Most people aren’t thrilled at the prospect of instant coffee. It is just a means to an end, and that’s all. People regularly mock it for lacking flavor, zing from the caffeine, and almost every other standard by which we evaluate coffee. And we can’t blame them for being upset.
However, specific techniques can enhance the flavor absent in store-bought powdered versions. But before jumping into how to make instant coffee and revealing all the secret recipes, let’s understand how they prepare these store-bought instant coffees.
What is Instant Coffee?
Also known as the coffee powder or soluble coffee, it is a beverage made from brewed coffee beans. Typically, real coffee beans are used to make instant coffee. First, the beans’ soluble and volatile components are removed. After that, the water is evaporated, leaving either powder or concentrated soluble coffee powder.
Instant coffee has several advantages over beans or ground coffee, including speed of preparation, lower shipping weight, and longer shelf life, albeit it can degrade if not kept dry. One drawback is that it doesn’t taste as good as freshly made coffee.
Instant coffee is a contentious selection among coffee connoisseurs because many consider it to be weak or imitation coffee. However, some businesses have utilized the convenience feature for advertising more expensive coffee.
How Does Instant Coffee Work?
Earlier instant coffee methods relied on grinding the coffee into a paste and shaping it into a briquette. You then dissolve it in hot water. However, the present method is a little more sophisticated. The two main manufacturing processes for making instant coffee from roasted beans are freeze-drying and spray drying.
In the spray drying process, they spray a heated, dry chamber with a very thin mist of liquid coffee. This mist is blown downward by hot air that reaches temperatures of roughly 415F. The coffee has turned into a fine powder by the time the mist reaches the chamber’s bottom. Coffee granules are then created from this powder for accurate measurement and packing.
The roasted coffee beans disintegrate in water when using the other freeze-drying process. After further extracting and filtering, you get the coffee concentrate. The concentration is then frozen to extremely low temperatures, revealing the coffee powder you mix with water.
Check the below procedure if you are wondering how to make instant coffee from roasted coffee beans.
Tools You’ll Need
- Coffee beans
- A strainer or filter with a tiny mesh
- Coffee grinder, food processor, or coffee mill
- Airtight container or sealed pouch
Step 1 Grinding
Pour one scoop of roasted coffee beans into your grinder. You can add more amounts based on the required strength and number of serves. Use the grinder to grind the coffee beans into fine powder. Get coffee granules as fine as powder.
Step 2 Straining
Strain the ground coffee through the sieve until the only thing left is the coarse powder in your cup and the bigger particles in the fine-mesh strainer.
Step 3 Filtering & Storage
You can throw away the large, dry coffee grounds. Store the remaining fine coffee powder in an airtight container for the future. You can keep some for use at present.
Step 4 Use lukewarm water
To prevent burning and over-extracting your precious coffee beans, boil some fresh, clean water, then let it sit for a minute to let the temperature drop below boiling.
Step 5 Coffee is Ready
If you prefer your coffee with a bit of sugar, add some to the hot water as you pour it over the grounds in your cup and stir. After 10 seconds, add creamer, milk, or any other flavorings to taste after stirring the water into the coffee grounds.
DIY Instant Coffee
If you don’t want to put that much effort into grinding, straining, and storing instant coffee, here are some quick techniques to make your instant coffee taste so much better. Take a look!
- Put in some ice and milk to make yourself a delicious Frappuccino.
- Butter can enhance the taste of your instant coffee and give it a smooth, silky texture. Add a little bit, but don’t go over the top.
- Cocoa powder can add that extra punch to your coffee. So, it is for all those chocolate lovers!
- Your instant coffee can also get the much-needed flavor from cinnamon. Just add a pinch, and you are good to go!
- Flavor syrups and sweeteners can also do the trick and boost the taste of your instant coffee.
Conclusion
Although some contend that freeze-drying is the superior process, store-bought coffee has less flavor and caffeine. Furthermore, instant coffee made using this technique is frequently criticized for being of lower quality.
Instant coffee is useful only in an emergency as it generally has a harsh, bitter flavor and leaves a weird aftertaste. This makes it a not-so-appealing drink. However, following the above recipe on how to make instant coffee from roasted coffee beans and making it yourself at home can enhance the flavor significantly.
