Coffee

Instant coffee bears little resemblance in taste to freshly brewed coffee. It is commonly made with inferior ‘robusta’ beans. It is the product of a complex scientific process, yet we British love it.

It may be convenient, but do we actually know what we are drinking? Have you ever wondered how they make coffee soluble? After all coffee is made using tough coffee beans that surely cannot be made to dissolve in water.

The truth is that instant coffee does not contain any actual coffee beans; it is simply a dried coffee flavoured solution that is the product of a complex brewing process. Similarly to everything else in the world of food that has been altered by science is coined ‘Frankenstein’; maybe we should start calling instant coffee, ‘Frankenstein Coffee’?

The process

Extraction: The process starts by passing water through a series of cylinders full of ground coffee beans. Each of these cylinders is heated to a different temperature and in at least one of the cylinders pressure is applied to achieve a fuller extraction. One of reasons why instant coffee is bitter is because during this extraction process the coffee grounds become burnt as they are exposed to temperatures of up to 180°C. (The widely agreed optimum temperature, among coffee enthusiasts, to brew coffee is between 90-95°C).

Filtration & Concentration: This coffee solution is then filtered to remove any unwanted particles before the concentration stage. Here water is removed from the coffee solution to increase the flavour. There are several different techniques to do this, one of which involves heating the solution further to evaporate the water.

Dehydration: In this stage the coffee solution is converted to a dry form. There are two commonly used methods; Spray drying and Freeze drying. The spray drying method is quite complex, however the basic principle is to spraying hot air through the coffee solution in order to evaporate the remaining water. Freeze drying involves quickly freezing the coffee solution into blocks which are then broken up into small particles. These particles are then heated in a vacuum where the ice is vaporised and removed.

Aromatisation: All these different stages and the high temperatures used in them, destroy most of the natural flavours that occur in coffee. The dry form of the coffee solution is therefore both stewed and bitter. So to help improve the taste, aromas produced during the various stages of this process are captured and then sprayed onto the dry coffee particles.

If that is not enough to make you switch from a cup of instant coffee to a freshly brewed cup then you may want to consider that instant coffee, in the vast majority of cases, is not fairly traded. In fact, it can be argued that the instant coffee industry, which is mainly made up of large multinational companies, is chiefly responsible for the low price coffee farmers receive for their harvest. They have the power to drive down prices and buy when the market is lowest, leaving the farmer and their family to live a meager existence.

James Grierson is the owner of Galla Coffee: http://www.gallacoffee.co.uk – UK online retailer of designer coffee accessories. Through the Coffee Knowledge section of his website he aims to help people understand more about coffee and give them tips on how to make great tasting coffee in their home.

Check out http://www.gallacoffee.co.uk/acatalog/Coffee_Knowledge.html for more articles or if you have a question send it to: coffeeknowledge@gallacoffee.co.uk

Author: James Grierson
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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This form of coffee is often the choice to be used in many recipes when it comes to baking especially. The taste it affords when used in this method is comparable to brewed coffee. The biggest advantage of using the instant here is because it’s quick and easy.

This coffee goes way back to 1906. It was actually discovered by an English chemist who was residing in Guatemala at the time. This gentleman most enjoyed his coffee and happened to notice that on the spout of his silver coffee pot there was a powdery film forming. This was the beginning of the experimentation of the discovery of instant coffee. It was officially discovered by this chemist whose name was George C. Washington and he produced the very first brand called Red E Coffee.

Now once again there may seem to be a little confusion as to who really did invent this coffee or at least discover it. Others say that in 1901, a Japanese American by the name of Satori Kato was the one who invented this drink, but it was true that George C Washington was the first to market it in mass production. Years after that, Nescafe came out with freeze-dried coffee.

There are two easy methods for making instant coffee. It can be either freeze-drying or spray drying. So which produces a better cup of this type of coffee? Many would argue that freeze drying does but then like any other variation of coffee its all going to come down to personal taste. One of the supporting factors for freeze-drying being the better of the two methods is that with spray drying the natural oils of the coffee are adversely effected and more flavor is lost. This is because of the high heat that is required in the spray drying method. However many instant coffee producers prefer this method to freeze-dried because it is faster and in some ways more cost effective.

This form of coffee is often the choice to be used in many recipes when it comes to baking especially. The taste it affords when used in this method is comparable to brewed coffee. The biggest advantage of using the instant here is because it’s quick and easy.

There are some people who think they are experts when it comes to instant coffee just like there are with brewed coffee. One of the problems with this coffee is that the ingredients that are being used are inferior quality beans that don’t meet requirement for any of the coveted gourmet type coffees. Naturally, this in itself is going to affect the taste. Avid coffee drinkers believe that if you are using a good freeze dried instant , and your water is boiling hot when you add it to the coffee, you are going to enjoy a very good cup of coffee. Naturally, avid brew coffee drinks would be the first to say there is just no comparison.

Try going to http://www.coffeebeansroasting.com for more details regarding coffee, coffee growing, coffee brewing, coffee roasting, coffee types, etc

Author: Carl Da Costa
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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