Dark coffee pods and single-serve coffees: The best advice you can get

If you’re passionate about coffee, you’re most likely one of the devotees who stay alert for news, trends, views, and opinions on the subject. Everything from sourcing the coffee beans to the perfect roasting, brewing, and serving process is meticulously studied and practiced. Everything from instant coffee to decaf, espresso, and the like has been tried and tested.

Perhaps you’re already familiar with single-serve coffee containers and have unyielding opinions, either for or against them. There are different options you can try, such as coffee pods and pads, coffee capsules, coffee bags, etc.

What are coffee pods?

• They’re single-serve containers that provide an individual portion of coffee for brewing.
• They’re small containers that contain a specific amount.
• It’s pre-packaged filter-coffee that comes with its own filter.
• It reduces the time and effort required to brew coffee.
• It avoids delays in measuring out the required amount from a large container.
• It keeps the larger stock fresh and untouched, and also avoids exposure to light and air.
• Coffee pods are an easier and neater way to transport and use your favorite brand.
• They ensure a consistent taste and flavor every time.

So why haven’t they become more popular?

• There isn’t much awareness among general consumers.
• High cost is a deterrent. The price of the capsule machine has to be factored in.
• Some brands are suitable only for certain single-serve coffee machines.
• Not all brands are biodegradable, and there are environmental concerns about the disposal of single-serve products.
• It takes the art out of coffee brewing and training baristas.
• There are limited options in terms of preparation methods, techniques, innovation, creativity, and skills. You miss the personal touch of a specially brewed cup.
• You need to ensure freshness, because pre-ground coffee can lose its flavor.
• There’s no variation in settings in the coffee maker, so you’re stuck with one particular method.
• You can’t control the grain size.
• Individual wrappers are wasteful if you don’t want to drink the entire portion in one go.

What are the different options available?

• Check your coffee machine compatibility before buying pods and capsules.
• If you like plain, no-nonsense, strong java, check whether your favorite brand has a pod option.
• Choices range from dark to medium and light roasts.
• Some brands source their beans in South America, where they’re traditionally patio-dried and then transported to Europe for roasting and grinding.
• Adventurous coffee zealots can choose quirky flavors with a hint of cocoa, orange peel, fruits and berries, citrus, floral, chocolate, nuts, or caramel notes.
• Environmentally friendly, smaller fair-trade farm options are available, which come directly from the farmer and cut out the middle players in the supply chain.
• Other brands turn over some portion of their profits to underprivileged populations around the world.
• Iced coffee variants and flavors give a cooling kick.

What are dark roast coffee beans?

• They’re usually 100% Arabica variety, that is, the original coffee bean.
• Roasts can be light, medium, or dark according to their color, though the color also depends on the variety.
• Light roasts retain more original characteristics, medium help balance the acidity and flavor, and dark roasts are a deep chocolate brown and release the oil content.
• Dark roasts are more popular in Europe.
• Italian and French coffees are made from dark roasts.
• Espresso is a dark roast coffee.
• It’s heavy bodied and strong flavored, yet not bitter.
• It has a smooth and silky texture.
• Brings a hint of the South into your kitchen every day with a strong, distinctive aroma.
• Easier and cheaper to use if you’re a heavy coffee drinker.

What’s the best way to brew and serve dark coffee pods?

• Caffeine is a highly-stable compound and can withstand the roasting process.
• It’s a misconception that light roasts have less and dark ones have more caffeine.
• Dark roasts lose more volume and water content in the process of roasting.
• These roasts lose freshness more rapidly, because roasting makes the bean structure weaker and more porous.
• Buy smaller quantities of dark roast beans to retain the flavor.
• Avoid buying dark coffee pods if you don’t find a best by date on the package.
• Home-roasting ensures good taste and aroma.
• Brew small amounts at lower temperature and with less water.
• Dark coffee pods contain freshly-ground dark roasts, nitrogen-flushed to expel oxygen, sealed, and packaged in individual pods.
• Choose reputed, well-established brands for dark coffee pods, as cheaper ones may leave a chemical aftertaste.