July 21, 2010
The Best Iced Coffee/Espresso Glasses
OK - I drink a lot of coffee, hot, cold, good and bad and I use a variety of cups and glasses to enjoy that coffee, everything from paper cups (hate them) to large mugs, to diminutive espresso glasses and cups. Long time readers won't be surprised to hear that I still love the Bodum Pavina espresso glasses for enjoying my espresso, especially in the wintertime when the insulated glass keeps the shot warmer. It shouldn't be surprising then to to hear that the Bodum Pavina 15-ounce glasses are some of the best iced coffee/espresso glasses I have come across.
The folks at Bodum have made these glasses from Borosilicate Glass - yes laboratory glass to be tough and handle both cold and hot. I end up dropping ice cubes right into the glass, brew two shots of espresso right in on top of the ice, and top of with a bit of sugar and milk. When I brew, I usually use a Nespresso capsule (Livanto is my preferred regular flavor for iced and hot), on the Nespresso Citiz brewer so I can flip up the shelf that I use for shots so I can in fact brew right into the Bodum Pavina glass. Easy and fast to brew up a double with room for two shots, plenty of ice and a splash of milk if you desire.
In the summertime around here, the humidity makes for a lot of condensation on the side of a regular glass which usually means a coaster to keep the pool of water at the bottom of the glass. Not true with the Bodum Pavina glasses because of the double walled construction. The outside layer stays at room temperature and doesn't make that pool...... while also keeping your drink cooler longer.
Clean up? I put it right in the dishwasher and that's it.
At Amazon - Bodum Pavina Double-Wall Thermo Glasses- 15-ounces
Read More in: Espresso Cups | General News
July 19, 2010
Starbucks Via Iced Coffee Review
Starbucks recently announced a new Starbucks Via variety for iced coffee - just in time for the warm summer weather. Starbucks Via - for hot coffee was launched last year with fanfare offering it as the way to have high quality Starbucks coffee away from home. The idea behind Starbucks Via is that when you combine instant coffee and microground coffee beans you get a better tasting drink. Starbucks up-versioned the Via product by adding sugar to make it "Lightly Sweetened".
So while most people (including me) thought that the Via for hot coffee was fairy mediocre, the Starbucks Via for Iced Coffee looks promising. I recently grabbed a pack at a Starbucks store on the way to our beach vacation where I had plenty of time to enjoy cool coffee and hot weather. See below for our thoughts and suggestions...... I was on my way to vacation and picked up a package of these in the airport Starbucks - someone had grabbed one of the packets out of mine - sadly only got 4 for the price of five.
Continue reading: "Starbucks Via Iced Coffee Review"
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July 16, 2010
Betacup Challenge - Solutions Abound to Disposable Coffee Cup Waste
We all know that the empty cups from the trips to the coffee shop pile up somewhere and add a lot of volume to the waste stream; 58 billion waste coffee cups go into landfills a year globally to give you an idea of the magnitude according to Betacup. Betacup is working to reduce that number, and they recently ran a contest to figure out how to best reduce that number. Offering solutions is easy, changing habits is hard. Here's what the winning entry offered as a solution:
Karma Cup - Simple to implement and just as cheap; place a blackboard at the head of the line where each person who brings in a reusable cup gets to check off a box. The 10th person to check off that box, gets their beverage for free. The incentive becomes a community based solution and brings a community together to solve the issue. My hunch is that there is a tipping point after which the community exerts subtle pressure on others to join in.
I liken this to reusable bags at the grocery stores. While we are not to 100% use, I leave mine at home way too much, the prevalence has made a big jump. No laws had to be enacted to eliminate plastic bags in general, numerous shoppers show up with their bundles of bags and stores have gotten behind it. It's not nirvana yet, but the US has made a surprising jump without drastic measures in my mind. A social program like the winning idea above could just tip the scales for coffee cups too.
The Betacup challenge was sponsored in part by Starbucks. The winning team got a $10,000 prize.
Read about the winning entry, and the other great entries at The Betacup
Read More in: General News
July 15, 2010
Caffeine and Its Effects on You, Your Brain and how to "Unwire" Yourself
If you are reading this blog, odds are that you love coffee and you are pretty comfortable with caffeine intake. Call me crazy, but it's just a wild guess. Lifehacker has a great post on caffeine and its effects on you, what it really does, and what it doesn't really do.
It seems that caffeine actually blocks adenosine receptors that in part help determine when you are tired and need a little rest. With that receptor blocked, you can then go ahead and work or party late into the night without seeming so tired. The caffeine addiction is a downside for some and your body can scream out when you don't get that daily fix. Those headaches can show up in as little as 12-24 hours without the drug. Darn convenient for those cuppa-joe drinkers every morning.
Lifehacker's round-up also suggests that those caffeine fueled late night work sessions will help you power through tasks better than hard thinking work. Some work suggests that caffeine fired work is better at low-thought task work than heavy lifting brainiac thought processing. Something I can vouch for; I am useless late night even with a full tank of espressos on board trying to apply any critical thinking. Partying, great. Solving for world peace, not so good.
If you are into caffeine's effects on your brain, or want to learn about how to get a little more out of life on caffeine, check out Lifehacker's post; well worth a read.
ReadMore at Lifehacker
Read More in: General News
June 24, 2010
French Authorities Seize Ethical Coffee Capsules in France
Knew this would start getting ugly..... Recall Ethical coffee, run by a former Nespresso exec, is putting out capsules that work in the Nespresso machine, but according to them do not actually infringe on the Nestle patents. Well apparently French authorities acted on the request of Nestle to seize capsules at the Ethical Coffee plant in a first step that has to be leading to a court ordered shut down or standoff over the subject.
I am sure Nestle is asserting that Ethical Coffee infringes on its patents, and of course Ethical Coffee believes that they do not infringe on these patents. We'll see how this shakes out, but there are a lot of billable lawyer hours in the future over this one.
Related to this, Nestle is also involved with Sara Lee over similar allegations of patent infringement.
More at Business Week
Read More in: General News | Nespresso
June 21, 2010
Illy Issimo - Easy Iced Coffee - Find Issimo in a Store Near You
Illy has broadened its rollout of Issimo Iced coffee in a can to a lot of major outlets this summer, giving more people a chance to try it out. I know that iced coffee is polarizing, soliciting looks of puckered up faces to lip smacking smiles. I happen to love it, and with the warmer weather setting in here in boston, I have turned my Nespresso machine into an iced espresso assembly line.
If you are looking to try it out, Illy has a store finder page to locate a store hopefully near you to buy and try it. I see it at a lot of Target and Whole Foods stores.
Illy sent out a recipe that takes Issimo to a new level:
Illy Issimo Raspberry Tempesta
1. Add 2C ice to a blender
2. Add one Can Illy Issimo Cappuccino to blender
3. Add 8 fresh Raspberries
4. Blend for 45 seconds or until smooth
5. Pour into 10 oz. glass and serve with a straw.
Quick descriptions from their website:
- Issimo Caffè—Bold and energizing, with the full-bodied character of real Italian espresso plus a touch of sweetness; 6.8 fl oz cans, 155 mg caffeine.
- Issimo Cappuccino—Uplifting rich and fragrant espresso taste blended with milk and cocoa, balanced with a hint of sweetness; 8.45 fl oz cans, 64 mg caffeine.
- Issimo Latte Macchiato—A smooth and silky swirl of fresh espresso taste perfectly blended with a hint of velvety milk and sugar; 8.45 fl oz cans, 64 mg caffeine.
If you can't find Illy Issimo at a store near you, you can always find
Issimo Iced Coffee through Amazon
Read More in: General News
June 16, 2010
Nespresso Sues Sara Lee over Patent Infringement
Nespresso is starting the long defense of their patented system of Nespresso capsules and extraction methods against competition through patent infringement suits. Nespresso has a lot to lose if they don't, as the Nespresso business has been a bright spot in the company's balance sheets lately.
Nespresso volume was up 20% in the last quarterly announcement, and Sara Lee recently started selling capsules in France to fit the Nespresso maker at a 10% discount to the Nespresso ones. Definitely a concern at Nestle if the Nespresso brand is to continue doing well. Clearly Nespresso sees a lot of growth ahead for its Nespresso brand and with what they believe to be a strong patent portfolio they believe that they will need to defend it and the growth potential. Sara Lee on the other hand clearly sees an opportunity or at least a need to get into this growing high end market with something that doesn't infringe on Nestle's patents.
Ethical Coffee has also released a capsule that fits the Nespresso machine in France. No news about suits versus this company, but to add a twist to this facet, the founder of this company, Jean-Paul Gaillard, used to work at Nespresso and apparently is trying to navigate around Nestle's patent coverage.
I am sure we will continue to hear about these stories well into the future.
Read More in: Nespresso
June 12, 2010
Bodum Pavina 2-Ounce Double-Wall Thermo Glasses - Best Espresso Cups
These are oldies but goodies here at Single Serve Espresso. This set of 2 Bodum Pavina 2-ounce espresso glasses, is made of mouth-blown glass with 2 layers of lightweight, durable borosilicate glass as the base. The double wall keeps drinks insulated, and won't form condensation on outside. These cups are also dishwasher and microwave safe.
At Bodum Pavina 2-Ounce Double-Wall Thermo Glasses
Read More in: Espresso Cups
May 18, 2010
Starbucks to sell Flavored Coffee in Grocery
Starbucks announced that they will start selling flavored coffee at retail grocery stores under the Natural Fusions banner. The company will be selling cinnamon, caramel and vanilla flavored coffees for $8.99 per 11 ounce bag. Apparently over half of the drinks it sells in its stores are flavored drinks, making the move to a flavored line in grocery the next best thing apparently.
We'll see how this goes. Our expectations are that it will sell better than their Via that they recently launched into grocery with a little bit of fanfare. The need for Via is just so small, and the product underdelivers so badly, I can't imagine that they will be successful. Not only does it look and act differently, but for many who are slurping down bad regular coffee (Starbucks target here) it now requires pre-planing and a habit change. I tried to get rid of my original boxes at work and after one taste, no one wanted it.
Read More in: General News
May 9, 2010
Nespresso $50 Credit When you Buy a Machine
Nespresso is running a promotion right now through the end of June that will give you a $50 credit on your Nespresso Club account when you buy a machine for $299 or more. That gives you about 90+ capsules of free coffee when you purchase a machine. Not a bad deal. Read up on the details on the voucher below. Also you can see which machines qualify. You should also check out the Nespresso Machines at Amazon to get the most machine for your dollar as many are discounted versus the cost at the Nespresso site.
Download the Voucher at Nespresso
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May 4, 2010
The Day the Office Coffee Makers Went Silent
So yesterday was an odd day working in Boston - the coffee makers were mostly silent at work. The water main break that happened over the weekend created a boil water advisory for most of metro Boston through the workday Monday.
I saw people toting coffee makers and gallon jugs of water into work early in the day on Monday for the morning ritual. It was a little surreal. Word spread through the office of what store was serving coffee and what store wasn't. The whole morning routine was thrown for a bit as a result. The office makers that are hooked into a water line were DOA for Monday, because they would have been pulling water from the contaminated water lines. Personally, my Nespresso Essenza that I have on my desk at work had "good" water in it from Friday, and performed perfectly in the face of the minor crisis. Clean water, relatively little water used with each brew - it was good for the day.
Today's a different day - back to the routine, water ban lifted and all is well. I am bringing in some Dusao and Livanto capsules to work today for a little variety.
Read More in: General News
April 23, 2010
Nespresso Powers Nestle's Earnings
Quick note to say that Nespresso continues to power up Nestle's earnings. It was recently reported that Nespresso's Limited Edition Espresso Capsules drove volume up by 20%. I liked the holiday versions ("variations"), and as far as the Spring Limited Edition Tanzaru; I loved them. I think that the Tanzaru are some of the best capsules that have come a long in years.
It was also reported that Nestle will be opening 40 boutiques in 2010. This is a big vote of confidence in the brand and the power of the boutiques where Nespresso tends to not only show off their wares, but also create strong relationships with their users and fans. They just opened up their third US-Based Nespresso boutique in Miami this week and from the look of the pictures, the 3900 square foot boutique on Miami Beach should be a fun pace to visit.
Read More in: Nespresso
April 22, 2010
Earth Day: Start Composting Now, With Coffee Grounds
Sure, drinking coffee isn't exactly a sustainable and earth friendly habit. Plenty of sunk energy in each little cup of coffee. Let's see at a high level:
- Grow Beans
- Ship half way around the world
- Roast at really high temps using natural gas
- Pack and ship to consumer (varies by location)
- Brew using hot water and pressure extraction for espressos
I count myself as mildly green, and I am not about to give up my coffee and espressos; love them too much. I did decide to start composting my coffee grounds more regularly lately. They are a good source of Nitrogen, and I keep them in a reasonable mix with all of the leaves and grass clippings I gather around the yard.
When I brew drip, espresso from ground or ESE pods, or french press I collect the grounds and dump them on a huge leave and grass clipping pile we have near our house. Easy, and even the paper ESE pods disappear after a while. The one thing I need to "process" a bit are my spent Nespresso capsules. I take a paring knife and slit the underside of the capsule, dump the grounds and recycle the aluminum shells. Easy and quick thing to do about once a week. You can also use this device the Outpresso - make the job of getting the spent Nespresso capsules separated from the coffee a little bit easier.
If you really want to supercharge your collection and get more coffee grounds - stop by a local Starbucks store. I usually see a pile of bags sitting in the corner full of spent grounds - free to customers.
Try your hand at composting too; here's an easy guide: Composting: An Easy Household Guide (The Chelsea Green Guides)
If you aren't into the leave pile thing, you could always splurge on one of these automatic in-house composting robots: NaureMill Indoor Composter
Either way, I raise my refillable mug to you and with you a Happy Earth Day.
Read More in: General News
April 19, 2010
Krups XP5240 Pump Espresso Machine with Precise Tamp
Krups has launched a new pump espresso machine that offers a new way to get better espresso through a simpler operation. In the past, you had to switch out inserts for ESE pods, Single shots or Double Shots; not anymore. The Precise Tamp system allows you to add what you like to the portafilter, and then as you lock it into the machine, a ratcheting system cranks the portafilter up to the right location, effectively making the machine itself the tamper.
While getting a good tamp itself is important, I think getting a foolproof system that offers ease of use is more important. I hear form people all the time that they loved the idea of an espresso machine, but that in this go-go time, the hassle and the mess is too much. With no switching of the inserts, and the better assurance of a better espresso, this system looks to be a decent idea.
- Pump espresso machine with 1400-watt thermoblock heating system
- Universal filter holder accommodates ground coffee, E.S.E. pods, and soft pods
- Precise foolproof tamp system can be set for 1 or 2 cups at a time
- Selector knob for brewing or frothing; mess-free cake-ejection system
- Measures 12-3/5 by 10 by 14-2/5 inches
More information at Krups; a demo video is also available.
at Amazon the Krups XP5240 Pump Espresso Machine 
Read More in: Espresso Machines
April 18, 2010
Indonesian Civet Cat Coffee - Still Want Some?
Many people may know it as Kopi Luwak coffee, but no matter what you call civet cat coffee, you definitely need to know why it can cost over $150 a pound. Sure it's rare, becoming less so due to fakes and new farming techniques, but the bottom line is that civet cat coffee has to be "processed" by a civet cat; yes eaten, fermented in their digestive tract and collected for washing and shipping. The NYT just published a good article that explains what's going on in Indonesia and how people are debating what makes the best civet cat coffee.
The idea is that the cat chooses only the best coffee cherries to eat, thereby only collecting the best beans to process. There's a debate over what methods are appropriate to "farm" and collect the coffee. Currently to meet demand, people are farming the coffee by feeding the cherries to caged civet cats while collecting the results. The original promise was for wild cats to collect only the best beans; does this stay true to the process? Is the flavor any worse?
The motivation is financial, as the farmers can get paid several times more for civet cat coffee than regular coffee. [As an aside; the NYT article cited farmers getting paid $9 a pound for this stuff. I want to know how many people mark this up from the $9 to over $150? Ouch!] I had Kopi Luwak a long time ago, and I have to recommend that you save your money. We were cupping coffees and the opportunity came up to cup this, and it was not impressive, with earthy tones and a lack of top notes that really didn't wow any of us as a straight cup let alone the fact that it was over $150 a pound.
Well worth the read at NYT
Read More in: General News
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