So what's the difference between Instant Coffee and Specialty Coffee?
Choosing which is the best instant coffee for you can be overwhelming. There are several coffee beans, roasting techniques, blends and brews, and sometimes knowing where to start can be confusing. So here we're going to take a look at two different types of coffee that you've been probably seeing in grocery stores, coffee shops, etc. If you've ever wondered what the difference between instant and speciality coffee is, you'll wonder no more.
Instant coffee: Let's start by looking at the instant coffee we all are fond of. Also known as coffee powder, instant coffee is from brewed coffee beans, and it gives you the ability to prepare instant coffee by simply adding hot water to the powder and stirring. Commercially, the instant coffee is made ready by either spray drying or freeze-drying, then it is rehydrated.
Instant coffee has four calories and also contains potassium, magnesium, and niacin. It also has about half the caffeine of regular coffee, making it an excellent alternative for individuals who need to cut down caffeine either for health reasons or for personal preferences. Caffeine has many benefits to the human body, but too much consumption can negatively affect insomnia, anxiety, etc. Many people say instant coffee is way better since it comes in decaffeinated form and is the best option with no health effects.
Specialty Coffee: Specialty Coffee refers to the highest grade of coffee available. The speciality coffee scores 80 points or above on the 100-point coffee review. This coffee is grown in three continents, South and Central Americas, Asia, and Africa. The most expensive speciality coffee is Panama Geisha coffee which is sold for over $2000/kg!
Is there a difference in taste between instant coffee and freshly brewed coffee?
Yes, there's a difference; freshly brewed coffee tastes stronger than instant coffee and contains lots of caffeine.
How is Instant Coffee Made?
Instant coffee is made from whole coffee beans roasted, ground, and brewed before it begins its journey to become instant. It becomes instant coffee when all the water has been removed from the brewed beans, resulting in dehydrated crystals of coffee, then adding water to become coffee again.
Instant coffee is made in two ways:
- Spray Drying: With this method, the coffee extracts are sprayed into the steam of hot air, the droplets fall and dry hence becoming the powder form. The powder is then texturized into granules to facilitate dosage and dissolution. The fast-drying procedure preserves the aroma and flavour of the coffee.
- Freeze Drying: With this method, the coffee is firstly cooked down into an extract; the extracts are then cooled at about 20 degrees F into a coffee slushie. The slushie is further cooled to -40 degrees forming coffee ice which is then broken into granules and dried in a vacuum; when the evaporation occurs, it leaves the instant coffee powder.
Popular Instant Coffee Brands:
PRESTO'S COLOMBIAN INSTANT COFFEE 100G –
This is one of the most popular instant coffees available in the market. With notes of dark chocolate and almond, this tasty instant coffee is excellent for those busy mornings when you don't have the time for a fresh brew. Sourced from the mountains of Mogiana, Brazil, this high altitude region is known for its delicious tasting, well-rounded Arabica beans.
The presto brand is from a very trusted company, and they strive to give their customers only the best; they ensure that every blend they make is ethically sourced and sustainably produced.
This instant coffee exudes delicious, rich chocolate undertones tempered by a touch of fruity sweetness and a hazelnut finish. The coffee grounds originate from mountainous regions of Latin America, where the high altitude conditions enhance the flavour.
You can buy instant coffee on our website presto-coffee or on our online coffee shop on Amazon where you can get ground coffee beans, instant coffee packets, and finely ground coffee for all you coffee lovers.
Voila Specialty Instant Coffee
Voila is one of the companies that use the freeze-drying method to have instant coffee powder. The Voila Specialty coffee is of high quality and tastes great too, but the only problem is the price. Making speciality coffee is lengthy and time-consuming; as a result, the final product is expensive. The Voila instant coffee costs US$16 for just 5 sachets in the box; if you use one sachet per cup, you'll spend a lot every week, including the shipping price. The Voila website says you can make two cups from one sachet, but then this depends on what you prefer, i.e. if you prefer a robust cup of instant coffee, you might use the whole sachet on one cup of coffee. The only disadvantage is the price; otherwise, this a great delicious coffee.
Nescafe Gold Cappuccino Coffee Sachets
Do you love cappuccino? If yes, then you will love this instant coffee which takes a few minutes to prepare. The beans of this coffee are carefully selected and roasted, and blended for a full-bodied coffee taste. The instant coffee is unsweetened, meaning you can add sugar if you like
Mount Hagen Organic and Fairtrade Instant Coffee
This is a German brand of instant coffee and was the best instant Coffee by New York Times years back. The coffee is made from 100% finest organic coffee and produces approximately 60 servings per jar.
The coffee affordably when compared to speciality coffees and tastes good too. Therefore, if you're looking for high-quality instant coffee at an affordable price, you should consider the Mount Hagen instant coffee. You won't be disappointed. However, some reviews say the coffee has a particular flavour which makes it less enjoyable.
This instant coffee has 4.5 out of 5 ratings and 2777 global ratings, which is okay. The coffee is excellent for travelling, tastes fantastic and good value for money.
Café-direct Fairtrade Machu Picchu
This is a smooth and full-bodied instant coffee produced from a blend of Latin American and African beans. The flavour is bold, and it has a great instant coffee taste.
Nescafe Azera Americano Instant Coffee
This is a delicious blend of coffee beans that gives you all the quality and flavours you need in an instant coffee.
Kenco Smooth - Instant Coffee Sticks
Kenco is a well-known and respected brand. The coffee is made from a blend of coffee beans, and the flavours are smooth, bold, and rich.
L'OR Classique Freeze Dried Instant Coffee
The L'0R is a new brand but offering great coffee. The coffee is uniquely smooth and delicate yet very rich and aromatic. It contains Colombian beans to ensure the fruity and multidimensional character of the coffee.
Kenco Millicano
Kenco is an instant coffee blended with finely ground beans. The aroma is excellent, and it tastes great too.
Nescafe Gold Blend
Nescafe Gold is also one of the best instant coffees; the flavour is great and comes at an affordable price. This coffee is a mixed blend of Robusta coffee bean and Arabica coffee bean.
Nescafe Original
Again, the coffee is a blend of Robusta and Arabica beans, and it's known for its bold flavour.
Why is Instant Coffee So Popular?
The BBC reported 80% of UK homes having instant coffee than the 12% in the US, Italy, and France. Instant coffee is popular because of obvious reasons – it's quick and easy to make, you need boiled water to enjoy your cup of coffee. It's faster than tea, whereby you have to let the teabag steep, whist with instant coffee you stir, and it's ready. Instant coffee is excellent for those busy mornings when you don't have the time for a fresh brew.
Instant Coffee Vs Ground Coffee
The main difference between these two types of coffee lies in what they are made of. Instant coffees are coffee that has already been brewed, prepared, and preserved for packaging, while ground coffee is not brewed; it's just ground-up coffee beans that have been roasted.
BREWING DIFFERENCES
Instant coffee is already brewed and made ready for packaging, while ground coffee has to be brewed in several steps. You will need several things to brew your ground coffee, while with instant coffee, you just need water to have it ready.
Cost & Convenience
Ground coffee beans are expensive when compared to instant coffee. But preparing it is time-consuming, while on the other hand, instant coffee is cheap, fast, and easy to prepare.
Quality & Flavor
Ground coffee is of high quality, and the flavour is the best, while instant coffee is not of high quality but an alternative for when you need a cup of coffee quickly. Brewing ground coffee will let you enjoy the full fresh flavours of coffee, while with instant coffee, a lot has been done to make it instant. For instance, caffeine is reduced by 50% when compared to ground coffee, and the process of preserving it takes some of its freshness and flavour.
Health benefits
Both instant and ground coffee is linked to several health benefits. The benefits include lowering your risk of type 2 diabetes, lowering your risk of Parkinson's, may protect you from Alzheimer's disease and dementia, etc. Coffee also contains essential nutrients that are good for your health.
Where to buy your freshly roasted coffee beans?
You can buy freshly roasted coffee beans from grocery stores, online shops, such as www.presto-coffee.com.
How do I make the best instant coffee?
First, to get the best instant coffee, fill up the kettle with freshly drawn water, have it boil for a while so that your instant coffee remains warmer for longer, then make sure the coffee to water ratio is perfect. To get the best flavour from your instant coffees, a ratio of 2g (one teaspoon) instant coffee granules for every 200ml of hot water is excellent. After you've mixed your instant coffee with hot water, stir, and then it's ready. Adding milk is optional, so if you love milk, we suggest you boil the milk together with water and then pour it into your favourite coffee mug when ready, also; put one teaspoon of instant coffee granules to enjoy your instant blend coffee. Now you know to make the best instant coffee every time for you and your family of coffee lovers.
Is instant coffee better with milk or water?
This depends on what you prefer; some people like coffee with water while others prefer it with milk. However, both water and milk can be used when making the best instant coffee.
Should you put milk in instant coffees first?
Knowing how to make the perfect cup of instant coffee is a must if you want to enjoy it to the fullest. If you like having your instant coffee with milk, here's how to prepare it:
- The first obvious step is to put the coffee powder and coffee in your favourite mug
- Then add a few drops of cold water and mix the two vigorously until it forms a thick paste
- Boil the milk together with water
- Then pour into the mug from a bit of distance so that the coffee fronts up and stir
- It's ready; you can enjoy your nice cup of coffee with milk
Best instant decaf coffee
The best instant decaf coffee in the UK include:
- Preston instant coffee, you can order it at www.presto-coffee.com
- Nescafe Taster's Choice Decaf Instant Coffee
- Starbucks instant Decaf Coffee
- Folger’s Classic Decaffeinate instant coffee
- Café Altura Decaf coffee
Is instant decaf coffee healthy?
If you want to reduce your caffeine intake either for personal preference or health reasons, decaf coffee is an excellent alternative for you. Decaf coffee is just like regular coffee, you know, the only difference being the reduced caffeine. Decaf coffee is from coffee beans that have had their caffeine reduced by 98%. Because of this, the colour changes and the taste and smell become milder.
Coffee is good for your health and is linked to several health benefits linked to its antioxidants content. Most researchers assess coffee intake without differentiating the regular coffee from the decaf coffee, and most studies don't even include decaf coffee.
Overall, drinking coffee (both regular and decaf) has been linked to several health benefits. For starters, if you drink coffee, just one cup daily is said to reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. Studies have also noted that decaf coffee may protect neurons in the brain, preventing neurodegenerative diseases.
Drinking regular instant coffees is associated with heartburn and acid reflux; many individuals experience this condition. However, decaf coffee can relieve this uncomfortable condition. Drinking several cups of decaf coffee can reduce the risk of having rectal cancer by a whopping 50% which is fantastic.
Should you refrigerate instant coffee?
Yes, you can store your coffee in the fridge or freezer for freeze-dried instant coffee but make sure it's appropriately sealed to get moisture or other aromas from the other foods stored in the refrigerator. However, the best place to store instant coffee is in a cool, dry place, dark place, in an airtight, opaque container. By doing this, you'll get the best instant coffee every time.