Know the Coffee Bag - Tips, Tricks, and Sustainability
From the easy brewing process to their versatile applications in cold brews or cafetières, coffee bags offer an enjoyable and faff-free coffee experience. Whether you're a coffee enthusiast seeking a mess-free method or an eco-conscious consumer looking for sustainable options, read on to find out why coffee bags might just be your perfect buy.
What is a coffee bag?
Just a like a tea bag – but with delicious, ground coffee inside instead of tea leaves!
How do coffee bags work?
Coffee bags work the same way as tea bags. Both are small paper bags which are soaked in hot water. Whilst looking like a tea bag, the coffee bag actually uses the same process as the traditional cafetière. Time and heat extract the flavours and brews a delicious and sophisticated taste.
Moreover, the paper bags are biodegradable, and contain the same coffee grounds found in filter coffee. They are made out of cellulose, which is a wood pulp that has been broken down and then processed into fibres. Once finished with the bag, you can simply add them to your food waste bin.
Are coffee bags any good?
Yes, coffee bags are a simple and delicious way of brewing coffee without needing any equipment at all! Instead of grinding up your beans and pouring them into a filter, you just throw the whole bag in whatever mug or cup you want, pour in the hot water and there you have it. A speedy cup of coffee.
The best part is that they come in a multitude of varieties, origins and roasts so that everyone can find their perfect fit. Whether you like light, aromatic and fruity coffees, or even strong and bitter, the coffee bag caters to all. If this sounds appealing but you don't know where to start looking, read on! We've got some tips on getting started with these curious coffee bags.
How to use coffee bags?
Making a cup of coffee using a coffee bag is as easy as making a cup of tea. This is a mess-free method for creating the perfect mug. Follow the instructions below or watch our short video on how to make the perfect cup.
- Select your coffee of choice. See our wide range of flavours and intensities here
- Open sachet and add the bag to your cup
- Add hot water and infuse for 3-5 minutes, depending on your preferred strength
- Give the bag a stir, squeeze and remove
- Relax and enjoy - it's that easy
Do your coffee bags contain plastic?
No, our coffee bags are made entirely from BioWeb (see later FAQ) and contain no plastic.
How big are your coffee bags?
Approximately 77mm x 87mm.
Can you use coffee bags for cold brew?
You can indeed use coffee bags to make cold brew coffee or any kind of iced coffee.
This method is much better than using hot coffee and then cooling it down. Using the hot coffee method will create an acidity that will ruin the taste.
To do this, put your freshly brewed hot coffee bag coffee into a container with ice cubes, add in milk or sugar if you like, and let it sit overnight in the fridge. The next day, all you have to do is stir it up and enjoy!
Can you use coffee bags in a cafetière?
Yes, you absolutely can use coffee bags in a cafetière. Using a coffee bag in a cafetière is easier than using regular ground coffee. This is a mess-free method for when you want more than just one mug. Follow the instructions below or watch our short video on how to make the perfect cup.
- Select your coffee of choice. See our wide range of flavours and intensities here
- Open sachet and add the bag to your cafetière
- Add hot water and infuse for 3-5 minutes, depending on your preferred strength
- Give the bag a stir, squeeze and remove
- Relax and enjoy - it's that easy
What's the difference between coffee bags and instant?
The key difference is coffee bags are made from fresh ground coffee, rather than freeze dried instant coffee. Yet, the preparation process is still as simple, just add hot water and enjoy.
Another difference is that coffee bags or cafetières use brewing methods, whilst instant coffee does not. These ‘brew’ methods create a stronger taste as the grounds are infused for longer in the hot water. Moreover, fresh and fully-flavoured coffee grounds are used, further enhancing the taste.
Instant coffees may also contain unwanted ingredients such as chemicals and preservatives. This often leaves the drink with a bitter or chemical taste, which is definitely not present in our fresh coffee bags. Ultimately, coffee bags offer a purer and more natural option.
Are New Kings Coffee coffee bags sustainable?
At New Kings Coffee every single package and coffee bag is made out of sustainable and recyclable materials. Our commitment to developing practices that combat climate change and support human resources is at the heart of our business.
We teamed up with TerraCycle (https://www.terracycle.com/en-GB/) to ensure that even our foil sachets can be recycled. We are currently looking at changing to PE4 sachets that can be recycled at any supermarket with carrier bag recycling facilities. Currently, please send your empty foil sachets to New Kings Coffee (New Kings Court, Bristol, BS7 8JS). We will make sure they are sent to TerraCycle to be properly disposed of using their Zero Waste Box Policy.
On top of this, our coffee bags themselves are made of BioWeb and can be disposed of in your food waste bin.
Are coffee bags compostable?
Yes, our coffee bags are made using 100% biodegradable BioWeb and are compostable.
Coffee requires air, light and moisture protection to keep it fresh for as long as possible. Without this, the natural oils in the coffee will leach into the packaging and cause the coffee to go stale quickly. Typically, packaging made from a combination of plastic and foil provides the best protection but obviously creates other issues in terms of sustainability. Plus, they’re hard to recycle.
Recyclable materials are generally more expensive but we have decided to move across to our new recyclable sachets, because sustainability is so important to us. BioWeb material is a recyclable alternative, and have no effect on the flavour of the coffee. What’s great, is that you can just throw them into your food waste bin once you're done.
Also, check out brand new Eco Pouches that use 85% less packaging!
Can you reuse coffee bags?
Yes, you can reuse coffee bags but we wouldn't recommend this as the coffee will be weaker. A better use for a used coffee bag would be to feed it to the plants in your garden.
Coffee grounds can be used as fertiliser or mulch to feed the soil instead of buying store-bought fertiliser. You can use the leftovers from your own home-brewed coffee as well as our fully biodegradable coffee bags.
Coffee grounds are particularly great for the growth of plants as they contain nitrogen and phosphorus which are essential for plant growth (some of these include Lilies, Hydrangeas, Gardenias and Azaleas). Moreover, coffee has other nutrients that can benefit your plants: potassium, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus, which are important for healthy plant growth. Why not try growing some lovely Lilies from your next disused bag?
Coffee grounds are also a useful deterrent for cats, dogs and other pests. This works by masking the scent of urine and soil, which might attract unwanted pets. If you have a dog that likes to dig up your flower beds, place some coffee grounds over problem spots. Rodents and insects are repelled by coffee grounds because they don't like their smell or taste—the acidic properties of coffee make it unpleasant for these creatures to ingest in large quantities.
When were coffee bags first used in the UK?
The very first UK coffee roaster to use bags for roasting ground coffee was the London Tea company which was founded in 1908.
By the late 1950s, the first commercial coffee bag packaging machines were being manufactured and sold to roasters. They had a huge impact on how coffee was packaged up for sale.
Thomas Sulivan, an American, then came up with the idea of using gauze bags in 1965 to allow roast ground beans to be infused in water. He found that when he put roasted coffee beans in a porous bag and poured boiling water over them, they would extract their flavour into the liquid. The gauze used was made from silk but later cotton and nylon were adopted as they were cheaper to produce.
Coffee bags have come a long way since then. Our coffee bags include 100% arabica, single origin, Fairtrade and Organic coffee with biodegradable and recyclable packaging.
What are the best coffee bags?
There is a large variety of companies that make their own range of coffee bags and what is ‘best’ really depends on your personal preferences. Some would say taste is the most important factor, but others may say sustainability is the most important to them. Let’s break down some of the factors.
Taste: Arabica and Robusta are the main competing coffee bean types. Arabica beans are often seen as superior to Robusta in terms of taste, aroma and texture. They’re also more expensive than other types of coffee beans due to their higher quality and greater demand by consumers. Only the finest Arabica beans make it into our bags. These beans are carefully sourced from around the world to ensure that every bag is of the highest quality.
Sustainability: When you buy a bag of coffee, it's important to know that the farm that produced your beans used ethical and sustainable methods. That means no forced labour or discrimination, as well as no use of genetically modified seeds or herbicides. In addition to these requirements, the farms must use natural fertilisers and chemical-free pesticides.
There are a variety of organisations that certify products as being ethical, fair trade, and sustainable.
The Fairtrade Foundation is a non-profit organisation that promotes "fair" trading practices around the world. The Rainforest Alliance works to protect forests and wildlife by certifying sustainable farming practices. Organic certification is another way to ensure a product is ethically produced.
Happily, we can confirm that our coffee bags are a certified fair-trade product!
What are coffee bags made with?
Our coffee bags are made using 100% biodegradable BioWeb and are great for use in hotels. Just throw them into your food waste bin once you're done.
BioWeb bags use significantly less energy than traditional cellulose bags to produce while also being completely taste neutral.
Coffee is very different to tea in that it requires air, light and moisture protection to keep it fresh for as long as possible. Without this, the natural oils in the coffee will leach into the packaging and cause the coffee to go stale quickly.
Typically, packaging made from a combination of plastic and foil provide the best protection. This type of packaging unfortunately comes with a host of sustainability issues and is also very hard to recycle. Recyclable materials are generally more expensive, but we are moving across to this type of packaging as sustainability is at the core of our business.
Are coffee bags suitable for office use?
Our individually wrapped coffee bags offer a choice of high quality, fresh ground coffee and are quick, convenient and mess-free to make. As only hot water and a cup are required, our coffee bags are a great fit for any business big or small. We are currently stocked by hotels, event spaces, offices, clubs and travel operators. Have a look at our Business Enquiries page for more information.
Do you sell directly to offices?
Yes, have a look at our Business Enquiries page for more information.
So, as you enjoy your next freshly brewed coffee-bag, think about how every cup is a step towards a more eco-friendly and enjoyable coffee culture.