Instant coffee has become a great product because it’s affordable, has a long shelf life and takes almost no time to prepare. For the many people who enjoy drinking instant coffee, they find it easy to use; however, there are still many people out there who think the taste of instant coffee is horrible and flavourless and has a burnt taste and smells like firewood.
These two unique flavours of instant coffee come from their production method. I will explain the processing method of each bean. Moreover, how this impacts both the flavour of the coffee and how much caffeine you get. After reading this you will know what to look for when buying instant coffee at the grocery store.
It All Starts with Real Beans
The greatest misconception about instant coffee is that it is not a “real coffee.” To be true, it does start its journey to become like that of what is served in a cafe. Green wholebean coffee is used to start the whole process. These beans are roasted and ground to bring out their flavour.
The first step to creating instant coffee will be the type of coffee bean used. Many of the companies that create instant coffee offer Robusta as the beans used for the coffee products. Robusta is less expensive to produce compared to Arabica beans, which are used in many of the specialty coffee located in a coffee shop, but offer a stronger flavour or bitter taste compared to the Arabica beans.
The Brewing Stage:
After the beans are ground, there is a huge quantity of brewed coffee produced at the manufacturing site with all of the flavour being extracted from the coffee grounds using high pressure and hot water.
At this point, a concentrated, syrup-like coffee is created. But it would not be ready for you to drink, as all of the water should be removed from the coffee to make the product instant.
The Big Divide: Spray-Drying vs. Freeze-Drying
Here is where you can really tell if the quality is good or bad. The two main ways to turn liquid coffee into powder or granules are:
1. Spray-Drying (The Fast Way)
In this process, the liquid coffee is sprayed into a column of hot air from above the column. The heat then dries the tiny droplets into powder (or granules) as they fall to the ground.
- The Problem with Taste: The liquid coffee takes two heats to make (brewing & spray drying) which causes all of the aroma to be killed by the second heat source, making it stale or burnt smelling. Because it is so inexpensive, most budget brands use spray-dried coffee.
2. Freeze-Drying (The Quality Way)
The method of processing used for freeze-drying has no effect on how the nutrients in coffee are processed. It keeps all the natural oils and aromas intact.
This is why freeze-dried instant coffee appears to have chunky, irregular shaped crystals. It is totally different versus having a very fine powder form. Moreover, it gives a taste similar to that of a fresh cup from a coffee maker.
- The Benefit for Taste: Frozen coffee is coarsely ground and packaged into containers that create a vacuum around them. As long as the temperature remains below freezing, the ice inside the coffee will convert to water vapor before melting.
Does Processing Affect Your Health?
In terms of health advantages, many also want to know whether all of this processing alters the “good-for-you” components contained in the bean. The answer is that instant coffee maintains the majority of the antioxidants present in fresh coffee beans.
Another benefit of instant coffee is that it typically has about 30-90mg of caffeine per serving compared to approximately 70-140mg per serving for brewed coffee. This means if you are looking for a caffeine boost without an increased heart rate, using instant coffee would be an excellent option.
Comparing the Pros and Cons
| Feature | Instant Coffee | Fresh Brewed |
| Speed | 30 seconds | 5–10 minutes |
| Shelf Life | Years | Weeks (for beans) |
| Aroma | Low to Moderate | High and Complex |
| Cost | Very Low | Higher |
How to Pick a Better Instant Coffee
To find the instant coffee you desire, without having to endure the “gas station” flavor, follow these professional tips for how to shop for it:
- Look for the “100% Arabica” on the label; these beans have been cultivated naturally without any chemical additives, resulting in less bitterness and more smoothness than Robusta beans.
- The “freeze-dried” process maintains the flavour. Freeze-dried instant coffee usually retails at a higher price, but the difference in taste is significant.
- Instant coffee is sold in light, medium, and dark roasts, as is regular coffee. If you dislike the taste of a burnt flavour, select a medium roast.
- When making instant coffee you will likely make the mistake of pouring boiling water (100 degrees Celsius) directly over the powdered instant coffee. The boiling liquid will burn the instant coffee, causing it to taste bitter. Allow your kettle to come off the boil for about 1 minute, so that the water is between 90 and 100 degrees Celsius before adding the instant coffee powder. The resulting coffee will taste much more gentle and pleasant to drink.
Take Away
Instant coffee is a marvel of engineering. No, it isn’t “fake” coffee, but rather, concentrated coffee that has been dehydrated for your convenience. While you won’t be able to find the intense and floral notes that you would from a high-quality pour-over coffee made by a local coffee roaster, it’s more delicious than ever because modern freeze-drying techniques have improved.
Experiment with both types of instant coffee at home later. Go ahead and get a tin of “powder” type instant coffee, and also get a jar of “freeze-dried” type instant coffee next time you are grocery shopping to compare them. You might be shocked at how much of a difference the drying method makes to your coffee experience!