Walking into a cafe for a cup of coffee does seem like a great idea. Yet the comfort and taste of good ol' DIY coffee are always better. Plus, it is pocket-friendly.
It may be emptying a packet of instant coffee, home-brewing with a coffee maker or trying out trends like the Dalgona Coffee. Something is fascinating and refreshing about it.
In this article, let’s walk through the three major ways in which we consume coffee beans.
What are Instant Coffee, Pre-Ground Coffee, and Regular Coffee?
Instant coffee - is the regular coffee we buy from stores. We open the packet, pour it into a cup, and add milk and sugar to taste.
The packet contains pre-brewed coffee with added preservatives to make it last longer. Here, the beans are roasted, and finely ground and then the coffee is brewed. The brewed coffee is dehydrated to get instant coffee powder. It is then mixed with preservatives and packaged.
Pre-ground coffee - is whole coffee beans that are ground before packing. This means the coffee has been ground a few days before you open the bag. You can use the pre-ground coffee to brew fresh coffee at home.
Freshly Ground coffee – is when we purchase whole beans and then grind them at home right before brewing coffee.
Now that we are clear about each one of them, let’s delve deeper into some comparisons.
Instant Coffee Vs Pre-Ground Coffee
The basic difference between instant coffee and pre-ground coffee is in brewing. Instant coffee has been brewed for you before packaging while we need to brew pre-ground coffee.
Convenience
Instant coffee, as the name suggests can be made quickly. All we will need is a cup and hot water/milk.
With pre-ground coffee, you need to set aside some minutes of your day to brew your daily cup of java. We will also need a coffee maker and not to mention the cleaning and maintenance of the equipment.
Brewing Technique
For instant coffee, there is no specific technique to follow or skill to learn. We will only need to turn on the kettle and make the coffee.
On the other hand, we will need a coffee maker to use pre-ground coffee. It can be something simple like French Press, Moka Pot or an Aeropress. It can also be an espresso machine which will help you make that café-like coffee at home.
Taste & Flavour
Instant coffee is mixed with preservatives which means the coffee is simply not pure. Further, the coffee losses many of its complex flavours and aroma due to freezing, drying and packaging.
Pre-ground coffee holds onto coffee oils better than instant coffee. This will result in a fuller, richer-tasting coffee cup with multiple flavour notes.
Shelf Life
Due to the preservatives, instant coffee usually has a longer shelf life. It can last anywhere from 2 years to 20 years.
Whereas pre-ground coffee has a shelf life of about 6 months. To preserve the flavours and aromas in these months, we will need to store the blends in a cool, dry and dark area.
The Art of Coffee Making
While instant coffee is easy to use and maintain, you may miss out on the calming, beautiful act of brewing your cup of coffee. A slower brewing process will also ensure a flavourful, mellow cup every single time.
Pre-Ground Coffee Vs Freshly-Ground Coffee
Wondering why go through the trouble of grinding coffee at home when we can purchase pre-ground coffee.
Well, grinding whole beans at home makes a lot of difference. Most importantly, it impacts the freshness and flavour profile of your coffee.
Time & Technique
With pre-ground coffee, we unpack the bag, measure the coffee and start home brewing. For freshly ground coffee, on the other hand, more steps are involved.
- Measure the whole beans
- Grind the beans using a grinder (manual or electric)
- Start brewing
If we choose a burr grinder, we can grind fresh coffee at home in less than a minute. Alternatively, a manual grinder can take about 2 to 4 minutes of your time.
Overall, grinding fresh coffee does not consume too much of your time.
Taste & Flavour
We grind coffee beans to increase their surface area, which will, in turn, improve the extraction. However, increased surface area exposes the coffee to the environment and makes it more vulnerable to decay.
In contrast, whole coffee beans will stay fresh for longer (roughly three times) than pre-ground coffee. This means flavours are locked inside the whole beans.
With pre-ground coffee, we also risk the tainting of flavours with atmospheric odours in the storage area. Therefore, freshly ground coffee promises a fresher and more satisfying cup of coffee.
Shelf Life
The moment we grind the coffee, it starts to release oils and other volatile compounds. So, when we store pre-ground coffee, it is already in the process of losing the coffee oils and flavours.
In comparison, whole beans have a longer shelf-life than pre-ground coffee since they are less prone to degradation.
The Art of Coffee Brewing
Home brewing coffee is more than just fixing a beverage, it is a lifestyle. So, having greater control over the craft and understanding everything that goes into your cup is imperative. Grinding coffee at home allows you to do so.
Moreover, freshly grinding coffee adds to the overall ritual of home brewing.
Closing Lines
If you are looking for a good cup of coffee, we recommend choosing freshly ground coffee over pre-ground and instant coffee. However, if grinding coffee at home before brewing seems a bit too extensive, pre-ground coffee is a great starting point too.
So, would you bypass the convenience of instant coffee for a quality cup of coffee?
