Today marks Single Awareness Day. While couples take time to show they care for their other half on Valentine’s Day, singles everywhere should take today to show some love to themselves. And what better way than to brew something just for yourself, one cup at a time?  Here is a list of our teams’ favorite K-Cup® packs that will make your Single Awareness Day the best it can be.

1. 1.  Café Escapes® Chai Latte is a black tea blended with spices and sweet and creamy milk. It’s okay to take a little "me-time" for once and fully enjoy a delicious beverage, just for you.

2. 2.  It’s all about you and your wellness when you brew a cup of Green Mountain Coffee® Focus Blend™. Part of our Wellness Collection, this coffee helps make sure you are primed to get the most out of your day.

3. 3.   Take a sip of Barista Prima® Italian Roast  and close your eyes. Instantly, you will be transported to one of Europe’s finest coffee houses. Who doesn’t love a mini vacation?

4. 4.   Green Mountain Coffee® Special Reserve Colombia Geisha  is the rarest coffee that we offer. Try a cup of this limited edition brew and treat yourself to the finer things in life.  

5. 5.   Celestial Seasonings® Sleepytime® K-Cup® Herbal Tea is the perfect way to help you unwind and get a good night's sleep. Nothing is more important than getting that full seven hours a night, so you can be the best you can be!

 

Which will you treat yourself to today?

 

Life is always interesting in the event marketing world, and you never know where the opportunities may take you or who you may be rubbing elbows with. From both a professional and personal standpoint, you can mark down the Green Mountain Coffee® sponsorship of the 46^th Annual Country Music Association (known as the CMAs to us fans) Awards in Nashville in the time-well-spent column.

In October, the Green Mountain Coffee brand sponsored a massive 2-day marathon of remote radio broadcasts preceding the Country Music Association Awards (CMA) Show in Nashville, TN. Personnel from 50 Country stations from around the U.S. were there, all part of the Clear Channel Premiere Radio Network. Naturally, all those radio personalities need people to interview, so also in attendance were over 100 of the biggest names in Country music today. Artists and bands like Faith Hill, Luke Bryan, Little Big Town and Kelly Clarkson were there, along with Tim McGraw, Reba McEntire, Miranda Lambert, Darius Rucker, Zac Brown Band, Eric Church, Lady Antebellum, Jason Aldean, Taylor Swift, and many more. Many of them enjoyed the unlimited access to our Keurig® sampling array and tasty lattes and cappuccinos served up by a talented local barista that we partnered with.  To say the least, it was an elbow rubbing time.

(My strictly un-scientific poll revealed that the Green Mountain Coffee Caramel Vanilla Cream K-Cup® packs were the belle of the ball, and seemed to be the variety of choice for many country fans.)

 

We also served free samples of great K-Cup® pack varieties like Fair Trade Organic Sumatran Reserve and Fair Trade Vermont Country Blend® to all the fans lined up in front of the hotel, waiting patiently for photos and autographs from some of their favorite Country stars. 

Another part of our sponsorship entailed working with a great new band called The Henningsens. The band is currently in the midst of a ten-city promotional tour, and are criss-crossing the country in a beautifully wrapped Green Mountain Coffee bus. Let us know if you happen to spy the bus in your area!

Hope to rub elbows with you at an event sometime soon…

They're here: the dog days of summer. If you're like me, you're craving fall (and Fair Trade Pumpkin Spice K-Cup® packs) like crazy. But we're not quite there. These last few weeks of summer's warmth and late sunsets are just the time to savor Green Mountain Coffee's Brew Over Ice flavors.

Around our house, we adore all the Brew Over Ice choices, from Nantucket Blend Iced Coffee to Strawberry Pomegranate Vitamin Burst™, but we decided to harness the inherent dessert qualities of Brew Over Ice Hazelnut coffee to make one last summery treat - Brew Over Ice Hazelnut and Cream Ice Pops! Just a few simple ingredients and one press of your Keurig® brewer's button will have you on the way to an indulgent sweet treat that's easy too. We love this novel approach to "iced" coffee. I can see making many more ice pops this way with all the Brew Over Ice flavors! I used my Zoku Pop Maker to create these ice pops, but you can use any ice pop mold you like. It'll just take longer to freeze each layer.

 

 

Green Mountain Coffee® Brew Over Ice Hazelnut & Cream Ice Pops

makes 4 ice pops

Ingredients

6 oz Green Mountain Coffee® Brew Over Ice Hazelnut coffee

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

6 oz Coffee-Mate Natural Bliss Vanilla Creamer

Directions

Brew one 6 oz cup of Green Mountain Coffee® Brew Over Ice Hazelnut coffee in your Keurig® brewer. Pour the cup into a small saucepan and add sugar.

Stir the coffee-sugar mixture frequently over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved completely. Pour the coffee back into a ceramic mug and place it in the refrigerator. Allow the coffee to cool completely before you make the ice pops. When the coffee is cool, use a measuring cup or funnel to pour coffee into each pop mold about 1/3 of the way up.

Place in the freezer and allow to freeze completely before starting the next layer.

When the first layer is frozen, repeat this step with Coffee-Mate Natural Bliss creamer, pouring it on top of the first layer, another 1/3 of the way up the pop mold. Place back in the freezer and allow to freeze completely.

Once the second layer is frozen, finish with another coffee layer.

If you'd rather have ice pops in a hurry, and don't care about the striped look, simply mix the coffee and creamer together and freeze all at once.

If only looking sleeker was as easy as sitting and drinking your beloved morning cup of coffee, right?

Well…it is! Maybe. Kind of. Intrigued? Our friends at Van Houtte® pointed out this exciting benefit of caffeine’s ability to decrease the appearance of cellulite through a DIY coffee scrub. Since we can definitely get behind incorporating caffeine into our beauty regimen, here are some more of our favorite ways you can use your beloved blend to beautify. At-home spa treatments are an easy, inexpensive way to feel luxurious without dropping crazy cash on overpriced treatments or products; plus, you can even put your old K-Cup® packs to good use. So, get to it!

 

Caffeine Facial Mask

Caffeine is a bonafide blessing for your face: according to studies, it contains antioxidant, dehydrating, and other properties, which basically equal up to the fact that it makes you look better all around. Between tightening and de-puffing, reducing dark circles, let your favorite morning cup go to work on more than just your energy level.

Ingredients:
2 Tbs. fresh coffee grounds
1 Tbs. honey
1 tsp. brown sugar
3 Tbs. whole milk, heavy cream, or plain yogurt

Directions:
Wisk ingredients together until you achieve the desired, creamy consistency. Apply evenly over your face and let dry for 10-20 minutes. Once hardened, rinse off with warm water and enjoy your freshly-awakened face.
 

Homemade Coffee Hair Treatment

On the quest to aesthetic self-betterment, don’t overlook your hair!  Hair follicles can directly absorb caffeine through the use of a simple coffee rinse, which will promote a glossy shine. While it’s true that this treatment requires fresh coffee rather than used grounds, fret not: suppose you’re not in the mood for more coffee on any given day…why not let your luscious locks reap its benefits instead?

Ingredients:
Fresh cup of extra strong coffee—try using a French or Italian roast

Directions:
Once cooled, simply pour the coffee over clean, dry hair. Let it soak in for 20 minutes, then rinse thoroughly with cool water. Recommended usage: once a week for shiny tresses.

 

Abby's Super Simple Scrub

This is my favorite of the bunch - so easy and great for exfoliating (or battling cellulite).  The aroma wakes up your senses, and the scrub wakes up your body!

Ingredients
3 parts warm, used coffee grounds
1 part sugar or salt
Essential oil

Directions
1. Experiment with your favorite coffees to find a particularly decadent aroma to feature in your at-home spa concoction. Considering the season, I personally think Island Coconut® coffee would be a great base for a scrub.

2. Continuing with the tropical theme, try adding coconut oil to the mix. If that’s not your cup of tea (sorry, coffee), other options include jojoba oil (about one tablespoon), rosemary essential oil (12 drops or so), or even virgin olive oil (try three tablespoons).

3. The granular crystals in sugar help to exfoliate and smooth out skin by sloughing off the dead stuff. Try sugar in the raw for texture; sea salt is another great option, as it also exfoliates but replaces minerals in the process.

4. Mix all of your chosen ingredients together into a paste and store in your fridge (it should last about a month). Scrub onto problem areas in circular motions for 3 minutes before rinsing off. Do it twice a week, and if you see results…thank us later. 

Alright, let’s admit it: There are some things in life that just go well together. We here at Green Mountain Coffee® particularly enjoy the combination of cream and coffee (or a nice Brew Over Ice beverage) to help us deal with a particularly hot day. This Fourth of July we’ve decided to share a favorite way to enjoy coffee and or fruit flavored treats on a day that calls for cold refreshment. Introducing the Café Vanilla Pop and the Sweet Raspberry Tea Pop! We hope you will make these popsicle recipes a part of your Fourth of July celebration.

Café Vanilla Pop Recipe

• 1 Café Escapes® Café Vanilla K-Cup® pack, brewed using the 4 oz. setting
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• 1 cup of ice

Stir sugar into hot coffee until dissolved.

Add ice & blend in blender.

Pour blended mix into popsicle mold, freeze and enjoy!

*Additions (mini choc. chips) Add handful before freezing popsicles.

 

Sweet Raspberry Tea Pop Recipe

• 1 Celestial Seasonings® Sweet Raspberry Iced Tea K-Cup® pack, brewed using the 4 oz. setting
• 3 Tbsp sugar
• 1 cup of ice

Stir sugar into hot tea until dissolved.

Add ice & blend in blender.

Pour blended mix into popsicle mold, freeze and enjoy!

 

- Psst - remember to check out our Fourth of July Storewide Sale for some great deals on these Popsicle ingredients!

Here on the PR team, we’re all super excited about a recent…doctor’s visit.

Before you assume I’m about to go seriously TMI and tell you about my last physical, let me assure you that I’m not talking about my general practitioner…or any old doctor. I’m talking about THE doctor: Dr. Gadget. Last Friday, the “Guru of Giveaways” featured Keurig® Platinum Brewer and Brew Over Ice K-Cup® packs on The View’s hottest summertime gadgets segment.

 “What it’s all about is this new system that they’ve got with the K-Cup®!” Dr. Gadget said, demonstrating how to Brew Over Ice with Whoopi Goldberg and Elizabeth Hasselback.

Both Elizabeth and Dr. Gadget noted that the Brew Over Ice K-Cup® packs, ranging in variety from Celestial Seasonings® Perfect Iced Teas to The Original Donut Shop® Sweet & Creamy iced coffee, are specially formulated to retain their flavor when brewed directly over ice.

“You guys know how when you take coffee and put it over ice it gets all watered down?” Dr. Gadget asked the cheering crowd. “Well, not anymore!”

And here in Vermont where the mercury has been regularly rising to a staggering 99°F lately, we are so thankful for that.

The lucky studio audience on set that day got a brewer and K-Cup® packs to take home. No surprise there, as Dr. Gadget gives away more than $200,000 worth of products on average to The View’s audiences, according to his website. He even coined the phrase, “Everybody Gets One!” (Seriously, he did. I thought it was Oprah, too.) Anyway, we’re all thrilled to have the doctor’s approval; he even described Brew Over Ice as “perfectly blended” with a “great formula”!

Want to beat the heat in your area? Get in on this cool (literally) summertime trend ASAP! I’ve been sipping away on my Sweet & Creamy Nutty Hazelnut iced coffee in the office every day, and I think you need some in your life. You can get this tasty summer cool-down in a cup at our website, and check us out on The View in the clip below—we come in at 2:32.

Stay cool!

 

You may have heard, but today it was announced that the line of Keurig^® Single Cup Brewers is expanding with the addition of the Keurig^® Vue^™ brewer, a premium new platform designed with the ability to brew stronger, brew bigger, and brew hotter.

 

The new Vue^™ brewer, paired with new Vue^™ packs*, comes with all the ease and convenience of the existing Keurig^® K-Cup^® system with added customizable features so you have control over the strength, size, and temperature of your coffee, tea, hot cocoa, and iced beverages, as well as new frothy café beverages.

 

Pretty nice, right?

 

To say the least, I can't wait for the Keurig® Vue™ Brewer to be available for purchase in the coming weeks.  It has a lot of options that I’ve been dreaming about in a single cup coffee maker:

 

• Stronger Coffee: The Vue^™ brewer adjusts water pressure, timing, and airflow so I can have the stronger brew I love in the mornings – at any size.
• Bigger Coffee:  I can now brew into my large, stainless steel travel mug with new Vue^™ packs specially formulated to brew a bigger cup up to 18-oz.  I’m ready to fill my travel mug with a strong cup of my favorite Green Mountain Coffee® variety, Breakfast Blend.
• Hotter Beverages: Now, we can choose a temperature range between 187 and 197 degrees Fahrenheit to really customize our cups.  My wife Natasha enjoys drinking Celestial Seasonings Green Tea and always likes the water to be extra hot to let the tea seep. It’s like the designers had her in mind when they created the new Keurig® Vue™ Brewer!
• And much more:  A few Sundays back, I was enjoying some Dark Magic Extra Bold with Natasha with a plate full of crêpes (I like to think I am an expert at making crêpes).  We decided to add some homemade whipped cream to the coffee and crêpes – just to mix things up. Suddenly, Natasha looked at me and said, “Wouldn’t it be great if our Keurig® brewer could make a cappuccino?” Good news: The Vue™ brewer can!  With exclusive two-step Barista Prima^® Café beverages, I can now enjoy a cappuccino on the weekend when I am eating my crêpes with the family.

 

The Keurig® K-Cup® Brewer and the Keurig® Vue™ Brewer complement each other so well!  Deliciously simple and brewing what I like, the way I like it – what a pair!

 

*Just a reminder: The Keurig® Vue™ Brewer is not compatible with K-Cup® packs; they use Vue™ packs.

Your smart phone is about to start brewing!  Introducing K-Cup® Finder, your free mobile reference for K-Cup® portion packs.

What exactly does it feature?  Since you asked:

• Over 100 varieties represented including Green Mountain Coffee® and other brands


• New varieties added as they are released


• See reviews and ratings from other K-Cup® fans, and share your reviews with other K-Cup Finder app users and on Twitter


• Sort and filter by brand, roast, and attributes (Fair Trade, Kosher, Organic, and more)


• It's not just for coffee– find teas, hot cocoa, Brew Over Ice beverages, and other specialty and seasonal varieties


• Create a favorites list of blends for future reference, with your rating and notes


• Receive promotional offers and discounts


• Links to buy varieties online direct from us


• Work on your iPhone, iTouch, and iPad

We’d love for you to tell us what you like... and what you don't.  Let us know in the comments below or at our Feedback Form.

Last weekend, a team of Green Mountain Coffee and Brew Over Ice foodies rolled into Washington, D.C. fueled with the idea that coffee, tea, and BBQ would make for a winning combination at the Safeway Barbeque Battle.  After three days of late nights, early mornings, and more coffee around the brewer than we can count, the results are in:

Flatlander BBQ’s Celestial Seasoning Sweet Southern Tea Perfect Iced Tea-rubbed and Brew Over Ice Nantucket Iced coffee sauce-smothered pork ribs took 3rd place in the Barbeque Battle!  These caffeinated ribs garnered our team a pig-topped trophy and $500, which will be donated to the Boys & Girls Club of Washington, D.C., the marquee charity of the event.  To top it all off, it turns out we placed 9th out of 41 teams, competing among some of the top teams in the country. “Wow,” would be an understatement.

Wanting to spread BBQ coffee revelations around and to thank you all for cheering us on, it’s time to share our recipes in time for everyone to enjoy them during the Fourth of July.  Look below to learn how to make our Coffee-Rubbed Brisket, Half-and-Half Chicken, Nantucket Blend-Rubbed Pork Shoulder and award-winning Sweet Tea Ribs.  Not to mention our Jalapeño Coffee Barbecue and Tricky Barbeque Saucel!  Read the recipes below:

 

Coffee-Rubbed Brisket

RUB:
2 Tablespoons Green Mountain Coffee Fair Trade Organic Sumatran Reserve OR Nantucket Blend K-Cup® Portion Packs

2 Tablespoons paprika

2 Tablespoons light brown sugar (Fair Trade Certified™)

2 Tablespoons coarse salt

4 Tablespoons ground black pepper

1 Tablespoon ground ancho chili powder

1 Tablespoon finely grated lemon zest

Open the portion packs and empty the contents into a bowl with other ingredients.  Mix well.

MOP:

1/2 cup apple juice

4 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

TECHNIQUE:

Trim a full packer brisket of most exterior fat and silverskin, or you can use just the brisket flat

Coat the brisket with a thin layer of yellow mustard and then coat with coffee rub, rubbing it into the meat.  Wrap in plastic wrap or place in a large resalable plastic bag and refrigerate overnight.

Rest the meat at room temperature before grilling, about 1 hour. Prepare grill for indirect medium-low heat, about 250 degrees.
Put the brisket, fatty-side up, on the grill away from the heat; cover the grill. Baste or spray the brisket with the mop whenever the surface looks dry, about once every hour. Keep the temperature of the grill or smoker around 250 degrees, adding charcoal as necessary.

After 4 hours of cooking, put the brisket in an aluminum foil pan, fatty side up; return brisket to the grill away from the heat. Cover the grill; continue cooking. Continue mopping the brisket if it looks dry. If your grill has a temperature gauge, it should stay about 250 degrees during the entire cooking time. If using charcoal, add fresh coals about once an hour.

Cook until severely browned and blackened in spots or very well-done (about 190 degrees on an instant read thermometer in the thickest part of the brisket), 6 to 8 hours total.

Remove the pan from the heat; let rest 20 minutes. Trim any excess fat; slice brisket across the grain. Serve with barbecue sauce.

Sweet Tea Ribs

RUB:

4 Celestial Seasonings Southern Style Sweet Tea Brew Over Ice K-Cup® Portion Packs

1 Tablespoons paprika

1/2 Tablespoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon Tiny Spice Company Citrus Pepper OR substitute 1 teaspoon black pepper

Peel the foil off the portion packs, empty into a spice or coffee grinder, and grind until powdery.  Mix with the paprika, salt and pepper.

MOP:

1/2 cup apple juice

4 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

TECHNIQUE:

Pat ribs dry and trim the membrane from the underside.

Coat ribs with a thin layer of yellow mustard and then rub the tea mixture into the ribs

Wrap in plastic wrap or place in a large resalable plastic bag and let marinate for at least 4 hours.

Rest the meat at room temperature before grilling, about 30 minutes. Prepare grill for indirect medium-low heat, about 250 degrees.
Put the ribs, bone side down, on the grill away from the heat; cover the grill. Baste or spray the ribs with the mop whenever the surface looks dry, about once every hour.  Keep the temperature of the grill or smoker around 250 degrees, adding charcoal as necessary.

After 3 hours of cooking, wrap the ribs in aluminum foil and return ribs to the grill away from the heat. Cover the grill; continue cooking. If your grill has a temperature gauge, it should stay about 250 degrees during the entire cooking time. If using charcoal, add fresh coals about once an hour.

Cook until the ribs are flexible when you try to pick them up using tongs or oven mitts, 5 to 6 hours total.  They should not be falling off the bone, but tender and flexible.

Remove the ribs from the heat; let rest 20 minutes. Place on grill directly above coals and baste generously on both sides with sauce, turning frequently to prevent burning.  Remove from grill and cut into portions.

 

Chicken Rub

2 Celestial Seasonings Half & Half Brew Over Ice K-Cup® Portion Packs

4 Tablespoons Mrs. Dash Salt-Free Seasoning

1 Tablespoon paprika

1 Tablespoon kosher salt

Empty the portion packs into a coffee or spice grinder and grind until powdery.  Mix with other ingredients.

TECHNIQUE:

Use the rub on your favorite cut of chicken or a whole chicken: if using a cut with skin, be sure to get under the skin.

Barbecue or grill chicken as you normally would.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nantucket Blend-Rubbed Pork Shoulder

RUB:

1 Green Mountain Coffee Nantucket Blend Brew Over Ice K-Cup® Portion Packs

3 Tablespoons light brown sugar (Fair Trade Certified™)

1 Tablespoon Tiny Spice Company Citrus Pepper (or substitute black pepper)

½ teaspoon anise seed

1 Tablespoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon anise seed

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Open the portion packs and empty the contents into a bowl with other ingredients.  Mix well.

MOP:

1/2 cup apple juice

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

4 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

TECHNIQUE:

Trim a pork shoulder (Boston Butt) of  most visible fat and silverskin.

Rub with a thin layer of yellow mustard and then cover with coffee rub

Wrap in plastic wrap or place in a large plastic bag and let marinate overnight

Rest the meat at room temperature before grilling, about 1 hour. Prepare grill for indirect medium-low heat, about 250 degrees.
Put the pork shoulder, fatty-side up, on the grill away from the heat; cover the grill. Baste or spray the brisket with the mop whenever the surface looks dry, about once every hour.  Keep the temperature of the grill or smoker around 250 degrees, adding charcoal as necessary.
After 4 hours of cooking, put the pork shoulder in an aluminum foil pan, add ½ cup apple juice and cover tightly with aluminum foil; return shoulder to the grill away from the heat. Cover the grill; continue cooking. If your grill has a temperature gauge, it should stay about 250 degrees during the entire cooking time. If using charcoal, add fresh coals about once an hour.

Cook until severely the internal temperature reaches 190 degrees on an instant read thermometer, 6 to 8 hours total.

Remove the pan from the heat; let rest 20 minutes. Using heat-proof gloves or forks, pull pork apart in foil pan, using the jus in pan to moisten and flavor the meat.  Remove any connective tissue or fat that didn’t cook out.  Serve with your favorite barbecue sauce.

Tricky Barbecue Sauce

2 Tablespoons grainy Dijon mustard (we use Fox Meadow Farm 3-Peppercorn Dijon from Vermont)

2 Tablespoons yellow mustard (we use Fox Meadow Farm Vermont Maple Mustard)

1 cup cider vinegar

¼ cup low sodium soy sauce

¼ cup regular soy sauce

2 cups ketchup

2 cups honey (Champlain Valley Apiaries Honey)

1 Nantucket Brew Over Ice K-Cup® Portion Pack brewed on 6-oz setting without ice

3 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 Tablespoon paprika

1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon maple sugar OR 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons maple syrup

½ teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon Chinese five spice powder

¼ teaspoon ancho chili powder

Combine all ingredients in a medium sauce pan and bring to a light boil.  Boil while continuously stirring for about 15 minutes, or until thickened.

 

Jalapeno-Coffee Barbecue Sauce

2 Green Mountain Coffee Nantucket Blend Brew Over Ice K-Cup® Portion Packs brewed on 4oz setting

1 cup ketchup

¼ cup molasses

2 Tablespoons orange juice

2 Tablespoons cider vinegar

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

2 jalapeno peppers, pierced all over with a fork

3 shots hot sauce

In a medium saucepan, combine all ingredients except hot sauce.  Cook, stirring frequently, over low heat until slightly thickened, 10 to 15 minutes

Remove from heat and let cool.  Discard peppers and season with hot sauce to taste.

 

Each year, we here at Green Mountain Coffee® provide the opportunity for one lucky fan to win a new Keurig® Single-Cup Brewer along with a lifetime supply of K-Cup® portion packs!  The contest is called The Perfect Cup Sweepstakes and it's been growing in popularity since it was introduced.

I am happy to introduce you all to Raymond of Fall River, MA, who is this year's big winner!  Raymond was recently awarded with his new Keurig Platinum Brewer along with a lifetime supply of coffee.  Way to go, Raymond!

Raymond entered our sweepstakes as many days as he could, saying he might have only missed "a day or two" (Persistence is key!).  He was really surprised to learn he was the big winner, but says since receiving the brewer, he now drinks a lot more coffee due to the convenience of putting in a portion pack rather than brewing an entire pot of coffee and tossing most it.  Breakfast Blend is Raymond's favorite, but he's been known to drink a stronger blend on occasion.  In Raymond's words, "I would recommend this contest to anyone who likes good coffee."

Congrats again, Raymond!  Happy brewing!

So what does it take to be like Raymond?  Simply The Perfect K-Cup Sweepstakes , fill out the information – and you’re set!  There are daily prize giveaways with the chance at our Grand Prize which will be awarded in early 2012.  Enter early, enter often!

What would March be without a coffee recipe dedicated to St. Patrick's Day?  Thankfully, our fabulous team at our at our Visitors Center and Cafe in Waterbury, Vermont offered us not one, but two coffee recipes that sing of the Emerald Isle: An Irish Cream and a Mudslide.  Of course, the classic versions of both of these drinks (like this one from our own Doug) involve whiskey or Irish cream, but we thought you'd all appreciate a little non-alcoholic version to share with the family.

Irish Coffee:

• Brew or pour six ounces of hot, fresh brewed coffee (like Fair Trade Vermont Country Blend) into a large mug
  
  
  
  • Use an Irish coffee glass for a traditional feel
  
  
  
  


• Add 1 ½ ounces of your favorite Irish cream syrup, such as Monin, and stir.


• Add steamed heavy cream until it reaches the top of the mug.


• Take a sip through the cream, check for a milk mustache, and enjoy!

Waterbury Mudslide:

• Pour one (or even two or three) shots of Dark Magic® Espresso Blend into a mug
  
  
  
  • For a Keurig: Brew a Dark Magic Espresso Blend K-Cup® portion pack on the smallest brew setting
  
  
  
  


• Add 1 ½ ounces of your favorite Irish cream syrup, such as Monin


• Add steamed chocolate milk and stir.


• Top with whipped cream and chocolate shavings!

Over the past few months, many of you have responded to our blog posts about the return of your favorite seasonal coffees, asking why our seasonal blends have been retired from the the K-Cup® Portion-Pack line-up.

Trust us: It was not an easy decision to make.  We know how much some of you love these blends and brewing them in your Keurig® brewer, so the retirement was not one we took lightly.

Discontinuing items from our product lines not new -- as a company, it's standard practice for us to evaluate our products' performance to see how well they're doing, for better or for worse.  At a recent review of our Seasonal coffees, it was shown that the Flavored Seasonal coffees in K-Cups outselling the Seasonal Blends in K-Cups 4 to 1.  We also saw that Seasonal bagged coffees are strong overall, for both flavors and blends.

It's never easy to have to break news like this to our customers--we realize that decisions like this can be disappointing to those who develop a fondness for the products that are discontinued.

But there is are a few options for those of you who adored our Seasonal Blends in K-Cups.  First, Seasonal Blends are still available in bags - so you can pick up at My K-Cup adapter and still brew your favorite.  Second, while the Seasonal Blends are no longer available in K-Cups, our coffee team has worked to find some great recommendations of other coffee blends that you may enjoy:

In place of Holiday Blend, try Green Mountain Coffee Nantucket Blend or Newman’s Own Special Blend Extra Bold.




In place of Wicked Winter® Blend, try Green Mountain Coffee Lake & Lodge®.




In place of Spring Revival® Blend, try Green Mountain Coffee Nantucket Blend.




In place of Summer Safari® Blend, try Green Mountain Coffee Colombian Fair Trade Select.




In place of Autumn Harvest Blend®, try Fair Trade Vermont Country Blend.

The temperatures have dropped, the snow is falling, and our Limited Edition Winter Seasonal coffees have arrived!

Welcome back the first of our winter favorites: Fair Trade Golden French Toast^® in bags and K-Cup^® portion packs. The name of this coffee alone makes our mouths start to water.  The familiar aroma and flavor of this weekend treat are all there, in one cup: the maple aroma, and buttery, golden toasty flavors, warmed with just a touch of cinnamon.  Plus, it’s Fair Trade Certified^™ so you can feel good about embracing a mug (or two) in the morning.

Not to be outdone, Fair Trade Wicked Winter Blend^™ is back in bags for the winter, too.  This is, for us, a traditional coffee blend made new by using exclusively Fair Trade Certified^™ coffees. A lovely after dinner cup, an excellent companion to dessert (brownies, anyone?) and rich and satisfying lightened with cream. A true tribute to our New England roots.

Remember: These Limited Edition selections go out with the snow!  Here from January 3, 2011 to March 18, 2011.   Get them while they’re hot.

TOP TEN OFFICE GIFTS

#10 Small Revelation Travel Mug $2.95

We here at Business Coffee Express are often asked, "What is the best way to take my Green Mountain Coffee wakeboarding?" The answer is this cute little 12-oz. Revelation Travel Mug with a spill-proof, screw-on lid. It features a beautiful scene of the Vermont Green Mountains, and is the perfect size to grab and go whether you are free soloing, sky surfing, or even wakeboarding.  At this price you should buy one for everyone in the office!

#9 Logo Backpacker Thermos $19.95

The sleek, slender shape looks like you after the holidays, thanks to all the wakeboarding you've been doing! This compact, no-leak Thermos®, made by Nissan™ is so stylish it might just put mugs and tumblers out of style. Features an easy-to-open, spring loaded lid. Completely leak proof perfect for backpacks and travel. Double Insulation means your coffee stays hot for hours.

#8 Stoneware Logo Mug $14.95

Perfect for the boss who needs to be reminded on a daily basis that every office deserves great coffee! Each is individually hand-thrown by American master potters. Slight color and size variations showcase the unique properties of each one-of-a-kind mug. Solid and sizable, each of these mugs can stand on its own, but two make a nice pair.

#7 Bodum Milk Frother $19.95

The next time someone in your office tells you not to get worked up into such a lather, say "Why Not?" and show them this! This easy-to-use, battery-powered frother is perfect for foamy milk for your coffee without the hassle of an espresso machine. You will probably decide to keep it for yourself so buy two.

#6 Lake Champlain Chocolates Organic Truffles $22.95

Lake Champlain truffles— on the list because it's made in VT of course, and because they are the best Truffles I've ever had. Sorry Belgium, but cheer up, GMCR will probably never make a $25 raspberry beer aged in oak. Lake Champlain Chocolates has reached new heights with this collection of 15 all-natural, preservative-free truffles. Includes Ethiopian Coffee, Honey Fig, Ginger Lemon, Aztec, Mango, and Vanilla.

#5 Better World Gift Bag $59.95

Isn't dreaming of a better world what the Holidays are all about? Our exquisite chocolates, cocoa, coffees and tea help actually make it happen— plus they taste amazing. Includes 7 fabulous products contributing to a better world and a reusable shopping tote.

#4 Organic Breakfast Crate $37.95

Why a Crate? Because "Crate" just sounds cool, and who wouldn’t rather have a "crate" of something they love rather than just a box? Besides, it doubles as an "In" box. Filled with Fair Trade Organic coffee and Cocoa and Organic pancake mix and maple syrup, all from Vermont.

#3 K-Cup Ultimate Gift Basket $44.95

C'mon, "Ultimate" is right there in the name, of course it has to be in the top 10! The perfect gift if their office already enjoys a Keurig® Brewer. If not, get them one of those too! Our K-Cup Gift Basket gives you great coffee right away, and wonderful sustenance for the rest of the day. Includes 24 Green Mountain Coffee Sampler K-Cups.

#2 The Ultimate Office Gift Basket $49.95

Is it possible for two Green Mountain Coffee gifts to be called "Ultimate" at the same time? Yes, it's a holiday miracle! Packed full of delicious treats, and there’s more than enough to share. Brew up a pot of Breakfast Blend or French Roast while everyone in the office digs in to sweet granola, delicate shortbread, maple candy, or chocolate indulgences. It’ll be the most memorable Holiday coffee break ever!

#1 Keurig Office Pro Coffee Brewer $129.95

Not only the greatest invention in the history of humankind, but perhaps the greatest gift since frankincense and myrrh. (Gold is still hard to beat.) Even small offices deserve great coffee and the B145 Office Pro delivers. Designed for offices with 15 or fewer people, its small footprint makes it a perfect fit for conference rooms, board rooms and reception areas. Guaranteed to ward off office revolts, palace coups, passive-aggressive behavior and Monday sick days. They should rename it "Ultimate."

With so much of the holidays already dedicated to the stresses of the season, we’re here to provide you with trouble-free gift giving to even the pickiest person on your list.  Yes, even the pickiest person on your list.  You know the kind: The friends you love dearly but have expensive tastes (that’s Luxury Larry), your restaurateur neighbor (Foodie Fran), you socially-conscious coworker (Advocating Anne), or your sibling who has absolutely everything (Been-there-Done-That Ben).  Have no fear this year – Green Mountain Coffee’s got you covered.

• For Luxury Larry, a bag of our rarest, most exquisite coffee: Special Reserve Papua New Guinea.

Give something truly exceptional this holiday season with Green Mountain Coffee’s Special Reserve coffee.  Four times a year, we seek out some of the rarest coffees from around the world and batch roast them to display the coffee’s fullest flavor and aroma.  Each Special Reserve comes from a single origin – like our latest Papua New Guinea Wahgi Valley – and produces a very limited batch, only around 1,000 bags.  Our Special Reserve selections pair the farmers’ best work with the art and craft of our Master Roasters – all so true coffee connoisseurs can experience the unique qualities of these origins in their morning cup. This website exclusive is available for $17.95 for 10-12 ounce bag or you can join the Tour to get the latest Reserves shipped right to your door before anyone else.

• For Foodie Fran, a meal fitting of her naturalist palate: our Organic Breakfast Crate.

Be the toast of the breakfast table by giving a delicious breakfast that will fill those on your list with good feelings and food. Start with our own Organic House Blend coffee or Lake Champlain Hot Cocoa— both are Fair Trade and organic. Follow up with organic treats from Highland Sugarworks: multi-grain pancakes topped with exquisite maple syrup.  Share this gift with your holiday hosts and they’ll be asking you to come back as soon as possible! Available for $37.95.

• For Advocating Anne, coffees with a social mission: our Fair Trade Organic Coffee Sampler.

If variety is the spice of your loved ones life, Green Mountain Coffee has a coffee selection for you.  This sampler includes three 10-oz. bags of coffee to fit every mood – bold and dark with French Roast, sweet and swanky with Sumatran Reserve, and bright and vibrant with our Ethiopian Yirgacheffe. Each certified Fair Trade and Organic, our sampler is perfect for the socially-minded with a coffee habit that’s never routine. Available for $24.95.

• Finally, for Been-There-Done-That Ben, the toughest person on the list, a Keurig® Single-Cup Brewer:

Keurig® single-cup brewing is the latest trend in coffee – bringing fast, affordable, and café quality hot beverages to the home. Each of the over 200 varieties of K-Cup® portion packs make the perfect cup of coffee, tea, hot cocoa, hot cider, and iced coffee and teas at the touch of a button. There's no measuring, grinding, or mess.  With five Keurig brewers available, from the red hot Mini Plus Personal Brewer ($99.95) to the luxury Cuisinart® Keurig Single-Cup Brewer ($199.99), there’s a style and price point for everyone. Even the gadget guru with everything will want to thank you every time they push the button.  Available at GreenMountainCoffee.com (and there’s free shipping on all brewers when shipping within the continuous US).

No matter the stresses this season may bring, we’re here to make your holidays a happy one.

Been craving an even richer, deeper, darker K-Cup® portion pack? An intense flavor and complexity that sings of the world’s finest coffee house brews? Good news: Our friends at Barista Prima Coffeehouse™ have a new K-Cup® collection made to satiate just that feeling.

As an exclusive collection of the world’s finest Arabica coffees roasted in the tradition of Europe's most celebrated coffee houses, Barista Prima Coffeehouse brings you rich, deep-roasted brews in convenient, single serve K-Cups®.  Bold and complex, yet perfectly balanced, each cup reflects the consummate artistry and handcrafted care that only the most skilled baristas can deliver.  This select line is comprised of four richly flavored brews:

Colombia

• High altitude treasure from a land of legendary coffee. A prized coffee, born of the mountains in a land steeped in the coffee-growing tradition. Accented by bright, bold fruit notes and a distinctive hint of walnut, this deep-roasted cup possesses a sweet, full-bodied finish that elevates satisfaction into a realm all its own.

French Roast

• A sweet, smoky love song to the cafés of Paris. This intensely bold yet gracefully-bodied cup provides indisputable proof of our roast masters' artistry. The absolute finest Arabica beans are heated to the very edge of noir - then meticulously eased back to reveal their rich, full-flavored complexity. The result? A daringly dark, smoky-sweet brew with a surprisingly light mouthfeel.

House Blend

• The timeless perfection of your best-loved coffee house cup. Classically balanced, with a lively splash of citrus, subtle hints of bittersweet chocolate and a well rounded, toasted-nut finish. Its roasty sweet, supremely satisfying taste evokes all the familiar comforts of your favorite coffee house.

Italian Roast

• A deep, dark-roasted delight, done right. This robust, heavy-bodied cup with its ripe fruit and berry notes epitomizes the time-honored Italian tradition of dark-roasted coffeehouse brews. Bold yet ideally balanced, with a subtle hint of smokiness and a bright clean finish, our Italian Roast is a hearty and flavorful testament to the art of dark roasting.

The small team of Barista Prima™ coffee experts spent years in search of a way to recreate the intense flavor and complexity of the world’s finest coffee house brews.  They worked tirelessly to develop exquisite blends that could meet their own impossibly high expectations so they and you could be proud to serve it to family and friends.  And now, it’s here and ready to satisfy your need for coffee house richness at home.

Now available online for $19.45 for a 24ct box.

As the summer goes on, it’s clear that the most valued employee on our Waterbury campus is our ice maker.  Since Brew Over Ice K-Cup® portion packs appeared in the break room during one of the hottest weeks this summer, that glorious device of frozen delight has been working overtime.

And for good reason: We need our iced coffee. When mid-afternoon rolls around (or even when it hits 10 a.m.), we jump at the thought of a chilly-drink that’s bold, fresh, and “ahh”-inspiring.  It’s just too good to turn down when it’s so simple to brew and tastes so good, just ask two enthusiastic members of our newly dubbed Green Mountain Coffee Tasters Guild:

First, French Vanilla Iced Coffee K-Cups® with a newly-energized, ready to “chilax” Caitlin from marketing.

Yes, we have ice! Afternoon energy lull be gone! With a tumbler full of French Vanilla Iced Coffee, I have the perfect exotic afternoon pick-me-up to get me through the rest of my day.

And what about Nantucket Blend® Iced Coffee K-Cups®? Lesley from B2B, our resident poet, thinks it’s totally tubular – like hanging ten in the office!

An Iced Nantucket in the middle of the day turns work into a getaway!

Now those are two brews you can get behind and brew directly over ice!  I sense a trip to the ice maker coming on…

Iced Coffee is considered by many a summertime staple, a necessity for squelching the heat and quenching your thirst.  Starting today you can beat the heat in the comfort of your own home, using your Keurig® brewer and our new Brew Over Ice™ K-Cup® portion packs, available in two new tantalizing varieties: Green Mountain Coffee Nantucket Blend® Iced Coffee and Green Mountain Coffee French Vanilla Iced Coffee.

Our iced coffees are specially blended to brew directly over ice.  Because coffee performs differently at different temperatures, we made adjustments to the recipes to achieve the perfect balance of flavor and refreshment. Brew Over Ice K-Cups also contain more coffee in each K-Cup, so you get strong, full flavor, even with the addition of cream or sugar.

And now, for these deliciously chilled brews:

Based on the hot version of one of our most popular blends, Nantucket Blend® Iced Coffee is specially roasted and blended to be brewed over ice. Wherever you brew it, Nantucket Blend Iced Coffee offers the relaxing taste experience of summer afternoons at the shore. The iced coffee version of Nantucket Blend is just as full, hearty, and complex as the original, but it’s not an identical twin. Consider it a close, colder cousin.

Our French Vanilla Iced Coffee captures the essence of exotic vanilla, and offers a sweet, round, and creamy body, too. This isn’t your every day vanilla. When we developed this lusciously smooth flavor, we were shooting for something sophisticated. More crème brulee than candy. A rich, custardy vanilla that’s deep, exotic, and geared for grownup tastes. Now you can enjoy this richly satisfying flavor as an iced coffee, brewed at the touch of a button.

In just a few minutes time, you can be enjoying a refreshing cup of iced coffee. All you do is follow these simple steps:

Fill a tall (16 oz.) cup with ice and place under the brewer. (We suggest you avoid using glass, the hot liquid may cause glass to crack.)




Place the K-Cup in brewer.




Choose the brew setting (6 oz. or 8 oz.) and press “brew.”




Add cream and sugar if desired, additional ice as needed, stir, and enjoy!

Go to www.IcedKCups.com to see just how easy it is! And for the perfect way to take your iced coffee on the go, be sure to pick up one of our new Brew Over Ice Tumblers.

[Lookout for two new additions to the Brew Over Ice family coming this summer!]

When Travel Mug K-Cup® Portion Packs hit the scene in March, fans of fully caffeinated commutes lined up at their Keurig brewer to test these new K-Cups, travel mugs at the ready.

Not to be left out, our employees were among the throng.  So, being the inquisitive group we Green Mountain Café bloggers are, we asked a crack team of coffee loving travel mug-ers to share their take on these new Travel Mug K-Cups.  And share they did:

First, Donut House® Travel Mug K-Cups with B2B poet, Lesley:

Donut House Travel Mug K-Cup: Coffee just like before only I get more!  Fills my mug and fills me up!

Next, Green Mountain Coffee® French Roast Travel Mug K-Cups with a very un-morning person, Paula:

When mornings get tough, I turn to something a bit more bracingly bold.  So imagine my delight when I got a box of our new travel mug sized French Roast K-Cups.  Dark roast?  Check.  Bold blend?  Check.  Big size for barely-awake mornings?  Check.  My new go-to brew.

And last, but not least, Breakfast Blend Travel Mug K-Cups with HR multi-tasker Blythe:

At work I wear several different hats but no matter which one I’m wearing Travel Mug Breakfast Blend fits perfectly in my favorite travel mug.

Looks like the only thing better than your favorite cup of coffee is your favorite coffee in a bigger cup!  While this crack team hightails it to the Keurig for another mug-full, do you think our travel mug-gers hit the nail on the head, or as we say, the K-Cup on the lid?

I was trying to come up with a witty introduction for the arrival of our flavored Spring Seasonal (“Time to get Island Coconut-ty!” “First sign of spring: crocuses, baby birds, and Island Coconut.” “Time to put the cream in the Island Coconut, and stir it all up!”), but, let’s be honest: the excitement, thrill, and anticipation for this coffee’s annual debut doesn’t require fanfare.  It all comes down to two little words that set flavored coffee lovers taste buds afire:

Island Coconut®.

Don’t believe me?  Take a peek at the buzz:

This Fair Trade tropical treat captures the aroma of freshly grated coconut and is blended with the subtle sweetness of a lightly-roasted, Central American coffee. Unexpectedly refreshing.

Fair Trade Island Coconut is here in bag and K-Cup® single portion packs until June 4^th!

-Kristen