{"id":12470,"date":"2020-09-09T14:50:50","date_gmt":"2020-09-09T12:50:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.coffeedesk.pl\/blog\/?p=12470"},"modified":"2020-09-09T14:50:50","modified_gmt":"2020-09-09T12:50:50","slug":"colonna-specialty-coffee-capsules","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.coffeedesk.com\/blog\/colonna-specialty-coffee-capsules\/","title":{"rendered":"Colonna \u2013 specialty coffee capsules"},"content":{"rendered":"

Are capsules for everyone? No. Do they make brewing coffee easier and make you as little involved in the process as possible? Definitely yes! So, is it worth trying and opening up to new coffee brewing methods, even if you are a drip whisperer or an espresso machine pro at home? Both yes and no\u2026 Here is why!<\/big><\/strong><\/p>\n

No two capsules are the same<\/h2>\n

Coffee capsules were invented over 35 years ago in Switzerland, and this method of brewing coffee is developing at a much faster pace than other methods we know. Probably because the method is quick and convenient, and the capsule coffee machine itself is, compared to any other coffee machine, not a large expense (you can buy one for as little as EUR 70 or EUR 120).<\/p>\n

The main question, however, is the quality of the coffee in the capsules. Of course, there are many types of capsules on the market, but not all of them are worth our attention. The ones worth knowing about are capsules filled with specialty coffee \u2013 high-quality beans of known origin, processed before being sealed in the capsule, which means that the taste might even match with that of a freshly brewed Chemex coffee.<\/p>\n

\"Colonna<\/p>\n

Technology<\/h2>\n

The capsules in general are made of various types of materials \u2013 from aluminum, through poor-quality plastic, recyclable plastic made of corn starch or sugar cane, to fully compostable materials.<\/p>\n

The secret of a capsule, however, is the way in which this small coffee “container” is sealed and the very method of processing the coffee before brewing it in the machine. This art is not simple, but the best producers (incl. Colonna) have mastered it to perfection. Coffee from capsules does not get stale as quickly as coffee beans, because less than 1% of the capsule content is taken up by oxygen \u2013 the rest is nitrogen, which means that coffee in capsules can stay fresh for up to 12 months after packaging. The coffee aromas sealed in the capsule will be really rich, as long as the beans are of the highest quality.<\/p>\n

The capsule production process itself is a bit of a technological rocket science (people measuring TDS and mineralizing distilled water for brewing coffee should delve into this topic \ud83d\ude09). For now, let\u2019s just briefly say that the grinders responsible for grinding the coffee beans for Colonna capsules are ultra-precise and scan the beans so that they are evenly ground (could that be a competition for Kruve sieves?). Also, the beans don\u2019t get warmed by friction from the grinding. What’s more, the dose of coffee is set to a specific recipe, so you don’t have to test the grinding or the proportion of coffee to water before brewing.<\/p>\n

A few words about Maxwell Colonna-Dashwood<\/h2>\n

Who is Maxwell Colonna-Dashwood? The names are the same for a reason.\u00a0He is the owner and roaster in his coffee roastery, Colonna<\/b><\/a>, which is currently producing specialty capsules and top-quality coffees. The beginnings, as is usually the case, were slightly different \u2013 although also related to coffee.<\/p>\n

Maxwell and his wife Lesley founded a company that served coffee at events. They quickly realized that they needed a physical space to showcase coffee as a beverage that is full of flavors, complexity and provides new experiences. This is how they established the Colonna and Small’s store in Bath, Great Britain a three-time British Barista Champion.<\/p>\n

The Colonna brand comes from combining all of Maxwell’s experience with coffee, and his knowledge and passion for creating a coffee place. It provides the best coffee, combining it with modern technology and comfort. Maxwell himself says that “Coffee culture can be intimidating”. His goal is to make good coffee affordable and simple for everyone, not just for the selected few. He has also written two very engaging coffee books: \u201cThe Coffee Dictionary\u201d and \u201cWater for Coffee\u201d.<\/p>\n

Colonna \u2013 brewing and effects in a cup<\/h2>\n

The capsule coffee is brewed at a pressure of 19 bars \u2013 the coffee machine punctures the capsule and evenly distributes the water over it, helping with extraction, which takes an average of between 12 to 25 seconds. The temperature of the water for brewing is in this case usually between 88 and 90 degrees Celsius.<\/p>\n

Grinding coffee for capsules is definitely the closest to the espresso grind, but after brewing capsule coffee, we do not get an espresso-like or a pour-over beverage \u2013 the density and intensity of the coffee will fall somewhere in-between these methods.<\/p>\n

\"speciality<\/p>\n

Colonna currently offers three series of coffee:\u00a0Rare, Foundation\u00a0and\u00a0Discovery, as well as\u00a0decaffeinated coffee<\/a> and\u00a0compostable capsules<\/a>.<\/p>\n