Keurig Alta Brewer Review: Brand-New Tech, Classically Good Coffee

本文为原文前 6,000 字符的节选翻译，完整内容请查看原文。

Keurig Alta Brewer Review: Brand-New Tech, Classically Good Coffee

Keurig Alta 咖啡机评测：全新科技，经典好咖啡

$500 at Keurig. Save this story. Rating: 8/10. WIRED: Gorgeous design. AltaRounds and K-Cup compatibility. Easy to use. Supports many drink types. Built-in steam wand. Room for customization. TIRED: AltaRounds aren’t always perfect. Large footprint. Slight learning curve. I don’t like the waste collection bin.

Keurig 售价 500 美元。保存此文章。评分：8/10。优点：设计精美，兼容 AltaRounds 和 K-Cup，易于使用，支持多种饮品类型，内置蒸汽棒，提供定制空间。缺点：AltaRounds 并不总是完美，占地面积大，有一定的学习曲线，我不喜欢废料收集盒。

Ahead of my virtual taste-test briefing for the new Keurig Alta brewer, it was 9:50 am and I was panicking. Pesky time zones be darned; the meeting I thought was taking place in two hours was actually in 10 minutes. That led to the first of many positive interactions with this machine—I had it fully set up, connected to my Wi-Fi, and ready to brew in less than seven minutes. That’s about as intuitive a setup process as one could hope for with a first-of-its-kind coffee machine.

在参加新款 Keurig Alta 咖啡机的虚拟品鉴会之前，时间是上午 9:50，我陷入了恐慌。该死的时区问题，我以为还有两小时才开始的会议，实际上 10 分钟后就要开始了。这促成了我与这台机器的第一次良好互动——我在不到七分钟的时间内就完成了它的全面设置、Wi-Fi 连接并准备好冲煮。对于一款首创类型的咖啡机来说，这已经是我所能期待的最直观的设置过程了。

The Keurig Alta looks like something straight out of a design convention. It almost looks like spaceship decor with its curved white lines and sleek components. Whereas some inexpensive Keurigs can feel cheap and plasticky, this machine feels high-end from top to bottom. The cup holder is metal, the cup and whisk for the steam wand are magnetic, and the reservoir bin is slim and reversible. Both drip trays tuck away seamlessly without adding extra bulk.

Keurig Alta 看起来就像直接从设计展会上走出来的产品。它弯曲的白色线条和流畅的组件让它看起来几乎像是宇宙飞船的装饰。与一些廉价的 Keurig 咖啡机那种廉价的塑料感不同，这台机器从上到下都给人一种高端的感觉。杯架是金属材质的，蒸汽棒的杯子和搅拌器是磁吸式的，水箱纤细且可翻转。两个滴水盘都能无缝收纳，不会增加额外的体积。

The top of the machine has two compartments. On the right side, you’ll find the standard Keurig K-Cup basket, with the typical needle at the bottom to pierce the cup. On the left, though, is a new compartment for the brand-new Keurig AltaRounds ($11 for a box of 8). These little pucks are the latest in Keurig’s coffee technology and are like nothing I’ve seen before. The whole package comes at a high price point, but compared to in-home espresso makers, it’s not unreasonable.

机器顶部有两个隔间。右侧是标准的 Keurig K-Cup 篮，底部有典型的刺穿胶囊的针头。而左侧是一个全新的隔间，用于放置全新的 Keurig AltaRounds（8 个装售价 11 美元）。这些小圆饼是 Keurig 最新的咖啡技术，与我以前见过的任何东西都不同。整个产品的价格较高，但与家用浓缩咖啡机相比，这并不算不合理。

If you’ve ever used an espresso machine or watched a barista pull shots, you’ll be familiar with the process of filling a portafilter with ground coffee and tamping it down. The Keurig AltaRounds look similar to this puck of coffee. Each puck is coated in a substance derived from seaweed, and that layer of “glue” holding the AltaRounds together allows them to bloom inside the machine. They’re available in four varieties right now: dark roast, medium roast, a caramel blend, and double-shot espresso.

如果你曾经使用过浓缩咖啡机或看过咖啡师制作咖啡，你就会熟悉将咖啡粉填入滤杯并压实的过程。Keurig AltaRounds 看起来就像这种咖啡粉饼。每个圆饼都涂有一层源自海藻的物质，这层将 AltaRounds 固定在一起的“胶水”使它们能够在机器内部膨胀。目前有四种口味可供选择：深烘焙、中烘焙、焦糖混合和双份浓缩咖啡。

The resulting brews I’ve tried have been fantastic. The Alta uses up to 10 bars of pressure to brew actual espresso, rather than using the concentrated coffee some pod machines label as “espresso.” Plain old coffee has a layer of crema and a rich oiliness that offers a full-bodied taste and viscosity that I wouldn’t typically associate with pod coffee makers. I’m not usually a flavored-coffee person, but even the caramel blend is delicious, with a sweet scent and a cozy taste that isn’t overdone.

我尝试冲煮出的咖啡非常棒。Alta 使用高达 10 巴的压力来冲煮真正的浓缩咖啡，而不是使用一些胶囊机所标注的所谓“浓缩咖啡”的浓缩液。普通的咖啡带有一层油脂（crema）和丰富的油质感，提供了我通常不会与胶囊咖啡机联系在一起的醇厚口感和粘稠度。我通常不是调味咖啡的爱好者，但即使是焦糖混合口味也非常美味，带有甜美的香气和舒适的口感，且不会过分甜腻。

The Alta brewer has a nifty touchscreen interface that will suggest different drinks based on which AltaRound you’re using. You can favorite these drinks for quick access, but navigating the menu is pretty easy, even if it’s first thing in the morning and you’re groggy. There are options for every coffee drinker. Want a flat white, a latte, or a cappuccino? How about a cortado or Americano? All of these and more are possible, with options to customize size, temperature, and strength.

Alta 咖啡机拥有一个灵巧的触摸屏界面，会根据你使用的 AltaRound 建议不同的饮品。你可以将这些饮品收藏以便快速访问，而且菜单导航非常简单，即使是在清晨头脑昏沉的时候也能轻松操作。这里有适合每一位咖啡爱好者的选择。想要平白咖啡、拿铁还是卡布奇诺？来杯短笛咖啡或美式咖啡如何？所有这些以及更多饮品都可以实现，并提供定制杯量、温度和浓度的选项。

The Alta features a built-in steam wand, complete with a dedicated vessel and a magnetic whisk. When you select a drink that requires milk froth, the machine will walk you through the process step by step. It’ll tell you how much milk to add—there are measurements inside the vessel—and it can make intelligent adjustments based on whether you’re using dairy, oat, almond, or soy. You can make tweaks for a wetter or drier foam, and it can also create cold foam or cold froth.

Alta 配备了内置蒸汽棒，配有专用容器和磁力搅拌器。当你选择需要奶泡的饮品时，机器会一步步引导你完成整个过程。它会告诉你添加多少牛奶——容器内有刻度——并且可以根据你使用的是乳制品、燕麦奶、杏仁奶还是豆奶进行智能调整。你可以进行微调以获得更湿润或更干燥的奶泡，它还可以制作冷奶泡。