Frequently Asked Questions about Espresso Preparation

What are E.S.E. espresso pods?

E.S.E. stands for "Easy Serving Espresso." E.S.E. is a consortium of coffee roasters and espresso machine manufacturers to support an open standard for prepackaged ground espresso. The reason for this is that some companies have their own proprietary systems for prepackaging ground espresso-roast coffee. For instance, Lavazza has a machine, the Espresso Point, that uses their own plastic capsules containing coffee. Nespresso makes machines that use their own plastic capsules which are different and can only be used in Nespresso machines. On the other hand, E.S.E. pods fit in a variety of machines including traditional espresso machines (although results are better in machines designed specifically to accommodate pods).

The standard for E.S.E. pods was invented by illy Caffe. The original pods used a rectangular piece of filter paper. To my knowledge, only Illy continues to use this original design. All other pods are round and most have a tab extending to aid removal from the machine.

You can read more about the members and goals of the E.S.E. Consortium at their website.

How can I get the best flavor out of pods?

Please read our Espresso Brewing Tips.

Is there an "up" and "down" side on pods?

Sometimes. Many pods may be inserted with either side up. However, some pods are not symmetrical, having one side deeper than the other. In this case, always place the deep side on the bottom. Many pods indicate the bottom side by a circle of small bumps. A few have an orientation marked on them. The photos at right show illy (marked down), and Lucaffe (marked up).

How long should I extract (brew) my espresso?

A shot, whether single or double, pod or ground, should be extracted for between 25 and 30 seconds (start the timer when you switch on the pump). You should probably not rely on a timer on your machine but to purchase a simple count-down timer like the one shown. If your shots show a lighter colored spot on the crema, that indicates that the extraction went on too long. It has finished extracting all the desirable flavors and begun to extract bitter compounds. It is better to extract for too short of a period than too long.

You can learn more about extraction in The PODcast Issue 3, Issue 13, Issue 18, and Issue 36.

If you are extracting more than one ounce of espresso in 20 seconds then there are other problems that need to be addressed. Please see Espresso Brewing Tips.

My espresso machine does not make espresso as good as my friend's machine. Why is that?

Some machines are designed for pods from the start, and other machines are primarily designed for ground coffee and also take pods. The later machines, although often of high quality, can make poor espresso from pods. If shopping for a machine you might consider machines such as those from Francis Francis! that are designed for pods.