Starbucks Corporation
APPARATUSES, SYSTEMS, AND METHODS FOR BREWING A BEVERAGE

Abstract:

Apparatuses, systems, and methods for brewing a desired portion of a beverage, such as an individual serving portion of coffee, are provided. Certain aspects of this disclosure are directed toward a bulk hopper replacement unit, or individual serving feed hopper adapter, that is configured to be docked with an open hopper slot of a bulk hopper assembly of an existing automated bulk coffee brewing system that is typically used to prepare bulk beverages using coffee beans stored in bulk hoppers connected to the system. For example, the individual serving feed hopper adapter can advantageously allow the existing automated bulk coffee brewing system to prepare an individual serving portion of a particular beverage that involves use of ingredients (e.g., coffee beans) that are not currently stored in one of the bulk hoppers.