Bean Bag coffee review

Bean Bags proper coffee in a bag

I picked these up in Waitrose before our Scottish holiday as I was unsure what the coffee “facilities” might be.  They’re not at all bad, so here’s the review.

Making a coffee with these coffee bags is pretty much the same as using tea bags.  You plonk the coffee bag into a mug, pour on some very hot (not boiling) water and let it brew for a couple of minutes.  Squeeze the bag with a spoon against the edge of the cup, lift it out and enjoy.  Simple as that.

At about 44p each I’m not sure whether to think of them as being expensive or not.  Sure, much cheaper than drinking in a coffee shop but pricey for a cup brewed at home.  Except we weren’t at home, we were on holiday in Scotland and this was the only way of having a decent coffee without resorting to buying a cafeteria and some ground coffee.  After all, having a nice coffee can make all the difference at the start of end of a day.

The all important taste

Not bad.  However, as you see the packet talks of “hints of dark cocoa and walnuts” which I’m sorry, I just don’t get this at all, especially the reference to walnuts. The coffee is certainly quite nice and smooth with minimal bitterness.  Strength-wise I’d say it’s about right.

The fact that this is decaffeinated coffee is probably the strongest influence on its taste.  In common with all of the other good quality decaffeinated coffees I have tried, there is a certain ‘kick’ or ‘something’ missing from what is otherwise a very pleasant drink.  That’s not anyone’s fault, it’s just the way it is.

Would I buy this again?

Yes.  Yes because it is a nice way of having a decent coffee when we’re out and about.  Perhaps making a brew in the car using water from a flask, or something like that.  For home use, perhaps not as they are a tad expensive.

Suitable for

• Making decent coffee without a cafeteria or a filter machine
• Outdoorsy occasions when you don’t have a coffee maker at hand
• Those who like to use the coffee bag again for a second cup (must do this swiftly)
• Decent alternative to horrible vending machine crap coffee (keep some at the office)
• Composting the used bag afterwards.  Coffee grinds are actually quite a good ingredient in home made compost for the garden