The Weekend Edition - Sleep In. Slow Down. Enjoy.

The Weekend Series: be your own barista with these instant specialty coffee goodies

The Weekend Series: be your own barista with these instant specialty coffee goodies

Don’t get it twisted – we’re never going to give up our barista-made coffee completely. The joy of sipping an expertly made cuppa is nearly unparalleled, but for convenience sake we’re open to the idea of getting a comparable caffeine hit at home or at work. Specialty coffee is expanding into the realm of instant brew – we're talking DIY brew kits, pods and sachets, which means we don’t need to spend energy grinding, brewing and pouring on our own whenever the energy levels dip. Here are some ingenious products that will bolster your coffee game considerably (and sustainably) – just don’t let the crew at your local coffee joint find out!


Pod & Parcel
Ever since the arrival of coffee pods, few workplaces have been seen without a Nespresso machine. Pop a pod in, hit a button and soon you’ll have a shot of coffee – what’s not to love? The unfortunate reality of coffee pods is that they rarely stack up to the hit of barista-made espresso we’re used to. Pod & Parcel is a Melbourne crew that is making cafe-quality coffee that is suitable for your pod machine. Pod & Parcel sources specialty grade coffee from researched farmers, roasted in Brunswick and packaged into biodegradable and compostable pods – helping to circumvent the issue of three-million pods heading to landfill yearly. Pod & Parcel’s pods are made from sustainable plant-based material that breaks down in 90 days. If you care about the environment as much as you care about your coffee, make sure your office is stocked up with these beauties.
Image: Pod & Parcel

Double Wood Coffee
Pour-over coffee is a popular way to enjoy specialty brew, but securing quality beans can make it a cost-prohibitive exercise. Melbourne locals Sabrina and Sheila are making pour-over brew accessible with their smartly designed drip-coffee bags. Double Wood Coffee’s bags use a non-toxic nonwoven mesh bag as the filter and vessel for the drip. Simply hang the bag over their choice of cup or mug and then slowly pour hot water until you’ve got the desired amount. Double Wood currently offers three full-bodied blends in its core range, with beans sourced from Indonesia, Colombia and Taiwan.
Image: Double Wood Coffee

The Laughing Pug Coffee Co.
Another enterprising drip-coffee bag outfit is based on the Gold Coast. The Laughing Pug Coffee Co. is turning the instant-coffee game on its head with its own line of single-use drip-coffee bags. Using specialty ground Arabica beans from Papua New Guinea, owners Dylan Rickit and Elise Mann have combined the stellar brew with custom bags made from biodegradable materials. The beans are roasted to a medium brown colour, resulting in a smooth, creamy and chocolaty flavour, which is certainly a step up from your store-bought tins of instant grounds.
Image: The Laughing Pug Coffee Co.

Sipp
The team at Byron Bay’s Sipp are approaching the idea of specialty instant coffee with a sharp focus on health, sustainability and environmental impact. The first step was the packaging – Sipp uses 100-percent compostable bags made from a mixture of plant-based materials that degrade within 26 weeks. Secondly, the goods featured within the packs do much more than put a pep in your step – it’s loaded with microencapsulated probiotics, coconut creamer and organic grains for added health benefits. Sipp stocks a range of products including coconut coffee, double-shot coffee, chai latte and matcha green tea.
Image: Sipp

ST. ALi
Also climbing aboard the specialty pod train is Melbourne specialty roaster ST. ALi. The crew is renowned for not only delivering fantastic coffee, but also constantly innovating the way coffee is sourced, packed, cupped and shipped. The roaster has just unveiled its range of Nespresso-compatible coffee capsules, with three kinds available. Drinkers can sample ST. ALi’s popular orthodox blend, smooth single-origin or a Swiss water decaf variety. If you can’t get enough of the goods, ST. ALi also makes its own specialty instant coffee in partnership with Voila. Simply grab a sachet, dump it into your mug and add hot water.
Image: ST ALi

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