Apparatus and methods for brewing and dispensing beverages

An apparatus for making a serving of tea wherein said apparatus includes:

• an electronic control panel with an instructional message screen;
• at least one water inflow device;
• a water heating device;
• a brewer wherein said brewer receives dry leaves of tea from at least one tea storage bin and said brewer receives heated water after the receipt of said leaves of tea;
• an outflow member connected to said brewer to direct the outflow of said tea to a container removable by a consumer;
• and at least one element adjacent said outflow member for independently delivering a tea additive from a tea additive storage area to said container removable by a consumer wherein said tea additive alters the flavor of said serving of tea.

A system for freshly brewing and dispensing a single-serving of a beverage including:

• at least one water tank;
• a temperature regulator to regulate water temperature in said at least one water tank;
• a measuring device and a dispenser to measure and dispense a selected quantity of water for said fresh brewing;
• at least one storage area to store a dry form of said beverage;
• a brewer including at least one outflow member wherein said brewer receives the dry form of said beverage from said storage area and receives water from said at least one water tank to brew said beverage;
• at least one dispenser independent of said brewer outflow member, said independent dispenser capable of dispensing an additive into a container for a consumer to consume a beverage, and to be mixed with said beverage in said container and not mixed in said brewer;
• and a control system by which a user can request brewing and dispensing of a single-serving of a beverage wherein said control system includes:
• a message display screen;
• a plurality of selectors for selecting a type of said beverage;
• and programmable components to permit a user to control brewing parameters of said beverage.