I was never a coffee drinker until I tried it freshly brewed. Now freshly brewed coffee is my favorite morning pick me up. The first time that my friend disclosed to me how to prepare fresh beans properly with just water in an electric kettle made such a huge difference. No more sugar or milk necessary – plus she taught me this great brewing routine. Therefore, the process didn’t take long at all.
Nonetheless, instant coffee has been a staple for many people who like to have a morning cup. Often the process of brewing fresh is intimidating. However, that doesn’t mean making fresh coffee has to be daunting to attempt.
Instant coffee is very similar in many ways to freshly brewed, ground beans. The finished product has similar health benefits but less caffeine – but there’s something about that smooth taste of warm espresso beans that can’t be replicated with powders!
Let’s dive into what defines coffee, be it fresh or instant, and what makes fresh ground beans so much better.
What is Fresh Coffee Made From?
Ground coffee is made from the whole bean, which includes all of its rich oils and sweetness. Once the beans are harvested, they’re processed on-site and shipped out to commercial shops or factories for roasting. The roasting process brings out this flavor in an even more powerful way!
Roasting is one of the most important stages in coffee production. Roast duration affects flavor, along with other factors like moisture level and acidity/bitter notes. For example, you can have an espresso roast that will be much more bitter than if it were medium or light roasted because longer roasts generally produce darker flavors.
Grinding the coffee beans into the grounds is the final step before brewing. The process begins once the bean has cooled enough for storage in air-tight containers.
The grind of your coffee is important when brewing. A finer espresso-style grind will make for an excellent brew in a machine, whereas the much stronger flavor you can expect from french presses and other types of pots rely on coarse grounds to work properly.
Filtering coffee is an art form that requires patience to achieve perfection. The ground beans should be steeped in water, but they don’t fully dissolve so you must filter them out before drinking; This can be done with a paper filter or french press for example.
How Is Instant Coffee Made
Instant coffee is different from the fresh kind because it completely disappears when mixed with water. You can brew this in any mug, no special equipment is required.
Instant coffee is decent for tiring mornings. To give instant coffee a long shelf life, manufacturers use dehydrated ground beans. Those beans first must be brewed and dried. This gives the coffee a powdery consistency. This powder can be stored for a long time until you’re ready to make a cup.
Instant coffee can be made in two main ways: spray-drying and freeze-drying. Spray drying turns droplets of liquid extract into fine powder or small pieces, while the freezing process uses a low temperature to turn it into fragmented bits that are then dried under vacuum conditions.
Now, let discuss the differences between fresh coffee and instant.
All About Caffeine
Instant coffee is not nearly as enjoyable or satisfying, since it lacks the natural caffeine from freshly ground beans that give you an alert and wakeful sense.
Caffeine is useful for many purposes such as maintaining your ability to function on the job or at school all day long. Coffee drinkers tend to have fewer associations with cardiovascular disease and less probability of developing liver cirrhosis later in life than non-coffee drinkers do.
Naturally, fresh coffee has more caffeine in it than instant coffee. Therefore, you will receive the benefits of caffeine easier. Keep in mind that caffeine affects people differently. Despite the health benefits, some find caffeine troubling to consume because it gives them jitters, makes sleeping difficult, and causes anxiousness.
Around 20% of people struggle to tolerate high caffeine content. There have even been studies that have linked a distaste for caffeine to genetics. So, don’t feel bad if you just can’t tolerate caffeine.
Let’s talk About Taste
Coffee cherries are often called “berries” because they have a red and round appearance. Inside each cherry, there’s usually two seed unless it’s a peaberry.
Instant coffee is created from Robusta beans. These slower-growing types of “cherries” contain less sugar and fat than their Arabica counterparts—which results in a sacrifice for taste buds; however, this saves costs by not needing as much processing time during the roasting or drying process.
Despite all the work that’s been done to perfect instant coffee, it still can’t compete with freshly ground beans. The extra warming and refrigeration processes used in order for you to get a drink on demand impact both taste and quality- which is why many prefer freshly roasted grounds over anything else.
The best way to enjoy your morning coffee is by brewing it the old-fashioned way using fresh beans. I’m not sure what you’re looking for in terms of taste but nothing beats those rich, robust flavors that only come from freshly ground roasted coffees.
Conclusion
Instant coffee has its benefits particularly if you desire a quick solution to a good morning cup. However, there are many downsides to choosing instant coffee over freshly brewed coffee.
In addition to having more caffeine, which has great paybacks, fresh coffee beats instant with its robust taste and aroma. Therefore, it is my opinion that nothing beats the essence of a fresh cup of coffee. Keep that in mind when reaching for an instant solution over taking the time to brew fresh.
If fresh coffee is something you are very interested in, then you can get all your commercial coffee equipment from ekuep.com. We offer great products from espresso machines to coffee roasters and everything in between.