Various kinds of coffee drink innovations are still growing today, even this drink is already available instant in packaging, which certainly makes it easier for coffee lovers who want to drink coffee only from home or in a short time. The proliferation of instant coffee products in stores certainly doesn’t make us forget the traditional coffee that is usually served in coffee shops.
Traditional coffee takes a long time from roasting, grinding, to brewing to be brewed and served, unlike instant coffee which only needs hot or cold water to be poured over ground coffee. So what’s the difference between instant coffee vs. ground coffee?
Instant Coffee
Instant coffee is also known as soluble coffee, which in layman’s terms means “just add water”. It is said that instant coffee was first invented in the late 18th century in England. The person registered to patent this type of instant coffee is a New Zealander, David Strand from Invercargill.
The method of making instant coffee has been very successful and easy for everyone to replicate. While there are various methods, the principle is to simply brew coffee by adding water. There are many benefits to instant coffee, including its long shelf life and, of course, its convenience and ease of preparation.
Pros
Instant coffee, as real brewed coffee, will dissolve into water. This also means being careful with how much water to add to the instant coffee. Ground coffee, on the other hand, will not dissolve in water because coffee grounds are made up of large amounts of fiber and they will simply sink to the bottom of the glass. The following are the advantages of instant coffee:
Quick
It only takes three steps to make this coffee, in less than 30 seconds. Ground coffee, pour water, and stir. Not many other methods are quite as simple or fast as this instant coffee.
Flexible
Instant coffee is ready to go anytime, even when the coffee machine at home is broken. Moreover, people who work with curfews, or uninterrupted work and little rest time, instant coffee is also very convenient for them.
Fully soluble
No messy drinks, no messy grinds, no waste or dregs from the drinks themselves.
Cheap
Instant coffee is convenient for many people, widely sold, and certainly affordable.
The tools are simple
No special tools are required, just a cup and spoon to make it.
Disadvantages
If we already know the advantages of instant coffee, then below are some disadvantages of instant coffee that you need to know.
Taste
When it comes to the flavor of instant coffee, it actually depends on the quality of the beans used, and the process of making it into instant coffee. Moreover, most instant coffee uses commercial-grade Robusta coffee beans, which are known for their bitter taste.
Quality
Instant coffee generally uses Robusta beans, as they are affordable. In addition, the quality of coffee used for instant coffee is generally commercial grade, which is certainly not as good as the coffee served in cafes. The quality of the coffee beans also directly affects the price.
Ground Coffee
Instant or ground coffee is still the same coffee drink. Ground coffee is coffee beans that have been ground to a certain size. The type, process, and quality of the beans used will determine the result of the brewed coffee. This means that after the coffee beans have been picked, dried, sorted, and to some degree roasted, they all play a role in the final brewing quality.
Instant coffee, on the other hand, is ground coffee that has been brewed into actual drinkable coffee. Only the resulting solution is cooled and dried (through various processes) so that only coffee solids remain.
Pros
Generally, ground coffee has a higher caffeine content than instant coffee. This is because instant coffee has gone through various processing before becoming instant coffee, which can affect caffeine levels.
Some of the points below are the advantages of ground coffee, what are they?
Good for health
Because ground coffee is considered natural coffee without further processing and generally has better bean quality, the nutrients contained can be received more optimally. This is good for our health especially for people with neurological diseases, Alzheimer’s, or serotonin deficiency, as long as it is consumed within reasonable limits.
Taste
With almost unlimited choices from origin to bean blend, we can choose different flavors from each type of coffee according to our taste.
Waste
Although, the waste has to be disposed of after use, the waste or coffee grounds can be turned into compost, biofuel, sludge, and so on.
Disadvantages
Then, are there any drawbacks to ground coffee itself?
Time
Ground coffee is not as practical as instant coffee. The process of making ground coffee depends on the method to be used and can take 2 – 5 minutes.
Waste
Since ground coffee is coarse coffee that cannot be dissolved, the wet coffee grounds need to be discarded after brewing.
Cost
The price for ground coffee is twice as expensive and it is a fair price, because it is calculated by the skill and equipment needed to make ground coffee.
Instant coffee vs. ground coffee, which one to choose?
Well, that’s it, we’ve thoroughly explored instant coffee vs. ground coffee, what are the differences that make it favored by many people. Ground coffee can certainly be an option to get the rich flavor of coffee. Of course, there are various brewing methods to choose from. But if you really need your caffeine intake at short notice, instant coffee can also be an option.
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