You may or more likely may not have heard of "coffee bags." As you see we are all coffee buffs here on this website, and yet most of us had never heard of this type of bag. These are coffee bags just like the humble tea bag.
Our thoughts were initially that people were talking about the pods or capsules that you can get for the various coffee machines that are now available on the UK market. However that is not the case at all as these are not referring to those.
Coffee bags are in fact a simple bag that you just dunk into a cup of boiling water, and then treat as you would a tea bag. If you like your coffee stronger then just leave it in a little longer and squeeze it a little harder.
Now some of the older writers here do have a memory of these. Something very similar to these was brought out in the late 1970s and early 1980s but they never really caught on. That has now changed and now people do buy these on a regular basis.
They don't of course have the popularity of tea bags, but they have nonetheless continued to increase in sales over the past few years.
Who Is Buying These Coffee Bags?
Many UK coffee lovers are now trying these out as they like and prefer "fresh coffee." In most cases the instant coffee in many workplaces is bought in bulk and is the cheap stuff, or is not supplied at all.
There may also be one of those dreadful vending machines, and that in our opinion, is just not coffee at all.
With these bags you now at least have an alternative. They comes as individually wrapped bags inside a box. That helps keep them fresh and they can be used anywhere there is a kettle, or some source of hot water supply.
They are also handy for taking away on holidays, be that a short break or a couple of weeks in the sun.
They make a lot less mess than using a cafeteria, and they taste a great deal better than many instant coffees, or those horrible pre-filled airline types of coffee cups.
These are also a good choice for anyone who doesn't want the expense of buying a coffee machine. Coffee makers are of course a great choice, but the better ones can be expensive, and they do all require some type of maintenance and regular cleaning.
These bags come in either standard or decaf, so that does open up the choices available. There are also some interesting gourmet coffee choices if you fancy treating yourself to those.
What Brands Make Coffee Bags?
The good news is that most of the coffee brands have some type of coffee bag. I have listed the main brands below:
- Taylors of Harrogate
- Lyons
- Cafe Express
- Gimoka
- Percol Fairtrade
- Sogno
- Real Coffee Bag Company
- Senseo
The Lyon's Brand
Lyons do a few different types and I have listed those just below:
- Lyons No 2 Good Morning Coffee Bags
- Lyons Coffee Break No 3 Coffee Bags
- Lyons No 4 Coffee Bags
- Lyons Coffee Break Coffee Bags
- Lyons Decaf Coffee Break Coffee Bags
The Percol Faitrade Brand
This brand also has a few options:
- Percol Rain Forest All Day Americano Coffee Bags
- Percol Fairtrade Easy Drinking Colombian Coffee Bags
- Percol Rain Forest Alliance Italian Style Black & Beyond Coffee Bags
The Sogno Brand
They do a couple of options:
- Sogno SI Coffee Bag Milano Italian Blend
- Sogno SI Coffee Bag Venezia 100% Arabica
Sogno coffee bags have a rich and intense taste and are very strong.
They are classed as low acidity and there is a long chocolate aftertaste.
Sogno use a blend of 6 varieties of Arabica from Brazil and Central America, and also include Robusta coffee beans from India.
Their products are roasted in Italy and have been since 1931 They are then sealed in a protective atmosphere to retain freshness and aroma.
Practical tea-string for convenience and ease of use
Moreish Coffee Bags
These are pretty popular and a couple of options are available:
- These are a bold and intense blend of Rainforest Alliance certified South American coffee beans
- They are for those who like their coffee strong, dark and delicious
- Heighten your senses with a natural kick of caffeine
The Real Coffee Bag Brand
Emirates Blend Ground Coffee Bags
With this selection you get 100 bags of medium/dark roast coffee.
For a standard strength leave for 3 minutes, but if you require a stronger brew, then leave in for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally before removing the bag.
This blend is for anyone who likes a strong coffee full of body and flavour. The ingredients include Brazilian arabicas and a hint of Central American Arabica from the Jinotega region of Nicaragua.
The Taylors of Harrowgate Brand
Taylors of Harrogate Hot Lava Java Coffee Bags
These are a popular buy for many UK online buyers. They have a rugged taste and best described as smokey or a pepper taste.
They come in individually-wrapped bags that brew right in your cup
The coffee used in these is grown by UTZ certified farmers who implement better farming practices with respect for people and the planet.
The Senseo Brand
180 Gimoka Senseo Dark Roast Coffee 18 Pads
These are made to be used with the Senseo System
They make dark and intense coffee which is very strong and full bodied
The beans used have been roasted by Gruppo Gimoka according to the best Italian coffee artisan tradition.
100% Made in Italy; Exclusively at Gimoka Coffee UK
How Much do Coffee Bags Cost?
As you can imagine the prices will vary depending on which brand and which quality of coffee that you decide to try. However we do like to at least try and give you a sense of what you will pay for these.
- Standard Coffee Bags - Around 12-15p per bag
- Higher Quality Coffee Bags - 25-30p per bag
- Gourmet Coffee Bags - 30-40p per bag
How Do You Use a Coffee Bag?
Coffee bags work on exactly the same principle as a tea bag. Boil some water and put the bag into your cup or mug.
The bag then infuses into the water and the longer you leave it there, the stronger your coffee will be.
You can see now why these may be popular for people at work.
Personally I wouldn't bother with these for home use, as it is just as handy to use instant coffee.
However for taking to work, it is handy to throw a couple of these coffee bags into your lunch box or bag.
Some buyers said that they used these at work, where there were no coffee clubs arranged. A few of them had brought instant coffee but other people just used it.
With the bags they could just keep them in a drawer, and then just lift one out, as and when they needed them.
A few other buyers used these for camping and hiking. Rather than carry a larger glass jar of coffee, or a container with coffee, having a few bags is just much lighter and more convenient.
Coffee bags are not the best way to drink fresh coffee, but for some people they are just really handy, and make a good enough cup of coffee.
Most coffee bags can also be recycled, and that does make them easy to dispose off.
Conclusion on Coffee Bags
I would be the first to admit that coffee bags are not going to be for everyone. They are really handy for some people, and they do make a good cup of coffee. Many buyers of these prefer these to instant coffee, which is usually lower quality.
The bag, which is pretty similar in look and feel to a tea bag, is easy to use, easy to transport, and is also easy to dispose of.
As someone who has really disliked instant coffee for many years, these are handy. I have tried for the first time recently as was given some. I am a cafetiere lover and although these are not as good as my normal cuppa they taste fine.
I would use these at work instead of my mini cafetiere as less mess and I would also use if going to visit others who I know only drink instant. I do not like tea and I would rather than drink the instant coffee usually have a glass of water. However keeping a couple of these in a pouch in my bag will be so convenient. They are stronger than I expected and I only brewed up to about 2 mins. I have been reading that for my taste which is strong coffee better to brew up to 4 mins. So I am more impressed than I thought I would be. I was a little sceptical when given them. I would still stick with my cafetiere at home and use these out of the home.
I think these did not take off in the 70s and 80s when originally introduced because a much smaller percentage of Brits drank fresh ground coffee. Most were on instant. Now with the take over of good coffee bars providing our cappucinos, lattes etc we have developed more of a palate for the real thing and it has become very popular. Even the smallest cafe these days will in most cases have a proper coffee machine. So this is a great alternative to those who want an “instant” cup of coffee with the taste of real ground coffee.
Thanks for your thoughts Lilian, and we agree that these taste better that we thought they would. They are certainly much better than instant coffee.
Coffee bags….
Solving a problem that doesn’t exist
You could well be right Conall but some people really like these
Coffee bags where around in the 70’s not a new ingenious new invention
BLASPHEMY!
I have drunk coffee as a black coffee supporter for many years, I tried the 1980 bags and found them very bitter and now trying the Taylor brand I feel it is over priced and so very like those early attempts. The advert also makes prospective buyers that this is a new invention which it is not, so I will not be buying it again.
Thanks Gary, I appreciate not everyone is a fan of the coffee bag.
Having just started using coffee bags as a handy alternative at work , I do like the Percol Americano compared to the Taylors bags , full of flavour . I haven’t tried any others yet