Wondering what is the difference between capsule coffee and coffee concentrates? You’re not alone! Coffee concentrates can be pretty confusing to many, and we’re here to break down the differences of these 2 popular caffeine sources!

What is Capsule Coffee

Capsule coffee is grounded coffee beans pre-packed into small capsules that are to be used in a dedicated coffee machine for compatibility. There are many different types and brands of coffee machine/capsules with the most common and popular one being the Nespresso which personally, we use in our homes as well. In recent years, an increasing number of coffee makers like Starbucks have been making Nespresso compatible coffee capsules as well. This allows customers to be able to choose from a wide variety and strength of coffee to best suit their needs at a push of a button.

These coffee capsules can easily be found on the shelves of your neighbourhood supermarket and come in a wide variety.

What is Coffee Concentrates

Coffee Concentrates are made from grounded coffee beans steeped in cold or room temperature water for an extended period of time (usually 12-24 hours) to extract the flavour of the beans to make coffee.

Freshness

Coffee Concentrates are usually fresher than capsule coffees as capsule coffees come ground. Coffee beans loses their freshness very quickly once grounded, hence making the coffee in capsule coffees less fresh. From the production factory to the shelf to your home, coffee might no longer be as fresh once you pop it into the machine to make your cup. On the other hand, coffee concentrates are usually made immediately after grinding the coffee beans to ensure most of the freshness is sealed in the bottle.

Capsule coffee: Less fresh

Coffee Concentrates: More fresh

Price

Capsule coffee are definitely cheaper than coffee concentrates as it is produced on a bigger scale. Coffee concentrates are of a higher price point than capsule coffees due to the brewing process.

Capsule coffee: $

Coffee Concentrates: $$

Shelf Life

Capsule coffees usually have a longer shelf life, ranging from 1 to 2 years. That said, the longer capsule coffees are kept, the less fresh the ground coffee beans are. Coffee concentrates have a shorter shelf life of 2 to 4 weeks as the coffee has been brewed and delivered in liquid form.

Capsule coffee: Longer shelf life

Coffee Concentrates: Shorter shelf life

Coffee Strength

If you’re looking for coffee with higher caffeine, coffee concentrates are your go to. Since coffee concentrates are brewed with a higher bean to water ratio, it definitely has a higher amount of caffeine compared to capsule coffees. Think of it as an espresso shot, just cold brewed.

Capsule coffee: Lower caffeine

Coffee Concentrates: Higher caffeine

Amount of wastage

If you’re particular about the amount of wastage you potentially create, you might have to think twice about coffee capsules. Coffee capsules generate plenty of waste with every serving of coffee since they are kept in pods. Unless your capsules are reusable, the amount of wastage generated from coffee capsules would be a lot. For coffee concentrates, many servings of coffee are stored in a bottle as it has a higher caffeine content.

Capsule coffee: High wastage

Coffee Concentrates: Low wastage

After laying out the different pros and cons of capsule coffee and coffee concentrates, making a decision might be easier. Granted, coffee concentrates might be at a higher price point but with the extra amount of caffeine, freshness and reduction in the amount of wastage, coffee concentrates are undoubtedly a much more environmentally friendly option.

Order your cold brewed coffee concentrates here today!