Ice Forte Vs Leggero: What's The Difference Between The Nespresso Pods?

Cuddling a cozy cup of hot coffee is a comfort zone for many folks, but there's a chilly alter-ego deserving of some consideration as well. We're talking about iced coffees, a genre in which Nespresso happens to excel. Compared to the company's constant parade of hot-brew pods and capsules, the icy alternatives are few but mighty. Two iced Nespresso pod blends for Vertuo machines stand out for their exclusive designation as "Ice" pods, intended to be brewed over a glass of ice. Nespresso Ice Leggero and Ice Forte share the cold-drink category but otherwise have quite different coffee profiles. 

The most obvious difference between these two coffee pods is their size. The Ice Leggero is a double espresso drink brewing just 2.7 ounces, while the Ice Forte pod delivers 7.7 ounces for a full-sized iced coffee drink. But that doesn't mean the Leggero espresso must remain in its concentrated form; In fact, many Nespresso enthusiasts add extra ice and cold water or milk. Apart from the size and coffee concentration, the diverging characteristics include things like flavor, origins, roast intensity, and a minor variation in price. 

Regardless of which Ice version you choose, Nespresso provides accessory options for maximizing these two cold drinks. They include iced tumblers, barista-style ice cube trays and shakers, and cold coffee glasses in two sizes: The 11.8-ounce Barista Recipe glasses and a larger 18.6-ounce Reveal glass with engraved lines on the lower portion.  

Ice Forte, which is part of the Barista Creations collection from Nespresso, comes out of the machine ready to go with a full glass of 7.7 ounces of rich coffee flavor from South American and Indonesian Arabica beans. When discussing iced coffee drinks, Nespresso states that "cold drinks need bold flavors." This is a pod that delivers on that conviction, with intense flavors from the highest roast level Nespresso designates for its coffees. 

The flavors emerging in this iced coffee offering lean more toward woody and peppery, but with similar cereal notes as the Ice Leggero. If you like a straight Americano coffee, this is a good choice. Adding milk inches the Forte into latte land, but since the liquid volume is already there when it emerges from the machine, there's not a lot of room for creating a genuine creamy latte. But a thick layer of frothed milk spooned over the top works even better. 

However, brewing this pod and adding ice is only the beginning if you want to get creative. Nespresso shares a recipe for Vanilla Almond Ice Forte, which calls for vanilla syrup and an almond beverage. Almond milk is widely available in the cooler sections of most supermarkets. This one comes together by placing several ice cubes in a tall glass or mug and adding the vanilla and almond. Experiment with amounts per taste preference. Then place the mug under your Nespresso machine, and brew the Ice Forte pod right over the drink-in-waiting.  

As they are double espresso, Ice Leggero pods deliver a strong concentration. But they're actually roasted to only a light-to-medium level, allowing fruity and biscuity cereal notes to emerge. The flavor is a good complement to cool drinks, especially when diluting the concentration with extra liquid.

Ice Leggero is intended to be brewed directly into a waiting cup of ice, though some users prefer letting the coffee cool before adding the ice later. It's also a good time to increase the volume if desired. Topping it up with water makes it resemble a cold Americano, while milk turns it into a refreshing chilled latte-style drink. If you prefer sweet coffee, you'll need to use a liquid sweetener once the coffee is chilled. Alternatively, granulated sugar or thick honey can be stirred in while the coffee is fresh and still warm.

Since Ice Leggero pods deliver such a strong dose of double espresso, it's a good candidate for making a Nespresso martini and a solid alternative to its Ristretto pods for Vertuo users. The company suggests pouring a shot of espresso into a glass, then using a cocktail shaker to blend some ice, vodka, and coffee liqueur, shaking until it foams. Then, pour the mixture over the espresso in the glass, removing the ice from the strainer. At a cost of just $1.25 for one Ice Leggero pod, it's a quick and affordable way to make martinis for a group of friends.