# Costa’s Secret.



## Dopybks (Mar 23, 2018)

Can someone please recommend a ground coffee that tastes similar to Costas please? I purchased some of their ground coffee in store and it tastes nothing like the one that is poured for you in their coffee shops! I always order a flat white.

Im sure there are even better tasting coffees than the one I'm describing but I'm a complete novice.

I use a DeLonghi EC685 expresso machine.

Many thanks, Chris.


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## Jony (Sep 8, 2017)

Someone on the the windup here!!


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## Dopybks (Mar 23, 2018)

Jony said:


> Someone on the the windup here!!


No, sorry. What do you mean?


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## Dopybks (Mar 23, 2018)

You appear to be a senior member of this forum. Perhaps your advice could be a "little" more senior.


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## Dylan (Dec 5, 2011)

Dopybks - Costas coffee really isn't anything to write home about, it would be considered by just about everyone here to be barely drinkable - it's easy to become a snob as you taste better and better coffee.

Costa are pulling the coffee from a very good machine, they probably aren't doing it very well but it will still be very different to your machine which will be using a pressurised basket and the coffee they sell will be almost completely stale as (I assume) you are buying preground where they grind the coffee just before using it.

I would suggest you buy some Italian Job coffee from ravecoffee.co.uk and try this, although until you have a grinder you are only going to be experiencing mostly stale coffee - you will be better off making brewed coffee in a french press or percolator.


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## Jony (Sep 8, 2017)

Far from senior been called worse, Ground coffee from costa or actually Beans? as ground coffee goes stale really quickly.


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## Batian (Oct 23, 2017)

https://coffeeforums.co.uk/showthread.php?7203-Costa-Coffee-Beans


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## les24preludes (Dec 30, 2017)

I have a Costa nearby. Their website is really naff, and I can't see if they sell ground coffee or beans in bags over the counter. So can you buy a bag of decaf from their stores?


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## Dopybks (Mar 23, 2018)

Many thanks for your reply.

Ive always steered clear of coffee beans for practical reasons. I live alone and don't drink enough coffee before it goes stale. It could sit in the fridge for weeks. I have a Creatista Plus pod for practical reasons but long for a really good tasting cup of coffee!

i will try your recommendation. Many thanks.


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## johnealey (May 19, 2014)

Hi @Dopybks

Suspect you will struggle to replicate the in store flavour especially if, based on the above of not having beans, you are using pre-ground. The pre ground coffee will actually stale quicker than beans as this has a much greater surface area to become oxidised than a bean does. However, can understand if you have no means to grind, why you would go down this route. The other issue with pre ground is that it may not be ground to the right level for your machine, irrespective of you using pressurised baskets, so you really have everything stacking up against producing a similar cup to that which you drink in Costa.

I would personally not put any coffee, bean or ground in the fridge as taking it out can cause moisture to condense on the coffee speeding up / finishing off the oxidation process. Keep it in a dark cupboard with the bag rolled up having expelled as much air as possible and put a clothes peg on it (or tape / elastic band / paper or bulldog clip etc).

You genuinely will get a much better cup of coffee by investing in a grinder (read lots on here first) whether electric or hand, partnering with a French press or Aeropress to get yourself going. To produce a similar (probably much better) cup of coffee in the home can take a lot more money than many expect and is one of the hardest ways to make coffee so not for everyone.

Hope the above of help and does not put you off, lots of good advice on here, just need to read lots / buy once









John


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## Dumnorix (Dec 29, 2017)

I don't live alone, but am the only person who drinks coffee in my house. Even if I only drink one double a day (c 20g of beans), I can get through a 250g bag well before it goes stale. I guess if you only drank a couple of coffees a week it could be an issue. However, if you buy whole beans you then do have to invest in a burr grinder, so the costs start to mount up...

If you are set on pre ground I would recommend buying a small amount from an artisan roaster or your local speciality coffee shop (if you have one!) You should be OK with espresso grind on the Delonghi if you don't tamp too hard, otherwise the pressurised filter baskets will mean you won't get any flow through the coffee.


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## Dopybks (Mar 23, 2018)

Many thanks for your reply johnealey.

I have done much research over the months but never sure which path to go down.

I have just purchased a Hario Skerton hand coffee grinder and, hopefully, this will guide me down the path to better tasting coffee. Thanks again.


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## Dopybks (Mar 23, 2018)

Thank you Dumnlrix for your reply.

'I have invested in a manual coffee grinder, Hario Skerton.

Interestimg what you say about tamp pressure. I think I may of been tamping too hard.

Many thanks again.


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## ajohn (Sep 23, 2017)

I'm pretty sure that both Costa and Starbucks achieve their standard taste by using an unknown proportion of robusta beans and not just arabica. They probably use a blend of arabica as well as some source of robusta. On here robusta is seen as a swear word that just shouldn't be used or even mentioned.








I'm fond of the taste of an americano from them but with very little milk - providing it's not from one of their kiosk outlets, those are usually crap and watery.

You might be better off with a capsule machine that can also steam milk. I bought an espresso machine of some one that had switched. He owned restaurants and changed because of long hours, little time to make a drink and was pretty happy with the change. An ex chef too.

My wife makes me a drink with her Dolce Gusto machine at times. It produced a decent drink but most capsules are a little weak when they produce my size of drink (12oz). The machine the ex chef switched to used capsules that are more along the lines of the small sealed tubs of milk that some retail outlets use but larger. He used the same beans as his restaurants in the espresso machine. Milk drinks with a very strong shot via a 14g basket and the usual coffee cup size.







I know they were strong as he didn't clean the portafilter often enough.

John

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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

I just can't say anything to this, in light of the other thread


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## Nopapercup (Nov 6, 2016)

I think the chains unique taste comes from their secret ingredient ;-)

http://www.businessinsider.fr/uk/bacteria-from-faeces-found-in-starbucks-costa-and-caffe-nero-ice-drinks-2017-6


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## MildredM (Feb 13, 2017)

Nopapercup said:


> I think the chains unique taste comes from their secret ingredient ;-)
> 
> http://www.businessinsider.fr/uk/bacteria-from-faeces-found-in-starbucks-costa-and-caffe-nero-ice-drinks-2017-6


They just don't play clean . . .


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## ajohn (Sep 23, 2017)

DavecUK said:


> I just can't say anything to this, in light of the other thread


I nearly mentioned Starbuck's beans but that will need a reasonable espresso capable grinder. I've only used them on french press ages ago but unlike supermarket types they don't seem to go tasteless so quickly.

It's an option but fact - these capsule machines seemed to have brushed up the taste of quick and easy coffee. I assume that they have had to as there is plenty of decent coffee of a sort around these days.







Views on decent vary.

I also hinted that maybe, just maybe the OP needs to use double pods. I don't see how these can be kept fresh though.

John

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## Shodjoe (Apr 25, 2018)

Get something better than costa mate


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