# Great nespresso - Colonna at LCF 2016



## Jon

Just had a really tasty natural from the nespresso machine here.


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## h1udd

who's ? .... Small St ? ..... Maxwell ??? .... someone else ?


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## Mrboots2u

George Clonney

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## JGF

If these are the famed ColonnaPods can anyone find out pricing info pls?!


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## Jon

Between about 50p and 85p each depending on bean etc.

It was surprisingly good. A bit thinner than a proper espresso but think this will be my new super quick work espresso. And maybe I'll chop in the 75e and rocket too.

I know plenty of folk get hung up on the bigger picture but I think this could change things. Big claim I know.


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## Mrboots2u

Jon said:


> Between about 50p and 85p each depending on bean etc.
> 
> It was surprisingly good. A bit thinner than a proper espresso but think this will be my new super quick work espresso. And maybe I'll chop in the 75e and rocket too.
> 
> I know plenty of folk get hung up on the bigger picture but I think this could change things. Big claim I know.


whoose pods were they


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## Mrboots2u

plus what's " proper espresso " .. might it have been a lungo pod?


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## h1udd

I am sold ... I drink nespresso every morning 5am at the gym (garrage) for that extra kick and to warm me up.

getting it closer to a full manual experience is heaven sent ... Loving the rebirth of the nespresso machine


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## MWJB

Nespresso "espresso" is about 3-4%TDS & 45ml. "Lungo" are more like brewed coffee strength, a little higher if pulled shorter than the 110ml they recommend.


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## Jon

Mrboots2u said:


> whoose pods were they


Colonna


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## h1udd

Be interested to see what tds colonna pods come out as ... If any different or just nicer taste ?


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## UncleJake

Personally I wish more folk would concentrate on making great E.S.E pods... I hate the alu-plastic nespresso pods - and the fact we have to mention the brand whenever we talk about them. I've had a Handpresso in my camera bag for many years - it's ace. It was my main home machine for about 6 months when the main one broke. There are plenty of good E.S.E pods around - I just wish someone would start making great ones.


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## MWJB

h1udd said:


> Be interested to see what tds colonna pods come out as ... If any different or just nicer taste ?


You're a bit limited by the capsule size, they can hold up to about 6.5g, so unless you pull tiny shots the TDS will be lower than typical espresso. Doesn't bother me, though.


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## h1udd

So any word on when these will be released for sale to the general public ?? .... The emails he sends out are very few and far between and tell you nothing other than they will contain coffee ???


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## Jon

h1udd said:


> So any word on when these will be released for sale to the general public ?? .... The emails he sends out are very few and far between and tell you nothing other than they will contain coffee ???


Soon. Apparently.



Mrboots2u said:


> plus what's " proper espresso " .. might it have been a lungo pod?


It was a small quantity like a normal espresso I might buy but thinner somehow. I thought it was surprisingly good but I'm not a super taster. You could tell it was a natural and most importantly it was nice (to my reckoning anyhow)

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk


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## coffeechap

h1udd said:


> I am sold ... I drink nespresso every morning 5am at the gym (garrage) for that extra kick and to warm me up.
> 
> getting it closer to a full manual experience is heaven sent ... Loving the rebirth of the nespresso machine


you don't deserve that lever!


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## jlarkin

It's mentioned in the article from Brian's coffee that is not espresso, think of it as another brewing method: http://www.brian-coffee-spot.com/2016/03/12/speciality-coffee-in-capsules/

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk


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## h1udd

You kind of have point .... But I can fit a nespresso pixie on the end of shelf in the garrage ... And it takes 27secinds to make a coffee whilst half asleep.

if I used a lever I would have to put a grinder in the garrage and need s bit footprint for the machine, grinder, knock box, wipes ... Then there is the cleaning up afterwards. ........ I might as well give up on the gym and just get up at 5am to drink coffee









besides which ... You are a lever guy, you must know the dangers of using a lever when tired or on drugs that Alert you to the dangers of driving or using heavy machinery or lever machines. .... It only takes an oh-no second to forget to load the PF, release the lever and hit yourself in the face with Spring assisted metal bar ..... Or finish your shot unlock to early and cover yourself with burning coffee grinds .... Or just forget to turn the machine off and watch the garage melt as a poorly designed group head goes super nova


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## DoubleShot

jlarkin said:


> It's mentioned in the article from Brian's coffee that is not espresso, think of it as another brewing method: http://www.brian-coffee-spot.com/2016/03/12/speciality-coffee-in-capsules/


Interesting article. Thanks for sharing the link. 

@h1udd

Excerpt from above article.

Colonna Coffee is starting production of Nespresso-compatible speciality coffee capsules from the end of April (although if you want to get your hands on some, you'll have to pre-register for the early adopter capsule membership scheme.


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## Mrboots2u

jlarkin said:


> It's mentioned in the article from Brian's coffee that is not espresso, think of it as another brewing method: http://www.brian-coffee-spot.com/2016/03/12/speciality-coffee-in-capsules/
> 
> Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk


How died and made Brian God ?


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## h1udd

How do you pre-register ? ... I filled in something a few months ago, but all that's done is generated 3 emails ? Sound about right or is there a Kickstarter thing or something going on where I can throw all my money (both of it)


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## jlarkin

Mrboots2u said:


> How died and made Brian God ?


I think the idea is essentially approach it with an open mind.

I took it that Maxwell was saying it's not strictly espresso from the article, but equally I would probably find it hard to care less if it is or isn't espresso.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk


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## Jon

jlarkin said:


> I think the idea is essentially approach it with an open mind.
> 
> I took it that Maxwell was saying it's not strictly espresso from the article, but equally I would probably find it hard to care less if it is or isn't espresso.
> 
> Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk


Yes - sure - agreed.

I'm also not god (in case there was any confusion) but I was pleasantly surprised. I will be buying some unless my caffeine delirium fades and I change my mind.

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk


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## DoubleShot

h1udd said:


> How do you pre-register ? ... I filled in something a few months ago, but all that's done is generated 3 emails ?


This is the pre-register link which presumably is what you refer to signing upto above?


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## Jon

DoubleShot said:


> This is the pre-register link which presumably is what you refer to signing upto above?


I'm glad I spent 10 minutes looking via Google. Unsuccessfully.


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## DoubleShot

Sharing is caring, lol!


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## h1udd

Ah .... Thanks .... Registered


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## Jon

DoubleShot said:


> Sharing is caring, lol!


Talking of which do you still want to borrow Scott Rao's book?! I'm getting more organised. Slowly.


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## DoubleShot

I've actually managed to source a copy now so can go to the next in person on the 'would like to borrow' list.


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## Jon

DoubleShot said:


> I've actually managed to source a copy now so can go to the next in person on the 'would like to borrow' list.


Ah yes. I think you said.


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## Nod

Anyone else at LCF try any Colonna pods... I see Matt perger seemed to give them a positive review (from feedback from others who were there)


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## Jon

Nod said:


> Anyone else at LCF try any Colonna pods... I see Matt perger seemed to give them a positive review (from feedback from others who were there)


MP and I are like two peas in a pod....


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## DoubleShot

Have a feeling Colonna Coffee are really going to be onto something when they bring their pods to mass market...


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## Nod

> Have a feeling Colonna Coffee are really going to be onto something when they bring their pods to mass market...


Me to...


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## Jon

DoubleShot said:


> Have a feeling Colonna Coffee are really going to be onto something when they bring their pods to mass market...


Me three...


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## DoubleShot

Wonder which will see the biggest increase in sales of Nespresso machines, using George Clooney in their tv commercials or actually having a new range of compatible pods that taste significantly better than what was on offer before?


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## aaronb

Jon said:


> MP and I are like two peas in a pod....


Maybe you are MP, and 'Jon' is an undercover alias?


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## Jon

aaronb said:


> Maybe you are MP, and 'Jon' is an undercover alias?


Happy to sell my autograph to any speculative forum punters. £25/pop


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## h1udd

Until you name a tamper after yourself, you will never make it to the top


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## Jon

h1udd said:


> Until you name a tamper after yourself, you will never make it to the top


This is awkward. The first four letters of my surname combines really, really badly in the form xxxxtamp... I'll pm anyone that wants to know.


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## Missy

Jon said:


> This is awkward. The first four letters of my surname combines really, really badly in the form xxxxtamp... I'll pm anyone that wants to know.


Oooh it's like a pop quiz... Who can think of the rudest innocent surname to add to tamp... Ummm...


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## DoubleShot

It's okay, I think I've worked it out and I agree with your statement ,lol!


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## PPapa

Is it really bad if I never had a coffee out of a pos? How does it actually taste?



Jon said:


> This is awkward. The first four letters of my surname combines really, really badly in the form xxxxtamp... I'll pm anyone that wants to know.


Mine is already peculiar* in the full form, but would like to know how bad is yours!

* - it's nearly a pun. If I'm not paying attention and someone says "peculiar", I get confused why & how that person knows my last name.


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## Jon

I've had pods before which were variable from bad to worse. But the Colonna ones at the LCF were good I thought. I seem like I'm on commission cos I keep going on about them. But they were good!

You've lost me on your name!


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## jtldurnall

I tried them at LCF too. I also had the natural. He was very keen to stress that it wasn't an espresso, but a milder drink. It tasted good. I tried to get him to reveal his secrets but he wasn't having any of it. I'll certainly be following their release with interest.

Sent from my D6503 using Tapatalk


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## Jon

jtldurnall said:


> I tried them at LCF too. I also had the natural. He was very keen to stress that it wasn't an espresso, but a milder drink. It tasted good. I tried to get him to reveal his secrets but he wasn't having any of it. I'll certainly be following their release with interest.
> 
> Sent from my D6503 using Tapatalk


I'm going to disassemble one. I'm actually looking at Nespresso machines. Who'd have thought it?


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## DoubleShot

Jon said:


> I'm actually looking at Nespresso machines. Who'd have thought it?


Bet you won't be the only one once Colonna Coffee pods hit the streets!


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## Jon

DoubleShot said:


> Bet you won't be the only one once Colonna Coffee pods hit the streets!


They use 5.4g of coffee apparently. I wonder whether they're using a super-duper grinder or sieving the grinds or something?


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## DoubleShot

Jon said:


> They use 5.4g of coffee apparently. I wonder whether they're using a super-duper grinder or sieving the grinds or something?


You might find this an interesting article?


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## Jon

DoubleShot said:


> You might find this an interesting article?


I read that before but never saw a part 2. I'm not clear what they're doing. Has anyone any ideas/insights. Can this be reliably reproduced at home. Easily?


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## jeebsy

Try pulling a lungo?


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## Mrboots2u

You can make lungos.

Can you hit the same extraction yields as a pod ? That article suggest there are things going on in the grind quality that you wools struggle to replicate.

Art of the lungo is balancing your strength preference - and not over extActing the coffee

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## jlarkin

I didn't manage to try the pods, as Maxwell wasn't there but had a very nice Colombian filter - smelled amazing and was tasty to boot. I was hoping they'd already have something up to buy because I'd like to try and get that


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## risky

Roller grinder no doubt. Plus sieving I expect.

Drinks are about 5% TDS apparently?

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## Jon

risky said:


> Roller grinder no doubt. Plus sieving I expect.
> 
> Drinks are about 5% TDS apparently?
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Like they use for Nescafe?


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## risky

Jon said:


> Like they use for Nescafe?


I'm not well versed in instant coffee I'm afraid.


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## Jon

risky said:


> I'm not well versed in instant coffee I'm afraid.


You haven't lived.


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## Jon

Ordered!

http://www.johnlewis.com/nespresso-inissia-coffee-machine-by-magimix-summer-sun/p1355854


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## adz313

As someone who already has a Nespresso machine - interesting to see this.

Thanks @DoubleShot for the registration link


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## DoubleShot

Jon (Rambo) drew first blood! 

Who's next in line to invest in a Nespresso in order to be able to try/enjoy these new pods from Colonna Coffee?


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## h1udd

Err I already have 2 ... Not buying 3rd


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## froggystyle

Seen one in Aldi last night, £50 i reckon, might pick up next week to play with as i have a load of empty capsules somewhere...


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## Jon

Own brand or Krups or something? The John Lewis £59.99 is hard to beat with a 3 year guarantee...


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## Missy

Aldi are their own brand, ambiano, we have loads of their kitchen stuff, it's fab quality at super cheap prices


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## Milanski

Never thought I'd see the day that capsules and their corresponding machines would be discussed with so much excitement on this 'ere forum!


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## froggystyle

Missy said:


> Aldi are their own brand, ambiano, we have loads of their kitchen stuff, it's fab quality at super cheap prices


Thats the one, £70 with milk frother.

Although not much use for the frother part really...


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## froggystyle

Milanski said:


> Never thought I'd see the day that capsules and their corresponding machines would be discussed with so much excitement on this 'ere forum!


I posted over a year ago about doing this, now some dude called maxwell does it..... he owes me


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## Jon

Milanski said:


> Never thought I'd see the day that capsules and their corresponding machines would be discussed with so much excitement on this 'ere forum!


I'm blaming whoever started this thread.


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## DoubleShot

Jon said:


> Ordered!
> 
> http://www.johnlewis.com/nespresso-inissia-coffee-machine-by-magimix-summer-sun/p1355854


The Black version, for £4.99 extra, states that it qualifies for £30 Nespresso Club Reward whereas the Orange ones doesn't. Gotta be worth paying a fiver for that plus imo it looks better in Black anyway!


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## Jon

The £30 is still valid I understand: https://nespressoukpromotions.com/Content/ApplicationForms/NES016/UK.pdf


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## DoubleShot

Thought it strange to exclude one colour. Obviously whoever input the details on John Lewis' website must have been in a rush for that coffee/nespresso, lol! 

Club Reward can be used on accessories such as (super expensive) cups etc in addition to coffee capsules.


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## Jon

DoubleShot said:


> Thought it strange to exclude one colour. Obviously whoever input the details on John Lewis' website must have been in a rush for that coffee/nespresso, lol!
> 
> Club Reward can be used on accessories such as (super expensive) cups etc in addition to coffee capsules.


I think it's because they can only show one 'promotion' at a time.


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## DoubleShot

Sooo tempted, lol...


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## Jon

DoubleShot said:


> Sooo tempted, lol...


Go on.


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## DoubleShot

No rush as would mainly be getting it to try the Colonna capsules and they're not available just yet...

Price is very attractive though as I've paid more for each of my last two capsule machines and neither are likely to come close to the taste of Colonna pods from what I've read.


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## Jon

Could be ready in 2/3 weeks?


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## DoubleShot

Where's that 'buy now' button, lol...


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## SmithStCoffeeRoasters

Are nespresso funding the project to give their product credibility i wonder...


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## Mrboots2u

SmithStCoffeeRoasters said:


> Are nespresso funding the project to give their product credibility i wonder...


With who .... " lack of credibility " has not hurt them so far


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## SmithStCoffeeRoasters

the speciality coffee community, nespresso wasn't on the radar 6 months ago. Position yourself with the right movers & shakers in any industry is a great model to drive growth. But i do watch a lot of conspiracy movies. either way it's a win for Nespresso.


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## Mrboots2u

SmithStCoffeeRoasters said:


> the speciality coffee community, nespresso wasn't on the radar 6 months ago. Position yourself with the right movers & shakers in any industry is a great model to drive growth. But i do watch a lot of conspiracy movies. either way it's a win for Nespresso.


I suspect the market they have already is significantly bigger than the specialty one

Its more likely that its a smart move for a new roaster ( maxwell ) to get his coffee to a wider audience


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## MWJB

SmithStCoffeeRoasters said:


> the speciality coffee community, nespresso wasn't on the radar 6 months ago. Position yourself with the right movers & shakers in any industry is a great model to drive growth. But i do watch a lot of conspiracy movies. either way it's a win for Nespresso.


This isn't true. plain & simple. Speciality coffee should be accessible to anyone who wants to drink it, without needing to understand brew ratios, or stand over a Chemex with a pixie's watering can. Lots of speciality beans end up as very un-special drinks, whereas a child can make Nespresso.


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## DoubleShot

@Jon

Missed out on the recent Revelation Cup group buy, no worries...you can always purchase Nespresso's version here


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## Jon

DoubleShot said:


> @Jon
> 
> Missed out on the recent Revelation Cup group buy, no worries...you can always purchase Nespresso's version here


It wasn't a 'miss out' so much as a 'can't justify something that will get dropped almost immediately'.


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## SmithStCoffeeRoasters

MWJB said:


> This isn't true. plain & simple. Speciality coffee should be accessible to anyone who wants to drink it, without needing to understand brew ratios, or stand over a Chemex with a pixie's watering can. Lots of speciality beans end up as very un-special drinks, whereas a child can make Nespresso.


Ironically nestle are fighting a law suit for just that http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/nestle-is-being-sued-for-allegedly-using-child-slaves-on-cocoa-farms-a6806646.html


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## JoeDorcia

Mrboots2u said:


> I suspect the market they have already is significantly bigger than the specialty one
> 
> Its more likely that its a smart move for a new roaster ( maxwell ) to get his coffee to a wider audience


You're right, Nespresso have absolutely no desire for anyone to male compassion capsules. I work for the distributor selling the Krups/Magimix/KitchenAid branded machines (all made by Nespresso as are the De'Longhi ones) and without giving too much away make a loss for Nespresso. They have too sell the coffee to make money. No great surprise there as kitchen appliances have terribly low margins whereas coffee is very high profit.

Dualit are one of the first and largest company to create a compatible capsule one Nespresso lisay their patent a few years ago. Nespresso sued them and then last hence went we see lots of other capsules in the market.

The simple fact is Nespresso have made a very good delivery system and do,in fact but decent and expensive coffee. But to get the strength and flavour profile they want from 4-5g of coffee they have to today and grind it a specific way. Don't get hung up on TDS, it can be particularly distracting and abstract. Nespresso capsules hit over 20% strength in a very short time, hence why James Hoffman's blog post was very interesting.

Maxwell had found a way to get the strength needed from excellent coffee whilst maintaining a fantastic flavours profile (not Nespresso's burnt ash specialty). BUT it's specifically designed for Nespresso machines that be at 90°C so before you buy a non Nespresso branded machine Katy consider it may not deliver the right results.

I will absolutely, 100% guarantee that you will not be able to reproduce anything like a decent coffee by making/filling your own capsules at home. It will not work. And you'll waste an awful lot of time, coffee and money trying.

Final fact, Nespresso's global market is vast. Seriously vast. Someone like Maxwell making compatible capsules is nothing but a minute hindrance to them. So, yes, George Clooney is significantly more helpful then Maxwell's welcoming smile and exceptional brews.

Thank you. Good night

Sent from my SM-G925F using Tapatalk


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## "coffee 4/1"

believe making/filling your own capsules is possible, by sieving and hot foil seal, as the sealer is the let down on DIY capsules,


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## Missy

\ said:


> believe making/filling your own capsules is possible, by sieving and hot foil seal, as the sealer is the let down on DIY capsules,


But by the time you've done all that faff....


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## h1udd

Indeed, it's quicker to use a proper set up and faff to get a proper espresso. However, if Maxwell is willing to do it for me, I'll buy them


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## Mrboots2u

Unless you have a spare roller grinder somewhere I can't see how you'd get close to pod grind consistency .

What I do is grind coffee quite coarse - freeze it - then when I'm ready just add boiling water from a kettle to it . You only need a teaspoon ... Oh wait .....

Btw- want to try three uber capsules - maxwells coffee just roasted was pretty yum from a normal machine

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Thecatlinux

Missy said:


> But by the time you've done all that faff....


yes heaven forbid having a elongated and elobarate technique just for making a cup of joe:whistle:


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## Missy

Thecatlinux said:


> yes heaven forbid having a elongated and elobarate technique just for making a cup of joe:whistle:


Well yes but why not make a nice cup with a proper machine? Or brew it.


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## "coffee 4/1"

Missy said:


> But by the time you've done all that faff....


All part of the coffee journey,

as year's of faffing for espresso, and rest of brews it's all fun when you get there, now it's time for my capsules journey so faffing may not be for you,"give it time"


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## "coffee 4/1"

as usual i see the cufflinks have it sorted, from nespressomaker.com (Romiter's) there manual or alto sealers, the magic must be from there grinder for fine powder not sure if it's roller type.


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## Jon

Today I am braving Taylors of Harrogate Coffee Capsules. :|


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## jlarkin

Jon said:


> Today I am braving Taylors of Harrogate Coffee Capsules. :|


Yikes.


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## Missy

Jon said:


> Today I am braving Taylors of Harrogate Coffee Capsules. :|


Our thoughts are with you at this difficult time....


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## Jon

jlarkin said:


> Yikes.


So far better than the Nespresso ones but no where near ok.


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## Jon

Maybe I should get the feldgrind and beans out until colonna start selling their pods.


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## MWJB

\ said:


> as usual i see the cufflinks have it sorted, from nespressomaker.com (Romiter's) there manual or alto sealers, the magic must be from there grinder for fine powder not sure if it's roller type.
> View attachment 20456


Doesn't look like a roller grinder, why would it need to produce fine powder?


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## Jon

Just had a nice Nespresso (at last) courtesy of @spune and RoastworksDevon - sadly only one more pod left then back to hand grinding/brewed or Nespresso/Taylors Pod Hell.


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## pcpogo

As a new Nespresso owner, I'm trying various suppliers of pods etc.

I have just received the below pods and can't fault them. Very tasty indeed.

http://www.harboryam.co.uk/products/

Worth a look. I purchased via Amazon

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Jon

pcpogo said:


> As a new Nespresso owner, I'm trying various suppliers of pods etc.
> 
> I have just received the below pods and can't fault them. Very tasty indeed.
> 
> http://www.harboryam.co.uk/products/
> 
> Worth a look. I purchased via Amazon
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Seem too cheap?


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## Boomish

I am a lurking newbie here still deciding what coffee equipment to buy, so we are saved from using our Nespresso machine so I find this a very interesting thread, we recently bought Cafepod capsules when they switched from BigCupLittleCup but the capsules don't fit very well and the flow is inconsistent. So whatever you do don't be tempted by them!

The nice thing about these machines is speed , first thing in the morning rushing to work it's a fews seconds to make a coffee, albeit not a great one...


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## DoubleShot

Latest update via newsletter:

The London Coffee Festival took place at the beginning of April. This was Colonna's first public outing and it was great. Maybe we saw you there or maybe you didn't make it. If not you should try and make it next year. It is an incredible event and it was wonderful to display our coffee to people across a variety of brew methods with the capsule delivery system garnering the most attention on both trade and public days. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive and it made us all the more enthusiastic about getting Colonna into full swing.

I guess it's a bit like waiting for those precious coffees to make their way to our shores; the best things can often take a little time.

We will be in touch soon to update you on a concrete launch date and to tell you about the coffee that we will choose to curate and display for the launch.

Maxwell and the Colonna team

Hopefully the wait is nearly over @Jon


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## DavecUK

I just find it hard to believe that people with high end coffee gear are discussing pods and capsules with any seriousness???


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## risky

DavecUK said:


> I just find it hard to believe that people with high end coffee gear are discussing pods and capsules with any seriousness???


Have you tried them? Feedback from the coffee festival was that it was better than the espresso on offer from the majority of exhibitors.

I haven't tried them, and don't have any real desire to do so, but I can imagine there are more than a few members on here who would jump ship if this offered a consistently tasty experience, given the lack of faff.


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## h1udd

DavecUK said:


> I just find it hard to believe that people with high end coffee gear are discussing pods and capsules with any seriousness???


High end audiophiles discuss iPods and kitchen radios

Michelin chefs discuss fast food

Ferrari owners discuss little city cars

Ducatti owners want a fazer for the winter

Etc etc etc

if if there is want for a super convenient coffee requirement, then why can't it people try to achieve the best possible taste for that convenience. ?


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## Missy

I can see these being a hit for shoving in your bag to take to work/relatives house. Nespresso machines are everywhere, decent coffee isn't. This has to be less faff than loading aeropress, grinder etc and being declared a weirdo- seems a great idea if they deliver on taste


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## jeebsy

DavecUK said:


> I just find it hard to believe that people with high end coffee gear are discussing pods and capsules with any seriousness???


I'd rather have a pod containing decent coffee than some of the cheap guff people seem intent on pulling badly through their shiny setups that cost £3k


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## NickdeBug

As Missy says, due to the omnipresent nature of Nespresso machines this looks like a chance to buy into decent coffee without the capital outlay.

Even if you buy one yourself they are hardly going to break the bank.

Would I replace my set up? - no - I like trying lots of different beans and don't want to be stuck with the same couple of choices.

Would I buy one/pods for the office or as a quick option? - why the hell not

Dave - I hope that you appreciate the irony that your post has just led to a load more discussion on the use of pods


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## Syenitic

This might be contentious.... I spent probably more than 20 minutes at the Colonna stand, in two separate visits. We never tasted the output from the pods.

First visit to the stand we tasted a Rwandan coffee as an espresso. It was the most memorable espresso of the day...maybe strangely giving a big in yer face almond hit which I never ever had before.

Walked around for an hour or two, found my favourite roaster (who I had not heard of before) and eventually returned to buy some Colonna roasted Rwanda. Actually spoke to Maxwell for a few minutes and he did not once push his pods, which I thought was good. Sadly Rwandan samples had run out and no more was available at the stall, the replacement he pulled was ok, but not to my taste, but I could still buy a bag of the Rwandan beans to take home. So I did.

Now this is where I have to ask - back at home, where did the almond hit go? Was it the barista? I got it home and it became a very average (to poor) coffee. I use generally Ashbeck water, but I seem unable to get anywhere near that first flavours from London. I watched / listened to presentations re water composition (Maxwells included) and know a little about temps etc. Coming to the conclusion that there are so (too) many variables involved to achieve realistic consistency.

What are (in descending order of importance) the factors that influence taste of shot (given the same bean), to you?

!. - me, my thought - I actually think now it may well be water composition


----------



## DoubleShot

And this is where, had the coffee (won't call it espresso as Maxwell has said it is not espresso!) you tried at his stall been made from a pod and if you had been able to purchase some you'd then be able to replicate the flavours at home. All the possible variables etc removed from the equation.

Which is part of the reason Colonna decided to enter the pod marketplace.


----------



## MWJB

Syenitic said:


> Now this is where I have to ask - back at home, where did the almond hit go? Was it the barista? I got it home and it became a very average (to poor) coffee. I use generally Ashbeck water, but I seem unable to get anywhere near that first flavours from London. I watched / listened to presentations re water composition (Maxwells included) and know a little about temps etc. Coming to the conclusion that there are so (too) many variables involved to achieve realistic consistency.
> 
> What are (in descending order of importance) the factors that influence taste of shot (given the same bean), to you?
> 
> !. - me, my thought - I actually think now it may well be water composition


This would be a good discussion for it's own thread.


----------



## Syenitic

You sound almost cynical Mr 'Shot


----------



## SmithStCoffeeRoasters

DoubleShot said:


> And this is where, had the coffee (won't call it espresso as Maxwell has said it is not espresso!) you tried at his stall been made from a pod and if you had been able to purchase some you'd then be able to replicate the flavours at home. All the possible variables etc removed from the equation.
> 
> Which is part of the reason Colonna decided to enter the pod marketplace.


Wouldn't the water still be different?

I'd start by cupping the Rwandan if the Almond hits there you should be able to find it on the cupping table


----------



## DoubleShot

You Sir are on the ball! 

Different water, did cross my mind after above post as possibly being the only possible variable but if bottled water is being used then that too could be limited.


----------



## risky

Syenitic said:


> This might be contentious.... I spent probably more than 20 minutes at the Colonna stand, in two separate visits. We never tasted the output from the pods.
> 
> First visit to the stand we tasted a Rwandan coffee as an espresso. It was the most memorable espresso of the day...maybe strangely giving a big in yer face almond hit which I never ever had before.
> 
> Walked around for an hour or two, found my favourite roaster (who I had not heard of before) and eventually returned to buy some Colonna roasted Rwanda. Actually spoke to Maxwell for a few minutes and he did not once push his pods, which I thought was good. Sadly Rwandan samples had run out and no more was available at the stall, the replacement he pulled was ok, but not to my taste, but I could still buy a bag of the Rwandan beans to take home. So I did.
> 
> Now this is where I have to ask - back at home, where did the almond hit go? Was it the barista? I got it home and it became a very average (to poor) coffee. I use generally Ashbeck water, but I seem unable to get anywhere near that first flavours from London. I watched / listened to presentations re water composition (Maxwells included) and know a little about temps etc. Coming to the conclusion that there are so (too) many variables involved to achieve realistic consistency.
> 
> What are (in descending order of importance) the factors that influence taste of shot (given the same bean), to you?
> 
> !. - me, my thought - I actually think now it may well be water composition


Ashbeck is generally terrible so not surprising you aren't able to extract the same flavour profile as Maxwell with his perfectly engineered water.


----------



## SmithStCoffeeRoasters

No flies on me Pal

Something else to consider in this case is the real effect of your surroundings & company on sensory evaluation, if you're engaging with a revered Barista at the london coffee festival & told this tastes of Almonds there's a greater chance it will


----------



## DoubleShot

Syenitic said:


> You sound almost cynical Mr 'Shot


No cynicism intended. I don't own a Nespresso machine nor am I likely to ditch all my gear for one anytime soon but having said that, I am open to the idea of trying one once Colonna pods (and who knows which other coffee roasters follow suit afterwards?) become available to the masses.

There seems to be plenty of negativity here towards pod machines, perhaps rightly so, much like instant coffee is never likely to get any members mouths watering. When I first heard and read about Colonna developing a range of Nespresso compatible pods I must say I was intrigued. Machines are regularly available for under £90 and include free credit which can be used to purchase pods or accessories direct from Nespresso.

I know at least a few friends and family members who would probably invest this type of money in order to produce something at home that tastes significantly better than instant coffee without any faff. If I've understood correctly is what Maxwell and co set out to achieve.


----------



## jimbocz

risky said:


> Ashbeck is generally terrible so not surprising you aren't able to extract the same flavour profile as Maxwell with his perfectly engineered water.


Huh? I thought Ashbeck was generally accepted as OK. Am I missing something?


----------



## MWJB

jimbocz said:


> Huh? I thought Ashbeck was generally accepted as OK. Am I missing something?


It's one of the Cumbrian, Armathwaite waters, a bit on the low side regarding bicarbonate. You can make a noticeable difference with water, but you should be able to make good coffee with Volvic, if you can't, there's more than the water that is wrong.


----------



## Syenitic

SmithStCoffeeRoasters said:


> No flies on me Pal
> 
> Something else to consider in this case is the real effect of your surroundings & company on sensory evaluation, if you're engaging with a revered Barista at the london coffee festival & told this tastes of Almonds there's a greater chance it will


The shot carrying the almond hit was actually delivered by one of the revered barista's colleagues. Maxwell was not on the stand at the time. But agreed there is always the possibility of 'I wouldn't have tasted it if I hadn't believed it'. In this case however I am pretty certain that despite the wonderful company I was in, almonds was the smack in the face I got with that particular shot and no one had mentioned to my ears anyway the possibility of that flavour. Possibly a one off, I don't know.


----------



## SmithStCoffeeRoasters

what's the flavour notes on the bag?


----------



## MWJB

Syenitic said:


> The shot carrying the almond hit was actually delivered by one of the revered barista's colleagues. Maxwell was not on the stand at the time. But agreed there is always the possibility of 'I wouldn't have tasted it if I hadn't believed it'. In this case however I am pretty certain that despite the wonderful company I was in, almonds was the smack in the face I got with that particular shot and no one had mentioned to my ears anyway the possibility of that flavour. Possibly a one off, I don't know.


What did you learn about how the shot was made - water, brew ratio etc? What are you shooting for when trying to replicate that LCF shot?


----------



## jimbocz

MWJB said:


> It's one of the Cumbrian, Armathwaite waters, a bit on the low side regarding bicarbonate. You can make a noticeable difference with water, but you should be able to make good coffee with Volvic, if you can't, there's more than the water that is wrong.


Thanks for that explanation, I'll give Volvic a go when all my Ashbeck runs out.


----------



## DavecUK

SmithStCoffeeRoasters said:


> No flies on me Pal
> 
> Something else to consider in this case is the real effect of your surroundings & company on sensory evaluation, if you're engaging with a revered Barista at the london coffee festival & told this tastes of Almonds there's a greater chance it will


It's fairly well known that many things influence taste, some to a massive degree. Environment, suggestion, colour etc.. Our senses are so easily fooled. There are a 2 short videos below that people may find interesting and a 3rd that is from a symposium and has Charles Spence from Oxford, covering multi-sensory factors affecting the taste of coffee and some of the work in that area. The last is a very interesting watch.


----------



## jlarkin

The Colonna coffee capsules seem to have gone quiet? I was wondering if anybody heard or seen anything recently on them? I know you can sign-up / register interest on the site but haven't seen anything come out of that.


----------



## DavecUK

jlarkin said:


> The Colonna coffee capsules seem to have gone quiet? I was wondering if anybody heard or seen anything recently on them? I know you can sign-up / register interest on the site but haven't seen anything come out of that.


Shhh....thank god....lets not start it up again than


----------



## Jon

jlarkin said:


> The Colonna coffee capsules seem to have gone quiet? I was wondering if anybody heard or seen anything recently on them? I know you can sign-up / register interest on the site but haven't seen anything come out of that.


Me neither. Dropping him a tweet got replies before.


----------



## Amir Gehl

On the subject of Geishas, would anyone be interested in trying some Esmeralda Geisha Special in Nespresso compatible capsules?


----------



## Glenn

I am pleased to confirm that Amir has been in contact and is a bona fide member with a good proposition for Nespresso compatible capsule users.

Please do contact Amir with confidence.


----------



## DoubleShot

Launch date of 5th October 2016 has been announced here for Colonna's range of capsules.


----------



## DavecUK

Amir Gehl said:


> On the subject of Geishas, would anyone be interested in trying some Esmeralda Geisha Special in Nespresso compatible capsules?


No thanks....I'm good


----------



## Nod

Anyone ordered any Colonna capsules?


----------



## Jon

Nod said:


> Anyone ordered any Colonna capsules?


I went through the checkout process then saw a discount code section and thought "I haven't got a code; so someone else is probably getting a better deal" then I got irrationally angry. Then I moved the office desks around a bit, then did some work and eventually went home.


----------



## aaronb

Jon said:


> I went through the checkout process then saw a discount code section and thought "I haven't got a code; so someone else is probably getting a better deal" then I got irrationally angry. Then I moved the office desks around a bit, then did some work and eventually went home.


I think its a generic e-commerce platform (or the checkout bit is anyway), I've used the exact same checkout screen for a variety of non coffee related orders. I suspect that discount code box is just there by default.

I bought some beans. I'd try the capsules if I had access to a nespresso machine.


----------



## Jon

aaronb said:


> I think its a generic e-commerce platform (or the checkout bit is anyway), I've used the exact same checkout screen for a variety of non coffee related orders. I suspect that discount code box is just there by default.
> 
> I bought some beans. I'd try the capsules if I had access to a nespresso machine.


I actually bought a Nespresso because of these pods! The one I had at LCF was really surprisingly good!


----------



## DavecUK

Jon said:


> I actually bought a Nespresso because of these pods! The one I had at LCF was really surprisingly good!


If he starts doing the freeze dried coffee, will you buy the MCD cup and spoon.....(this is so sad)?


----------



## Jon

DavecUK said:


> If he starts doing the freeze dried coffee, will you buy the MCD cup and spoon.....(this is so sad)?


No doubt.


----------



## h1udd

I ordered my short and long taster packs yesterday .... currently sat by the door waiting for them .... being royal mail probably won't turn up till monday pfffft

I would try the freeze dried though if he started doing it ... would definitely require some sort of faff and process involved in making though for it too really be accepted


----------



## Jon

h1udd said:


> I ordered my short and long taster packs yesterday .... currently sat by the door waiting for them .... being royal mail probably won't turn up till monday pfffft
> 
> I would try the freeze dried though if he started doing it ... would definitely require some sort of faff and process involved in making though for it too really be accepted


If it's not hard work, it simply can't be tasty. Fact.


----------



## DavecUK

Jon said:


> No doubt.


Of course I realise you are joking about having purchased a Nespresso machine.....you are, aren't you...please tell me you are?


----------



## aaronb

Coffee is here, 24 hours after ordering. One bag roasted 4th, one 5th so I'll give them time to rest.

The packaging is great, nice letter box friendly boxes.


----------



## fatboyslim

Whilst not ideal, these capsules may be the best option for me to make even remotely decent coffee at work. My office is nowhere near a sink/kitchen or even tap!

Watching a few nespresso machines on eBay. I just hope Colonna has cracked it and his pods produce something drinkable.


----------



## DoubleShot

Apart from the Nespresso machines that include milk frothers and aesthetics, is there any noticeable difference in the quality of the drink produced or are they all much of a muchness does anyone know?

Magimix Pixie for £59.99 delivered doesn't seem too steep for anyone wishing to give these Colonna capsules a try.


----------



## aaronb

DoubleShot said:


> Apart from the Nespresso machines that include milk frothers and aesthetics, is there any noticeable difference in the quality of the drink produced or are they all much of a muchness does anyone know?
> 
> Magimix Pixie for £59.99 delivered doesn't seem too steep for anyone wishing to give these Colonna capsules a try.


In the launch email he recommends either the Pixie or Inissia (with Amazon links) so I'd say its definitely the way to go.


----------



## nicholasj

I take it that Nespresso, when paired with Colonna pods will be superior to the Dolce Gusto.

Any other reason for the why Nespesso is considered better? They both offer lots of pod choices and seem to operate in a similar manner.


----------



## froggystyle

Has anyone had the pods yet, I'm interested to know the roast level if cutting one open?

I tried my hardest to get a decent shot with my own roasting and filling empty capsules, no matter how dark I took it the drink was always weak, I believe that to get the desired strength it was going to take a very very dark roast.

I did play with the grind a lot and believe I was not far away from the grounds in the capsule, but then I believe they roll the grinds rather than conventional grinding giving a more even particle size?


----------



## fatboyslim

froggystyle said:


> Has anyone had the pods yet, I'm interested to know the roast level if cutting one open?
> 
> I tried my hardest to get a decent shot with my own roasting and filling empty capsules, no matter how dark I took it the drink was always weak, I believe that to get the desired strength it was going to take a very very dark roast.
> 
> I did play with the grind a lot and believe I was not far away from the grounds in the capsule, but then I believe they roll the grinds rather than conventional grinding giving a more even particle size?


 @froggystyle do you want to go halves on 40 "long" capsules?


----------



## froggystyle

How much is halves?


----------



## fatboyslim

froggystyle said:


> How much is halves?


 @froggystyle £11 plus maybe a £1 contribution to postage? I'll buy 40 for £22 with free shipping then find a suitable container or use original packaging to send 20 to you.

Sound good?


----------



## froggystyle

How about I send you a nespresso machine, you play, you send back with some capsules?


----------



## fatboyslim

froggystyle said:


> How about I send you a nespresso machine, you play, you send back with some capsules?


Ok , I'll PM you


----------



## MWJB

froggystyle said:


> I tried my hardest to get a decent shot with my own roasting and filling empty capsules, no matter how dark I took it the drink was always weak, I believe that to get the desired strength it was going to take a very very dark roast.


If your desired strength is what you normally get from a 1:2 shot, then that is a tiny drink?


----------



## froggystyle

I pulled a short and long one, both were weak, no other options really with these machines.


----------



## Nod

Excellent I'm glad a few people have bought some Capsules. I'm really interested to know what they end up like. I'm wondering whether actually they could be perfect for people on the forum. We can give them to members of family as birthday and Christmas presents and then it means that we don't have to drink total crap coffee when we visit..... it's really embarrassing when you turn up for Christmas with an EK 43 and all the equipment in order to plumb in your Vesuvius&#8230;


----------



## MWJB

froggystyle said:


> I pulled a short and long one, both were weak, no other options really with these machines.


Can't you reprogram the shot length? What was short & long in g?


----------



## Jon

MWJB said:


> Can't you reprogram the shot length? What was short & long in g?


You can on the Inissia. You can also manually stop it based on weight on the hoof.


----------



## Thecatlinux

MWJB said:


> Can't you reprogram the shot length? What was short & long in g?


short is 25g

long is 65 g

i haven't tried mine yet as I don't have a machine


----------



## MWJB

Thecatlinux said:


> short is 25g
> 
> long is 65 g
> 
> i haven't tried mine yet as I don't have a machine


...and in Nespresso speak Ristretto is 25g, Espresso is 40g, Lungo is 110g. My point to @froggystyle is that all these ratios are much longer than 1:2, you're not going to get equivalent 1:2 strength unless you pull 6g into a 12g shot.


----------



## fatboyslim

Jon said:


> You can on the Inissia. You can also manually stop it based on weight on the hoof.


Can you no reprogram on the Pixie?

EDIT: Pretty sure both machines are re-programmable

PIXIE:

Espresso and lungo

The one-touch buttons with two cup capacities (espresso and lungo) can be reprogrammed to customised volumes and are backlit for ease of use. The folding drip tray accommodates differing cup sizes for espresso and milk coffee lovers alike.

INISSIA:

The Nespresso inissia by KRUPS allows automatic and programmable water sizing


----------



## aaronb

So what's actually the difference between the 2 machines then?

And whats the difference between the krups and magimix machines?


----------



## DoubleShot

I've heard some people say in general the Magimix machines are better built and more reliable than the Krupa ones.


----------



## DoubleShot

This Nespresso CitiZ looks good value although judging by the £xx.91 price it probably means it's a discontinued model and will be hard to track down stock? The Aeroccino milk frothers retail for around £59.99 on their own!


----------



## h1udd

I have a Krups and a Magimix Pixie.

They are the same, they work the same, they feel the same, they are for a better word, the same ..... I think the krups looks nicer though ... as a block of plastic can look nice.


----------



## hotmetal

All N machines make identical coffee. You pay extra for features and other than that you choose which style you like best. The N tech is so heavily developed and licenced that Krups or Magimix is down to aesthetics. If I had to go that route I would probably get the cheapest deal I could with a basic machine and an aerocino. CitiZ + milk was a good option.


----------



## Nod

So we now know what machine to get.. anyone bought or had delivered any colonna capsules? Is anyone waiting on a delivery... seems a big moment for coffee when the people who know what they are talking about on here actually try the product...


----------



## GlennV

I took the taster pack and a bottle of magic water into the lab today, and the verdict was pretty good. The decaf in particular was liked by all, and all were bright and fresh and matched the descriptors, with plenty of sweetness. I particularly enjoyed the tea like qualities of the geisha, and the strawberry in the costa rican came through in spades. One of my colleagues had had the El Salvador pulled on an Slayer the previous day and said the flavours matched. As espresso they are rather thin and lacking mouthfeel, with a brew ratio of over 4:1, but there's no doubt it's proper coffee - I think he's on to a winner.


----------



## DoubleShot

Nespresso Inissia seems pretty good value as it includes an Aeroccino for under 95 bones!


----------



## Nod

GlennV said:


> I took the taster pack and a bottle of magic water into the lab today, and the verdict was pretty good. The decaf in particular was liked by all, and all were bright and fresh and matched the descriptors, with plenty of sweetness. I particularly enjoyed the tea like qualities of the geisha, and the strawberry in the costa rican came through in spades. One of my colleagues had had the El Salvador pulled on an Slayer the previous day and said the flavours matched. As espresso they are rather thin and lacking mouthfeel, with a brew ratio of over 4:1, but there's no doubt it's proper coffee - I think he's on to a winner.


Thanks for the update/info GlennV. Sounds like these are going to have real potential for non-coffee geeks who actually want a decent cup of coffee..


----------



## UncleJake

Just tried a couple (with London tap water) and yes... erm. Interesting. Same results as @GlennV really. Tasty stuff - and flavour notes accurate - better water would've obviously improved it no end... But that lack of mouth feel/thin-ness might be a problem for me though.

If it'd been just a little bit thinner, some of these here politicians coulda seen through it.


----------



## DoubleShot

@GlennV and @UncleJake , I take it you drank these neat as in no milk? And presumably made as lungo (longer of the two push button options), so like a small cup of brewed coffee?

I'm basing this on GlennV mentioning that as espresso they were thin and lacking mouthfeel.

Thanks.


----------



## UncleJake

I tried as 'short' espressos, as the pods I bought (I bought the selection pack for a mate - and was round at his) were designated as 'short'. You can by either. I suspect the lungo options are better - or rather - as a product it lends itself better to that small brewed-like thing.


----------



## GlennV

I tried these at the recommended 25g beverage weight, without milk, and there's about 5.5g of coffee in a capsule. It's somewhere between espresso and brewed coffee - equivalent to pulling an 80g shot from 18g of coffee.


----------



## UncleJake

So this has prompted us to get one of these machines. Mainly as Mrs Mirror doesn't want the faff of dealing with the wonderful hot and angry steaming shiny metal thing in the corner, but would like to make us a coffee once in a while (read birthdays and Christmas).

We plumped for the Inissia - after the most frustrating research day... I mean, man. At least our fancy coffee machines are different to one another in some way. With Nespresso machines there is no perceivable difference between a £50 machine and a £150 machine. None of the beautiful agony of choosing between materials, functions and aesthetics. Nope. They're virtually all plastic and do the same thing. No fun in the chase.

So while I wait for the Colonna pods to arrive - today or tomorrow... It's day 1. I am determined to live purely on Nespresso today. I have the sample selection from Nespresso themselves and some from Cru Kafe - who tracked me down through a Facebook algorithm. Nice branding and that.

Let me tell you - I've been drinking some of the worst coffee ever this morning. Wow.

Roll on the Colonna irrigation.


----------



## DoubleShot

Must say I'm surprised there are so many different models available and across such a wide price range if the underlying technology that produces the drink is identical in each machine. Sure some of the top end models costing £175 to £450 give you a few more options on the milk frothing side etc but of little interest to most here if you mainly plan to drink neat Colonna espresso/filter pods.

Can now see why the Colonna website suggests either a Pixie or Inissia. They also mentioned that they would be recommending which water to use, not sure if that info has been updated now?

Thanks for sharing your experience and look forward to your findings after trying the Colonna pods.


----------



## UncleJake

So - yes - with better water (50/50 Volvic & Waitrose) and a measured 25g shot, it's night and day. The Colonna's are complex and flavoursome - and y'know... Good coffee. The problem for me is that 25g is a shortish shot by modern standards and with Nespresso much of it is crema. It's also very light - as has already been said, around 1:4. For me - the smaller a drink gets the more intense it needs to be; a light drink at this length is for me at least, unsatisfactory.

I'll try the Lungo's next - but I'm not sure this is going to work for me.

Mrs Mirror is totally happy though and is enjoying making me coffee - so it's probably here to stay. I just need to find something that works - perhaps 2 at once.


----------



## DoubleShot

That does sound a short drink even in an espresso cup!


----------



## MWJB

UncleJake said:


> So - yes - with better water (50/50 Volvic & Waitrose) and a measured 25g shot, it's night and day. The Colonna's are complex and flavoursome - and y'know... Good coffee. The problem for me is that 25g is a shortish shot by modern standards and with Nespresso much of it is crema. It's also very light - as has already been said, around 1:4. For me - the smaller a drink gets the more intense it needs to be; a light drink at this length is for me at least, unsatisfactory.
> 
> I'll try the Lungo's next - but I'm not sure this is going to work for me.
> 
> Mrs Mirror is totally happy though and is enjoying making me coffee - so it's probably here to stay. I just need to find something that works - perhaps 2 at once.


2 at once, each into 25g will be the same strength, just more of it...no different to making 2 cups. 25g from a 5.5g dose is a long shot by most standards, it's just that you are limited by the physical dose size (no way round that with these machines). If you are used to making 16-18g dosed shots then that's 3 capsules for the same amount of coffee in the cup.

Is it the lightness that you are less happy about? Have you tried gradually reducing the yield in the cup until the flavour suffers?


----------



## UncleJake

Yes, lightness for volume. I like a light long drink, but if something is only going to touch my tastebuds once or twice and briefly - I want it to have more impact. So the 2 in 1 would be just for more volume - more of a chance to savour.

I haven't tried reducing the yield. Worth a try - interesting to see what 1:2 tastes like... But there is so much crema - I'm assuming that it's a similar effect to a pressurised basket - that 11g will be mostly crema.


----------



## DoubleShot

Nespresso are really keen on crema


----------



## nicholasj

UncleJake said:


> So - yes - with better water (50/50 Volvic & Waitrose) and a measured 25g shot, it's night and day. The Colonna's are complex and flavoursome - and y'know... Good coffee. The problem for me is that 25g is a shortish shot by modern standards and with Nespresso much of it is crema. It's also very light - as has already been said, around 1:4. For me - the smaller a drink gets the more intense it needs to be; a light drink at this length is for me at least, unsatisfactory.
> 
> I'll try the Lungo's next - but I'm not sure this is going to work for me.
> 
> Mrs Mirror is totally happy though and is enjoying making me coffee - so it's probably here to stay. I just need to find something that works - perhaps 2 at once.


tes I agree...two shots. But as has been said it won't be stronger. Now we have a Dolce Gusto which allows the user to decide the size of the shot. Each type of drink capsule has a number of bars which equates to the amount of water.

BUT......for a two bar expresso intense I set the machine to one bar......nice and strong. Can't this be done with the Nespresso? ie. stop the flow when you want?


----------



## UncleJake

nicholasj said:


> tes I agree...two shots. But as has been said it won't be stronger. Now we have a Dolce Gusto which allows the user to decide the size of the shot. Each type of drink capsule has a number of bars which equates to the amount of water.
> 
> BUT......for a two bar expresso intense I set the machine to one bar......nice and strong. Can't this be done with the Nespresso? ie. stop the flow when you want?


Yes, you can set the flow to automate to any volume you wish, or stop the flow manually whenever.


----------



## UncleJake

DoubleShot said:


> Nespresso are really keen on crema


Yeah. Me? Not so much!

Certainly not this weird frankencrema.


----------



## DoubleShot

Perhaps the sweet spot will be the Lungo capsules that Colonna offers? He, plus others, did say that what these machines produce is *not* espresso per se.


----------



## DavecUK

If we're really unlucky, he will start putting his name to an instant coffee....with a lengthy discussion on that!

PODs/capsules whatever you call them... are an insult to the environment..........


----------



## UncleJake

DavecUK said:


> If we're really unlucky, he will start putting his name to an instant coffee....with a lengthy discussion on that!
> 
> PODs/capsules whatever you call them... are an insult to the environment..........


Although - these days Nespresso recycle their own and the Café Cru ones are actually normal recyclable plastic. Still far too much packaging per cup of coffee.


----------



## UncleJake

DoubleShot said:


> Perhaps the sweet spot will be the Lungo capsules that Colonna offers? He, plus others, did say that what these machines produce is *not* espresso per se.


Yes, I'm hoping so.

I think that's what I've been trying to say... I know it's not espresso exactly and whatever it is, although it is good coffee - it's not a satisfying drink for me in that form.

The lungos might be great as a occasional drink.


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## DoubleShot

@fatboyslim

Have you had a chance to sample any of your Colonna pods as yet?


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## fatboyslim

DoubleShot said:


> @fatboyslim
> 
> Have you had a chance to sample any of your Colonna pods as yet?


I have not, I've kindly been offered a Nespresso machine to test out but £22 for 40 capsules seems excessive just for a quick test. Maybe someone would go halves with me?


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## DoubleShot

Price is now £26 for the Taster Pack.

Website has been updated with recommended bottled water of Aqua Panna, Volvic and Waitrose Essential.

Machine recommendation has also been revised to just the Magimix Inissia.

Starbucks also make compatible Nespresso capsules now. Anyone tried them?


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## UncleJake

You can do 16 pods for a tenner?


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## DavecUK

UncleJake said:


> Although - these days Nespresso recycle their own and the Café Cru ones are actually normal recyclable plastic. Still far too much packaging per cup of coffee.


I'd guess only a tiny fraction of the Nespresso pods are recycled...as for cafe cru, I don't know, but again I wouldn't bet on many being recycled. As for far too much packaging...absolutely agree with you.



> How many capsules are recycled? Nestle won't say, instead focusing on its recycling capacity. By email, a spokeswoman explained:
> 
> "Given multiple recycling options, any estimate of consumer recycling rates would be inaccurate, *so we focus on recycling capacity as a concrete measurement of our progress *&#8230; Recycling is a shared responsibility and consumers' participation is essential."


I sense Bull$h*t in that statement.


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## Drewster

DavecUK said:


> I sense Bull$h*t in that statement.


Dripping in it!!

Although to be fair they aren't the only ones whose "green credentials" are more about marketing sound bites than genuine merit.

Per example:

Glass is one of the easiest things in the world to truly recycle ie to use again.

We all (well OK those over 35ish) remember the milkman taking back the bottles.

All "Pop" bottles, beer bottles etc were returned and reused (even so far as to returning a deposit).

"All" that was needed was a thorough clean and sterilisation* and the same bottles were used again many times

*Pretty well the same routine that new bottles undergo.

Bottles and jars nowadays are made thinner and are not "spec'd" for genuine reuse.

Recycling glass nowadays generally means - smashing and grinding down to be used in road surfacing.

Some is melted down and re-used as glass but not a lot (the heat required to melt down glass is not that much less than that required to melt the "raw" ingredients).

I don't know much about the pods - they certainly can be made to be (genuinely) reused but again I suspect recycling means.... melt down and mix back with other stuff (although I suspect the energy requirements and chemical processes to melt plastics are somewhat lower than primary processes)


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## nicholasj

UncleJake said:


> Yes, you can set the flow to automate to any volume you wish, or stop the flow manually whenever.


So if you drink espresso's and restretto's. Set the water volume for an espresso's (25g) but manually stop flow when making the smaller volume restretto's? Or reset the button?


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## UncleJake

nicholasj said:


> So if you drink espresso's and restretto's. Set the water volume for an espresso's (25g) but manually stop flow when making the smaller volume restretto's? Or reset the button?


Yes.. I'm not having a problem with how to make a shorter shot? Just said that I hadn't tried it.


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## UncleJake

As for recycling, not sure if it's still the case - but plastic in general is pretty hard to automate separation for recycling purposes (as opposed to steel and aluminium which just needs magnets and Eddy currents) so the uk, for example, used to send all the plastic to China for floatation and hand sorting, on massive emission ships.


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## fatboyslim

No one willing to go halves on 40 "long" capsules?


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## UncleJake

fatboyslim said:


> No one willing to go halves on 40 "long" capsules?


Yeah - maybe - which ones are you after?


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## fatboyslim

UncleJake said:


> Yeah - maybe - which ones are you after?


Any of the "long" capsules. Not bothered about the particular choice. One of us can buy then and post out to the other? Don't mind who does what.

Assuming @froggystyle is still willing to let me borrow his machine?


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## UncleJake

fatboyslim said:


> Any of the "long" capsules. Not bothered about the particular choice. One of us can buy then and post out to the other? Don't mind who does what.
> 
> Assuming @froggystyle is still willing to let me borrow his machine?


Yup. I'll PM.


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## DoubleShot

@fatboyslim & @UncleJake

New update to Taster pack in case you weren't particularly interested in decaf capsules. A new pack is available consisting of two tubes of Foundation capsules, one tube of Discovery, and one tube of Rare. Each tube contains 10 capsules. A box of 40 'All 3' capsules costs £26

Here's the link


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## fatboyslim

Just seen the email. It doesn't really help me. I want the £10 taster pack without the decaf ha ha. @UncleJack where's my PM? Lets do this!!!


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## UncleJake

Ah ha - tapatalk must've gone wrong. I'll resend...


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## DoubleShot

Nespresso have replaced their previous promotion of a free Aeroccino if you ordered 150 capsules with their usual promo of free credit on your account which can be used with your next three orders.

£45 credit (£15 x 3) for machines that do not include milk frothing.

£75 (£25 x 3) credit for cappuccino machines.

Details here

Offer runs until 31/01/17.


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## DavecUK

That news just makes me feel.............










Really though it makes me feel bad....why don't people use BTC machines instead and support local roasters. However, where there is a bandwagon, there is always a merry band!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3780816/How-Green-George-s-trendy-coffee-pods-damaging-planet-Nesprosso-capsules-advertised-Hollywood-star-Clooney-come-fire.html


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## DoubleShot

In the first video on that link, surely that's false advertising as no single capsule produces enough coffee to fill a glass tanker of that size? Probably take more like 2 or 3 Lungo capsules or 5+ short capsules!


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## MWJB

DoubleShot said:


> In the first video on that link, surely that's false advertising as no single capsule produces enough coffee to fill a glass tanker of that size? Probably take more like 2 or 3 Lungo capsules or 5+ short capsules!


Nespresso lungos are 110ml...& bitter. In any case, you can run the whole tank through a capsule if you don't care how it tastes.


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## DoubleShot

It's all gone mighty quiet on here, did you lads ( @fatboyslim and @UncleJake ) get round to trying some Colonna capsules, if so...thoughts?


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## fatboyslim

DoubleShot said:


> It's all gone mighty quiet on here, did you lads ( @fatboyslim and @UncleJake ) get round to trying some Colonna capsules, if so...thoughts?


I temporarily ran out of toy money for this month, trying them out will have to wait.


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## UncleJake

My machine went back - so I've pods left over. If anyone is interested in trying them (It's more than half the Lungo selection without decaf) let me know - I'm going to pop them on to the for sale section soon.


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## DoubleShot

Yes please.


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## bronc

I want to get one of the ALL 3 packs for my dad who has a Nespresso machine and has been considering getting into specialty. He usually drinks espresso. Should I go for the short version?


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## DoubleShot

It would be closer to what he is used to but Colonna and others have said...it is not espresso, what these machines will produce.


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## bronc

He is used to his Nespresso capsules so I don't think he will have huge expectations..


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## DoubleShot

Should be fine then and hopefully he'll notice and appreciate the difference when trying the Colonna capsules?

Nespresso call theirs Ristretto (short) and Lungo (long), don't they?


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## MWJB

DoubleShot said:


> It would be closer to what he is used to but Colonna and others have said...it is not espresso, what these machines will produce.


"Espresso" is many things to many people...if it is pressure brewed coffee with crema, it is broadly espresso, even if it is not, "what I call espresso" which may be unique to me.


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## UncleJake

Sorry for the delay ladies and gents - here's the sale post.. http://coffeeforums.co.uk/showthread.php?35358-Colonna-Nespresso-LONG-selection-pack&p=464330#post464330


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## nicholasj

I have 29 Colonna capsules left over from the sample, short, no decaf. pack. Just bought recently, but my wife's new Nespresso machine doesn't like them and I fear will be damaged if we continue to use them. If anyone would like them for their own use please message me your name and address. First come first served.

You'll need to wait for a couple of weeks or so (I'm a bit busy at the moment as we've just moved house), but I'll post them out to you for free (UK only)....as its Christmas!


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## MSM

@nicholasj - I will give them a try please









Edit - Sent you a PM as well.


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## Drewster

nicholasj said:


> ................. but my wife's new Nespresso machine doesn't like them and I fear will be damaged if we continue to use them. .............


Just out of interest - Is it the machine that is shonky or the pods?

..... and (whichever one) shouldn't the supplier be notified/be fixing it?

Surely the whole point (well a big point) of "Nespresso standard" is... well the standard!


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## nicholasj

MSM was quickest so the capsules will be winging their way to sunny Essex soon....ish.


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## nicholasj

Drewster said:


> Just out of interest - Is it the machine that is shonky or the pods?
> 
> ..... and (whichever one) shouldn't the supplier be notified/be fixing it?
> 
> Surely the whole point (well a big point) of "Nespresso standard" is... well the standard!


Good points! But I can't be bothered in all honesty. The machine is fine with the normal Nespresso pods but using the other pods the flow is uneven and restricted and sometimes stops short of the setting volume. Also doesn't like ejecting into the bin. Sometimes gets stuck and I have to put pressure to clear the shute.


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## DoubleShot

If the machine is a Magimix Citiz then Colonna mention they had issues using their capsules in that machine, something about them being a tight fit and therefore they don't recommend using their capsules in that particular machine.

Odd that it only seems to affect that one machine of the ones they tried.


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## adz313

I've got the Krups Citiz (albeit an older one) and have just got some of these from @UncleJake - they do seem a little harder to puncture to begin with than the Nespresso own, but no issues otherwise.

Only tried the foundation so far (forget which one), but you can immediately see and taste a difference. Certainly sweeter, lighter and, as you'd expect, closer to filter coffee.


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## DoubleShot

Yes, Colonna said they don't recommend that particular machine purely on the basis that their capsules seemed a tight fit, but not that they don't work. Plausible denial and all that, ha ha.


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## adz313

DoubleShot said:


> Yes, Colonna said they don't recommend that particular machine purely on the basis that their capsules seemed a tight fit, but not that they don't work. Plausible denial and all that, ha ha.


No issue with fit - just that the plastic puts up more resistance than Nespresso's own capsules.

As you say, seem to work, and you can't expect them to try every machine, each of which will have it's own nuances.

Definitely an improvement on standard Nespresso - but can't see them lasting once a proper machine/grinder makes their way into the house


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## DoubleShot

Amazon have reduced the price on a Nespresso Inissia with Aeroccino to £69.99 which is the lowest that combo has ever been. Full retail price is £129.99 and often the Inissia alone sells for £69.99 (occasionally reduced to £59.99) and the Aeroccino on its own retails for around £50!

Linky


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## YerbaMate170

So I just bought a Krups Inissia for £49.95 - my parents wanted one (they wanted a cheap coffee machine for when guests come round, not big coffee drinkers) and I basically went into a local department store having done absolutely no research other than having read that the actual machines are basically the same and that you pay for extras, milk stuff etc..

Pretty chuffed with the price, and have ordered some Colonna pods. On setting up the machine I notice that it is leaking, not actually whilst making coffee but shortly after, some water starts to leak from the bottom... Bit strange because the coffee itself comes out fine and as I say, the leak occurs after the coffee is done. I don't know if I've set it up wrong or if it's broken but the coffee itself comes out fine so I will play around for a few days then return it if need be. (if anyone has some advice, feel free to help me out!)

Came with a pack of 16 assorted Nespresso pods - they taste how you'd imagine them to taste to be honest... If you gave me a shot of starbucks/costa/nero and a shot of the nespresso, I couldn't tell them apart. On the issue of watery shots due to low coffee content (5-6g) this for me is overridden by the fact that they're all roasted so bloody dark and pumped full of robusta.


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## MWJB

YerbaMate170 said:


> On the issue of watery shots due to low coffee content (5-6g) this for me is overridden by the fact that they're all roasted so bloody dark and pumped full of robusta.


I'm at a loss to understand why folk buy into a system that deals in 6g doses, then decry it or talk about watery weak shots. Use 2 pods, or less water. Everyone is aware when they join the game how big the doses are - there is no water in the pods, this is the bit the user adds, add as much/little as you think tastes best.

If you pull 6g into 65g that's still stronger than most filter coffee.

If you want to get more coffee in the pods a time lord might be able to help?


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## YerbaMate170

MWJB said:


> I'm at a loss to understand why folk buy into a system that deals in 6g doses, then decry it or talk about watery weak shots. Use 2 pods, or less water. Everyone is aware when they join the game how big the doses are - there is no water in the pods, this is the bit the user adds, add as much/little as you think tastes best.


Yes, well apparently with the Inissia I can stop the water flow at any point by pressing the button again - I'm going to experiment with multiple pods and some better ratios to see what the results are.


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## DoubleShot

Couple of new coffees available from Colonna here


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## NickdeBug

If anyone is looking to get into Nespresso (Colonna or otherwise) then John Lewis are currently selling a Nespresso machine inc the milk frothing thing + £75 of capsules (3x £25) for £69.99

Here


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## YerbaMate170

I'm struggling a bit with the Colonna pods, too many of them seem to "fail" - i.e not puncture, some don't puncture at all and others puncture only at the very end so you get a shot of mostly hot water and a bit of coffee at the end. Has anyone else had this issue?

I've experienced this with most third-party pods but Colonna's ones have been doing it quite a bit







Shame because they do taste good.


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## DoubleShot

Which machine do you have YerbaMate170? Colonna did comment about the pods being a tight fit, I believe, when used with a Nespresso Pixie machine and therefore they do not recommend it.


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## YerbaMate170

DoubleShot said:


> Which machine do you have YerbaMate170? Colonna did comment about the pods being a tight fit, I believe, when used with a Nespresso Pixie machine and therefore they do not recommend it.


I've got a brand new Inissia - the fit isn't tight, it's just that the pods don't seem to puncture...


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## DoubleShot

Perhaps drop them an email and see if they can suggest anything or comment on whether they had any issues when testing that model?


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## DoubleShot

Lakeland and Debenhams have the Nespresso Inissia on its own without the Aeroccino for £45 and you'll qualify for £45 (£15 x 3 which have to be used on separate orders) of free Nespresso credit to spend on capsules or accessories.


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## Lefteye

YerbaMate170 said:


> I'm struggling a bit with the Colonna pods, too many of them seem to "fail" - i.e not puncture, some don't puncture at all and others puncture only at the very end so you get a shot of mostly hot water and a bit of coffee at the end. Has anyone else had this issue?
> 
> I've experienced this with most third-party pods but Colonna's ones have been doing it quite a bit
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Shame because they do taste good.


i recently had this problem with failed Capsules. It does seem that sometimes they do fail to perf properly but I now spend 30 secs giving the capsule a good shake and tapping on the worktop to loosen the grounds and then press the capsule top side down hard into the worktop to stress it. Since then I've had no failures. I think these capsules produce a good coffee but are pretty expensive ( will be getting more though).


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## DoubleShot

Colonna capsule brewing guide video


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## NickdeBug

I've been trying some of the Colonna long shots using the little nespresso machine that we have at work.

A bit inconsistent, but generally produces a much lighter, more subtle coffee than the pods from Nespresso themselves (many of which seem to be cut with a bit of robusta). They are somewhat lacking in mouthfeel and seem to pour at an intermittent slow trickle. If using the calibrated method in the video then make sure you set the machine using a pod. I set the volumetrics to ~65g without a pod and the end result in the cup was 50g when including the pod. Despite that, no sourness to the shot - just light and easy to drink.

The foil caps on the Colonna pods all seem to be convex, so I am guessing that the coffee has degassed inside the pod. You don't see this in the Nespresso pods - draw your own conclusions on freshness.

Nespresso gets a lot of stick, but for many it represents a practical solution to a half-decent coffee, albeit with no great complexity, in the workplace. It certainly beats the vending machines that tend to taste of whatever the last person used them for - hot chocolate, tomato soup etc., and I would even argue that the flavours are preferable to the inhouse Starbucks that we have here which is almost undrinkable without milk.

Not a patch on what I can make at home, but I don't fancy transporting £2k's worth of kit to my office.


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## NickdeBug

Just had a little look at the spent capsules from Colonna as I was seeing quite a bit of leakage within the machine.

Nespresso pods are pierced in three places when inserted, but Colonna pods seem to have the centre compressed thus opening up 6 apertures around the edge. Unfortunately, as you can see from the photo - this does not seem to be very consistent as only 3 of the 6 apertures have opened and the side of the capsule has cracked.

Inissia machine (as recommended by Colonna) was used and the pod was inserted carefully.

Sorry about out of focus photos - the desk surface came out well though.

Anyone else seen this when using these pods?


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## DoubleShot

Pre-order new compostable capsules

and receive 15% for life. Wonder if they've modified them so they piece more evenly than the current ones?


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## Lefteye

That's the problem I've had with the pods. Had 3-4 go now leading to a failed cup. I have reduced the incidence by firmly bashing the capsules on the perf portion and the side for about 20secs but still they occasionally fail. I reckon the splits are mainly caused when not loosening the coffee in the pod leading to the water hitting a hard puck of coffee and if the pod has a slight weakness it the splits at that point ruining the shot.


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## JGF

I'll check out the empties on my next shot. I bought a taster pack for the machine at work here and have been experiencing inconsistent pours without really investigating why. Taste wise have found them ok - as above really, better than nespresso but not particularly exciting with the exception of one of the rare pods which did produce a really nice lingering acidity.


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## Dayks

Have just ordered a taster pack, visiting family for a week and will hopefully give me something nice to drink.


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## DoubleShot

Would probably be worthwhile dropping Colonna a quick email of problems experienced so that they can work on improving the capsule design. Without such feedback, they probably won't change anything?


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## Lefteye

Already have done. Very responsive to feedback


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## JGF

Tried one this afternoon - no cracking/splitting, all six holes punctured but very very lightly,nothing like the three gaping punctures in the nespresso pods in the same bin (er pod bin, I've not spent the afternoon sifting through the bins at work...). It took forever to drip out 65ml though which I assume is not quite right. Will keep an eye on the next few then probably revert back to long steep presses!


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## darkroom

Lefteye said:


> Already have done. Very responsive to feedback


What was his response? I emailed about this cracking problem in February and he seemed very hesitant to accept that there could be a problem. At least 4 out of 10 capsules failed and I haven't ordered any of the regular ones since. The compostable ones seem to be working well so far. I've encountered the exact same cracking problem with the April capsules.


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## dsc

Just got myself an Inissia for work and ordered a sample pack from Colonna. First pod went in this morning and produced an uber short shot, second one did the same, but I pressed the button again to push more water through the capsule and that worked but produced a lungo in effect.

I've had a look at the spent capsule and it seems to be piercing very lightly on the back with some holes not really passing any water. It's not as bad as the cracking ones shown above but still crap. Will drop them an email, but for now just wanted to check if anyone noticed a similar thing on their rig (in addition to the issues already mentioned above that is)?

@YerbaMate170 did you ever contact Colonna to see what their opinion was?

T.


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## DoubleShot

Have you adjusted the volume of output for both espresso and lungo as out of the box they may not be what they should be (40ml and 110ml)? Ristretto is usually 25ml so would need to stopped manually because most machines do not seem to have separate controls for Ristretto and Espresso.


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## MWJB

DoubleShot said:


> Have you adjusted the volume of output for both espresso and lungo as out of the box they may not be what they should be (40ml and 110ml)? Ristretto is usually 25ml so would need to stopped manually because most machines do not seem to have separate controls for Ristretto and Espresso.


You can set either of the 2 buttons to whatever size you want.


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## dsc

DoubleShot said:


> Have you adjusted the volume of output for both espresso and lungo as out of the box they may not be what they should be (40ml and 110ml)? Ristretto is usually 25ml so would need to stopped manually because most machines do not seem to have separate controls for Ristretto and Espresso.


Not yet but it shouldn't really matter, it's the capsules that simply don't pierce properly. I've tried three other aluminium types and all pierce fine, it's only the Colonnas which are problematic. I've also had one crack just like shown on the photos somewhere above so it's less than ideal. C&S completely ignored my tweet on the matter so I need to drop them an email.

T.


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## dsc

Quick update to this, I emailed Colonna and got an email almost straight back apologising for the issues and informing me that they are switching to aluminium capsules to eliminate further problems in the future. They also very kindly sent me some of their compostable capsules and those work great, also taste very nice, so if you want to give Colonna a try I'd go for those instead of the plastic ones (at least until the bring the ali ones onto their website).

T.


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## DoubleShot

Yes, James Hoffman mentioned that Colonna were switching to aluminium Nespresso compatible pods in his live YouTube webcast a few days ago.


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