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A beverage forming method and system in which a carafe with an associated magnetic element is positionable at a carafe receiving area. One of a protrusion and a first recess is associated with the carafe and the other of the protrusion and the first recess is associated with a housing. The housing i

A beverage forming method and system in which a carafe with an associated magnetic element is positionable at a carafe receiving area. One of a protrusion and a first recess is associated with the carafe and the other of the protrusion and the first recess is associated with a housing. The housing includes a detector arranged to detect the presence of the magnetic element when the protrusion is inserted into the first recess. Beverage formation of an amount greater than a threshold volume is enabled when the detector detects the magnetic element.

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1. A beverage forming apparatus, the apparatus comprising: a beverage carafe having a body defining an interior space for holding a beverage, an opening through which the beverage is dispensable into the interior space, and a magnetic element associated with a lower portion of the carafe;a housing h

1. A beverage forming apparatus, the apparatus comprising: a beverage carafe having a body defining an interior space for holding a beverage, an opening through which the beverage is dispensable into the interior space, and a magnetic element associated with a lower portion of the carafe;a housing having a carafe receiving area to receive the carafe and in which the carafe is associated with the housing to receive the beverage dispensed into the opening;a protrusion associated with a lower side portion of one of the carafe and the housing;a first recess for receiving the protrusion, the first recess being formed in the other of the carafe and the housing;a detector arranged to detect the presence of the magnetic element when the protrusion is inserted into the recess;a beverage forming station supported by the housing and arranged to combine a precursor liquid with a beverage material to form the beverage that is dispensed into the carafe at the carafe receiving area;a liquid supply system supported by the housing for providing precursor liquid to the beverage forming station; anda control circuit arranged to control the liquid supply system to deliver precursor liquid to the beverage forming station to dispense more than a threshold volume of beverage only when the detector detects the magnetic element. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the protrusion is fixed to the carafe. 3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the protrusion includes a partial disc portion that extends from a side of the carafe. 4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the protrusion has a thickness of less than about 3 cm. 5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the protrusion is associated with the carafe and wherein the magnetic element comprises a magnet attached to the protrusion. 6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the protrusion is associated with the housing and wherein the detector is attached to the protrusion. 7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control circuit is arranged to control the liquid supply system to deliver precursor liquid to the beverage forming station to dispense only less than the threshold volume of beverage when the detector does not detect the magnetic element, and wherein the threshold volume is about 8 ounces. 8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first recess is formed in an exterior surface of the housing adjacent the carafe receiving area. 9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first recess and the protrusion set a rotational position of the carafe when the protrusion is received in the first recess. 10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the carafe includes a circular opening at the top of the body and a cover arranged over the circular opening, the cover having a surface with the opening into which the beverage is dispensed. 11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises an outlet for dispensing the beverage and wherein the opening is positioned below the outlet when the protrusion is inserted into the first recess. 12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the carafe includes a handle arranged on a side of the carafe, the handle being grippable by a user to lift the carafe. 13. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a drip tray arranged to engage with the housing at the carafe receiving area. 14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the first recess is associated with the housing and wherein the drip tray includes at least one engagement feature to engage with the housing. 15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the at least one engagement feature includes a tab that extends from the drip tray and has a different shape that the protrusion. 16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the housing includes a second recess for receiving the at least one engagement feature. 17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the first recess is located below the second recess. 18. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the carafe is positionable to be received at the carafe receiving area with the protrusion received by the first recess only when the drip tray is removed. 19. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is supported by a surface and wherein the carafe is supported by the surface when the carafe is at the carafe receiving area and the protrusion is received at the first recess. 20. A method for controlling a beverage forming apparatus having a housing including a carafe receiving area to receive a carafe and one of a first recess and a protrusion associated with an exterior surface of the housing, the method comprising: placing a carafe at the carafe receiving area, the carafe having a body defining an interior space for holding a beverage, an opening through which a beverage is dispensable into the interior space, the other of the first recess and the protrusion associated with a lower side portion of the carafe, and a magnetic element associated with a lower portion of the carafe;inserting the protrusion into the first recess;detecting the presence of the magnetic element; andcontrolling the liquid supply system to deliver a precursor liquid to a beverage forming station to dispense more than a threshold volume of beverage only when a detector detects the magnetic element. 21. The method of claim 20, wherein placing the carafe includes placing the carafe with the protrusion fixed to the carafe. 22. The method of claim 20, wherein placing includes placing the carafe having the associated protrusion and wherein detecting includes detecting a magnet attached to the protrusion. 23. The method of claim 20, wherein placing the carafe includes placing the carafe having a circular opening at the top of the body and a cover arranged over the circular opening, the cover having a surface with the opening into which the beverage is dispensed. 24. The method of claim 20, wherein placing the carafe at the carafe receiving area includes placing the carafe on a surface that supports the apparatus. 25. The method of claim 20, further comprising a drip tray, wherein placing the carafe at the carafe receiving area includes first disengaging the drip tray from the housing. 26. The method of claim 20, further comprising controlling the liquid supply system to deliver precursor liquid to the beverage forming station to dispense only less than the threshold volume of beverage when the detector does not detect the magnetic element, wherein the threshold volume is about 8 ounces. 27. A beverage forming apparatus, the apparatus comprising: a beverage carafe having a body defining an interior space for holding a beverage, and an opening through which the beverage is dispensable into the interior space;a housing having a carafe receiving area to receive the carafe and in which the carafe is associated with the housing to receive the beverage dispensed into the opening;a detector arranged to detect the presence of the carafe when the carafe is at the carafe receiving area;a beverage forming station supported by the housing and arranged to combine a precursor liquid with a beverage material to form the beverage that is dispensed from an outlet at the carafe receiving area;a liquid supply system supported by the housing for providing precursor liquid to the beverage forming station; anda control circuit arranged to control the liquid supply system to deliver precursor liquid to the beverage forming station to dispense more than a threshold volume of beverage only when the detector detects the carafe, and arranged to control the liquid supply system to deliver precursor liquid to the beverage forming station to dispense only less than the threshold volume of beverage when the detector does not detect the carafe. 28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the threshold volume is about 8 ounces. 29. The apparatus of claim 27, further comprising a drip tray positionable at the carafe receiving area, and wherein the carafe is only detectable by the detector at the carafe receiving area if the drip tray is removed from the carafe receiving area. 30. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the carafe includes a protrusion that extends from the carafe body, the housing includes a first recess arranged to receive the protrusion, and the detector is arranged to detect the carafe only when the protrusion is received in the first recess. 31. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the housing includes a protrusion that extends from the housing, the carafe including a recess arranged to receive the protrusion, and the detector is arranged to detect the carafe only when the protrusion is received in the recess.