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The main attraction for many of instant coffee is the fact that they can make a cup of coffee using instant in half the time it takes to brew a pot of coffee. However, this is really the only advantage of using instant coffee verses brewing a pot. Instant coffee does not have the same flavor as a cup of brewed coffee would have; if all a person has ever had is instant coffee, that might be ok. However, if a person likes the taste of brewed coffee, they will be very disappointed in the instant version.

One of the reasons that instant coffee does not have the same rich, full bodied taste that brewed coffee does is because the process of manufacturing instant coffee requires coffee to be brewed to remove the coffee extract from the beans. It is sometimes brewed more than once to increase the solids in the coffee extract. The coffee extract is then either freeze dried - which provides a slightly better flavor - or it is dried using a process called spray drying. Spray dried instant coffee is cheaper to produce, but does not have as good a flavor as the freeze dried versions do. This is because the spray drying process exposes the coffee extract to extreme heat again, and removes some of the flavor in the process.

If you must use instant coffee, I would recommend using a brand that is freeze dried; it will have a better flavor to it. If you are used to drinking fresh brewed coffee, though, you will not be very happy with the flavor instant coffee offers. Most instant coffee also has an unpleasant after taste that regular coffee does not have. This will also turn a lot of coffee drinkers off of instant coffee. If you want a steaming, aromatic, and flavorful cup of coffee, take the time to brew you a pot of coffee - that way you will have something you can actually enjoy. If you don't want a whole pot of coffee, you can also make just a few cups with most modern pots - so you don't have to use instant coffee just to keep from making too much.

Learn more about this author, Mary Hale.
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