How To Make The Best Instant Coffee

What is Instant Coffee?

Many wonder what is instant coffee, and what is it made of? Put simply, instant coffee is made from real coffee that has been dehydrated to allow for quick instant preparation.

How Instant Coffee is Made

The process of making instant coffee begins the same way as with regular coffee. To create instant coffee, we first roast and grind coffee beans. The next step is brewing the coffee by steeping the ground beans in hot water. This allows the flavours and aromas to be extracted, creating a concentrated coffee liquid.

After brewing, the water is extracted from the coffee using either spray-drying or freeze-drying methods. In the spray-drying method, the brewed coffee is sprayed into a hot chamber, where the water evaporates, leaving behind dry coffee particles. In the freeze-drying method, the brewed coffee is frozen and then placed in a vacuum chamber, where the frozen water sublimates, transforming into vapor and leaving behind freeze-dried coffee granules.

The resulting dry coffee granules are then packaged and ready to be rehydrated with hot water. Once hot water is introduced to the instant coffee, it rapidly dissolves, creating a quick cup of coffee with ease.

Instant coffee is all about convenience. It provides a quick and efficient way to prepare a deliciously comforting cup of coffee.

How is decaf instant coffee made? To make decaf instant coffee, coffee beans are initially soaked in water to remove caffeine. Afterward, the beans undergo the usual process of roasting, grinding, and brewing.

How to Make Instant Coffee

Instant coffee offers a great advantage – it's brewed under precise conditions, ensuring consistently excellent taste. No need to fret about over- or under-extraction; just focus on how strong you want your cup to be.

To make instant coffee, start with the recommended dosage listed on the product and adjust to taste. The quality and temperature of your water play a significant role in your final brew. Aim for water around 70°C, not boiling hot. It's important to remember that instant coffee is pre-brewed, so using boiling water could potentially scorch it.

Preparing the Perfect Cup of Instant Coffee

You can elevate instant coffee in numerous ways, allowing you to create unique coffee beverages that will offer your customers a distinct and memorable coffee experience.

Going beyond the basics, you can elevate your instant coffee by adding creamers, syrups, or even by frothing your milk.

Barista Tip – You can recreate any espresso beverage, such as a latte, by substituting the espresso with instant coffee!

How to Make Iced Coffee with Instant Coffee

When making any iced beverage with instant coffee, it's important to keep in mind that the ice melts and adds water, which can dilute the coffee's strength. To compensate, if you normally use 1 teaspoon for a hot cup, consider using 2 teaspoons when preparing your iced drink. This adjustment ensures that your coffee-to-water ratio remains consistent as the ice melts and mixes with your beverage.

Here is our Barista’s quick recipe on how to make an iced latte using instant coffee: 

1. Start with a serving glass and add 2 ounces of hot water.
2. Mix in 1 or 2 teaspoons of instant coffee.
3. If desired, sweeten with sugar or your preferred syrup.
4. Stir the mixture until it's well blended.
5. Fill the glass with ice and finish by adding the milk of your choice.

Looking for recipe inspiration? Check out our Barista’s Dalgona Iced Coffee recipe.

 

Choosing the right instant coffee for your menu

Instant coffee comes in a variety of roasts and packaging formats. So, it is important to keep your consumer in mind when choosing the right instant coffee for your business.

For example, instant coffee sachets are packaged for individual consumption, and they are a perfect solution for hotels or business conventions where customers would self-serve their own coffee beverages.

Instant coffee also comes in various roast options, each contributing to a distinct flavour experience:

• Bold Flavour: If your customers prefer a full and robust coffee, consider selecting a medium to dark roast instant coffee.
• Smooth and Balanced: For those customers who prefer a milder coffee, a medium roast instant coffee is an excellent choice. It offers a smooth and harmonious flavour profile that's easy to enjoy.

The Benefits of Instant Coffee

Instant coffee offers several operational benefits. Firstly, it is an incredibly fast way to make coffee, allowing baristas to serve customers quickly during busy mornings. Instant coffee also provides more control over the texture of the drink, as it can be easily shaken or whisked to create a froth or foam.

Additionally, instant coffee has a longer shelf life compared to coffee beans, reducing the amount of unused product waste. This can be particularly advantageous for cafes or coffee shops that experience fluctuating demand.

Overall, instant coffee offers businesses a cost-effective, efficient, and consistent solution for providing coffee to customers. Its versatility, long shelf life, and ease-of-use make it a valuable addition to any business looking to offer coffee as part of their services.