Coffee capsules
Manufacturers place a portion of ground coffee in an aluminum or polymer container. The packaging is sealed, sealed with filter paper and a layer of foil. Coffee powder retains extraction intensity, taste and aroma.
Each container contains a 6-9 g serving - the gold standard for preparing proper espresso and drinks based on it. Coffee capsules for the coffee machine are produced under the control of a single packaging system, so errors are excluded. You can be confident in the quality of the finished drink.
For preparation, the package is placed in a capsule coffee maker. She will brew the drink under pressure of 19-20 bar. Manufacturers produce a standard set of preset flavors. Usually these are 2-3 dozen branded types of black coffee and coffee and milk delicacies.
Advantages of units and their disadvantages
The method of brewing coffee capsules in a coffee machine is not complicated. This equipment has its advantages:
- There is no need to clean the horn.
- Original products do not contain impurities, only natural grains. Therefore, the espresso turns out delicious.
- The unit remains clean after preparing drinks.
- It is possible to customize the strength.
- The device takes up little space in the kitchen.
- Low cost of the device.
Disadvantages of making coffee in a capsule coffee machine:
- Original cups are more expensive than bean coffee for automatic coffee machines.
- Pump coffee makers are more expensive than boiler coffee makers, but they make high-quality espresso.
- Limited range of drinks within one product brand.
- The dairy component is powdered milk, which is not as tasty as whole milk.
Important! You need to choose a unit for yourself in comparison with other similar models, taking into account the range of coffee drinks of each brand
Types of capsules
Cups may vary:
- in shape, which does not affect the quality of espresso;
- according to the types of coffee sealed inside - this is an important point;
- according to the amount of brewing - from 7 to 10 g of ground powder.
It is advisable to choose models whose glasses are interchangeable. Subsequently, there is an option to purchase a reusable metal container, for which you buy and grind coffee beans, then pour it into a capsule and brew drinks.
How to make your own capsule drinks
A portion of ground coffee is removed from the container by opening it with a knife. Then they start cooking in a Turk or geyser coffee maker.
In Turk
Warm the cezve over low heat. Place the powder and add 35 ml of water. Cook until foam rises and remove from heat, avoiding boiling. Add 1 tsp to the finished drink. cold water to settle the grounds.
Recipes:
- In Turkish. Open the espresso capsule and add it to the cezve along with sugar (to taste). Pour 40-50 ml of water. Warm the drink over low heat, bring to a boil, but do not boil. Remove from heat and let the foam settle. Heat again until foam appears.
- Eastern style. Open the cappuccino or latte capsule. Place in a Turk, add sugar, a few granules of salt and 100 ml of boiling water. Bring to a boil. When serving, sprinkle the drink with grated chocolate.
Use herbs, spices, syrups and liqueurs to get different flavors.
Options for preparing capsule coffee without a machine
Inside a capsule coffee maker, water flows through the container under very high pressure. This ensures the speed and intensity of powder extraction, resulting in a rich drink. Therefore, we immediately note that it will not be possible to brew real, tasty espresso without special technology. But there are still options to make capsule coffee quite reasonably without a coffee machine. The necessary first step is to open the capsule.
If the lid of the container is made of foil, you need to pierce it with a needle, then pry off the covering with a knife. A circular cut is made on the plastic cover.
Now you have a portion of good coffee at your disposal, it’s time to prepare it.
In a geyser coffee maker
If you have a geyser coffee maker at hand, feel free to use it. The device must first be disassembled into two containers and a filter. Then water is poured into the lower reservoir up to the mark, and the contents of the container are poured into the filter. One capsule is for one serving! Now the device needs to be assembled, and you can brew coffee. If the “geyser” is electric, connect it to the network; if it is a regular one, put it on fire. As soon as a hissing sound appears, the unit must be turned off (remove from the stove). The end result is a quite tasty and aromatic drink. Although the quality is inferior to the original prepared using technology, this is still the best way to make coffee from capsules without a coffee machine.
Classic in Turkish
This method is no different from making regular Turkish coffee. You need to open the capsule and pour the contents into an empty jug. Add sugar to taste and 150 ml of cool water. Next, the ingredients are mixed, the Turk is placed on low heat. Do not forget that the cezve cannot be left unattended!
- Don't miss: How to properly brew Turkish coffee at home
Remove the container from the heat as soon as foam forms, without allowing the liquid to boil. To make the drink more saturated with essential oils, you can return the Turk to the stove again before raising the cap.
You should not experiment by simulating the operation of a capsule apparatus in a water bath. Under the influence of steam, coffee may deteriorate (crumble or become lumpy).
Strong oriental
Lovers of the strong drink will love the following tip on how to brew coffee capsules without a coffee machine. Pour half the contents of the container into the Turk, pour 100 ml of boiling water and let it simmer for a couple of minutes. Then remove the container from the stove, cover with a lid and let it brew for 7-8 minutes. Now you can add the rest of the coffee and spices: ground black pepper on the tip of a knife, 0.5 teaspoon of loose turmeric. Add another 50 ml of hot water, mix the ingredients thoroughly and place on the fire again. As soon as a golden foam forms, the treat is ready. If you pour your coffee into a preheated cup, the fluffy bubbles will last longer.
Last resort
Let’s imagine an uncomfortable situation: you have the coveted “pill of energy”, but there is no way to brew the drink on the stove. This can happen, for example, in an office. Then the only option left to brew coffee from capsules without a coffee machine is to pour boiling water directly into the cup.
Advantages and disadvantages of coffee capsules
These products are in high demand among customers. This is explained by the benefits of capsule coffee:
- does not contain harmful additives;
- can be stored for a long time without loss of organoleptic properties;
- easy to prepare;
- there is no need to wash the coffee machine for a long time after it;
- Compared to ground natural coffee, it has a more pronounced taste and aroma.
Despite the advantages, coffee capsules also have some disadvantages:
- the price is higher, one cup of aromatic drink costs 1.5-2 times more;
- production assumes that roasted beans need to be allowed to rest for a couple of weeks before being packed into containers; as a result, the taste and aroma of such coffee is less pronounced when compared with freshly ground coffee;
- excess garbage in the form of empty cups;
- capsules are intended for coffee machines of the same company.
Potential harms of capsule coffee
Despite the fact that capsule coffee is considered a clean and safe product, it can actually cause some harm. We are talking about low quality containers. The cheapest option to make coffee containers is to use aluminum.
Usually, another layer is laid between the metal and the contents of the capsule to prevent their contact. But sometimes the capsule is damaged and aluminum ions penetrate into the drink. In this case, harm to health may occur.
Review of coffee capsules from micro-roasters
When choosing coffee for this review, as a former barite, I was very skeptical. Each capsule contains no more than 7 grams of coffee, which is frankly not enough for a serving of espresso. Is this amount enough to prevent the coffee from being watery?
Welder Ekaterina – Ethiopia Guji Uraga
Cost for 1 capsule: 40 ₽
pros
- The taste is simply excellent!
- Decent price
Minuses
- Only for Espresso
Bolshe Coffee – Brazil Colicoli
Lungo was also a success, despite the small amount of coffee in the capsule, it was enough to keep the drink thick and aromatic.
Cost for 1 capsule: 35 ₽
pros
- Low price
- Taste
- Versatility
Minuses
Ingresso – Peru Organic
While brewing Lungo, the coffee turned out to be a little thin. Again, the general lack of capsule coffee, their small capacity, affected.
Cost for 1 capsule: 35 ₽
pros
- Organic
- Interesting taste
Minuses
- A bit runny
Find out the price
Just Coffee – Colombia El Cedro
The Lungo was more reminiscent of a good cup of aromatic Americano, which is also not bad.
Cost for 1 capsule: 33 ₽
pros
- Great taste
- Price
- Versatility
Minuses
Rating of the most popular types
The quality level of coffee capsules varies dramatically among different manufacturers. This largely depends on the raw materials used, roasting methods and subsequent processing. The most famous and popular brands include products from Tassimo, Nespresso, Lavazza, DolceGusto, Squesito.
- Nespresso is the first brand that decided to develop the product under discussion, so there is more trust in it. The manufacturer's line includes 16 varieties of coffee, including three types of elite espresso varieties - pure origin, as well as hot chocolate and tea with mountain herbs. Nespresso coffee capsules are safe because the containers themselves are made of soft food-grade polymer. In addition, the manufacturer offers convenient storage systems.
- Dolce Gusto – this Nescafe brand product can be called a budget option for Nespresso. The manufacturer produces more than 20 flavors of coffee, although there is one caveat - the contents of the capsules are 6 g instead of the required 7 g (minimum). Nescafe dolce gusto coffee capsules are available in a variety of drinks, including 10 types of espresso, several types of cappuccino, latte, as well as decaffeinated coffee and hot chocolate with mocha, caramel and chococino flavors.
- Tassimo - this brand can be recognized by the unique appearance of the capsules, which resemble discs. Unlike its competitors, this manufacturer has mastered a different technology for brewing the drink. The thing is that the powder in the capsules is not compressed, which means that high water pressure is not required. Each package has a barcode, the machine reads it and already knows how much water and time it takes to prepare coffee. In our market, Tassimo offers three varieties of black coffee, café au lait (including latte), as well as cocoa, four types of tea, hot chocolate and milk.
- Squesito. - This is a new product on our market, but many gourmets have already been able to appreciate the excellent quality and good recipe of coffee. So, here, for example, 100% robusta is presented. It is this drink that contains the maximum amount of caffeine and has a characteristic bitterness.
- Lavazza is real Italian coffee with foam. The manufacturer offers several types of first-class espresso.
Product expiration date
Depending on the production technology, the shelf life of coffee capsules ranges from 10 months to 2 years. Such long storage is due to the tightness of the packaging, which protects the contents from light, moisture and air. After the expiration date, the capsule can also be used, the only thing that will suffer is the aroma. But coffee from damaged packaging will lose all its properties within a few days.
Today, manufacturers of capsule coffee for coffee machines give their consumers the opportunity to choose a product that will meet all requirements and tastes. A wide range of capsule coffee allows you to make your own informed choice, in accordance with your personal requirements for the quality and taste of your favorite drink.
Source
How to make coffee capsules in a coffee machine
This method has many advantages. These are speed of preparation, quality of taste, ease of preparation. No special additional tools are needed; you don’t even need to wash the dishes after cooking.
There is no need to even measure anything, since the capsules are weighed and packaged. It only takes one minute, a capsule and 3 steps:
- Place the capsule in the device
- Press the “Start” button
- Enjoy freshly prepared coffee
Empty packaging is simply thrown away. But there is one significant drawback to capsule coffee machines. This is the ability to use only one brand of capsules with a coffee machine.
