{"id":188981,"date":"2023-06-08T10:09:12","date_gmt":"2023-06-08T17:09:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/?p=188981"},"modified":"2024-08-29T10:42:08","modified_gmt":"2024-08-29T17:42:08","slug":"instant-coffee","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/camp\/instant-coffee","title":{"rendered":"Reaching Higher Ground with Instant Coffee"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Summer; Mount Zirkel Wilderness, Colorado. <\/strong>It\u2019s a little after 8am on a drizzly, see-your-breath morning in the backcountry, and the water in the Jetboil<\/a> is bubbling. I dump a sachet of dark-brown granules into my camp cup, add the water and, presto, my coffee is ready. Eyeing the grumpy clouds building on the horizon, I unzip the tent flap\u2014careful not to jostle my precious, steaming cargo\u2014and scuttle into the tent to join my friend and our boys as they set up a game of Uno. A moment later, the husbands clamber in with their own mugs of instant heaven, plus a pile of slightly charred blueberry pancakes. Inside the tent, it\u2019s chilly, wet and\u2014thanks to three elementary schoolers yelling, \u201cDraw four!\u201d with their mouths full\u2014totally chaotic. But as the mug warms my fingers and I sip impressively tasty instant coffee among people and mountains I love, I grin: There\u2019s nowhere I\u2019d rather be.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Reflecting on that scene now, the people and place stand out of course, but so does the coffee\u2014the way it smelled, tasted, delighted, and generally elevated the entire experience. My instant cup was simple to brew. The sachet added mere ounces to my pack weight. The caffeine hit wasn\u2019t essential, but it did put an extra spring in my step. And despite the bad rap instant coffee has gotten (perhaps rightfully so) for tasting weak, stale or burnt, my backcountry cup tasted remarkably similar to the mug of specialty coffee I measure, grind fresh and AeroPress<\/a> each morning at home.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

These days, there are more and more tasty instant coffee options for anyone who prefers their joe with a side of nature. And some companies, like Alpine Start<\/a> and Kuju Coffee<\/a>\u2014both founded by adventures\u2014are catering to fellow outdoorspeople who want high-quality caffeine without the extra pack weight.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So how did we get to this place where coffee\u2014truly good<\/em> coffee\u2014was so accessible in a place so remote? I turned to the experts to find out. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A
Seabright instant craft coffee from Verve Coffee Roasters<\/a> combines beans from two regions in Colombia: Antigua and Cauca.<\/em> Photo credit: Ashley Batz<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

How Instant Coffee Is Made<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Instant coffee\u2014also known as soluble coffee\u2014is the term used to describe granules of dehydrated brewed coffee that have been preserved in packaging and easily dissolve in liquid, typically water or milk for a cup of coffee in mere moments. Comparatively, roasted coffee whole-beans require grinding and brewing before they can be drunk, which can take several minutes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But first, let\u2019s back up with a little Coffee 101, because in the early stages, the process for creating instant coffee is the same as the process<\/a> for whole-bean coffee. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Coffee beans are the seeds of a cherry-like fruit that grows on bushy plants found on farms (and sometimes in the wild) between the tropics of Cancer and Capricorn. In most coffee-producing countries, the labor-intensive process of harvesting these cherries is done by hand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Inside the cherry are two seeds or \u201cbeans,\u201d typically side-by-side. After picking, these beans are removed from the fruit, dried and sorted for quality. (\u201cSpecialty coffee\u201d commonly refers to coffees that meet higher quality standards throughout this process.) Finally, the beans\u2014now referred to as \u201cgreen” or unroasted coffee\u2014are exported and sold to a roaster.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After the roasting stage is where the process for instant coffee differs from that of whole-bean coffee. While whole-bean roasted coffee is simply bagged up and sold to consumers or caf\u00e9s, coffees destined to become instant are ground up and brewed with water to create a concentrated extract<\/a>. The extract is then either freeze-dried to around -40\u00b0F, broken into granules and sublimated; or spray-dried into granules by moisture-removing, high-temperature air. When you stir a scoop of instant coffee granules into your favorite thermos and mix them with hot water, they dissolve and are diluted from their concentrated state, creating a drink that (ideally) tastes fresh-brewed\u2014and no leftover grounds to clean up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The concept of instant coffee is old\u2014like, really old. \u201cThe idea of drying food to make it last longer is as old as time,\u201d says Peter Giuliano, executive director of the Coffee Science Foundation<\/a> and chief research officer of the Specialty Coffee Association<\/a>, a nonprofit trade organization that promotes specialty coffee in the United States and Europe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While the technology to dehydrate beverages into an \u201cinstant\u201d mix arose during the Industrial Revolution, instant coffee\u2019s popularity really took off during World War I, when American soldiers received it as part of their rations. The stimulating caffeine and comfort of a hot beverage were important morale boosters. \u201cWhen you\u2019re a little bit under-temperature and you\u2019re sleepy, coffee is the best thing ever,\u201d says Giuliano. \u201cOutdoorspeople know this better than anyone.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Photo credit: Andrew Bydlon<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

From Convenience to Quality<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Instant coffee was one of many modern conveniences that saw further advancement\u2014or at least modification\u2014during World War II. Like TV dinners, Tang, boxed cake mixes and other whiz-bang \u201ctechno\u201d food products of the 1950s, instant coffee was repurposed (and touted by advertisers) as another low-cost time-saver.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Taste, however, was secondary. Giuliano says that back then, coffee beans in general were of poorer quality\u2014due to factors like lousy weather, political unrest and lack of supportive infrastructure for farmers\u2014and soluble-coffee manufacturers took added shortcuts in the process of extracting and dehydrating. \u201cIf you\u2019re aiming for cheapness, then you tend not to be careful,\u201d he adds. \u201cIt just created a not-great flavored product.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In other words, instant coffee came by its bad reputation honestly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After all, few things can be cheap, fast and good\u2014you have to pick two. For most of its history, instant coffee cost very little and took no time at all\u2014at the expense of flavor. But by the late 1960s, a branch of the coffee industry was transitioning back to a taste-first mentality, buying high-quality beans (with a higher price paid to the farmer) and roasting in small batches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBeing more intentional about choosing the kind of coffee that you\u2019re going to brew before you make instant coffee out of it,\u201d Giuliano says, \u201cmade a big difference in the product.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Coffee-drinkers followed suit: By the mid-\u201890s, more people were appreciating coffee beverages like lattes and cappuccinos that took time and care to create. Today, 43% of coffee-drinking Americans opt for higher-quality specialty coffee<\/a>. And it was only a matter of time before that pursuit of quality came for instant coffee\u2014and outdoorsy people rejoiced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A
The Alpine Start Coconut Creamer Latte<\/a> combines instant Colombian coffee with a coconut milk creamer for a nondairy latte you can drink anywhere. Photo credit: Ali Vagnini<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Nature of Instant Coffee<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Today, specialty instant coffee manufacturers intentionally source high-quality green coffee and transport it with more care. That means taking steps to preserve the beans\u2019 freshness, protecting them from exhaust fumes and shielding them from direct sunlight. \u201cYou\u2019re talking about a crop,\u201d says Matt Tilley, head of coffee at Verve Coffee Roasters<\/a>, a California-based specialty coffee roaster whose instant coffee is available at REI. \u201cYou wouldn\u2019t want your carrots or cabbage \u2026 to be set out on long distances, exposed to environmental factors. It\u2019s the same with your coffee.\u201d Some coffee companies, like Verve, also develop direct partnerships with coffee farmers to improve quality and increase supply chain equity. Others, like climate-neutral-certified<\/a> Alpine Start<\/a>, focus on environmental initiatives like donating to Protect our Winters<\/a> through 1% For the Planet<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once the green coffee is in the hands of the coffee roaster, they determine how best to bring out that specific bean\u2019s optimal flavor profile based on professional sensory analysis. It\u2019s a true craft, Giuliano says, noting that these artisans not only decide how dark to roast the beans but also how to achieve that darkness, for example by roasting at a constant temperature or starting cooler and then pouring on the heat at the end of the process. \u201cA typical specialty roaster will put a lot of energy into trying to figure out what the ideal roast parameters are to accentuate the flavors that they want in the coffee,\u201d Giuliano adds. \u201cThat\u2019s what specialty coffee roasting is all about.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After roasting, the coffee beans are transformed into instant coffee using the same tried-and-true methods developed more than a century ago: freeze-drying or spray-drying. In both cases, the result is just-add-water-ready coffee, a product ideal for backpackers, climbers and anyone else who wants to wake up to a quality cup of java away from the comforts of home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere’s no mess. There\u2019s no fuss,\u201d says Matt Segal, a professional climber and founder of instant coffee brand Alpine Start<\/a>. The idea for an instant-coffee company came to Segal while he was on a climbing expedition: Disappointed by having to drink subpar java every morning, he set out to make something that was delicious and easy to bring along for the trek. \u201cIt\u2019s one-handed coffee. You don\u2019t need another device. You just need water.\u201d Well, that and a mug, of course.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Starting the morning in a tent with a hand-warming cup of (good-tasting) instant is my personal definition of basecamp bliss. But if hot water is hard to come by\u2014or if you\u2019re adventuring in the desert and a steaming cuppa is about as appealing as a scorpion in your sleeping bag\u2014many instant coffees dissolve with room-temperature or even cold water for a quick on-the-go pick-me-up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A
The ready-to-brew Angels Landing light-roast blend from Kuju Coffee<\/a> makes a floral, citrusy and nutty cup in minutes. Photo credit: Ryan Tuttle<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Another popular backcountry coffee brand, Kuju Coffee<\/a> similarly makes caffeine delivery systems that just require water. Its claim to fame are individual, specialty-coffee-filled packets that are ready-to-brew rather than soluble: Kuju single-serve pour-over coffee anchors to a camp mug to facilitate a manual, drip-brewing process, while its Summit Steeper pouches brew by steeping, like a traditional tea bag. Kuju CEO and co-founder Jeff Wiguna likes the way these brewing methods allow people to take a minute to appreciate the ritual of the brewing process. It\u2019s like \u201cmaking the outdoors your personal caf\u00e9,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Get Outside with Instant Coffee<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Regardless of how meditative or, well, instant, the format, coffee\u2019s overall appeal is strong\u2014and growing. Nia Castro, the REI buyer for nutrition and wellness products, reports that instant coffee sales increased from roughly 25,000 units in 2015 to nearly 70,000 in 2022. It makes sense that coffee would be popular among backcountry adventures, Castro says. \u201cIt gives you that homey feeling, [even] while you\u2019re out doing an activity.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

More and more REI Co-op Members are indicaing that they appreciate good coffee just about as much as they love waking up in the backcountry. And now\u2014thanks to the small size of instant coffee packets and how quick and simple they are to brew\u2014it\u2019s easier than ever to experience both of these perks<\/em> at the same time.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Specialty instant coffee \u201chas come back into the fold as a legitimate, delicious coffee ingredient,\u201d says the Specialty Coffee Association\u2019s Giuliano. It\u2019s \u201ca useful part of a discerning coffee drinker\u2019s arsenal.\u201d Fondly remembering my own experience with instant coffee elevating my time in the Colorado mountains, I\u2019m inclined to agree.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Has instant become the 11th <\/em>essential<\/a>? Probably not, but you\u2019d better believe it\u2019s earned a spot in my backpack from now on.<\/p>\n<\/span>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Summer; Mount Zirkel Wilderness, Colorado. It\u2019s a little after 8am on a drizzly, see-your-breath morning in the backcountry, and the water in the Jetboil is bubbling. I dump a sachet of dark-brown granules into my camp cup, add the water and, presto, my coffee is ready. Eyeing the grumpy clouds building on the horizon, I […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":30740,"featured_media":188982,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,685],"tags":[645,672,998,727],"internal-tag":[],"class_list":["post-188981","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-camp","category-news","tag-camping-food","tag-coffee","tag-food","tag-latest-posts"],"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","canonical_url":"https:\/\/rei.com\/blog\/camp\/instant-coffee","smart_links":{"inbound":0,"outbound":0},"traffic_boost_suggestions_count":0,"meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"Reaching Higher Ground with Instant Coffee","url":"http:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/camp\/instant-coffee","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"http:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/camp\/instant-coffee"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2023\/05\/HERO-KEIKO_10272019_2344.jpg?resize=150%2C150","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2023\/05\/HERO-KEIKO_10272019_2344.jpg?fit=2000%2C1125"},"articleSection":"Camp","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Ever Meister"}],"creator":["Ever Meister"],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Uncommon Path \u2013 An REI Co-op Publication","logo":""},"keywords":["camping food","coffee","food","latest posts"],"dateCreated":"2023-06-08T17:09:12Z","datePublished":"2023-06-08T17:09:12Z","dateModified":"2024-08-29T17:42:08Z"},"rendered":"