Brewed And Instant Coffee: What Is The Difference?

With the possible exception of tea, coffee is arguably the most consumed beverage globally. Due to the alkaloid caffeine in the roasted and ground seeds of the tropical evergreen African coffee plant, this beverage is energizing. Coffee cherries are the fruit that grows on these plants, and each one may have one or two seeds in it. After being extracted from the fruit's pulp and covering, these seeds are cleaned, dried, and stored. 

Before roasting just like green tea, it is called green coffee. After drying, these coffee seeds are roasted by raising the temperature for seven to twenty minutes, from 180 to 250 degrees Celsius, based on whether a light or dark roast is required. It is the most important stage in getting the precise aroma and qualities that define coffee. After roasting, coffee is available for purchase as whole beans or as a powder in different granule sizes.

Brewed Coffee

Numerous people throughout the world drink brewed coffee every day, making it one of the most widely consumed drinks in the world. In order to obtain the flavor and aroma of the coffee beans, hot water is added to ground coffee beans, and the combination is steeped for a few minutes. You have to brew the coffee before you drink it.

There are several ways to brew coffee, and each has a distinct flavor and set of properties. Espresso, drip coffee, French press, and pour-over coffee are a few common techniques. The most popular way is drip coffee, which is made by running hot water via a filter and coffee grinds in a coffee machine. This process yields a taste that is clear, creamy, and uniform.

As it is a natural energy enhancer and a great source of antioxidants, brewed coffee is an attractive option for many individuals who need a fast pick-me-up in the morning or during the day.

Video Credit: YouTube/Chef Ranveer

Instant Coffee

American instant coffee's origins can be traced to 1851 when it was initially developed for Civil War soldiers. A chemist by the name of Satori Kato invented the initial effective instant coffee recipe in 1901, and it was patented in 1903. Public interest in instant coffee started to grow in 1938 when a new kind was developed that dissolved better in water. Since then, instant coffee has advanced significantly! These days, freeze-drying the beans to make them soluble is the favored process for producing instant coffee because it's thought to maintain the original flavor and quality.

The process of freeze-drying is crucial for producing high-quality instant coffee. The coffee beans are initially ground and roasted. After that, the ground beans are brewed into a highly concentrated beverage by dissolving them in water. Following filtration, a very thin layer of the coffee liquid is frozen at -50 degrees Celsius. After that, it is divided into smaller fragments and put inside a freeze-dryer.

If you have a hectic morning schedule, instant coffee is a must-have as it can help you save 15 to 20 minutes each morning.

Quantity of Caffeine in Brewed and Instant Coffee

Ground coffee typically has more caffeine compared to instant coffee, though this might vary based on the exact brand or variety you purchase. A freshly brewed coffee made with grounds will contain anywhere from 80 to 120 mg of caffeine, while an instant coffee will only include 60 to 80 mg.

Caffeine is taken out of the ground coffee throughout the brewing procedure, which explains why. Additionally, the coffee will hold greater amounts of caffeine the longer you extract. 

This also implies that you have a greater influence over the total quantity of caffeine you take while consuming ground coffee because you can adjust the quantity of ground coffee you utilize while brewing and the length of time you brew the coffee beans. 

Also Read: International Coffee Day 2023: 6 Most Loved Coffee Beverages To Celebrate

Kinds of Beans Used in Both

While Arabica beans are more frequently used in ground coffee than in instant coffee, Robusta or a combination of the two are often used in supermarket-grade ground coffee.

There are two reasons why instant coffee contains robusta. Firstly, a naturally high-caffeine bean is required to offset the significant amount of caffeine lost from beans during the manufacture of instant coffee. Robusta beans may be gathered in great quantities all year round since they are also far simpler and less expensive to cultivate compared to Arabica beans. 

Compared to Robusta beans, Arabica beans are renowned for having a more nuanced and rich flavor. This works especially well with ground coffee and specialty coffee when roasters search for distinctive and delicate coffee aromas like citrus or berries. Arabica beans can also differ significantly based on a variety of factors, including their country of origin, growing environment, processing method, and roasting technique.

While both Arabica and Robusta have a position in the global market for coffee, single-origin Arabica is strongly preferred in the high-end coffee industry.

What is the Shelf Life?

The fact that instant coffee keeps far longer compared to ground coffee is one of its advantages. Once ground, coffee beans should be utilized as soon as possible to prevent staleness and significant flavor and aroma loss. For maximum freshness, it is suggested to grind your whole beans whenever you wish to make coffee, or if your beans are already grounded, consider storing them for not more than thirty days.

What is Better? Brewed or Instant

Instant coffee is nothing more than processed coffee, whereas brewed coffee is made directly from the beans. Both brewed and instant coffee have the same health advantages, although steeped coffee has more caffeine, antioxidants, and coffee oils than instant.

Due to its excellent nutrient profile and flavor, brewed coffee is always the popular choice. The flavor and quality of freshly ground Arabica coffee are unmatched, even though instant brew is more affordable and convenient. 

Whenever it comes to ground coffee, there are a ton of options available, and every bean has its own flavor character. Whenever you're purchasing coffee and unsure of what to get, you can always buy unique-grade Arabica beans from a single origin.