Coffee capsules
Capsule coffee
Capsule coffee is becoming more popular every year. According to studies, its popularity is growing faster than any other hot drink in Europe. What does this mean in practice? With capsules - a favorite option for many, which will only become more popular in the near future. At the same time, there are a lot of myths and misconceptions about capsular coffee, and you can hear very different answers to the simple question “what is inside the capsules”.
What are coffee capsules
A coffee capsule is a sealed container inside which is freshly ground coffee and a small amount of inert gas. It is added to preserve the flavor of the grain and extend its shelf life. Such a gas does not affect the taste of the product, but only acts as a safe preservative.
Some capsule manufacturers create entire lines of coffee drinks where sugar, milk powder and other additives are already present in the “pill”. The advantage of this approach is convenience, but the taste can be weaker and not achieved due to the high quality of coffee, but by adding sugar and flavor.
Other manufacturers proceed from the principle of "only quality coffee and nothing more." They create capsules that contain freshly ground coffee, without any additives, and a person adds milk, sugar or syrups to his taste, after the preparation of the drink. Among these brands are the popular Lavazza, Kimbo, and many industry leaders. But how exactly are the capsules made?
Capsule's production
- First, grind the coffee to achieve a uniform grinding. Particle size is very important for making a quality drink. Since capsule coffee is prepared in automatic machines, it must have stable characteristics. Roasting, grinding, etc. This is the only way to achieve the expected good taste.
- After that, on conveyors, coffee is poured into containers (capsules), and immediately sealed with an aluminum or plastic lid. It is important to seal the coffee as soon as possible, so its aroma will remain for a long time. The capsules then enter the quality control compartment. Here, the operators ensure that there are no chips or deformation on the product, so that each capsule is securely sealed. Using special devices, they check the level of inert gas in the capsule to make sure that it is not punctured and that the aroma does not disappear.
- Employees then brew coffee using a capsule from a fresh batch. This is an additional check, which confirms that the coffee will have an excellent taste and the expected level of quality.
Done. It remains only to pack the capsules in boxes and deliver.
How much coffee is in the capsule
Typically, a Lavazza Blue coffee capsule contains between 8 and 9 grams of coffee, depending on the grinding. It is this volume that allows you to get all the aromatic substances and oils from ground grain, while not making the coffee too bitter or strong. When using a manual coffee machine, determining the correct serving size can be difficult. In this regard, capsules solve the problem with ease. But there are manufacturers (Nespresso) who place much less ground coffee in a capsule. Approximate grammage is 5-6 g. Such a portion of coffee makes it possible to prepare short drinks without any noticeable loss of quality, but with long drinks such as Americano, latte, cappuccino there are problems with saturation and density.
Clean and car care
A huge plus of the capsule machine is the absence of bacteria and potentially dangerous microorganisms. The fact is that when making coffee, the capsule is not opened, but only pierced with special needles. That is, the coffee cake is not in contact with the nodes of the machine, and remains inside. Accordingly, there is no environment favorable for the growth of bacteria. Whoever cleaned the grain machine at least once will understand what it is about: there you have to choose the cake manually, sometimes you can even notice mold on the used tablets, especially if the machine is not cleaned every day.
In capsule machines there is no such problem, and care is as simple as possible. Discard the used capsules and start the self-cleaning mode in the machine. From time to time it is worthwhile to carry out a deeper cleaning, but it is much simpler than in a classic machine.
Capsule types
There are two main types of coffee capsules: a classic capsule in a plastic package and a capsule in a paper filter, these are also called pods. Pods are pressed “pills” of ground and roasted coffee. As a rule, their weight is the same as that of conventional capsules, 7 - 9 grams. And to make coffee you will need a special pod coffee maker. At the moment, they are less popular with us than the usual capsule machines.
Capsule quality
One popular misconception is the quality of coffee. Grain is traditionally associated with a higher quality drink, but this is by no means the case. At the moment, almost all major coffee manufacturers, including the Italian TM Lavazza, offer a wide range of coffee (light and dark roasted, different grinding, with and without caffeine). The grain itself remains stably good, only the packaging changes.
Advantages and disadvantages
To summarize a brief summary. Among the advantages of a capsule coffee machine:
- Preservation of aroma thanks to tight packaging
- Precise portioning
- Lack of bacteria
- Easy care
- Variety of flavors
- Stable results with every brewing.
Among the disadvantages:
- Each manufacturer has its own capsule format
- The relatively high price of capsules
Everyone should try capsule coffee at least once. This is a rich drink from a powerful espresso machine, which is quickly prepared and has an amazing aroma. And if you are a Coffice client, then you don’t have to worry about the price of such a machine, because we give out a coffee machine for free when ordering coffee.
Ready to learn more? We will be happy to answer all questions by calling + 38-096-377-59-96.
