How Is Instant Coffee Made?
How A Cup of Joe Becomes a Dissolvable Mix
Although often snubbed by coffee snobs, instant coffee is worth paying attention to. Well-crafted blends can pack in plenty of flavor and aroma and are great to have on hand for busy mornings. Instant coffee isn’t just for when you’re in a rush, either: This delicious, powdered blend is perfect for adding to smoothies, mixing into baked goods, whipping up a Dalgona coffee and so much more. And, in spite of what you may think, it’s made of real coffee – it just gets some extra processing post-brewing. Read on to learn more about how the two methods of making instant coffee and how they impact the final product.
The Spray-Drying Method
The spray-drying method begins with liquid coffee concentrate, which is then sprayed into hot, dry air. As the coffee falls through the air, the liquid evaporates, and the droplets dry to create a fine powder. Because this powder is often too fine to be user-friendly, it is then processed into larger coffee granules for easier measuring and brewing. While this method is less expensive than the freeze-drying method, the high heat levels can result in greater loss of flavor and aroma.
The Freeze-Drying Method
While spray-drying uses heat, freeze-drying uses cold to extract the coffee. We begin with the grounds of Colombian Arabica coffee, which are brewed to create a rich coffee extract. This extract is then chilled until freezing. Using a process called chemical sublimation, the frozen water is turned into a gas without passing through the liquid phase. What’s left are the powdery flakes we know and love. Adding water returns them to their liquid state, making for an instant cuppa – no brewing needed.
Though both the spray method and freeze-drying method change the original state of the coffee, thus impacting flavor and caffeine content, freeze-drying is praised as retaining more of the original aroma and taste. This is why we choose to use freeze-drying to create our own delicious instant coffee.
What About Instant Espresso?
Like instant coffee, instant espresso powder is also made by drying a brewed cup of coffee. However, for espresso it’s the beans that are the focus: After brewing, the grounds are dried and then crushed to create a fine powder. While espresso powder isn’t always the best for brewing, we love adding it to brownies, smoothies, and even warm chilis for extra flavor.