# Instant coffee



## humperdingle (Jan 26, 2012)

At the risk of being lambasted off the forum for being some kind of heathen...









There are times - perhaps visiting friends or family - We're offered a drink. (assuming a hot drink, not alcoholic!)

Do you ask "Is the coffee instant?" or something similar, to ascertain whether or not to ask for a coffee, or plump for a tea instead?

I haven't had an instant for ages now, and to be honest, I'd probably rather go without now, than have some manky Nescafe treacle...

What do you guys think? Is instant coffee ever for you?


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## Monkey_Devil (Jul 11, 2011)

I don't drink coffee as a guest, simple as. If they're into decent coffee, I'll know about it. No instant, no preground.

Limiting, but better than drinking mud with a polite smile haha.


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## SlowRoast (Sep 24, 2010)

I learnt the hard way, I hate tea, and squash wasn't on offer ... So to be polite; instant Kenco. My taste buds have never been so angry with me ...


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## seeq (Jul 9, 2011)

Never thought about it, but I always turn down hot drinks, and on reflection, yes, it's because I don't like instant. I do drink tea occasionally, but now I'm getting I to that too I can see the same issue!


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## lucky13 (Dec 30, 2011)

Surley this is something that you should decide based on your requirements.

Example:

I have a very stressful job, I work between 10 and 13 hours a day and don't take a lunch break. I love my good quality coffee every morning before work and all weekend, sadly I rarely have the time to follow this in work.

I need caffeine

I have the ability to drink things I don't really like (flash back to uni)

In work I will drink strong Luke warm instant quite quickly

Example 2

At a friends, don't NEED a caffeine hit, don't want crappy coffee, will ask for a tea, as this is more enjoyable.

Sent from my HTC Desire using Tapatalk


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## fatboyslim (Sep 29, 2011)

I would rather drink cat urine than Nescafe....probably.

Lets hope I never have to decide.

Never ask for coffee unless I can offer brewing advice lol


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## brun (Dec 26, 2011)

i can drink instant, some of it is ok, some of it is horrible, but the more and more i drink proper coffee, the more im going off instant


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## humperdingle (Jan 26, 2012)

brun said:


> i can drink instant, some of it is ok, some of it is horrible, but the more and more i drink proper coffee, the more im going off instant


Yes, that's exactly my stance... Just tried some Carte Noir instant, which I consider to be a 'better', instant (IMO anyway), and it's just a coffee 'flavoured' drink, if that makes sense.


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## Earlepap (Jan 8, 2012)

I had a long stay in hospital last year where all they offered was Maxwell House. The NHS should cut nurse wages more and employ some baristas.


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## mike 100 (Jul 15, 2010)

Had a cup of Nescafe decaff the other day, could not for the life of me work out what it tasted of but it sure wasn't coffee!

I like the new Kenco ad " The closest thing to real coffee in an instant" How close is that then? Answer: Not very!


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## Glenn (Jun 14, 2008)

What's instant coffee?


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## brun (Dec 26, 2011)

Starbucks via is the best instant


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## SlowRoast (Sep 24, 2010)

I think Glenn poses a good question. Coffee is not something you stick a spoon of in a cup and add hot water. No. It's something made with love and care, and passion.

We should all push for a new law to ban the name "Instant coffee" and call it soluble mud or something obscure.


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## robmx (Dec 20, 2011)

brun said:


> i can drink instant, some of it is ok, some of it is horrible, but the more and more i drink proper coffee, the more im going off instant


Exactly the same, I started taking my cafetiere to work when we used the last of the Nescafé and I've not looked back.

I try and look at it as a different drink entirely these days as to not offend people who are used to making me a cup of instant. I just grin and bear it.


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## humperdingle (Jan 26, 2012)

mike 100 said:


> Had a cup of Nescafe decaff the other day, could not for the life of me work out what it tasted of but it sure wasn't coffee!
> 
> I like the new Kenco ad " The closest thing to real coffee in an instant" How close is that then? Answer: Not very!


Is this the Millicano coffee? I bought a tin of that when it came out... Persuaded by the blurb...

What a load of crud... I actually emailed them to complain that the ads were very misleading, and that it, in fact, tasted nothing like 'real' coffee.

Got £4 worth of vouchers from Kraft lol


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## mike 100 (Jul 15, 2010)

Yes thats the one! at least you can buy some decent beans with your £4.00, I took a friend to hospital the other week, and they got me a "coffee" from a machine which again was Kenco, absolutley foul! and £1.00 a cup as well.


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## fatboyslim (Sep 29, 2011)

> Got £4 worth of vouchers from Kraft lol


lol

But to be honest if someone found a way to make half decent instant coffee they would make AN ABSOLUTE FORTUNE, considering how much of the total coffee market is made of up instant coffee (I think its 46%).

I was thinking along the lines of solvent extraction at less than atmospheric pressure but thats pretty free radical. Anyone want to invest?


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## xiuxiuejar (Jan 24, 2012)

I don't theink I've had instant coffee since I was 11 or 12 - about 20 years ago. I will never drink coffee at friend's houses unless they have espresso, french press or a moka pot amd even then, here in spain, the cheap coffee is awful. Cheap robusta that tastes of rats pee.mixwd with something they call torrefacto - burnt sugar pieces. Disgusting!!!!


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## Outlaw333 (Dec 13, 2011)

Nikki has MS and when im not in she struggles to use my equipment on her own with the use of one hand, so is forced between the option of tea or Instant, she finds though that Starbucks VIA is just about drinkable, £7 or something though for a minute tin is a hefty ol' pricetag!


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## humperdingle (Jan 26, 2012)

humperdingle said:


> Is this the Millicano coffee? I bought a tin of that when it came out... Persuaded by the blurb...
> 
> What a load of crud... I actually emailed them to complain that the ads were very misleading, and that it, in fact, tasted nothing like 'real' coffee.
> 
> Got £4 worth of vouchers from Kraft lol





CoffeeGeek said:


> have you seen the new instant coffee from Kenco? It's called Kenco Millicano 'Wholebean Instant' £3.20 for 100g from Waitrose...the wife is trying it out, but prefers her favourite GB!


Lol... I refer you to my earlier post...


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## Earlepap (Jan 8, 2012)

Outlaw333 said:


> Nikki has MS and when im not in she struggles to use my equipment on her own with the use of one hand


There should be a parabarista championship! I'll join.


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## mike 100 (Jul 15, 2010)

Just seen the price of Starbucks Via on Amazon, works out to £18.57 per 100grams so 250grams ( average bag of beans ) equals £46.42 now that is expensive!


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## wastedhours (Jan 2, 2012)

I've never really been a fan of instant, but when I was at uni (I got my first espresso machine in my 3rd year, although was using pre-ground) I drank a lot of Nescafe Alta Rica and even more Suraya. It was actually quite a nice drink, in hindsight it wasn't "coffee", but if you put what coffee should taste like out of your head, it wasn't bad.

In one of those "business dreams" we all have, I looked into small-batch freeze-drying machines ("if we can get just 1% of the instant coffee market with a good product..."), but if you're unable to find prices of commercial equipment, it's usually because it's a lot.


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## garydyke1 (Mar 9, 2011)

Love this quote ''I think convenience is at the root of many of the current food issues of today. At least, maybe, convenience's far too lofty place in the decision making process of what we produce and what we eat. Convenience is overrated. Convenience is an economically, environmentally, and socially insidious concept. We've been trained in it's importance. It's going to take some time to unlearn it.''


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## Wando64 (Feb 28, 2011)

When I am at someone else's house I'd rather have an instant "coffee flavoured" hot drink than a french press coffee made badly with horrendously stale grounds. At least with the "coffee flavoured" drink I don't have any expectations. I know I am not drinking a coffee. Somehow I always managed to finish a cup of instant "coffee", but I left many cups of badly made brewed coffee unfinished. What annoys me the most is the cr*p that we are given when ordering an espresso in coffee shops and restaurants. In restaurants I judge whether to get a coffee from the machine behind the bar only to be so disappointed I feel like suggesting they should have bought a kettle instead.


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## AlIam (Aug 30, 2011)

We have several jars of instant about the house. The Mrs won't learn to use the espresso machine & can't be bothered digging out a cafetiere so she buys a jar of instant, tries it once then drinks something else if I'm out. & if she's on an early, I have to get up at 5am to make her a coffee then go back to bed :/ A few months later she buys a different instant figuring she was unlucky and chose a bad one last time.

I mostly drink water round other people's houses if it's before beer o'clock.


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## JohnnieWalker (Aug 24, 2011)

What about the automatic machines

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I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=53.821548,-3.026146

Costa Coffee Beans, Ground Coffee & Syrups available at http://CoffeeDelivered.co.uk


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## JohnnieWalker (Aug 24, 2011)

Sorry that post was unfinished when I posted it!

I considered getting on of these http://www2.illy.com/wps/wcm/connect/US/illy/at-home/espresso-machines/iperespresso-machines/link-y1-iperespresso/link-y1-iperespresso

Before getting the Gaggia classic, except for the cost of the capsules I think it's a good middle ground between instant and a 'proper' espresso machine.

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I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=53.821587,-3.025990

Costa Coffee Beans, Ground Coffee & Syrups available at http://CoffeeDelivered.co.uk


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## Outlaw333 (Dec 13, 2011)

Earlepap said:


> There should be a parabarista championship! I'll join.


Yeah, thats actually a great idea! It might also give Nikki a reason to listen to me during her Jedi training, rather than just yell at me for being anal!


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## marbeaux (Oct 2, 2010)

Well, I live in Thailand which has loads of coffee plantations and some rather nice coffees.

So Mother and Father in law drink.................Nescafe 3 in 1

And no, I cannot understand why?


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## SteveyG (Dec 24, 2011)

Millicano is actually quite nice if just made with hot milk.


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## chequ3r (Feb 5, 2012)

If I'm round a friends house, it's either tea or just tap water. I tend to steer well clear of any form of instant coffee (all or nothing eh).


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