Content
Instant coffee is probably the most popular drink in the offices and homes of townspeople. Probably everyone wondered: "What is the best freeze-dried coffee?", Because there are so many varieties. Consider the best brands of freeze-dried coffee on the market.
Carte noire
The producer of Carte Noire coffee is Kraft Foods LLC, Germany. It ranks first in quality, aroma and taste and second in value: for 100 g 346 rubles.
This drink compares favorably in aroma and taste, despite the fact that they are not ideal, but perfectly balanced. Carte Noire has a pure coffee aroma, no foreign impurities, and a moderately tart taste. The coffee solubility test in cold water passed in 1 minute, which indicates a good solubility of the sublimated particles.
Moccona
The producer of Moccona coffee is Intercafe LLC, Mytishchi. It is also one of the most expensive products: for 100 g, 274 rubles.
Outwardly, the coffee looks pretty good - large particles of a dark color. Therefore, it seems that this coffee is dark roasted, which means that it has a stronger and bitter taste. However, the packaging does not say anything about the type of coffee. The finished Moccona drink is characterized by not too expressive aroma and empty taste. The coffee is felt quite a bit. The granules dissolved in cold water in less than one minute.
Bushido
Bushido coffee producer - HACO Ltd., Switzerland. This is the most expensive freeze-dried coffee, its price per 100 g is 415 rubles.
Bushido pellets are quite large, but smaller than Moccona pellets. On the packaging with coffee it is indicated that the composition is 100% Arabica, as far as this is true is unknown. The aroma of the finished drink is quite “coffee”, while the taste is very strong and slightly bitter. The coffee is dark roasted, so it is better for those who like strong coffee drinks. The cold coffee test did not pass, because it did not dissolve even after 3 minutes, in accordance with GOST.
Nescafe Gold
The producer of Nescafe Gold coffee is Nestle Kuban LLC, Krasnodar Territory. Compared to all the others with all the others, this is the most inexpensive coffee, its cost per 100 g is 222 rubles.
Nestlé has done a great job on the aroma of the drink - both dry and brewed coffee smell the same and coffee-like, despite the fact that the type of beans used is not indicated anywhere. In terms of taste, they are clearly inferior in strength to aroma. The taste is rather weak and inexpressive, there is a slight bitterness. The cold coffee test passed in 2 minutes.
Coffee, like oil, can rightfully be called black gold. This comparison is not accidental, because coffee products are second in the world in terms of sales after hydrocarbons. Hundreds of millions of people are ardent fans of this invigorating drink, and therefore its popularity remains at a very high level.
Types of coffee
Conventionally, this product can be divided into natural and instant. The name of the first variety speaks for itself - for the preparation of such varieties of coffee, beans are used that are simply ground. There are three types of grinding: coarse, medium and fine. The product obtained in this way is of higher quality, has a rich taste and aroma, but it takes a certain amount of time to prepare it. Everyone knows that ground coffee needs to be brewed following a certain technology. This is not entirely convenient in our dynamically developing world.
Things are quite different with instant coffee powder. This drink is prepared very quickly, only boiling water is needed. A lot of time is saved, but taste is noticeably affected. That is why freeze-dried coffee occupies an intermediate position, being a kind of golden mean.
What does freeze-dried coffee mean and how is it made?
In essence, the coffee substrate obtained by freeze-drying is soluble, but at the same time it has a completely different taste than the usual instant one. It also differs in price, which together brings it closer to natural coffee.
The method of obtaining a product called "freeze-dried instant coffee" is quite interesting. Initially, the grains are thoroughly roasted and ground, and extremely fine. After that, the resulting powdery mass is placed in special containers, in which it is cooked for several hours. As a result of this procedure, components such as essential oils are released from the product, which are removed from the container through special mines.
The next step in the production of natural freeze-dried coffee is the operational freezing of the resulting mass in a vacuum. This technique allows you to maximally dry the substrate, as well as give it a crystalline appearance. But that is not all. In the production of the considered type of coffee product, the withdrawn essential oils, which were mentioned earlier, are also used. It is with this product that the resulting pyramidal crystals are impregnated, as a result of which they acquire a characteristic odor. But along with oils, as a rule, chemical compounds (fragrances) are used.
Natural freeze-dried coffee and its impact on human health
According to the assurances of authoritative researchers, freeze-dried coffee, contrary to public opinion, is still harmful to the human body. The most vulnerable are the digestive system and liver. The coffee product obtained by freeze-drying has an irritating effect on the stomach and pancreas, which can cause ulcers and the development of pancreatitis. The liver reacts to the coffee sublimate as something poisonous. As a result, she begins to work hard, removing dangerous fluid from the body. The consequence of this process is the gradual wear and tear of the liver and the emergence of problems with it.
The use of artificial flavors does not add any points in favor of such coffee either. Given the ability of coffee to remove calcium from the body, which is so important for bones, the question of the advisability of using this drink involuntarily arises. But in fact, not everything is so bad - negative consequences are possible only with excessive use of the above product. In everything, as they say, measure is important.
Price and quality
Freeze-dried coffee differs significantly in price from regular instant coffee. In fact, such an overestimation of the cost is quite understandable, because the production process of this product cannot be called cheap. As a result of using the above technology, the drink is really endowed with excellent taste. A truly high-quality product retains its properties only in sealed packaging. But even if all storage requirements are met, the shelf life is limited to two years. When purchasing coffee made by freeze-drying, you should definitely take this into account.
Which product is the best?
It all depends on your preferences. The advantages of natural ground coffee are undoubted, but it takes a long time to prepare a drink from it. Soluble varieties are quick to prepare and cheap, but less aromatic and tasty. That is why, in our opinion, the golden mean is coffee obtained as a result of sublimation. In this case, such positive characteristics, speed of preparation and good taste are combined.
Millions of people on the planet start their morning with a cup of hot aromatic coffee. The ideal taste of the drink for each person is presented differently: some prefer soft coffee with a taste of chocolate or vanilla notes, others - invigorating espresso with bitterness.True gourmets value only coffee beans, but ordinary office workers, due to the catastrophic lack of time to prepare an invigorating drink in a Turk, have to be content with the taste of an instant drink. But how not to get lost in a large assortment and buy the best instant coffee?
Instant coffee
Criterias of choice
When buying instant drink, try not to neglect the following recommendations:
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Do not confuse natural coffee with coffee drinks. These are completely different things, differing in taste, percentage of guaranine and, of course, cost. Choose only from products that are labeled “100% Instant Coffee”.
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Elite coffees for sale come in glass containers.
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High quality coffee granules are practically the same size. Foreign particles are a sign of poor quality raw materials. In the presence of impurities, it is possible that in the production they resorted to using the fruits of leguminous plants. And this is unacceptable.
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The expiration date must be indicated on the packaging. In addition, the shorter the period during which the product is suitable for use, the better its quality.
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High quality coffee dissolves well in both hot and cold water. In addition, no precipitation should be observed.
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Do not forget to pay attention to what types of coffee beans the product is made from. High quality coffee is made from Arabica. To reduce the cost of goods, some manufacturers use Robusta instead of Arabica. In this case, the drink turns out to be not so aromatic, but even watery in consistency.
Varieties of instant coffee
Depending on how the coffee beans were dried, coffee is divided into 3 types:
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Emulsified... It is produced using a special technology: coffee extract sprayed in a stream of hot air, after drying, turns into a free-flowing powder. In terms of cost, emulsified coffee is the cheapest; it contains about 4 percent guaranine.
Emulsified instant coffee
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Agglomerated (granular)... Coffee is prepared by moistening coffee powder with special mixtures to form porous granules. If there are no lumps in emulsified coffee, then in granulated coffee, on the contrary, their presence is mandatory. The cost of granulated coffee is higher than powdered coffee, but it is also much better in taste.
Agglomerated (granular) instant coffee
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Freeze-dried (crystallized)... This type of coffee is produced by deep freezing. Liquid is removed from coffee beans by vacuuming at a temperature below 0, as a result of which small crystals are formed. Since the technology for the production of freeze-dried coffee requires large energy consumption and significant financial investments, the cost of the product is much higher than the above two types. The percentage of guaranine is 3, which indicates the preservation of the qualities of the natural product.
Freeze-dried (crystallized) instant coffee
The best brands of instant coffee
"Bushido"
Japanese brand coffee has excellent taste, which is confirmed by positive reviews of connoisseurs of this invigorating drink. Coffee is produced in Switzerland. Only Indonesian, African, South or Central American Arabica is used for its manufacture.
"Bushido"
There are no impurities in the large dark brown granules. Dissolution in water occurs with medium rapidity, without the appearance of sediment. Freshly prepared drink has a pronounced aroma. The invigorating drink has a coffee-chocolate taste with a slight bitterness.
"Egoiste"
The production of this brand of coffee is carried out in Switzerland and Germany. It is made from Kenyan Arabica, which is globally recognized as one of the most prestigious coffee varieties.There is also the product “Egoiste Special” in the assortment range of the manufacturer, made using In-Fi technology, due to which an unsurpassed taste and smell remains for a long time. In-Fi technology means that ground coffee is protected from various influences by a freeze-dried shell.
"Egoiste"
Egoiste is a fairly strong coffee, since the percentage of guaranine is 4. The light brown granules dissolve quickly in water without precipitation. The taste of Egoiste coffee is balanced and complemented by a slight sourness.
"Grandos"
"Grandos"
It is difficult to find an instant invigorating drink of the German brand on the windows of chain hypermarkets, it is easier to purchase it in specialized online stores. Coffee lovers liked "Grandos" for its bright taste without bitterness and sourness and at an affordable cost. Well, and of course, coffee connoisseurs could not fail to note that it consists of natural Arabica.
"Carte Noire"
French brand coffee is produced in Russia, at the Kraft Foods factory for the production of packaged food products. It is made from Arabica blends. Since the percentage of guaranine is 4, the freshly made drink is quite strong. “Carte Noire” goes on sale in glass containers filled with even, large, light brown granules. The taste of a freshly prepared drink is deep; after consumption, a slight bitter aftertaste remains.
"Carte Noire"
The main thing - do not forget that the product with the name "Black Card" has nothing to do with "Carte Noire".
"UCC"
The assortment of the largest manufacturer of instant coffee in Japan includes several types of beverage. Coffee is prepared using modern technologies that allow preserving an impeccable aroma and excellent taste for a longer period of time. In this regard, instant UCC coffee has gained considerable popularity in many countries of the world.
"UCC"
The high cost of the product did not frighten real coffee gourmets, because the quality, deep aroma, soft harmonious taste and pleasant aftertaste of the drink are simply impeccable.
"Moscow coffee house on paiakh"
Over the years of its existence, the domestic brand has become one of the five leading manufacturers of instant coffee on the Russian market. Despite the average cost, the manufacturer defines its product as "premium". In addition to instant coffee, the assortment of the brand also includes grain coffee.
"Moscow coffee house on paiakh"
Light brown granules dissolve rather quickly without the formation of a precipitate. The finished drink has a pleasant aroma and rich taste with a slight bitterness.
"Taster's Choice"
Korean instant coffee comes in three flavors: standard coffee with 4 percent caffeine, decaffeinated and mild flavors.
"Taster's Choice"
The light brown granules do not form a precipitate when dissolved. The finished drink is characterized by a rich taste, pronounced aroma, bitter aftertaste and fruity sourness.
The choice of a particular brand of instant coffee will depend on the personal preferences and financial capabilities of each connoisseur of an invigorating drink. Before deciding which type of coffee you like best, you will have to try each one, because they all have different characteristics. And finally, do not forget that a quality drink cannot be cheap.
