Coffee 101: Is Instant Coffee Same as Real Coffee?
Instant coffee is a great alternative to brewing ground coffee, but what do you really know about it? Let's explore.
Let's dive into how instant coffee and ground coffee are different and how they are similar. We will explain some of the factors that make them different such as taste, the way they are brewed, and their overall flavor profile.
We hope that this helps you understand a little bit about the differences between instant coffee and ground coffee!
What is Instant Coffee
Instant coffee is a unique way of making coffee. Instant coffee is made from coffee beans that were roasted, brewed, and put through either the freeze-drying or spray-drying process to evaporate the liquid and leave only the coffee powder or granules you are familiar with.
This means that the coffee brewed from instant coffee has the same coffee flavors as ground coffee, but is a powder that dissolves in hot water to turn into coffee.
Instant coffee is also much more recent in the history books. Instant coffee was invented in the 1770s by a man named John Dring in England and was originally called a coffee compound. In 1901 a chemist in Chicago applied for a patent for a more modernized version of instant coffee, which is the same or similar product to what we use today.
What is Ground Coffee
Ground coffee is a completely different way of making coffee. The coffee beans are roasted dried and ground down into a grainy powder.
Ground coffee is not soluble in water. So if you mixed hot water and coffee grounds, they would not dissolve and you would be left with a weird coffee grind sludge at the bottom of your cup. This does not happen with instant coffee as it will completely dissolve in your cup.
Coffee grinds typically have a more robust flavor, fresher aroma, and a general reputation as being better than instant coffee in taste, aroma, and overall appeal.
How are Instant Coffee and Regular Coffee Different?
Instant coffee and regular coffee or ground coffee, are different because of their brewing methods. While you could theoretically brew instant coffee by putting it into a coffee maker and running the coffee maker as you usually would, that would probably be considered weird because the whole point of instant coffee is to just add water and go.
Instant coffee is usually a bit staler in flavor if you do not get good instant coffee. This means that there can be some trial and error in finding good instant coffee. Luckily, we at Waka coffee have great instant coffee!
So the main differences between instant coffee and ground coffee are the flavor, the time it takes to make a cup of coffee, and the brewing process.
How are Instant Coffee and Regular Coffee Similar?
Instant coffee and regular coffee are similar in a lot of ways. They both have the same traditional coffee aroma when they are brewing, they both have the distinctive color and consistency of coffee, and they both taste like coffee.
Instant coffee and regular coffee both also have the ability to be caffeinated or decaffeinated, so they are suitable for either end of the caffeine spectrum.
Which is Better? Instant Coffee or Regular Coffee?
It is all a matter of personal preference when it comes to deciding if instant coffee or regular coffee is better. We cannot tell you which one you will like most! It is going to take some trial-and-error to decide which type of coffee is best for you and your lifestyle.
A lot of people who run late for things or travel often prefer instant coffee because all they need to do is heat some water and mix in the granules.
Campers love instant coffee because it's easy to transport with them while they are hiking or camping, and does not require a French press or a pour-over coffee maker.
Pros of Instant Coffee
Instant coffee is great for making coffee in a pinch, on the move, or when you're traveling because it is light, quick and easy to make, and very easy to bring with you to different places. It is also incredibly simple, so you don't need to learn an extensive amount of information or a whole new way of brewing coffee to understand how to make instant coffee.
Instant coffee is also very quick to clean up because the coffee dissolves in your mug and that is the only utensil or object you need while making instant coffee. You can also make it in a single serving or a large batch, so you can accommodate a wide variety of needs.
Instant coffee also saves you counter space or cabinet space because you do not need a coffee machine to make it. All you need is some hot water and a mug!
