A beverage making system that includes a plurality of packs containing different beverage making ingredients and having different infrared reflectance spectra in a region thereof. A beverage making apparatus includes a station for receiving at least one of the packs; a source of liquid adapted to supply liquid into the at least one pack while the pack is located at the station; a system controller for controlling the supply of liquid from the source according to a beverage making program; and an infrared pack recognition system comprising an infrared light source for illuminating the region of the pack while it is located at the station. The apparatus also includes a detector for measuring an intensity of infrared light reflected from the region and for supplying an output signal to the system controller, whereby the beverage-making program is selected by the system controller in response to the output of the infrared pack recognition system.