I know this is a pretty profane subject for anyone who appreciates well-brewed coffee, but I'm curious: what's the best instant coffee out there?
(To defend myself here...it's an easy alternative to brewed when it comes to making a quick iced coffee)
lalagirl
Jul 26, 2006 11:53AM
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When I'm in a rush for a quickie cup of coffee, I reach for Taster's Choice. I've never tried it in iced coffee though. I have had it as a Cafe con Leche, and it's not that bad at that. The flavor is not as strong, but it does it's trick.
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The Taster's Choice Gourmet Roast (mine is brewed w/ rather much more than recommended) tastes better than the red label 'regular' but Medaglia d'Oro (sp?) is better still.
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One of Nicholson Baker's little novels -- "Room Temperature," I think -- has a wonderful little passage about his father's recipe for iced instant coffee with milk, and his dreams of someday canning it under the name Cafe Ole.
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Not exactly instant coffee, but Coffee Toddy makes a "pouch" of cold brew that can be used to make hot or iced coffee. My mom is a big fan of cold brewed coffee (it extracts less acid which is more gentle on her sensitive tummy). She recently tried the new packaged cold brew coffee, and loves it!
Here are links:
http://www.toddycafe.com/shop/product.php?productId=79
http://www.toddycafe.com/
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Toddy coffee is WONDERFUL for the iced stuff -- its low acidity translates much better to iced coffee than to hot coffee.
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But it is far from instant. :)
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Medaglio d'Oro, instant espresso. Just mix it up like regular instant. A can got me thru China, back when coffe was tough to find there....
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I second the madaglia d'oro instant. I love it bitter and thick with a twist of lemon. Doesn't taste good necessarily, but it will do if circumstances warrant.
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yeah, me too
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Where do you buy the instant espresso? I've looked for it before.
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gelsons
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12 years ago, when I was planning a trip to China and fearing coffee deprivation I found coffee bags with ground French roast coffee (not instant of freeze-dried, like Folger's) that worked remarkably well. They were made in Canada, but I can't remember the brand. They were perfect for the trip. I carried a travel mug, and hot water is omnipresent in China.
http://petercherches.blogspot.com
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On a trip to Mexico years ago, I was appalled when my hosts placed a jar of instant coffee on the table in the morning. I didn't know how I would survive 10 days on weak, instant coffee. I was shocked when the stuff was palatable. It was instant made by Nescafe but for the Mexican market. It's darker, stronger and richer than the instant that is made for the U.S. I usually keep it around the house for emergencies (I'm out at the moment).
It comes in a dark brown jar, and is sold in most Latino markets that I've been in. In San Francisco, you can even get it at Safeway. Look for the Spanish label.
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This Nescafe is the same that I've had on trips to Ecuador. As a matter of fact, when family visits us here in the U.S., my dad always requests the Nescafe and they bring it to him. I've found this product in my area of Jackson Heights and it's also good for cafe con leche. That was our traditional Ecuadorean breakfast, cafe con leche along with some form of freshly baked buttered bread or sweet bread. Even the butter tastes better there.
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It is called Nescafe Clasico in Spanish-speaking countries. I drink it all the time at work (usually iced) because it is quick and easy and our cafeteria charges $1.60 for watered-down Starbucks coffee.
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Several posters on this thread already made the point, but I will take this chance to re-emphasize. The only instant coffee worth anything is Nescafe. In centers of the world touted for the best coffee on the planet, I've been served, in homes, Nescafe. I keep a jar of it around for when I've regretably forgotten to buy bean coffee to grind myself, or, more importantly, for when I'm so fricken busy that I actually forget to buy coffee (and yes, it happens). When it does, I can make a passable cup of joe with the Nescafe. It has the added effect of reminding me of my student days in
Europe, so that probably makes it taste better than it really does, but I'd never buy any other brand. Cudos if you go to a market that sells Nescafe which has a foreign language on the can. That's the better kind.
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I agree ... drinking some iced Nescafe right now.
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Tasters Choice is my pick, especially the decaf which is quite good and 'coffee-like.'
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Not instant in the purist sense... but I remember taster's choice or folgers once used to sell coffee in individually-sized bags (think teabags, but with coffee). I love those! Portable and a much better alternatively than the freeze-dried instant. I think they got discontinued though (oh well, I've since switched to just regularly-brewed stuff or the bottled stuff.)
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Excellent instant coffees, though sadly to my knowledge not available in North America, only in Europe are:
Alta Rica (nescafe)
Cap Columbie (nescafe)
Kenjara (nescafe)
Alta Rica is very strong, dark roasted. Also just as excellent is Carte Noire, a brand popular in France (though it's made in Germany). Don't try serving these to your auntie from the farm in Iowa, she'll think you're trying to kill her.
Kenco in the UK also makes some excellent freeze-dried instants.
But all of these are pricey -- they're not your average North American's instant coffee -- they are premium, gourmet makes, often from single beans, and so you'll pay accordingly. These instants are so good that even though I enjoy coffee from my Delonghi, and my good old-fashioned flip-over caffeteria neapolitana that I bought while going to school in Italy, I also really enjoy these instants. But do you think I can even get another person here to even try a sip? Nope, their minds are closed based on what we have here. Might as well offer them a cup of boiled tripe (grin).
I know where they're coming from, though: I'm unable to drink unfortunately any instant I can find here in North America, even Taster's Choice. Just can't do it. North American instants are to European instants what white vinegar is to certified modena balsamic.
p.s. not trying to convert anyone to instant; I jealously guard mine as I have to reimburse friends the cost and postage to get these shipped over regularly. Just wanting to say, there's a whole different world of instant out there that we don't know about.
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The best instant coffee I know is Indonesian Nescafe classic. It tastes really diferent from any other instant or any other Nescafe for that matter.
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I wholly agree with the above postings: Nescafe, made for the Mexican or any of the South American markets. As one who travels on business extensively internationally, I've come to learn that really good instant coffee is often the status quo.
Seriously - Nescafe, especially in places like Colombia and Peru, is excellent.
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Gold Blend - I think made by Nescafe but only available in the UK. It is freeze dried granules. I have it brought over by whoever is coming to Florida.
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i have tried many instant coffees have not found one yet that tastes fresh
and does not have a funny taste
maybe i am too fussy but....
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It is never going to be the same as fresh, that's for sure.
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Ive given up on instant coffee, and replaced the crystals with individual bags that I can keep in a desk or my purse. It takes about the same time and the taste is superior.
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