Pods: A Change In Today’s Coffee
March 25, 2011 by admin
Filed under Espresso Pods
People have been drinking coffee ever since the 1500s. Spreading out from Persia, the tradition of coffee drinking has, in our modern times, come to include nearly the entire world. People love their coffee. One only has to observe the number of coffee shops in an average city to realize this. With the popularity of coffee has also come a need to make it easier, quicker, and more consistent in flavor. New developments in what might be called ‘coffee technology’ include an alternative to the popular grind-and-pull techniques. This alternative comes in the form of an espresso coffee pod.
The espresso pod, also known as an Easy Serving Espresso pod, or ESE pod, comes in a variety of roasts, like any other espresso. ESE pods consist of 7 grams of espresso (14 grams for a double shot) wrapped in paper and designed to fit into the porta-filter of an espresso machine. The measurement of the pod is such that it will fit into most machines, although single serve machines require a different espresso pod than high volume machines.
ESE pods have some distinct advantages over traditional ground espresso which make them appealing to both businesses and private consumers. First of all, there is no grinding required, which reduces the amount of time it takes to pull a shot, prevents brewing problems due to improper grind size and leaves less mess to be cleaned up. The consistency of an espresso pod also allows them to be brewed without the training that most baristas go through. This makes them ideal for home brewing by the layman, and convenient in any non-coffee shop environment, such as the workplace, where the people who are brewing the coffee are not trained professionally.
A few disadvantages come with espresso pods as well. Machines that use an ESE espresso pod require an ESE certified machine in order to fit properly. Most machines are either already equipped for this or have attachments that can be used in order to allow the pods to be used, so this disadvantage is minimal. Espresso coffee pods also cost more per serving than regular whole bean espresso. Plus, fresh ground espresso has a richer flavor than ESE espresso coffee pods, when ground and brewed properly by someone trained well to the task.
All in all, the choice to use ESE pods depends on the nature of the environment that the coffee will be brewed in. To a businessman looking for consistency and ease, using an espresso pod is a good decision. One must remember that a good cup of coffee still depends on the quality of the espresso machine that is used and that the machine be in good working order, so the convenience of using espresso pods must still be balanced with a healthy knowledge of how coffee works and regular machine maintenance.
How to Bring Gourmet Drinks Into Your Home
March 23, 2011 by admin
Filed under Espresso Pods
Espresso coffee pods first were developed 50 years ago in Italy as a convenient way for office workers to make espresso for themselves and their coworkers without having to man the espresso machine throughout the day. In 1989, illy, a French coffee manufacturer, began to develop the pods for use in private homes as a way to encourage consumers to buy their espresso machines.
The explosive popularity of shops such as Starbucks serving gourmet coffee drinks at premium prices raised consumers’ interest in making those same drinks in their homes. But making espresso at home was a daunting prospect, as espresso machines were large, expensive, and hard to use for those without a great deal of experience and expertise. For many, the prospect was intimidating.
Coffee machine makers took advantage of the trend by creating espresso pods, which allowed consumers to make shots of espresso with consistent quality, but had to be used with a specific machine. That meant consumers were restricted to using specific pods with the machines they had purchased, limiting their options.
The ese pod – for Easy Serving Espresso – came into play about 40 years ago. The pods consisted of coffee pressed into a small disk-shaped filter. The pods could be used in many types of espresso machine, creating a perfect espresso shot with little or no expertise by the user. The ESE Consortium, founded in 1998, set quality standards for the pods, and today its membership includes the most important players in the coffee roasting industry.
A good number of specialty coffee manufacturers now offer the pods to consumers craving that perfect cup of espresso. Stores ranging from Williams-Sonoma to Target sell a wide range of machines that use the pods, making perfect espresso within reach for everyone without the effort or expense of buying from a gourmet coffee shop. You can even purchase the espresso pods in wholesale stores like Sam’s club and Costco. They will have a much more limited selection, but you should be able to buy the pods cheaper.
Reaching New Heights Of Popularity: Espresso Coffee Pods
March 21, 2011 by admin
Filed under Espresso Pods
Espresso coffee pods, or espresso pods for short, have been around for more than 50 years. First used in Italy to relieve office workers who did not have the expertise, or time, to constantly man the espresso machines for themselves and their co-workers, espresso pods were developed and used as a matter of convenience. Around 1989, French coffee company illy saw the benefit of developing an espresso pod as a way to facilitate getting their espresso machines into the home.
However, the explosion of gourmet coffee shops, like Starbucks and others, drove demand for the not-so-average cup of coffee and increased interest in having the “home” version of the same thing readily available. However, early espresso machines were big, bulky, expensive and intimidating in the home environment. One had to almost be a coffee roaster to be able to deliver a shot of espresso with any level of expertise and drink-ability.
Coffee Roasters and machine manufacturers capitalized on the movement by developing espresso pods that added the convenience and consistency factor, but limited or restricted their pods to their machines. This required the consumer to continue to buy pods from the machine manufacturer, a sometimes less than desirable arrangement for the coffee connoisseur.
The E.S.E., or better known as the Easy Serving Espresso Pod (ese pod), was a standard developed by the coffee industry more than 40 years ago. An ese espresso coffee pod consists mainly of 7 grams of coffee compressed into a disk about 45-50 mm across and sandwiched between two pieces of paper which makes up the coffee filter. These ese pods can be placed in a wide variety of home and commercial espresso machines and with a touch of a button a perfect shot of espresso can be delivered, regardless of the expertise of the brewmaster.
The ESE Consortium (www.eseconsortium.com), based in Milano, Italy, was founded in 1998 when seven coffee roasters and espresso machine manufacturers came together to help form standards for espresso coffee pods and this fast emerging industry. Moreover, today, their membership is a virtual Who’s Who of the coffee industry, touting ease of use, time savings, cleanliness, and constant quality espresso as their mission.
Espresso coffee pods and ese pods are now offered by a growing number of specialty coffee roasters such as: illy; Nespresso; Krups; Lavazza; and DeLonghi. Not only do specialty food stores such as Williams-Sonoma carry espresso machines that accept espresso coffee pods, but more mainstream stores such as Target carry them as well. So the next time you are in your favorite local gourmet coffee shop, remember that with the advent of espresso coffee pods, you could have the same great taste in the convenience of your own home.
A Great Innovation for Coffee Lovers
March 17, 2011 by admin
Filed under Espresso Pods
Making fresh espresso in the comfort of your own home can be very difficult and frankly messy. When you have the craving for espresso, you will be required to grind your coffee beans, measure them properly, pat down the beans, and choose the right amount of pressure, all of which can be very troublesome for just a cup of espresso. The clean up of the espresso machine and the tools can take almost longer than the preparation time. Though most espresso enthusiasts may enjoy this process to get the best taste, others prefer to go for the shortcut. If you are someone who very busy and want to have something prepared fast, the espresso pod is the best choice for you.
