Who doesn't like things that are quick? Especially in the morning when you have a busy day ahead.
There's no doubt that freshly ground coffee beans would win when it comes to flavor. But what exactly is instant coffee? Is it different from regular coffee? How is instant coffee made? Can I use specialty coffee as instant coffee? Let's delve into this coffee and why everyone can't seem to get enough of it.
The history of instant coffee
According to some sources, the first version of instant coffee was invented in 1771 in Great Britain. In the United States, this product was developed in 1853. The product that officially became the instant coffee we drink today was the work of a man named David Strang, from New Zealand, back in 1890. He founded a company called Strange Coffee. He patented his invention, but he also patented the process he used to develop this revolutionary coffee.
The process was called dry hot air, and it is said to have been first designed by Japanese scientist Satori Kato. After this, several other coffee companies also developed their own instant coffee, as the popularity of this beverage grew daily and very quickly reached millions of consumers every day. Perhaps one of the most popular brands in the coffee world gained popularity with the help of this coffee. We're talking about Nescafé (we've all heard of 2-in-1 and 3-in-1).
How is instant coffee made?
What makes coffee instant is when all the water is removed from the brewed product, leaving dehydrated coffee crystals.
It's essentially coffee made from coffee extract. Preparation is as simple as adding hot water and instant coffee powder, and you've got a cup.
There are two methods for preparing instant coffee:
Spray drying
Liquid coffee is sprayed into hot air, which causes the droplets to turn into coffee granules. Spray drying uses heat to extract the coffee powder.
Freeze drying
The liquid inside the frozen coffee vaporizes, leaving a coffee powder that can be reconstituted in water. Freeze-drying tends to leave more aromatic properties, which can make this method feel more like a freshly brewed cup of coffee.
The preferred drying method varies among different manufacturers, however, the most common technique is the freeze-drying method.
The difference between instant coffee and ground coffee
Aside from the overall freshness and flavor, instant coffee tends to have less caffeine than ground coffee. Some studies have shown that instant coffee may contain more of certain antioxidants . But ground coffee contains more than twice the amount of potassium found in instant coffee.
Another big difference is the speed and ease of instant coffee compared to ground coffee. You literally just mix hot water with the coffee powder, and it's ready.
With regular brewed coffee, you need to grind the coffee beans and prepare them for your brewing method . Not to mention, you'll likely need additional items like filters or coffee pods.
An important aspect is the difference in the quality and flavor of the coffee. While ground coffee maintains its flavor profile thanks to its technical and standardized processes, instant coffee tends to lose its properties due to the length of roasting.
This brings us to another difference, and that's economic . Instant coffee is cheaper due to the type of bean used in its production. This is the robusta variety, a bean that is more economical due to its production process.
Ground coffees, on the other hand, are usually specialty coffees made with the Arabica variety. These require more complex harvesting and preparation techniques, allowing the coffee to possess more flavor properties. This is why they are more expensive but their quality is much better.
In terms of ecology , instant coffee has the greatest environmental impact due to its roasting process. This process takes a long time, which means more energy is invested.
Does instant coffee expire?
Freshly brewed coffee is the best coffee, no question about it. If the container containing your instant coffee has been left open for a while, mold and other fungi can begin to accumulate and cause your instant coffee to spoil. If you want to get the best flavor from your powder, try consuming it closer to the date it was roasted.
Is instant coffee good or bad?
If consumed in high doses every day, it can be harmful, just like any other food or drink, so it wouldn't be wise to overdo it with your daily use of instant coffee.
Good things
- It's very quick and easy to prepare. Just add hot water to the coffee, stir a little, and that's it!
- There is no waste in the brewing process, so there is no need to discard leftover coffee grounds.
- There are many recipes that include instant coffee . For example, in addition to basic instant coffee, you can make iced instant coffee (adding ice cubes, milk or cream, and cocoa or vanilla), blended instant coffee (the same ingredients as iced instant coffee, but with a subtle touch of chocolate syrup), and instant latte (with hot milk).
Bad things
- For some consumers, the mouthfeel cannot come close to comparing to the flavors of freshly brewed coffee .
- In the preparation process (which is very fast), there's no romance or connection. You know that feeling when you're preparing a meal or a drink that takes your precious time to prepare. You commit your energy to getting to the finish line and taking a zip that's more elegant just because you took your time in the preparation process.
Which is better?
Instant coffee and ground coffee have a wide variety of characteristics that differentiate them, including flavor, quality, preparation time, and environmental impact.
In a hurry? Maybe instant coffee is the way to go. Want to make a high-quality cup of coffee? Still consider regular coffee the best option.
So which one is “better” will depend entirely on how you like your coffee .