Tips & Troubleshooting

Our Capsules have been designed to make sure you get great results with your first try. Nevertheless, here are some of our top tips to help you get the most out of your Beau Capsules!

Tip 1: Choose The Right Coffee

9 times out of 10 when the result is not what you're looking for, it is due to the type of coffee being used. 

We recommend medium-dark roast, finely ground coffee. This enables the perfect extraction rate to get the pull the most flavour through.

 

When the coffee is too coarse then the result tends to be weaker and if the coffee is too fine (e.g. extremely fine grind) then it can cause the water to get blocked.

• If you like to grind the beans yourself, experimenting between Espresso, Moka Pot and Aeropress grind is the way to go. If you are unsure which setting you should be using on your machine, here is a link to a great guide: Grind Size Chart

• If you are getting your local roaster to grind the beans for you then the optimum grind size is between 140 and 146 microns (usually 142), depending on the beans used.

• Finally, if you are looking for the easiest option, here are some of the most popular ground coffees recommended by our customers: Lavazza Crema e Gusto, Origin Coffee Resolute (Aeropress Grind), Segafredo Zanetti Espresso Casa, Lavazza Rossa.

Tip 2: Tailor Your Tamping Pressure

It is important to understand the effect the pressure of your tamping has on the coffee.

If you are using finely ground coffee, you may experience slow extraction. In this case, we suggest experimenting with lighter pressure - pack the coffee more loosely with minimal tamp, or simply fill and apply the lid. 

At the other end of the scale, if your grind size is more coarse you may experience a lighter coffee, in this scenario we suggest applying more pressure when tamping.

 Tip 3: Less is More (Coffee Quantity)

Usually, we do not recommend packing the capsule too full as this can cause the water to flow through too slowly and will not produce the best results.

The optimal amount of coffee fills the capsule to the top (unpressed), then once the coffee is pressed down lightly, there should be just enough space for the lid to fit on comfortably.

Tip 4: Make Sure Your Machine is in Tip Top Condition

It is important to make sure your coffee capsule machine has been recently cleaned, descaled and is in optimum working condition. 

“Descaling” is the act of stripping calcium and lime deposits from your machine’s surfaces, assisting the pump to create a pressure build-up that produces a lovely crema to top your brew. 

If you want to ensure your coffee machine is producing the best flavour and an optimal brew pressure, it should be cleaned once a week and descaled once every three months. Cleaning your coffee machine not only extends its life, but also ensures the quality of the coffee you brew. 

Don't - Use vinegar! Vinegar doesn't remove coffee oils the way a professionally formulated coffee machine cleaner does. 

Do - Use a cleaning solution that will remove oils, stains and break down grime.

Bonus Tip: Craft Your Crema

There is a simple Barista trick that can help you create a more impressive crema on your coffee.

Once you have placed your Beau Capsule into the machine, start the machine running for 2-3 seconds and then press the button again to pause it (just long enough for water to fill the capsule but not long enough for it to start flowing through).

Then, leave it for 10 seconds or so and start it running again.

This increases the pressure for the extraction and results in a stronger crema!

Thank us later ;)

Bonus Tip 2: Experiment to Find Your Perfect Flavour

Depending on how you like your coffee to taste, you can change the way you brew it to produce different results (e.g. see below):

• Intense Double Espresso

Fill two capsules and extract a single shot out of each.

• Cafe Style Latte

Similarly to the Double Espresso, fill two capsules, extract a single shot out of each and then add your steamed / frothed milk.

• Strong Americano

Fill two capsules, for the first capsule, press the lungo setting and let it run until you have a coffee level just short of your Regular Americano. Press the button again to stop the machine. Take the first capsule out of the machine and replace it with the second, now, into the same cup, press the Espresso button (add milk & sugar if that’s how you like it).

If you have other preferences, it is fun to experiment with a variety of combinations to find lots of different types of coffee you like! 

Troubleshooting

Solution 1: What to do if the coffee isn't flowing through the machine.

99% of the time when the coffee isn't flowing properly or is getting blocked, it is either to do with the tamping pressure (pressing the coffee down too hard) or the coffee being too finely ground.

The first thing we recommend doing when this happens is to cut open a regular capsule (if you still have any leftover) and put that coffee into the Beau Capsule. If you find it works perfectly, then you know that the coffee is the problem. If not, then it is either the tamping pressure or you could have a faulty capsule (if you think it is this, please get in touch with us here - support@beaucapsules.com).

Once you have worked out that it was the coffee causing the issue, it is time to choose the the right coffee for you! For help choosing coffees, please see Tip 1 (above).

Solution 2: What to do if the coffee is not strong enough.

When the coffee is weak, it is almost always due to the grind being too coarse. This is because there is too much space between the grinds causing the water to run through without soaking up all of the yummy coffee goodness. 

The number 1 solution therefore, is to find a coffee that you love, and luckily we have some great tips to help you with that further up this page.

If you are used to barista level coffee, then the only solution is to use 2 capsules because there is much more in a café coffee than fits into a capsule. Don't worry though, using 2 Beau Capsules is still much more affordable than single-use capsules and doesn't create any waste!

Solution 3: What to do if the capsule is fiddly and tight to get into the machine.

This one is a fairly simple trick, all you have to do is place the capsule into the machine at a slight angle, so the bottom of the capsule slides nicely under the lip of the machine. If you try this and you are still having trouble, please get in touch and we will be happy to help.

Nespresso® is a registered trademark that is not linked in anyway to Beau Capsules, we are merely using their name to indicate compatibility with our capsules.