Exquisite top-quality coffee and fully automatic machines?

We've invested a lot of time and numerous roasts to create coffees that achieve the best brewing results with modern fully automatic coffee machines. We take into account the different brewing parameters, such as grind size, brewing temperature, and pressure, that are characteristic of fully automatic machines.

Now all that's left is to decide which coffee is right for you based on your preferred taste. We'll take care of the rest.

Refillable Nespresso capsules or Senseo pods. Are they a good alternative?

We explored the fascinating question of whether it might be sensible to use refillable alternative capsules or pods at home. The idea behind this is that Nespresso or Senseo (and similar compatible machines) bring their coffee machines to market at very low prices by cross-subsidizing their coffees. Ultimately, they make money from the rather expensive coffee products made for these machines.

In terms of quality, the coffee makers are actually quite good and, compared to conventional fully automatic machines, unbeatably cheap.

The refillable capsule

Nespresso capsules are all the rage. However, these coffee capsules are extremely expensive, waste raw materials, and leave behind tons of waste. Refillable systems are a better option. But how good are they, and do they taste?

Admittedly, genuine Nespresso capsule coffee tastes good enough. But that's also because the coffee and capsules are perfectly matched with a great deal of experience and maximum control. Recreating that with refillable capsules isn't easy.

We are currently testing various refillable capsule systems with different Lapuzia coffees and adjusted grind sizes to achieve the best possible results.

With the metal capsules, we had the impression that they initially used up some of the water's heat, resulting in a slightly under-extracted coffee, meaning it tasted flat and a bit acidic. The coffee from the plastic capsules actually tasted a bit better.

It's a matter of experience. During testing, we found that the grind (adapted to the capsule as much as possible) and the freshness (as fresh as possible, which we guarantee) are the main factors that determine whether the coffee in the capsules turns out well. The fill level of the capsule is also important: If it's not filled tightly enough, the coffee tends to be too thin; if it's over-pressed, some machines stop working. We also found the manual mode to be ideal, where you can stop the water flow yourself as soon as you notice that the coffee is getting thinner.

It may take some time until we find the optimal blend of coffee type and grind size for capsules, as well as get the hang of filling them. We'll continue testing and share our results and recommendations here. We're on the right track. Then you can enjoy great coffee—and avoid tons of aluminum waste. It's worth the effort.

The refillable coffee pad

Since coffee pad machines have become increasingly popular and have become absolute bestsellers within just a few years, we have also tested various refillable systems and achieved good results faster than with capsules.

Unlike store-bought coffee pods, you can fill the refillable versions with your favorite coffee. And if you grind fresh, the coffee from the pods can easily compete with any good filter method.

A detailed description of our coffees for this brewing method and how to handle the pods, as well as grind size recommendations, will be available here soon in another article.

Coffee processing methods according to geography

Type Wet processing Dry processing

Robusta Asia (Indonesia, India, Papua New Guinea) Africa (Uganda, Angola, Tanzania)

Arabica Standard procedure outside Brazil Brazil and up to 10% in other countries

The very rare and expensive Indonesian Kopi Luwak undergoes an additional and special processing method. It is produced when the Luwak species of civet cat eats coffee cherries and excretes beans whose flavor characteristics have been altered by fermentation in the animals' intestines. This process removes, among other things, bitter substances.

Dry processing

During dry processing, the coffee fruits ("coffee cherries"), which contain approximately 50 to 60% water, are spread out and occasionally turned until they are dried to a water content of approximately 12%. This takes approximately three to five weeks. Afterward, the dry skin and pulp are mechanically peeled off.

Wet processing

Wet processing begins, if possible, within 12 hours and no later than 24 hours after harvest. First, the beans are pre-cleaned with water (by hand or machine) and pre-sorted by flushing. Then, in a depulper, the skin and pulp are squeezed off, leaving the parchment and any mucilage adhering to it on the coffee beans. The beans are transported through a flushing channel and sieves into fermentation tanks. There, fermentation takes place, during which the mucilage liquefies and becomes washable. After 12 to 36 hours of fermentation, the beans are washed, then spread out to dry (sun, air, or hot air if necessary), and dried to a water content of approximately 12%. Wet processing requires 130 to 150 liters of water per kilogram of market-ready green coffee.

Semi-dry processing

To conserve water in times of water scarcity while still achieving higher quality than with dry processing, a so-called semi-dry processing method is used: After washing, the pulp is largely squeezed out, but then it is not fermented but dried immediately. Then, as with dry processing, the dry skin and pulp are peeled from the coffee beans.

Why can coffee taste sour?

If your coffee is too acidic, it's due to incomplete extraction. There are several possible reasons:

The grind is too coarse. If the beans are not ground finely enough, the water has comparatively little surface area to extract the soluble components. The easily soluble acids are extracted from the ground coffee first and best and dominate the flavor. The water is not hot enough. If the coffee is brewed too cold, the somewhat less soluble nutty and chocolatey components of the coffee cannot be extracted as well. Analogous to a grind that is too coarse, the easily soluble acids determine the flavor. The coffee is very light roasted. A particularly light roast is often desired and results in a fruity coffee with pronounced acidity. If you don't like that, choose a slightly darker roasted bean. The extraction time is too short. The effect of too short a contact time for the water on the ground coffee leads to the same result as grinding too coarsely and water that is not hot enough. Easily soluble acids are extracted first and are already in solution, while the less easily extracted components have not yet passed into the beverage.

Why can coffee taste bitter?

Bitter coffee is essentially the opposite of an overly acidic product, and therefore, opposing measures can be used to remedy the problem: The grind may be too fine. This extracts many of the coffee grounds' components, including the insoluble bitter and tannin compounds. Their taste masks the pleasant and desired aromas. Grind a little coarser, and the problem is solved. The brewing temperature is too high. Not only do insoluble components of the coffee dissolve, as with too fine a grind, but if the water temperature is above 95°C, some of the ground coffee also burns, creating additional bitterness. The coffee is roasted very dark and therefore burnt. In general, you should avoid buying very dark, oily beans. Not only does a very dark roast lose all the subtleties and characteristics of the coffee, making the roasted aromas so overpowering that the different coffees become virtually indistinguishable and bitter flavors overpowering, but the coffee oils that come to the surface of the beans also oxidize in the air, quickly causing the coffee to taste rancid. An extraction time that's too long is particularly noticeable when making espresso. If the extraction time exceeds 25-30 seconds, bitterness and tannins dissolve more rapidly. Generally speaking, the coarser the grind, the longer the extraction time. Give it a try!

Under no circumstances should the beans be kept in the refrigerator!

Roasted coffee beans, whether whole or ground, are a fine-pored structure with a large internal surface area. Both moisture and off-flavors from the refrigerator tend to get trapped in these pores. And who likes coffee that tastes like cheese? Therefore, the following applies: Store the tightly sealed package in a cool, dark place, perhaps in a corner of the kitchen cupboard.

And: Don't spill it! This is especially important if you buy pre-ground coffee. This would result in maximum mixing with the oxygen in the air, and the coffee fats and oils could easily oxidize and become rancid. If you want to use a coffee can, it's better to stuff the entire pack into it.

Occasionally you hear the advice to freeze coffee in the freezer – better not!

The beans contain a small amount of residual moisture. The freezing water crystallizes as ice and destroys the cell walls. And that's not all – when the beans thaw, the condensation can now happily and unhindered pre-extract the valuable aromas that were supposed to be protected by freezing.

Therefore, it's best to always buy coffee fresh and in small quantities and use it quickly rather than trying adventurous storage methods!

Dear coffee lovers,

Rising coffee prices are currently on everyone's lips. As early as November 2024, the Handelsblatt newspaper ran the headline "Is coffee becoming a luxury item?" Since then, purchasing prices for green coffee have risen by over 30%, and compared to February 2024, the price has now more than doubled. Unfortunately, this applies to both Arabica and Robusta coffee varieties.

You can find further information here.