Coffee is a drink prepared on the basis of roasted ground coffee beans. Its history goes back to the distant past, which did not prevent it from becoming one of the favorite drinks of our time. The current industrial industry offers the consumer several types of coffee: beans, ground and instant, presenting the latter as the most convenient for preparation. We will talk about it further.

What it is

Instant coffee is made from coffee beans. As a result of certain processing, a product is obtained in the form of a water-soluble powder or granules. You just need to fill such coffee with hot water - and it is ready to drink.
The taste and aroma of the drink are very similar to those of a natural product.

Some manufacturers of instant coffee carry out a decaffeinization procedure (reducing the amount of caffeine) in the process of making it.

Did you know? Finns are the leaders in coffee consumption. On average, one adult Finn drinks 5 cups of the drink a day.

Types of manufacturing technology

To obtain an instant product, the raw coffee beans must be roasted, ground, and bathed in hot water. The resulting concentrated liquid is dried in several ways.

The drying method depends on the type of product you get.

Freeze-dried (freeze-dried)

The name of this species speaks for itself.
Freeze-drive means "frozen out". That is, the resulting concentrated liquid is frozen, placed in a vacuum and, by adjusting the temperature and pressure, is transferred from the crystalline state to the gaseous state, bypassing the liquid state.

During this transformation, the composition of the extract is best preserved. But, unfortunately, this process is too costly, which inevitably affects the cost of the finished product.

Powder (spray-dry)

Perhaps the cheapest process. Coffee powder is obtained by spraying a concentrated liquid in a stream of hot air. Drying, sprayed droplets of liquid form powdery particles.

Granulated

A granular or agglomerated product is obtained from raw materials obtained by the previous method. The dry powder is additionally moistened so that the powders form agglomerates (stick together).

In this way, small granules are formed.

Is there a benefit to instant coffee

A lot of controversy has flared up around the advisability of drinking an instant drink.

Influence on the body

Instant coffee has a more negative effect than its natural counterpart. There are several reasons for this. First, the instant product is made from rejected grains.

Secondly, in the course of its manufacture, many useful substances are lost, which means that it does not have the desired positive effect on the body.

Here are some aspects of the effect of instant coffee on various body systems:

• Regular consumption of the drink leads to the fact that the nervous system gets used to the effects of caffeine. Addiction arises, as a result of which, without the next portion of "doping", the nervous system gets stress. Because of this, a person becomes hot-tempered, aggressive, irritated. Sleep worsens, depression appears.

• Coffee is an oxidizing agent for our body. This negatively affects the work of the digestive tract. An ulcer, gastritis may appear. Also, some elements of the drink are difficult to remove, which additionally burdens the liver and kidneys.
• The drink has a diuretic effect. On the one hand, this is a rather positive fact. Excess fluid is not retained in the body, toxins are released. But on the other hand, along with excess fluid, calcium leaves the body, without which some systems cannot fully function.

• The drink also negatively affects the work of the heart. The pressure rises, the heartbeat accelerates, which is very poorly reflected in the condition of people who have problems with this organ.

Important! So that the loss of fluid by the body after drinking a cup of coffee is not noticeable, it is advised to drink a glass of water 10-15 minutes after taking the drink.

Where is the use

The benefits of instant drink are minimal. It is believed that it is able to improve the metabolic process and make the stomach contract more actively. This effect on the body makes it possible to classify the drink as a series of products that help in the fight against extra pounds.

Of course, this effect is very weakly noticeable. Yes, the product can be called low-calorie (100 g of powder - 75 kcal). But for the changes in weight to be noticeable, you need to drink a lot of coffee. And this is harmful to the body.

Instant coffee has many benefits in cooking. Add new flavors to your favorite chocolate cake or other dessert by adding ground or instant product mixed into the dough.
You can create a delicious summer dessert - coffee ice cream. To do this, mix a third of a cup of strong instant or custard coffee with half a can of condensed milk and add two and a half cups of whipped cream to them.

Beat everything with a blender until creamy and freeze.

Coffee is also useful in art. It can be used to create a natural brown watercolor paint. To do this, you just need to brew a strong drink.

A strong coffee drink suitable for rinsing dark hair for a fuller look.

Natural or instant: which one to give preference to

Shop shelves are dazzling with a variety of coffee. Therefore, the question often arises before the buyer what type of product to give preference to.

Taste qualities

In terms of taste, the natural product is undoubtedly the leader. It has a pronounced taste and rich aroma. It is he who seduces all coffee lovers. Among instant coffee, freeze-dried coffee is the closest in aroma.

But, unfortunately, in order for the product to have a true coffee aroma, manufacturers have to mechanically saturate the product with essential oils. And not always natural ingredients will be used for this.

Benefit and harm

It would seem that a natural product should be much more useful than a product obtained by technical means. In relation to coffee, this is not entirely true. In addition to useful substances, grain and ground products contain a number of harmful substances that negatively affect the human body.

What can not be said about the sublimated. In the process of its manufacture, some of the harmful substances are lost, but the aroma and taste remain.

The harmful substances contained in grains include cafeestol and caveol. They are found in any unfiltered coffee. They increase the amount of cholesterol in the blood.

Also, in the instant product, the percentage of caffeine is less than in natural. Therefore, it is less harmful to the heart and nervous system, but on condition that you drink the drink in moderation.
At the same time, during the production of freeze-dried coffee, along with harmful substances, useful ones go away. Therefore, such a product contains a minimum of vitamins and minerals, sometimes some are not at all.

Synthetic essential oils can be used to create the fragrance.

Price

Grain is considered the cheapest, since the process of its production takes up a minimum of resources. Further, in ascending order of price, there are: ground, powder, granular and freeze-dried. Some manufacturers offer grain and ground at the same price.

The question is whether there will be savings if you buy grain and grind it yourself. If you have a coffee grinder, the process of obtaining a brew is absolutely not complicated and does not take much time. Alternatively, you can immediately purchase the ground product.
But when you start preparing a drink, in order to achieve the required strength, you will have to pour more powder than freeze-dried raw materials. Natural coffee takes about one and a half times more than instant coffee.

This means that with the same volume of packages, natural will be consumed faster than instant. As a result, the benefits become less obvious.

Storage periods

If we consider only finished coffee raw materials, then in terms of storage duration, soluble is in the first place. In unopened packaging, it can be stored for up to two years. Opened packaging significantly reduces storage time (up to 2-3 weeks).

This is due to the fact that all volatile components will quickly leave the product. If stored in an airtight container, it can be extended up to two months.
The second place is taken by coffee beans. In an ordinary bank, they can be stored for 10-14 days. This only applies to roasted beans. Raw materials can be stored for 2-2.5 years. You can increase the shelf life of roasted beans by placing them in a more airtight container.

They can be stored in special foil bags with a fastener and a non-return valve for about a year. Ground coffee has the shortest shelf life. It is stored for several days.

Important! Manufacturers indicate a longer shelf life on packages with ground coffee. But this is only possible if the container is tight. All aromatic oils instantly evaporate from the ground product.

How to reduce harm if you like instant coffee

If you cannot stop drinking coffee, then try to use a quality product and in moderation.

Choosing a quality product

Having familiarized yourself with the technique of making instant coffee, we can conclude that the most expensive and highest quality coffee will be freeze-dried. It is on him that you need to pay attention to in the store. And the higher the price, the more likely the product is natural.

Of course, the price should be within reasonable limits. A kilogram of freeze-dried coffee should cost about 2-2.5 kilograms of similar coffee beans.

In addition, you should inspect the packaging. It is desirable that it be glass or tin containers. It is more airtight, which means it will retain its taste longer.

You can spend once on a product in good packaging, and then purchase its counterparts in bags with a fastener and pour into an airtight container.
If you want to purchase a product in a glass jar, then make sure that there is no powder or broken granules on the bottom. Let us admit only a small percentage of them.

Study the label carefully. It contains information about the manufacturer, roasting and raw materials for the product. Should be written: 100% coffee.

You can test it for naturalness at home. Add a spoonful of instant coffee to a glass of cold water. It should dissolve on its own, without outside interference. In boiling water, this process should take place instantly.

Usage rules

The rate of coffee consumption should not be measured by cups, but by the amount of caffeine that enters the body with the drink. Doctors say that the norm of caffeine for an adult, which can be safe, is 100-200 mg at a time.
This amount of alkaloid is contained in three teaspoons of ground and two teaspoons of instant coffee. You can consume no more than two or three such portions per day. This will allow you to get the desired invigorating effect and minimize the negative effects.

If you prefer brewed coffee, try to brew it for the shortest possible time so that the caffeine does not have time to release. It is recommended to pour the ground grain with hot water, bring to a boil and immediately decant.

The aroma and taste are not lost, but harmful substances do not have time to get into the liquid.

The less water you put in a cup, the more caffeine you will have in your drink.

Important! Caffeine is eliminated from a healthy body in about 5-6 hours. Therefore, you do not need to drink coffee often and at night.

How Safe Is Decaffeinated Coffee, Or What Is Decaffeinating

Decaffeinating is the process of removing caffeine from coffee beans, cocoa beans, and tea leaves. It is impossible to completely remove the alkaloid. It remains about one to two percent of the previous amount.

There are several techniques for removing the alkaloid. Usually, raw grains are first steamed. Then they are poured into a solution that draws out the caffeine. This cleaning is carried out 8-12 times.

The output should be a raw material containing slightly more than 3% caffeine. According to EU standards, grain must be almost 99.9% refined.
In addition to caffeine, there are a number of beneficial compounds that are difficult to leave in the same volume in the bean during the decaffeination process.

Regardless of the cleaning method, chemical compounds are used to remove the alkaloid. Even if the raw material is thoroughly washed after processing, there is no guarantee that the harmful substances will be completely washed off.

Because of this, a caffeine-free product is unlikely to be more useful than its unrefined counterpart. In addition, many elements responsible for taste and aroma are lost during prolonged processing.

To make such coffee pleasant to the taste, flavors, often chemical, are artificially introduced into it. Also, scientists have found that decaf coffee increases the amount of bad cholesterol in the human body.

Did you know? In 1675, King Charles II of Great Britain ordered the closure of all coffee establishments in the country, as he believed that his opponents were gathering in them.

How can you replace coffee for an energetic effect?

You can get an invigorating effect not only from coffee, but also from other drinks.

Cocoa

It contains about 5 mg of caffeine per 100 ml of drink, so it is safer to consume. It is also a source of flavonoids,. Such a list of elements is able to support the work of the main body systems: the heart and blood vessels.

Tea

Tea is also a source of caffeine, more precisely one of its varieties, theine. The tonic effect of its use is similar, but the effect on the body is milder and more prolonged.

Black tea contains 60-85 mg of alkaloid per 200 ml, white tea - about 75 mg per 200 ml, green - 30-60 mg per 200 ml.

Ginger

If added to tea, then its tonic effect will increase significantly and will be felt for a longer time. In addition, the aroma from the root vegetable soothes the nervous system. Fatigue disappears instantly. There is a desire to work.

Scientists have been arguing about the dangers of coffee for a very long time. Some conduct experiments and prove that there is no negative effect on the body, but only positive. Others talk about harm.
And the producers of the product, in turn, try to keep the fans of the drink, coming up with more and more new forms. It is difficult for the consumer to judge who is right and who is not. Therefore, it is better to adhere to the golden rule: everything is good in moderation.

Freeze-dried coffee is produced using the freeze-dry technology, which literally means "by freezing" in English. With this method of preparation, the finished product retains a greater amount of useful natural substances and has a much more pronounced aroma and mild rich taste. The technology for making coffee is quite complex and energy-intensive, as a result of which it turns out to be somewhat more expensive than other soluble analogues.

Freeze-dried coffee production

The initial stage in preparing coffee beans for subsequent processing is to thoroughly roast them and grind them to a flour consistency. The resulting coffee flour undergoes the brewing procedure in special hermetically sealed containers for three hours. During the preparation process, some of the essential oils contained in the coffee beans leave along with the steam. In order not to deprive future drink of useful properties, there is a special technology that allows you to extract oils from steam.

After three hours of cooking, the finished thick coffee slurry is subjected to shock-freezing at low temperatures, after which it is frozen in vacuum to a dry powder. The resulting coffee mass, almost completely devoid of moisture, is broken into granules and impregnated with essential oils extracted from the coffee at the beginning of the brewing process.

What quality freeze-dried coffee should look like

When choosing freeze-dried coffee, you should pay special attention to its appearance and quality of packaging. So, granules of instant coffee should be large, dense, have a light brown tint and resemble a pyramid in their shape. If you buy coffee in transparent, pay attention to the tightness of the packaging and - the freeze-dried product can be stored for no more than two years. The presence of sediment on the bottom of the can indicates a violation of the manufacturing technology, which means that, most likely, the drink will not fully convey the taste of real freshly brewed coffee from.

Who shouldn't drink instant coffee

Coffee is strictly prohibited for pregnant women and young mothers during breastfeeding, children under ten years of age and people prone to hypertension, with diseases of the heart and blood vessels, gastrointestinal tract, kidneys and organs of the genitourinary system.

Related article

Sources:

• freeze-dried coffee making technology

Caffeine is a psychostimulant found in tea, coffee, and many other beverages. What else is known about this substance?

Instructions

Caffeine has a positive effect on short-term and long-term memory. Taking at least 300 mg of this substance per day will protect you from Alzheimer's disease and cognitive impairment. But keep in mind that good sleep is also needed to prevent Alzheimer's disease.

Athletes who take caffeine an hour before training improve their response and alertness. Also, this psychostimulant helps to reduce the feeling of fatigue and improves performance.

Caffeine can have a positive effect on the reaction rate. This substance crosses the blood-brain barrier extremely quickly, which is why the central nervous system is stimulated just as quickly. All energy drinks are based on this principle, but they should be taken in moderation, because caffeine increases the excitability of the nervous system.

It is believed that caffeine can prevent depression. And it is true. Many studies have shown that those who drink more than a couple of cups of coffee a day suffer from bad mood and depression less often than those who do not drink this drink at all.

Does caffeine raise blood pressure? And this is true. It's not for nothing that people with high blood pressure rarely drink coffee, because caffeine can actually raise blood pressure. But this increase turns out to be low and short-lived in healthy people and slightly faster and more prolonged in persons predisposed to hypertension. But those who consume caffeine have an immoderate long-term effect of increased blood pressure. The norm is a couple of cups a day.

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Coffee is one of the best drinks known to civilization. Perhaps the civilization itself owes much of its prosperity to coffee. For this drink awakens thoughts, helps to paint pictures and novels, solve problems at the negotiating table and even restore health after yesterday's party.

The story of where and how coffee spread throughout the world has overgrown with many legends. Here is one of them. Once the archangel Jabrail presented an amazing plant to Allah. The Almighty has brewed from its grains a divine drink that drives away sleep and sharpens the mind. And he called it "kahwa" - "exciting". One of the seeds accidentally hit the ground and sprouted. While a shepherd named Kaldi was grazing his goats, the animals came across a bush with bright red fruits and gnawed at it. Then they became unusually vigorous and mobile. And then it dawned on the shepherd: it's all about the extraordinary fruits! According to another version, the case took place in the Ethiopian province of Kafa. It was there that those wonderful goats grazed, who discovered this magical drink to the world. Be that as it may, the rumor about a miraculous tonic quickly spread throughout the East.

For centuries, it was believed that drinking coffee was a seductive but rather bad habit. However, the results of recent studies suggest that if you do not abuse it (the permissible dose of caffeine is considered 0.3 g per day - and this is no more than two or three cups), coffee is very useful: relieves fatigue, stimulates the brain and digestive system. It has also been proven that people who usually drink two to three cups of coffee a day have a more stable psyche and are less prone to depression.

Ripe coffee fruits are harvested by hand. During the harvest season, pickers walk through the entire plantation once a week, pick the ripe red coffee berries and sprinkle them on a cloth spread under the bushes. In this case, the fruits are immediately sorted to remove unripe or overripe.

Harvested coffee berries cannot be stored for a long time; they must be peeled immediately. There are two cleaning methods - dry and wet.

Dry cleaning is traditionally used in areas with pronounced periods of rain and drought. Pre-separated from debris, unripe or overripe fruits, coffee berries are spread in a thin layer on a large flat surface and left in the sun until completely dry.

They are stirred several times a day so that they dry evenly. During this time, they ripen, chemical changes take place in them, thanks to which the coffee gets its taste and "strength". If rain is approaching, as well as at night, the fruits are collected in heaps and covered with foil.

The drying process is complete when the water content of the harvested berries is reduced to 13 percent. This happens after about 3 weeks. Then the fruits are peeled and removed from the shells of green grains.

Wet cleaning is common in regions where there is a lot of rain and not enough sunny days to dry coffee quickly and well.

Ripe coffee berries are poured into large rotating drums immediately after harvesting, where most of the soft shell of the fruit is removed under a strong jet of water. Then they are unloaded into special containers and left there until the remnants of the pulp are finally soaked, after which they are washed off with running water.

The washed grains are poured onto flat areas and left to dry in the sun. To make the grains dry evenly, they are constantly stirred.

Refined grains undergo several more stages of processing: shelling, polishing, sifting, sorting and roasting.

Roasting is a very important stage in the processing of grains. Raw coffee beans are not suitable for consumption. When roasted, moisture evaporates from them, they become hard, easily grind and change color - from green to light and dark brown. The taste and aroma of a coffee drink depend very much on the degree of roasting: the stronger it is, the more bitterness in the coffee and less sourness; low roasting, on the other hand, has strong sour notes and almost no bitterness. There are four roast grades, each of which imparts a different flavor to the same coffee variety (see below in the section on coffee varieties). To preserve all the flavoring and useful properties of coffee, immediately after roasting, the beans must be cooled.

Packaging is the next step in coffee production. Coffee beans, cooling after roasting, emit carbon dioxide, and the package will simply explode if you do not free the coffee from carbon dioxide. Moreover, gas is released from whole grains more slowly than from ground ones. Therefore, coffee beans are packed in bags with a ventilation valve, which allows carbon dioxide to escape outside, but does not let oxygen inside. Such packaging is called gas-filled.

And ground coffee is placed in a vacuum package - briquettes, from which carbon dioxide is first extracted by vacuum, and then tightly sealed. Coffee in unopened packaging cannot be stored for a long time, since under the influence of oxygen, the fats in coffee beans are oxidized, and the drink prepared from them loses its taste and aroma.

For a long time, coffee has been drunk in coffee houses; in different nations and in different languages, these establishments are called differently. The first coffee shops were opened in Mecca in the 12th century. They soon spread throughout the Arab world and turned into lucrative places where visitors played chess, exchanged news, sang and listened to music. Soon they became centers of political activity, which caused the discontent of the authorities. In the decades that followed, coffee houses were either banned or allowed again. The problem was resolved after the introduction of a tax on them.

For a long time, the Arabs had a monopoly on coffee. To preserve it, they carefully watched so that not a single grain was taken to a "foreign land." To do this, they were even specially "spoiled" - they peeled off the outer shell from the grains so that they would lose germination. However, in 1615, Venetian merchants still managed to bring coffee to Europe. It was first marketed as a drug that relieves fatigue, increases mental alertness, and sharpens perception. And only in 1683 - all in the same Venice - the first European coffee houses appeared.

Coffee came to Russia in two ways: from the East and from the West. The "Eastern Route" lay through trade routes with the countries of the Near and Middle East. However, coffee moved on Russian soil with difficulty. Much more significant was the influence of the West, or rather the decisive actions of Peter I, inspired by European customs. Returning from Holland, he simply ordered to drink coffee at his famous "assemblies".

In Russia, the first coffee shop was opened in 1740 in St. Petersburg, by order of Empress Anna Ioannovna. In Moscow, the first coffee establishment was located on Tverskaya, in the same building where the famous Filippovskaya bakery was later located.

The coffee maker who works in a coffee shop is called a barista in many countries.

Types and varieties

Today coffee is grown in South and Central America, the Caribbean, Africa and Asia - in about 80 countries located in the so-called "coffee belt". The largest suppliers are Brazil and Colombia, followed by Indonesia, Vietnam and Mexico. Some countries, such as Kenya, Jamaica and Yemen, supply small quantities of high quality coffee.

The family of plants to which coffee belongs has about seventy species. However, there are only two main ones - arabica and robusta. They are evergreen shrubs with oval dark green leaves. In the dry period, they are covered with white flowers, flowering continues until the first rains. Then the flowers turn into dark red fruits - "coffee cherries". From the moment of flowering to ripening of Arabica fruits, it takes 5-7 months. Robusta matures a little longer - 9-11 months.

Arabica (Arabian coffee tree) is a very demanding plant. It needs strong and regular rains, an average air temperature plus 15-24 C, deep fertile soil. A drink made from Arabica beans has a more subtle taste and aroma than a drink made from robusta. Almost 80% of the ground coffee produced today is Arabica.

The word Mild refers to the highest category of coffee varieties, including the best varieties of Arabica; this designation is assigned only to high-quality coffee harvested at an altitude of 1000-1500 meters above sea level; another, more complete name for this category is “soft coffee grown on high mountain plantations”.

The coffee tree Knefor robusta is quite unpretentious, it grows in the equatorial forests and savannas of the Congo basin. It tolerates high temperatures and high humidity well. The drink from its beans turns out to be more bitter, without a subtle aroma. Mostly robusta is used to make coffee blends / blends.

Liberica is the third largest and most important coffee variety in the world (after Arabica and Robusta). Liberica is characterized by a low caffeine content, a strong aroma and a weak, unsaturated taste. In its pure form, Liberica is not intended for export, it is mainly used in the regions of growth. It is used in coffee blends to enhance the aroma of the drink.

The fourth most important variety of coffee is excelsa, the least common, not of industrial importance and used mainly in coffee blends to enhance the aroma of the drink.

According to experts, there are no less coffee varieties than wine brands. Although until the beginning of the twentieth century, lovers of this drink knew only mono-varietal coffee made from beans harvested from one plantation.

Single varieties are usually named after the country in which the coffee is grown ("Kenya", "Colombia"), or a smaller administrative unit - the city, province, state, district or even the port from which the beans are exported, for example Brazilian "Santos" ... There are varieties named after mountain peaks ("Kilimanjaro") and ridges ("Blue Mountain").

Over time, coffee became an increasingly popular drink, and producers began to mix beans from different trees, plantations and crops. They did this in order to emphasize the merits of each variety, to create certain taste and aroma characteristic only for this brand and to maintain them throughout the entire production period. A mixture that is made from beans of different types of coffee is usually called a blend or blend.

In fact, the currently known varieties of coffee are trade marks of manufacturers.

Most of the varieties known today are blends. Different types of coffee are made by mixing between two and fourteen varieties of coffee beans. A variety of flavors is especially appreciated in coffee of certain varieties: in some, fruity sourness prevails, in others - nutty tones, there is even coffee with a wine flavor.

Coffee varieties also differ in the degree of roast. During roasting, the first few minutes of the beans remain light yellowish and have a "grassy" smell, then smoke with a more aromatic smell appears and soon there is a "first crack" - a distinct sound signaling at which stage the roasting is. After that, the active caramelization of the sugars contained in the grains begins, and the essential oils gradually come out. The grains grow in size and become darker. At this moment, a “second crackling” is usually heard, the color of the grains becomes even darker, and the smoke is thick and pungent - at this stage the sugars are completely burned out. There are many types of coffee roasts, each of which imparts a different flavor to the same type of coffee. In general, each roast can be categorized into one of four main roasts - low, medium, high, or high.

• cinnamon roast (Cinnamon Roast), approximate temperature 195 ° С, the lightest roast, the grains are light brown in color with a slight richness of taste, noticeably pronounced sourness and subtle bread aroma, there is no oil on the surface;


• Light or New England Roast, approx. 205 ° C, light roast in which the beans are light brown, slightly darker than the cinnamon roast. The taste still has a pronounced sourness, but without the bready notes. There is still no oil on the surface;


• American Roast, ca. 210 ° C, medium light brown, just after the first crackle, still no oil on the surface; this roast got its name because of its popularity in the eastern part of the United States; this roast (like cinnamon roast) is often used during professional coffee tastings;


• city ​​roast (City Roast), approximate temperature 220 ° C; strong roast; deep brown, with a still dry surface; roasting is popular in the western United States and also works well for coffee tastings;


• Full City Roast, approx 225 ° C; drops of oil begin to appear on the surface of the grains; the taste is dominated by caramel and chocolate notes; the beginning of the “second crackling”;


• Vienna Roast, approx 230 ° C; strong roast; moderate dark brown with a slightly oily surface; the appearance of sweet-bitter, caramelized notes in the taste; sourness drops to a minimum, giving way to saturation; in the middle of the "second crackle"; sometimes this roast is used for espresso;


• French Roast, approx. 240 ° C, dark brown, shiny oily surface; sourness is practically absent, burnt notes appear in the taste; at the end of the "second crackle"; popular espresso roast;


• Italian Roast, approx. 245 ° C, very dark brown, beans covered in oil; roasting is similar to French, only with a more pronounced taste; common espresso roast; Spanish Roast, approx. 250 ° C, darkest roast; the grains are very dark, almost black in color and have a very oily surface; very few coffees can withstand a Spanish roast without turning to ash.

Coffee is sold either in beans, ground, or instant. Ground coffee, i.e. the ground coffee beans differ by the type of grinding (see the section on preparing coffee).

Coffee lovers are often dismissive of instant coffee, but in terms of sales, it is in no way inferior to coffee in beans and ground coffee. Instant coffee was first introduced to the public in 1901 - at the All-American Exhibition in Buffalo - and immediately sparked a lively controversy. However, today many people cannot imagine their day without this drink.

For the preparation of instant coffee, the famous arabica is almost never used: it is aromatic, but not very strong; in the "powder" it practically loses its characteristic taste. Robusta, a strong African variety with twice as much caffeine as Arabica, makes the coffee richer.

Those who prefer instant coffee need to know that intense pressure changes the molecular structure of the grain - and the beneficial properties, as well as the amazing aroma and taste of coffee, are lost.

There are three types of instant coffee depending on the production technology: powder, granular and freeze-dried.

1. Powdered coffee is a method of producing instant coffee. The fried grains are finely ground, then processed under pressure with a stream of hot water for several hours. The resulting infusion is filtered and the extract is sprayed into chambers filled with hot inert gases. On the fly, droplets of the extract curl up and dry, turning into a powder ..


2. Granular coffee. It almost does not differ from the production of powder. The only difference is that the ready-made coffee powder under pressure with steam is knocked into small lumps, and the coffee no longer looks like a powder, but like granules.


3. Freeze-dried coffee. For the production of freeze-dried (this method is also called freeze dry) coffee, the coffee extract is frozen at a very low temperature. Then it is dehydrated under vacuum at low pressure. The dehydrated mass is crushed and crystals of an uneven shape are obtained, which we see in coffee jars. This is the most expensive way of producing instant coffee, but it allows you to maximize the beneficial properties of coffee beans, their taste and aroma.

Finally, there are various coffee drinks such as carrot coffee or chicory coffee. They have nothing to do with real coffee, although they are very interesting in their own way.

How to cook

Grinding. Like roasting, grinding coffee beans is an important step in developing the aroma of the beverage. It is better to brew coffee immediately after grinding. Different brewing methods require different grinds of coffee.

• Coarse or coarse grind (coarse grind) is suitable for brewing in a piston coffee machine (french press) or in any vessel -.


• Medium grind can be used for different brewing methods.


• Fine grind is good for making a drink in filter coffee makers.


• The fine espresso grind is required for espresso machines in which a jet of hot water flows through the ground beans.


• Powdered, pulverized - The coffee powder is similar to flour and is used exclusively for brewing Turkish coffee in cezve.

Over the centuries-old history of coffee, many options for its preparation have been invented: once balls from the pulp of crushed grains were mixed with fat, dried coffee leaves were brewed. Over time, advanced "coffee" technologies began to appear. Today, there are five most popular ways to get a fragrant drink: espresso, oriental coffee, French press, coffee filter, coffee geyser.

Espresso is the youngest, most modern, fastest way. No wonder in their homeland, in Italy, espresso is considered the "coffee king". To prepare it, you need coffee beans of a strong roast (then the drink will have a characteristic light bitterness) and very fine grind (fine espresso grind), preferably a mixture of Arabica and a small amount of Robusta. The drink is being prepared literally before our eyes: in a matter of seconds it doses and grinds the beans, presses coffee powder, brews coffee - and gives out a cup of a delicious aromatic drink. Brown crema on the surface of the coffee is a sure sign that the espresso is great.

Oriental or Turkish coffee also has many fans. They say that in order to prepare it correctly, you need a flair: nothing will mark the line separating a great drink from a hopelessly ruined one. It is worth skipping the moment of the appearance of bubbles along the edge of the cezve (aka ibrik, aka a Turk) - and the coffee will boil, which means it has failed.

To prepare oriental coffee on an ordinary stove, a Turk with water and sugar is put on a moderate heat. When the water boils, coffee of the finest grind is added to it, stirred, put back on the stove and brought to a boil. Only in no case do they boil.

As soon as small bubbles appear along the edges of the "lid" formed from the coffee grounds, remove the cezve from the heat. Then put on fire again - and remove again as soon as bubbles appear. And so two or three more times (more can be). Before serving, it would be good to let the coffee brew a little in the cezve under the lid.

For Turkish coffee, they usually take heavily roasted beans - they give the drink a pleasant bitterness. However, the degree of roast is not as important here as for espresso; if you wish, you can use both low and medium roasted coffee. But the "correct" grinding (pulverized, "powdery", the finest of all existing types of grinding) is very important. Only when brewing coffee, it does not give a thick crunching on the teeth, but a thick, dense aromatic foam, without which oriental coffee is simply unthinkable. And finally, the proportions. For 200-250 ml of water ”, four teaspoons (32 grams) of coffee powder.

Press coffee. Making coffee in a French press - a piston coffee machine invented in France in the 1920s - is like brewing tea. Rinse the coffee pot with boiling water, pour coarse coffee into it, pour boiling water over it and let the drink brew for five minutes. Next, you should lower it onto the piston, thus separating the thick, and pour the finished drink into cups.

Unlike tiny cups in which espresso and Turkish coffee are served, coffee from a French press is usually poured into rather large cups (approximately 120 ml of water is taken for 8-10 grams of coffee powder).

To prevent the strainer from getting clogged, it is best to use coarse coffee. But the French press has no requirements for the grains themselves - mixtures or certain varieties, as well as for their roasting. Any coffee can be brewed this way.

This method has many advantages: firstly, you do not need to stand over the stove, and secondly, in a heat-resistant flask of a coffee pot, the drink remains hot for a long time under a closed lid. In addition, you can cook it in almost any. There would only be water heated to the state of the "white key" or slightly cooled after boiling (in a heat-saving flask, boiling water can continue boiling, which significantly impairs the taste of the drink).

Funnel for coffee. Recently, when espresso machines, French presses and coffee-on-the-sand machines have reached us, filter coffee is losing its former popularity. However, it is quite simple to prepare it: a paper filter is placed in the funnel of the coffee maker and ground coffee is poured at the rate of 8-10 grams per cup. Water is poured into a special compartment, it heats up to 100 ° C, drips on top of the coffee powder, and after a few seconds the brewed coffee, drop by drop, flows into the jug. The degree of grinding is selected depending on the filtration time: the shorter the time during which the coffee is prepared, the finer the grinding is required. And vice versa.

Coffee geyser. Moka (geyser) machines predate the emergence of espresso machines, and this type of coffee machine is still widely used in Italy today. The coffee pot consists of two screw containers. Fresh water is poured into the lower part. Pour into the built-in filter to the top and lightly press medium-ground coffee (roast - medium to dark) at the rate of 5-7 grams per cup. Then both parts of the coffee pot are screwed together and, depending on the model, are either placed on the stove or connected to the mains.

When heated, overpressure builds up in the lower part of the coffee maker and hot water is forced into the upper vessel through the layer of coffee powder. The problem is that the water temperature in such units exceeds 100 ° C, so the drink ends up being "boiled over". And, of course, it does not have the very creamy foam that crowns a real espresso.

Here are some more terms related to the preparation and serving of coffee:

• glace (from Lat. glacies - "ice") - coffee with ice cream: served in a high conical glass with a capacity of 250 ml with a coffee straw and a dessert spoon for ice cream;


• demitas (from the French demitasse - "half a cup") - a small cup for coffee with a capacity of 60-70 ml with very thick walls that keep heat well; used mainly for espresso, but also for oriental coffee;


• cappuccino - espresso with hot milk and thick milk foam (in equal parts);


• cafe-o-le - coffee made from lightly roasted beans, mixed in equal proportions with very hot frothed milk;


• corto - a type of espresso, very strong and rich coffee; It is made with the same amount of coffee powder as a standard espresso, however, much less water is used in the canto;


• latte - a drink made from one part espresso and three parts hot milk with a little milk foam; as a rule, sprinkle the froth on top with grated chocolate or cocoa; sometimes cinnamon and syrups are added, such as caramel, chocolate or vanilla; served in a tall glass;


• mazbout - oriental coffee of medium sweetness (sugar is added during the brewing process: for a teaspoon of coffee - a teaspoon of sugar); - a standard shot of espresso (30 ml) with a little hot frothed milk (15 ml);


• melange (from the French melange - "mixture") - traditional coffee with milk (how much coffee, and how much milk - depends on your preferences);


• ristretto - very strong espresso, a portion no more than a sip;


• yesh - the foam formed from the coffee powder ground to a dusty state when brewing oriental coffee; it is laid out with a spoon in cups, and then coffee is poured; uesh in the East is considered the "face of coffee";


• Granita espresso - in Italy, this is a very cold and unsweetened espresso with sweetened whipped cream; in America, it is a mixture of espresso, milk and sugar, strongly cooled in special machines;


• espresso con panna - hot espresso with whipped cream, sprinkled with grated chocolate.

Here are some more coffee tips:

1. the coffee that you are going to brew in a coffee pot should not be ground too finely, but for cezve the beans should be literally ground into dust;


2. in no case should you boil coffee - acids that are released during the boiling process can spoil both the smell and taste; however, it must be brought to a boil, otherwise aromatic substances will not have time to be released from it;


3. for the aroma to "infuse", wait about five minutes and only after that pour the drink into cups;


4. you cannot store already brewed coffee for more than half an hour - there are a lot of fats in the beans that can turn rancid; the coffee pot must be thoroughly washed after each coffee drinking - fats deposited on the walls will spoil the taste of fresh coffee.

We add that ground coffee, as well as instant coffee, often become ingredients for various dishes - from coffee chocolate to cakes and liqueurs.

How to choose and store

A person who understands coffee first pays attention to the type of product - coffee beans, ground coffee, instant coffee. When choosing coffee, its type is important - brand, mono-varietal or blend, which blend (at least the percentage of Arabica and Robusta), the type of roasting and grinding, etc.

Only coffee beans are sold by weight.

High quality natural ground coffee is usually packed in a vacuum briquette. If it is soft in places, it means that it is damaged.

The average shelf life of natural ground coffee is 18 months.

Quality instant coffee is usually packed in a glass or tin can. Look at the composition of the product: there should be no extra ingredients (chicory, barley, etc.), otherwise it is not coffee, but a coffee drink. There should be no powder at the bottom of the packaging for granulated and freeze-dried coffee.

It is better to keep coffee in a cool dark place (but not in the refrigerator), in a tightly closed ceramic or glass container, while it is advisable to leave as little space as possible between the surface of the coffee and the lid of the container. If the coffee is stored in a soft package, it is better to squeeze the air out of it and seal it tightly, for example, with scotch tape.

Many varieties of instant coffee can be found on store shelves: powdered, granular, and freeze-dried. Real “coffee lovers”, of course, prefer to buy natural grain or ground coffee. But it also happens that there is no time or opportunity to brew a cup of natural aromatic drink.

This is where instant coffee comes to the rescue. The highest quality and most expensive of all its varieties is considered to be a freeze-dried drink. So what is freeze-dried coffee and how is it different from granular or powdered coffee?

Freeze-dried coffee: what it means

Freeze-dried coffee is also called freeze dried which means "dry freeze". It is an instant drink made by vacuum evaporation of liquid from coffee beans... This procedure is rather lengthy and expensive. The technology of freeze-drying of coffee raw materials was invented back in the 60s. last century. It consists in instant freezing and simultaneous vacuum drying of coffee powder. At the same time, the aroma, taste and strength of natural coffee are preserved. But, it is worth noting that a freeze-dried drink is made from coffee beans of the lowest quality.

Do you know what kind of word "coffee" is - masculine or middle? Find the answer by.

Production process: how this type of coffee is made

Probably, many lovers of a strong morning drink wondered how freeze-dried coffee is made. This procedure is rather complicated and consists of several stages.

It should be noted that only natural extracts and essential oils are used for expensive brands of coffee. In cheaper types, synthetic substitutes prevail. You can read more about how much coffee is in instant coffee.

It is thanks to this freeze dryd technology that freeze-dried instant coffee preserves as much as possible not only the taste and rich aroma of ground coffee, but many useful properties of a natural drink.

You can find out how many calories are in coffee with milk, sugar and without.

What is the difference between freeze-dried coffee and granulated coffee?

Often, most coffee buyers have a question: what is the difference between freeze-dried coffee and soluble granular or powdered coffee. I must say that the difference lies not only in price or taste, but also in production technology.

The difference is that freeze-dried coffee is made by quick freezing, with vacuum drying of the raw material without the formation of liquid. And for the production of a granular or powdery drink, the coffee extract is sprayed and the excess water is simply evaporated from it. For granulated coffee, the resulting powder is slightly moistened. As a result, loose, loose granules, dark brown in color, are obtained. For the production of the cheapest, powdery drink, the coffee "dust" obtained by evaporation is immediately packaged in bags or cans, without pretreatment.

Distinguished by freeze-dried coffee and richer flavor, light caramel color and neat pyramidal granules... Manufacturers claim that such a drink retains the taste and aroma of real coffee beans, since the sublimation process does not destroy the structure of coffee molecules. But it is not so. After all, any instant drink is necessarily treated with flavorings before packaging. Therefore, it is not necessary to talk about the completely natural origin of freeze-dried coffee.

The benefits and harms of this type of instant coffee

It is believed that freeze-dried coffee is not as harmful to health as regular instant coffee. The benefits of using it are obvious. The freeze-dried drink contains quite a lot niacin, caffeine, antioxidants, and very few different chemical additives. But do not forget that an excessive passion for freeze-dried coffee (as well as instant coffee) can cause serious harm. Any instant coffee promotes excretion of calcium from the body, causes disturbances in the functioning of the heart and gastrointestinal tract, has a strong diuretic effect, negatively affects male potency, can cause female infertility. Read more about the benefits and dangers of instant coffee.

Rating of the best brands

It is not easy to choose the best product from the huge number of names and manufacturers of freeze-dried coffee. The Test Purchase program compiled a rating of the most popular brands of such a drink.

This list includes:

In our next article, we will talk about perhaps the most famous oolong tea - Chinese Tiguanin tea: its amazing effect, properties, varieties and much more:

When choosing freeze-dried coffee, the first thing to look for is integrity of packaging and shelf life(it must not be more than 2 years old). All granules should be uniform, whole, light brown, large. You should not buy coffee if there is powder at the bottom of the can. For a high-quality, natural freeze-dried drink, the packaging must indicate percentage of Arabica and Robusta.

Of all types of instant drinks, it is better to choose freeze-dried coffee. It contains the least amount of chemical and synthetic additives. It has a richer flavor and is less harmful to health. All his brands are quite famous and popular. And which one is better to choose is a matter of taste.

Video tips to help you make delicious coffee:

The consumption of instant coffee in the world is increasing every year. According to the US Coffee Bureau, in 53, the average American drank 2.57 cups of coffee a day, of which 2.32 cups were natural coffee and 0.26 cups were instant coffee. After 20 years, those numbers have changed: 2.35 cups for the average American, of which 1.67 are from natural beans and 0.68 cups are instant coffee. Today Russia ranks first in the world in terms of consumption of instant coffee.

Soluble freeze-dried coffee is harmful for the body, as scientists have proven. The newest type of instant coffee - freeze-dried, as the manufacturers say, does not carry any harm, but, on the contrary, retains all the valuable qualities of natural coffee beans. Is this true, or is it just another advertising move using the ignorance of consumers in such matters?

Scientists argue about the benefits and dangers of freeze-dried coffee.

It is believed to be the most harmless of all types of instant coffee, and it is also believed that such coffee is harmful.

Why is this coffee harmful? First of all, freeze-dried coffee harms the stomach and all the digestive organs. The most dangerous is the thick that remains at the bottom of the cup. This thick contains tannins that irritate the gastric mucosa and, with prolonged exposure, lead to gastritis and even stomach ulcers. The thing is that coffee is a poison for the digestive organs, and the liver perceives this drink in this way, passing it through itself. As with any poison, she begins to fight it, and if you drink coffee often, the liver simply cannot cope, and this can lead to liver disease. Especially freeze-dried coffee is harmful drunk on an empty stomach. Drinking a cup of coffee on an empty stomach stimulates the production of hydrochloric acid, and the stomach, having no contents for digestion, begins to "eat" itself. From this, heartburn appears, and if a cup of coffee on an empty stomach has already become a habit, gastritis gradually develops, and gastritis can lead to an ulcer, in turn, a neglected ulcer leads to more serious consequences and oncology.

In addition, freeze-dried coffee, like any other coffee, removes calcium from the body, which contributes to the development of osteoporosis.

If you are on a diet, it will not work if you have coffee in your diet, as it stimulates the appetite.

Freeze-dried coffee also affects the kidneys - it acts as a diuretic and dehydrates the body. And this harms both the brain and the heart system, since potassium is also excreted along with caffeine.
Freeze-dried coffee is the most expensive of all types of instant coffee, since a complex and expensive technology is used in its production. Coffee is brewed for several hours, while claiming that it supposedly retains all the properties of natural coffee. But in fact, brewing coffee for many hours not only dissolves 50% of the coffee beans, but also kills everything that was useful in this product ...

At its core, freeze-dried coffee is the same instant coffee, only it is produced using other, more expensive and new technologies. And instant coffee, as proven by scientists, is harmful. And no matter how complex coffee processing technology is used, during sublimation, coffee loses its aroma, and therefore you have to resort to artificial flavors, dyes, flavoring additives ...

However, manufacturers claim that harm of freeze-dried coffee for health - a delusion. But according to research, instant powder contains only 15% natural coffee, or even less. In any case, the lower the price of freeze-dried coffee, the lower this percentage, and, therefore, the less benefit from it.

But scientists agree on one thing - it is better to drink a cup of natural coffee than to drink freeze-dried or some other type of instant coffee.

What directions and methods of processing products you will not find today! One of them is sublimation. The word is unusual and even to some extent arouses well-founded fears. So what is it and should you be afraid of freeze-dried foods?

The sublimation process was discovered more than a century ago, and it consists in the following: the products are deep-frozen, the loan is dried in a vacuum, after which the product loses its weight almost 10 times. At the same time, its natural taste, beneficial properties and color are preserved. It is also important that preservatives, dyes and other chemical additives are not used in production. Almost any food can be sublimated - vegetables, meat, berries, butter, fruits, cottage cheese, etc.

Freeze-dried foods can be stored without a refrigerator, and they are prepared very simply - they only need to be diluted with hot water. At the same time, they have a long shelf life, and the feeling of satiety after consumption comes very quickly due to the almost complete absence of moisture. That is why such products are especially often used by travelers who spend a lot of time traveling, hiking, and expeditions. Even vegetable and fruit juices can be freeze-dried.

Of course, there is a certain stereotype - good food should be complete, homemade. It is impossible to swallow a few tablets and get all the same nutrients and vitamins that natural products provide. And it is especially difficult to imagine, for example, a New Year's table without the usual snacks, covered with ... plates with pills.

However, experts say that freeze-dried products are no less beneficial to the body than natural ones, and sometimes even more, because all the necessary trace elements are contained in them in a concentrated form. Whether this is so - it is difficult to assert unequivocally, because in our country this technology has not yet become widespread, in contrast to the West. Although, according to experts, the time for freeze-dried products will soon come in Russia.