Powdered coffee: what is it and how to make it?

Nowadays, buying oil in its pure form is the lot of the chosen and the richest. But in the second position in terms of sales after oil is a product that every consumer can afford.An interesting fact is that elite and one of the most affordable products in the rating scale occupy neighboring positions - oil and instant coffee. Oddly enough, this type of drink is the most marketable product in the world. According to statistics, most people use exactly instant coffee.

Instant coffee is a coffee powder, which is diluted with hot water, while receiving a drink that resembles the composition of high-quality natural coffee beans in taste characteristics. Natural coffee is significantly different in taste and aroma, since it is soluble under the influence of aggressive processing (dehydration, and sometimes decaffeination). In this case, as a rule, for it are used defective coffee beans that have the appropriate appearance.

The advantages of instant coffee include the availability of prices, simplicity and speed of preparation of the drink, a long shelf life (compared to grain and ground).

The history of the invention of this drink begins in 1901. The officially recognized inventor is a scientist from Japan - Satori Kato. And after 5 years, the industrial production of the drink was developed in England by chemist DK Washington. 1909 is the birth year of instant coffee. It gained particular popularity during the Second World War, as it was very convenient for use in field conditions. Since then, its popularity has not decreased.

The process of obtaining powdered coffee goes through several stages:

• raw coffee beans undergo a preparatory stage: first they are cleaned, then roasted, then crushed to 1.5-2 mm;

• crushed grains are poured into special batteries, in which they are processed with hot water for about 3-4 hours;
• the extract obtained passes through 3 steps: cooling, filtering and drying with a stream of hot air.

Nowadays, in order to attract consumers of all social groups (including those that are not sufficiently well-off), almost all well-known brands produce this type of coffee.

Exclusively in this way, instant coffee was obtained for more than 30 years, starting in 1910. Then came other (more progressive) ways of processing. These include:

• granulated (agglomerated) - this coffee is no longer powdered, but knocked into small lumps under the influence of steam;
• sublimated - a feature of the technology is to freeze the coffee infusion during production.

Each of the methods has its own characteristics of taste and aroma.

If you compare powdered coffee with natural, The following negative characteristics of a soluble beverage can be identified:

• not so pronounced smell (to enhance the smell, some brands use artificial or natural coffee oils);
• the taste is significantly different;
• the percentage of caffeine is less;
• the more tangible presence of the bitter ingredient;
• low-quality source material, which is often used in the manufacture;
• sediment that remains after harvest.

In order to make the selection of instant coffee more successful, should use labeling tips.

• The labels of red color or with the presence of a red spot say that the composition differs in strength and is better to use in the morning;
• Labels of blue or green color or the same speck colors are a sign of a smaller drink strength. This coffee is recommended for day or evening use.

The process of making such coffee is elementary simple. It is necessary to pour the powder in a mug, and then pour it with hot water. If desired, cream, milk or ice cream can be added to the coffee, and the drink will be ready. The amount of powder poured depends on the preferences of the consumer.But pour less than 1 teaspoon on a mug of water should not be, because invigorating drink you then just will not work. Sugar can be added, and you can do without it. Powdered coffee is also used in the preparation of various desserts.

How to make a delicious coffee, you will learn from the following video.