There’s no getting around it; everyone from seasoned coffee aficionados to everyday coffee drinkers will agree that instant coffee isn’t as good as regular coffee. Part of the reason for instant coffee’s inferior taste is the way it’s made. To create instant coffee, manufacturers have to concentrate, extract, and then perform either the freeze-dry or spray-dry method. This multi-level process can alter the authentic taste and make it more bitter, less nuanced, and less aromatic.
But even after all the drawbacks, instant coffee is still a popular form of coffee around the world. So, naturally, the question of making it taste better makes sense one way or another. Thankfully, there are a few ways to improve the flavor of instant coffee.
Instant And Regular Coffee: What’s The Difference?
Regular ground coffee is roasted and then ground in a mill. So, it leaves a wet used ground after the brew, just like tea.
Instant coffee, on the other hand, is a soluble form of pre-brewed coffee.
Making a coffee brew from regular ground coffee involves either steeping, percolating, or adding pressure, with the only exception of cold brew.
By contrast, instant coffee only needs the addition of water. It has no extraction time as it’s a pre-brewed coffee. Instant coffee granules completely dissolve once water is added.
Instant coffee manufacturers have come a long way in protecting the flavors in their products. After all, it’s easy to brew, cheap, and has a longer shelf-life, making it convenient for campers, trekkers, and office environments.
How To Make Instant Coffee Taste Like Regular Coffee?
Always buy and use good quality instant coffee. Since each jar provides a longer shelf-life and offers multiple cups of coffee, the extra cost is worth it.
To eradicate the bitterness, use 1 tablespoon of cold water. Pour it into your mug and then add the instant coffee grounds. Stir the mix until fully incorporated. Now, pour the hot water over it, stir it again, and enjoy.
You can even eradicate the chalky bitterness of your instant coffee. Simply dissolve 1 tablespoon of coffee in cold milk before pouring the hot water over it.
To ensure and maintain optimal taste, lasting freshness, and superior flavor, you have to store the instant coffee in an airtight container. Also, place the container in a cool and dark place (like the pantry).
If you make coffee in a small portion but frequently, it’s better to decant some coffee from your main big jar into a small jar. It’ll save the coffee from air exposure and therefore guarantee optimal flavor and taste right to the very end.
Coffee brewing is largely dependent on the water quality as well. So, using filtered water or fresh mineral water can improve the taste of your instant coffee significantly.
Also, avoid boiling and re-boiling the water in the same kettle over and over. It reduces the overall quality of the brew. Just be efficient and boil enough water for the amount you require.
Always use the correct coffee, water, and milk ratio. It’ll improve the taste of your instant coffee remarkably.
Finally, add some additives (cream, honey, and spices) to your instant coffee and add new flavors to your cuppa.
Best Ways To Enjoy Instant Coffee
You can take your instant coffee experience to a whole new level by using these extra ingredients.
- Milk: Adding a little milk is a simple yet highly effective addition. Not only does it add taste, but it also creates a smoother texture. And you can use non-dairy alternatives as well.
- Cream: If you want a more decadent milk taste, cream (half-and-half) is the perfect addition to your instant coffee. It adds more richness to the taste and thickness to the texture.
- Cinnamon: If you like extra punch, pleasantness, and aroma, a spicy addition like cinnamon is an absolute must for your instant coffee.
- Agave Syrup: An unconventional way to sweeten your instant coffee. The agave syrup’s consistency blends very well into the instant coffee.
- Sugar: Sugar is bound to make almost any cup of instant coffee taste better.
- Flavored Syrups: To be adventurous with your instant coffee, try flavored syrups such as caramel, vanilla, and hazelnut.
- Flavored Coffee Creamers: These come in many varieties and are found both in liquid and powdered forms. They dramatically improve the taste of your instant coffee. Vanilla, hazelnut, sweet cream, and caramel are the most popular choices.
- Butter: Fat adds flavor to coffee. So a slice of good old butter in your coffee will give a creamy, latte-like texture – and without a blood sugar crash.
The Health Benefits of Instant Coffee
The list of instant coffee’s apparent benefits is impressive — and as such, regardless of what coffee snobs say, instant coffee is coffee. All types of coffee help to burn body fat and aid in weight loss. Moreover, coffee helps to increase brain function and prevent neurodegenerative diseases.
More Antioxidants
Antioxidants are crucial to our health as they’re the cell protectors against the development of diseases ranging from heart disease to cancer.
Studies repeatedly show the antioxidant content of instant coffee is almost equal to that of regular coffee. Regular coffee carries a larger variety of antioxidant compounds compared to instant coffee. But studies have found that chlorogenic acid and polyphenols, which are the most important antioxidants, are found more in instant coffee.
Lowers The Risk of Type-2 Diabetes
Many scientific tests and observations show that coffee drinkers have a lower risk of developing type-2 diabetes than non-coffee drinkers. The longer-term, more regular coffee drinkers the test subjects were, the lower their apparent risk was. According to studies, heavy coffee drinkers (3–4 cups per day) have a 50% or lower risk of developing diabetes. One test report estimated that one cup of daily coffee consumption lowered the diabetes risk by 7%.
Nutrients
Regular coffee, including instant, can’t supply the recommended daily amount of any vitamin or mineral. But an average coffee drinker intakes 2-3 cups per day, which helps to add it all up. Coffee offers B2, B3, and B5 vitamins and minerals like potassium, calcium, magnesium, and manganese.
Conclusion
Instant coffee has a bad reputation for being cheap. The bitterness and chalky mouthfeel mainly come from its pre-brewing and drying processes. To amplify your daily instant cuppa experience, you can use fresh, cold mineral water and the proper ratio. To remove the bitterness, mix the dry granules into the cold water and only afterward apply the hot water.
Traditional and modern additions of ingredients such as sugar, syrups, milk, spices, and creamers are also going to elevate your instant coffee close to regular coffee-made beverages. The most important step for you is to try and experiment with our suggested options at home to find your perfect cup of instant coffee.
