PODcast #16 : Espresso Pods News

PodMerchant Featured Product

With this issue I'm kicking off a new section — our featured product review. Each issue I'll go into a particular pod or other product with a bit more depth than can be afforded in the product catalog listings.

Chosen at random from our vast selection of espresso pods, this issue's Featured Product is Segafredo Zanetti's Espresso Casa pods. Segafredo Espresso Casa is a blend coffee, meaning it is a blend of both Arabica and Robusta beans (see our Coffee Primer). The beans are from Segafredo Zanetti's own plantation in San Paolo, Brazil. They are roasted in the Bolognese tradition, meaning that it is a Northern Italian style roast which is typically lighter than a southern roast.

Starting with the pod itself, the pod construction is superior. The coffee is compacted more tightly than most pods. I find this good but machines with low pressure (perhaps caused by infrequent cleaning) may not favor this pod. The pod paper is really first class. It is crisper and whiter than other pod wrappers and has a smooth feel. On the bottom there is a circle of tiny bumps which indicate the downward facing side of the pod. (See Tip #6 in Issue 5 for more information on pod orientation). The flange is wide and the removal tab is large. Segafredo pays a lot of attention to these details. It's an admirable packing job.

Of course, none of this matters if the taste isn't there. What happens when the "rubber meets the road" and the cup meets the lips? Good things.

Segafredo's Espresso Casa is typical of quality Arabica / Robusta blends — lots of rich flavor. Not what I'd describe as a delicate coffee. It stands up well under milk for Cappuccinos and Lattes but it's also plenty smooth for drinking straight. The body (mouth feel) is medium. The crema is substantial and darker than that produced by many pods. I detect faint chocolate and molasses undertones but it is not what I would call sweet. The aroma has hints of vanilla and malt. The aftertaste is not objectionable (many espressos leave one with a bitter sensation on the sides of the tongue).

Segafredo Espresso Casa comes in dispenser boxes of 18 pods, or in cases of 108 (6 boxes of 18). There is a complimenting decaf offering as well, Segafredo Zanetti Deca Crem.
 

PodMerchant News

After being out of stock on many items that we import (Lucaffe, Caffe Mako, Amigos Caffe, etc.) we are now restocked on these items. Thank you for your patience during our outage.
 

PodMerchant Coupons

PODcast subscribers get a 10% discount coupon with each issue. Just enter the code below on the Shipping Selection screen during checkout.

• Only one coupon per subscriber per issue.
• Coupon expires 35 days after the newsletter is published, or when the next issue is published, whichever comes first.
• Coupons are only valid for PODcast subscribers — we check use of coupons against the subscriber list.
• For more information, please see our PODcast Coupon FAQ.

10% off your next order. — Enter code: XXXXXXXX (subscribers only)

That's all for this issue of the PODcast. Al buon gusto, salute!


Kevin Garrett, The PodMerchant.