Are you a coffee lover who wants to enjoy a quick and easy cup of joe? Instant coffee might be the perfect solution for you.
Making quick coffee is a simple process; with the proper technique, you can have a delicious cup of coffee ready quickly.
In this guide, we’ll take you through how to make instant coffee to make your cup even more enjoyable.
How is Instant Coffee Made: The Process
Step 1: Harvest and Sort
Once ripe, the beans are harvested by hand or mechanically and sifted to remove any defective or damaged beans.
Step 2: Roast
Roasting brings out the flavor and aroma of the beans and transforms them into a darker color.
Step 3: Grind
After roasting, the coffee beans are ground into a fine powder. The size of the coffee grounds determines the strength and flavor of the coffee.
Step 4: Brew
A concentrated coffee solution is made by brewing ground coffee with hot water. Filtering removes contaminants to produce pure coffee extract.
Step 5: Evaporate
The water is then evaporated to concentrate the coffee. This is typically done under a vacuum to lower the boiling point of the water and protect the coffee from high temperatures.
Step 6: Freeze-drying or Spray-drying
In the freeze-drying method, the coffee extract is frozen and put in a vacuum, where the ice crystals melt and leave behind a dry powder.
The coffee extract is sprayed into a hot air room in the spray-drying method, where the water evaporates and leaves behind a dry powder.
Step 7: Sublime
After drying, the instant coffee is often further processed using sublimation. This involves exposing the coffee powder to a high vacuum and low temperature, which causes any remaining moisture to evaporate and leave behind a dry, fluffy powder.
Step 8: Add Aromas
During the production process, some of the coffee’s aroma is lost. To compensate for this, manufacturers often add back in some of the lost aromas to enhance the flavor and aroma of the final product.
Step 9: Package
Coffee powder is often packaged in airtight containers or sachets to maintain freshness and flavor.
The packaging may also include additives such as creamer or sugar to create different flavors and blends.
Conclusion
Instant coffee has become a popular choice for coffee lovers who want a quick and easy cup of coffee without the hassle of brewing a fresh pot.
While it may lack some of the complex flavors and aromas of freshly brewed coffee, it offers convenience and affordability.
So, you’ll be aware of every step of the process the next time you enjoy a cup of instant coffee!