What Makes Instant Coffee "Specialty"?

Traditional instant coffee - the stuff that usually comes in a jar - starts with very low-quality coffee, which is prepared as a highly concentrated extract, then dried using a process called spray drying, which involves turning that extract into mist and using hot air to rapidly dehydrate that mist. Left behind are dry solubles that can be rehydrated with water to make a coffee; no steeping or filtration necessary.

Specialty instant starts with good quality coffee - the same that we carefully source, roast, and serve in our cafes. The coffee is brewed with care, then freeze-dried, a process that involves freezing the brewed coffee and lowering the pressure, removing its water content through a process called sublimation. Using cold temperatures throughout the process preserves far more of the coffee's flavor compared to the high temperatures necessary for rapid dehydration.

We've found that for the right coffees, this process captures everything we were trying to achieve in sourcing and roasting - for example, Colombia - El Ramo, one of our most popular year-round offerings from Colombia, retains plenty of nuance and creamy vanilla notes even when processed as an instant coffee. We've also had success with runs of our seasonal blends, which tend to be quite juicy and fruit-focused, even in instant form. 

To get the best results, we recommend starting with 8 ounces of hot (or cold!) filtered water and adjusting the strength based on your personal taste. You can use boiling water, but you can also use water well below boiling, say 185º, if you don't want to wait for it to cool. Instant coffee actually makes a great espresso alternative for composed drinks, too - instead of 8 ounces of water, just use 2 ounces. You can even pour latte art over this espresso alternative! I like to add ice and tonic water to mine to make a quick and dirty espresso tonic. 

With our specialty instant offerings, we strive for versatility and convenience - whether you're at home or the office, traveling, camping, you name it. I personally take it with me on coffee sourcing trips when it's often difficult to find time for a good cup of coffee, but not so hard to find hot or even bottled water. Best of all, you'll know exactly who and where your coffee is coming from - unlike most traditional instants!