k-cup coffee is usually weaker than any other coffee you might make. There’s no questioning the convenience of these machines, but sometimes you need a little more punch in your first cup of the day.
the good news is that there are a number of k-cup brands designed to pack a much bigger punch.
Reading: Strongest k cup coffee
In this article, I’m going to review some of the best brands for making a keurig cup that is sure to give you a boost.
The best strong k-cup coffee brands for my money are:
- death wish coffee *** top pick ***
- timothy’s rainforest espresso
- stok caffeinated black coffee
- wake up!
- valhallajava
- forbidden coffee the strongest coffee in the world
- starbucks plus coffee 2x caffeine
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These are all really good options and I’ll go over each one individually in this article.
For my money though, I don’t think you can go wrong with death wish k-cups for a heart-stopping beer.
(Come back to my huge home brewing guide when you’re done for more help with this side of life in the kitchen!)
what exactly is “strong”?
Before we start reviewing individual k-cups, it’s worth covering what we mean when we say “strong coffee”.
There are two ways to look at this.
if you’re looking for a stronger kick from your coffee, you’ll want to choose a k-cup that maximizes the caffeine content.
If you’re looking for a stronger flavor, look for a darker roasted bean. these tend to produce bolder, richer drinks.
however, it is surprisingly difficult to combine both worlds.
This is because the roasting process itself reduces the caffeine content of the bean. the longer the bean is roasted to achieve a darker finish and deeper flavor profile, the more caffeine is lost in the process.
if you want the best of both worlds, you should focus on medium roast beans.
However, I’m not sure you’ll get the best results with this approach, so you may want to pick a side and try the extremes.
strong k-cup coffee reviews
let’s move on to individual k cups.
taste is obviously a very subjective thing, so I’ll try to give as much detail about the drinking experience as I can in each case:
death wish coffee
death wish has built an excellent reputation over the years for producing truly impressive coffee.
These extra strong pods are compatible with all Keurig machines. you can also use them in coffee makers from other manufacturers that accept k-cups.
The combination of Arabica and Robusta beans results in an extremely potent brew. even so, it lacks the bitterness that one would expect from such a strong glass.
if you like a dash of chocolate and cherry in your coffee, I think you’ll love this.
despite being quite a big name right now, death wish still roasts their coffee in small batches and to make sure their own brew is as fresh as possible.
The coffee is also produced following fair trade guidelines. It’s also grown organically, so there’s no need to worry about pesticides or additives here.
as a final thumbs up, death wish k-cups are very easy to recycle. just drop them in your collection container and you can lose the guilt that comes with this type of coffee preparation.
>> buy on amazon <<
timothy’s rainforest espresso
timothy rainforest espresso produces a strong, full-bodied drink with hints of sweetness throughout.
The name is a bit misleading, as it’s not designed to create the kind of short espresso drink you might expect.
See also: Cà phê Moka là gì? Tại sao gọi là cafe NỮ HOÀNG – Bonjour Coffee
instead, these k-cups are made to deliver the bold taste of an espresso drink in 8 oz. it’s more about recreating the flavor than the size of the shot.
That approach makes these pods a great option if you have a keurig machine capable of making lattes and cappuccinos. you get the flavor profile of espresso but in a larger drink.
one final selling point here is the extra coffee contained in each k-cup. Jungle espresso is advertised as containing 27% more coffee than the average k-cup.
that goes a long way toward delivering on the producer’s promise to produce a larger serving of espresso that doesn’t compromise flavor and quality.
>> buy on amazon <<
stok caffeinated black coffee shots
stok is not messing with this. if it’s a strong dose of caffeine you’re looking for, the 40mg of caffeine in each of these will be more than enough to get you going for the day.
In fact, it’s so strong that Stok recommends not having more than two of these drinks a day. goes further too, suggesting that pregnant women should avoid consuming it entirely.
It’s safe to say that if you’re particularly sensitive to caffeine, you’ll want to miss this one. It’s a case of all or nothing here!
the overall flavor is fairly neutral, so they’re great to add to any drink you like that needs a “little” pep.
It goes without saying that this is not a drink for the faint-hearted. if you only drink a little each day and just want a big shot when you do, it’s a potent choice.
It’s certainly a good alternative if you’re working your way through energy drinks but want to get away from that sugary fizz.
It’s also a very cost-effective pod if you buy them in bulk.
>> buy on amazon <<
wake up at once!
this is another cafe that puts its caffeinated credentials front and center in its branding.
the pods offer a really nice balance of flavor and caffeine. uses a medium-dark roast coffee that hits both sides of the strength equation fairly cleanly.
When it comes to compatibility, you can use these pods in any 1.0/2.0 keurig machine, or in a breville, cuisinart, and mr coffee k-cup coffee maker.
The makers of this coffee, Utica, have been in business for almost 20 years and have a good reputation for making very high quality, small batches.
If you like to support those doing social good in the world, they are a particularly good brand to leave your money behind.
Formed in 2002, the company purposely set up shop in an economically deprived part of town. In doing so, they have been able to provide much-needed job opportunities for the younger members of the community.
>> buy on amazon <<
valhalla java
valhalla java is a very popular choice for lovers of strong coffee in capsules. It’s another offer from the death wish cafe.
according to the manufacturer’s own estimate, these capsules contain about 20% more coffee and twice the caffeine than the average single-serve coffee capsule.
This is another medium-dark roast coffee, providing a strong flavor to go along with that enhanced caffeine kick. however, it is noticeably smoother than the previous death wish pod I’ve reviewed.
The drink itself has a nutty aftertaste and makes a smooth brew with very little bitterness. it’s a great option if the other brand of death wish sounds too intense for your tastes.
>> buy on amazon <<
Forbidden World’s Strongest K-Cup Coffee
This is a really flavorful medium dark roast blend that will lure even the soundest sleepers out of their bed and into the kitchen!
This drink has a heavy but smooth body, with small hints of chocolate and berries throughout the flavor profile.
the makers claim this is equivalent to drinking eight cups of regular coffee, so make sure you go into this with your eyes peeled!
See also: The Best Espresso Beans for Crema
I also agree with your statement that this coffee is best served with a syrup to enhance the flavor. take a little vanilla or hazelnut syrup to get the most out of it.
you can buy them in a wide range of container sizes and you can use them in any keurig 1.0 or 2.0 compatible machine.
>> buy on amazon <<
starbucks plus coffee 2x caffeine
if you’re looking to recreate your starbucks experience at home, albeit with as much fun as possible, I think these are the best pods you can buy.
This is a dark roast, 100% Arabica coffee with twice the caffeine content of other Starbucks pods. it’s the company’s caffe verona blend with a turbo charge, basically.
In addition to improving strength, this particular capsule also contains additional b vitamins and biotin. Personally, I don’t drink coffee to lead a healthier lifestyle, but everything helps.
taste-wise, this is a very reliable imitation of a store-bought beer, with hints of ginger, cinnamon, and turmeric throughout.
sometimes when you buy k-cups online you take a bit of a gamble with expiration dates.
However, that doesn’t seem to be the case with the Starbucks range, as most people have at least a year to spend any given lot.
Finally, it’s worth mentioning that Starbucks has been working hard to improve its environmental impact lately.
The latest edition of these capsules is fully recyclable, so you can continue to enjoy this kind of convenience without feeling guilty.
>> buy on amazon <<
verdict
each of the pods I reviewed for this article does what it does very well. The joy with the capsules, of course, is that you can experiment with literally hundreds of different flavors!
however, if you’re looking for a full-bodied, super-strong k-cup with a great kick of caffeine and flavor, I recommend buying the death wish pods.
They’re pretty much the best of both worlds and it’s a line of products that I find very easy to recommend.
click here to read more reviews and see how other coffee drinkers have done it.
strong beer tricks
There are some tried and tested “tricks” to increase the strength of your k-cup coffee.
If you want to still enjoy your current favorite flavors, but with a richer flavor, try some of these hacks.
prepare twice
If you have a single-cup coffeemaker, you can brew your drink twice for a much stronger drink.
once you have finished the first brew, add the coffee back to the water reservoir, then run another k cup through it.
You’ll get a much richer brew this way, but there are some obvious drawbacks.
First of all, your drinks are going to cost twice as much money. things are going to get expensive fast.
secondly, k-cups aren’t exactly good for the environment. you’ll only be adding more to the planet’s garbage dump.
warm up the machine
If you have some time to play, try preparing a water tank through the machine first.
when you make a proper k-cup brew, the tank will preheat.
The end result is hotter water, which typically makes for a tastier drink.
focus on smaller portions
generally speaking, the smaller the brew you make, the richer it will be.
If you don’t mind sacrificing volume for a richer cup of coffee, stick to the smaller serving sizes on your keurig machine.
You might also consider removing the cup from the dispenser when the last bits of the brew are left. this stage tends to be weaker, although you will need to empty the drip tray more frequently.
See also: 8 Best Thermal Carafe Coffee Makers of 2022
