Instant Coffee

Photo: flickr user Ayelie

About

Instant coffee, also called soluble coffee and coffee powder, is a beverage derived from brewed coffee beans. Instant coffee is commercially prepared by either freeze-drying or spray drying, after which it can be rehydrated. At least one brand of instant coffee is also available in concentrated liquid form.

Information

Other names: Soluble Coffee, Coffee Powder

Translations: Šķīstošā kafija, Tirpi kava, Cafea instant, Instant kava, Cà phê dùng ngay, Kawa rozpuszczalna, Oploskoffie, इंस्टेंट कॉफी, Растворимый кофе, Στιγμιαίος καφές, قهوة فورية, 인스턴트 커피, Instantní káva, Kopi instan, Madaling matutunaw na kape, 速溶咖啡, Cafè Instantani, Instant kava, Instantná káva, קפה נמס, Snabbkaffe, Инстант-кафа, インスタントコーヒー, Café instantané, Löslicher Kaffee, Instant kaffe, Pulverkaffe, Café Instantáneo, Розчинна кава, Pikakahvi, Нес кафе

Physical Description

powdered roast coffee beans

Colors: roast brown

Tasting Notes

Flavors: Aromatic caffeine

Mouthfeel: To eat raw it would melt on the tongue (though unpleasantly bitter), Disolved the mouthfeel is silky

Food complements: Pastry

Wine complements: None

Beverage complements: None

Substitutes: Postum

Selecting and Buying

Seasonality: january, february, march, april, may, june, july, august, september, opctober, november, december

Choosing: In a recent statement issued by the Food and drug Administration, officials have stated that drinking instant coffee which is being sold in the market as sexual arousal substance should be vehemently avoided.
Though, instant coffee might have characteristics of a sexual urge, once you have it, yet, such coffee might have an adverse affect on your health.
The studies show that such instant coffee with features of sexual aphrodisiac slows down the blood flow in your brain, which could lead to low blood pressure.
Though, the coffee alone may not have a drastic affect, but if you have been taking prescription drugs on recommendation of doctors, and at the same time you had this special instant coffee, then you may experience changes in your blood pressure.
FDA also assigns a reason for their findings. According to FDA, this special instant coffee has an ingredient, which could interact with some parts of a drug, which you may have been taking now for a while.
The drugs could trigger dizziness, which is a result of low blood pressure.
Not everyone would experience low blood pressure. If you have been taking prescription drugs, only then, there’s a possibility that the special instant coffee could produce side effects in your body.
FDA has also agreed that it has not come across any such cases.
It is very difficult to identify such special instant coffee, as it has labels of ‘natural dietary supplement’ in its pack. It is also sold through websites online.

Buying: You can buy Instant Coffee on your local and supermarket.

Procuring: Instant coffee is commercially prepared through vigorous extraction of almost all soluble material from ground roasted coffee beans. This process naturally produces a different mix of components than does conventional brewing.

Preparation and Use

Convenient for prepared iced coffee.

In Spain, instant coffee is commonly mixed with hot milk instead of boiling water.

Cleaning: There is no need to clean this product

Conserving and Storing

There is no point to store instant coffee in the refrigerator. If you bought it in a vac-bag, then it's wise to pour the coffee-grains into a fast tightening jar. If you bought it in a screw-top glass or tin, these are usually air-tight. So you are well advised to screw it tightly close after taking portions from the jar. Also make sure to take portions with a clean, dry spoon. Instant coffee grains only suffer from high humidity; it may make the grains stick together into a messy lump.

One way of producing instant coffee is to dehydrate perculated coffee. By adding water to the instant coffee, you get the ready coffee. So essentially, instant coffee is a dry product and only sensitive to humidity, apart from this, you may store it in any temperature until the date printed on the packing as end of duration date.

Social/Political

By World War II instant coffee was incredibly popular with the soldiers. G. Washington Coffee, Nescafé, and others had all emerged to meet the demand. One year, the entire production from the U.S. Nescafé plant (in excess of one million cases) went solely to the military.

Today instant coffee still has a force in the market. It is great in recipes like a quick mocha frosting for a cappuccino cookie. In the grocery store you will see it in all of the instant cappuccino drinks and blended ice drink powders, some of which are even used in coffee houses. Even the military still provides instant coffee powder for that much needed caffeine boost.

History: The earliest version of instant coffee is said to have been invented around 1771 in Britain. The first American product was developed in 1853, and an experimental version (in cake form) was field tested during the Civil War. In 1901, the first successful technique for manufacturing a stable powdered product was invented in Japan by Sartori Kato, who used a process he had developed for making instant tea.

The first time it was mass produced was in America around 1910 by George Constant Louis Washington (not related to President Washington). He accomplished a great feat and acquired a patent, but the instant coffee powder was perceived by most to be a novelty with a disagreeable taste. Around 1938, Nescafé became the most popular brand; by co-drying coffee extract along with an equal amount of soluble carbohydrate they improved the taste. Currently, the best process for retaining the taste is freeze drying, which came around in the 60’s.

Where this novelty found its niche market was in the military. Caffeine consumption on the battlefield provided a much needed boost, and now this was made much easier with instant coffee. In World War I some soldiers nicknamed it a “cup of George.”