NEW YORK — Keurig Green Mountain, the company best known for getting millions of people hooked in single-cup coffee brewing, is now hitching its wagon to fizzy bubbles as it prepares to take on instant carbonated drink-making king Soda Stream with Keurig Kold, its own one-button carbonated drink machine.

New new Keurig Kold with its top open. Image: Mashable, Lance Ulanoff

While Keurig Kold was announced earlier this year, Keurig finally unveiled the product and gave journalists a palate-on experience on Monday night in Manhattan.

The all-white, $369.99 machine stands apart from previous carbonated and cold brew machines like Soda Stream, Keurig Green Mountain CEO Brain Kelley told me, because the device produces a carbonated drink without the need of a CO2 canister. Kold Pods, which will cost between $4.49 and $4.99 for a four-pack, actually include CO2 beads. It also delivers a cold beverage. "Other machines [drinks] don't come out cold," said Kelley. It's also starting out with some big name partners: Keurig Kold will be able to make Coca Cola and Dr Pepper drinks.

Each of these Pods makes a single drink. Image: Mashable, Lance Ulanoff

In addition to Coke and Dr Pepper, Keurig is launching with 25 different sparkling and flat beverages, including a pure cane sugar craft soda, iced tea, a sports drink and even cocktail mixers, though the cocktails will arrive alcohol-free. Kelley told me consumers will have to add alcohol after Keurig Kold delivers the drink mix.

Keurig Kold has been a long time in the brewing...er...making. Kelly said consumers have been asking for them for this kind of device for years. "When consumers talk, you listen," said Kelley. The work resulted in 150 patents, 50 of which have already been granted.

Taste test

Keurig gave the press an opportunity to brew our own cold and carbonated drinks. The process is as simple as you would expect from a Keurig product. You select a pod — I chose Coca-Cola. You do have to remove a small, aluminum freshness seal and then drop it into what will be, for any current Keurig customer, a very familiar Keurig pod holder and press down the lid. It takes a bit more force than a Keurig coffee maker.

I hit the blue button and then waited as the device cooled the water to 44 degrees Fahrenheit. That was followed by a hissing sound and then a rush of carbonated water into the 8-ounce cup I'd placed below the dispenser. That was followed quickly by what looked like the flavor syrup. This all took about a minute and then my drink was ready. It tasted like fresh-from-the-bottle Coca-Cola. I was impressed.

Keurig Green Mountain CEO Brian Kelley explains how the Keurig Kold works. Image: Mashable, Lance Ulanoff

A little later, I asked Kelley if he was concerned about third-party pod makers cannibalizing his new business, as had happened with his Keurig K-Cups. He reminded me that in that case "it was 17 years before patents expired," and third parties started making off-brand K-Cups. The patents for Keurig Kold won't expire until 2031 at the earliest, he said. Kelley sees that as part of the company's business advantage.

Kold is something of a bold move for Keurig, which has not had the best 24 months. Late last year, the company tried to introduce a DRM system to its popular line of single-serve hot brew systems. The backlash was swift and, ultimately, insurmountable. Keurig eventually dropped its K-Cup DRM plan. A new product and category could be just the kind of cold remedy Keurig Green Mountain needs.

Keurig Kold is now on sale online and in six retail markets (Dallas, New York, Atlanta, Chicago, Boston and Los Angeles).