The Cumulus Machine Review – Fast and Frothy Iced Brew
But, let’s talk about oxygen. This device is a simple pump that injects pure air (79 percent Nitrogen, 20 percent Oxygen) into your coffee instead of using nitro cartridges. It’s cool, but oxygen is known to be the enemy of fresh tasting coffee. After the nitro evaporated, side-by-side taste tests did show more flabby oxidation flavors in the nitro than the basic non-nitro.
But fresh off the machine, this doesn’t show up much. You notice fun, bubbly bubbles which also give the impression of sweetness. A WIRED editor, looking a picture of Cumulus with its abundant nitro, suspected jokingly that it was a ruse. “I’d swear they used Guinness for the promo shots,” he wrote.
The espresso is likewise effervescent–endowed with a thick and genuine crema, formed through the pressure exerted by the device’s powerful compressor. The Cumulus’s natural frothiness was what led to the martini’s beautiful foam top. This result would not have been possible with chilled, hot espresso. This recipe calls for 1.5 ounces vodka, 0.75 of Mr. Black coffee liqueur, and half an ounce simple syrup mixed with one ounce of chilled espresso. Mix, shake, pour. The device makes only double shots, so one capsule provides enough cold espresso for two cocktails.
Who’s the Cumulus For?
On the one hand, the Cumulus is an impressive piece of engineering–one that succeeds on multiple fronts where other device makers have failed.
But it is not a device for coffee snobs. The Cumulus is best suited to people who enjoy the convenience of Keurigs and don’t care too much about coffee. It also works well for those who like to add milk, sugar and other flavors. Cumulus doubles down on this with flavored syrups ranging from Orange Piloncillo to Cinnamon Demerara.
