99, and includes a Keurig Alta brewer, four boxes of AltaRounds pressed coffee, and glassware made by Ethan Rode of FLUR.
The price works out at approximately £380 / AU$720, but the bundle is only available in the US.
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