PODcast #22 : Espresso Pods News

For those of you who missed last month's PODcast Issue, here's a link to our PodMerchant Map of Roasters. Explanation of the map and further detail about the roasters can be found in PODcast Issue 21.

The Map of Roasters locates — sometimes to the exact building — the roasters supplying pods to PodMerchant. I hope you will find this as fascinating and educational as I have.
 

Espresso Elucidations

Choosing Your Coffee

I am frequently asked for advice on which coffee to buy. This is not an easy task as so much of it is simply a matter of personal taste. But a few broad statements can be made, and I will attempt to do so here.

First, there is the issue of the lighter Northern Italian roast vs. the darker Southern Italian roast. This was explored in PODcast Issue 20. The darker roast yields a heartier, though less subtle, brew than the lighter roast. In addition, when brewed from pods, I find the darker roast to also be a generally sweeter brew (I would not necessarily make this statement about espresso made from optimally prepared and brewed ground whole beans.) Lighter roasts, without benefit of the sweetness of more caramelized sugars formed in darker roasts, can produce shots with a sour after-taste. Though this has been my experience, one should understand that this is not a flaw in the Northern roast, but instead the inability of a particular combination of pod and machine to coax into the cup all that the lighter roast has to offer. It is not my intent to advocate darker roasts, but simply to point where to go should you find yourself in this situation.

Another dimension of the espresso taste map is 100% Arabica vs. Arabica / Robusta blend (referred to as Blends for the rest of this article). The addition of Robusta makes for a heartier, more strongly flavored, and generally well-rounded cup of espresso. Blends tend to hold up better under milk for cappuccinos and lattes. For a lot of espresso drinkers, 100% Arabica coffees are just too delicate. A good example of a delicate 100% Arabica is Danesi. It has a subtle, refined flavor. It's flavor does not jump out at you. This is a coffee enjoyed by coffee aficionados who are tuned into the nuances of flavor, as opposed to those who want an espresso that'll grow hair on your chest. I refer to Danesi only to illustrate the trend — 100% Arabica is more subtle and nuanced than blends with Robusta. I would also venture to say that, like lighter roasts, 100% Arabica coffees benefit more from optimal brewing conditions (and conversely suffer more form sub-optimal conditions).

Another factor is the origin of the bean. Some people are fans of Colombian coffee — others of coffee from Ethiopia. Each growing region has its distinctive qualities. We have single-origin coffees from Hausbrandt, Compagnia dell'Arabica, Lucaffe, and Aloha Island. The majority of our products are mixtures from different growing regions.

Rather than create a grid of North vs. South and 100% Arabica vs Blends, I will simply highlight some of my personal favorite Italian coffees.

I am a fan of the southern roast as found in Napoli. Representatives are Caffe' Mako, Izzo Caffe', and Caffe' Gioia. Caffe' Mako and Izzo Caffe' both have blends and 100% Arabica offerings. The Mako 100% Arabica may be a good choice for those seeking the best of both worlds. Miscela d'Oro is a hearty blend from Sicily — as Southern Italy as it gets.

The bulk of our pods are from Northern roasters. Among my favorite Northern 100% Arabicas are Dock Caffe', Lucaffe Mr. Exclusive, and Lucaffe Messico. Lucaffe Messico is decidedly rich and hearty for 100% Arabica. Favorite northern blends include Amigos Caffe' Extra-Bar and Blue Blend, Dock Caffe' Espresso Italia, and Lucaffe' Classic.

Just as there is the southern Neapolitan roast, there is also the northern Bolognese roasting tradition. These roasters include Segafredo Zanetti, Attibassi, and Mokarabia. Of these, only Mokarabia offers a 100% Arabica pod — the others offering only signature Arabica / Robusta blends. I also count these among my personal favorites. Mokarabia Strong is a blend I enjoy very much.

Finally, we do have one coffee roasted outside of Italy — the Aloha Island Kona. It is 100% Arabica. I cannot speak as to the darkness of the roast. I can tell you that it is an amazing coffee of exquisite flavor and it is also priced accordingly.

Just because I have not mentioned a particular roaster by name, that does not mean that you will not find the coffee that you love among them. For every coffee that I have specifically recommended here, I have spoken with customers who expressed a dislike for that brand. Furthermore, our biggest sellers are Lavazza and illy. While neither are among my favorites, we have customers who purchase large amounts of these brands while also buying the lesser-known boutique brands. So there is obviously great appeal for these brands.

My best recommendation is to purchase two or more Super Samplers and to note which pods you like the most. It is admittedly a bit of work, but as we sell so many different pods (22 Arabica, 17 Blends, 16 Decaf), without the effort, it is easy to loose track of what you like and don't like. Once you have homed in on brands you like, find them on the PodMerchant Map of Roasters to see if they fall within a particular geographic area. This may provide you with further enlightenment of which other coffees are right for you.
 

Espresso Tips

For your maximized espresso enjoyment, we present this issue's tip:

Tip No. 14:
I don't have a tip every issue for the simple reason that pods are pretty simple and almost fool proof. There's only so many meaningful tips one can list. But I've got one this issue from experience in dealing with customer support and my own machines.

Problem: You turn on the brew switch on your espresso maker, the pump is buzzing away madly, but no espresso is coming out of the portafilter.

Solution: This generally happens after the user has accidentally let the water tank run dry allowing air to be caught in the system. Fixing it is easy. First, place a cup under the steam wand or direct the wand away from you. With the machine on brew (pump is on), open the steam valve. Air will bleed off, and then hot water will start coming out of the steam wand. At this point you can close the steam valve and water should now begin flowing out of the brew head. Please take care about the steam wand before you open the valve or you might be scalded by hot water.
 

PodMerchant Coupons

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


Kevin Garrett, The PodMerchant.