Many regular coffee drinkers view instant coffee as inferior, arguing that its taste lacks the freshness and flavor of freshly brewed coffee. While there’s plenty of truth to this, I still believe there’s a time and a place for instant coffee. For many coffee drinkers, instant coffee offers a convenience and affordability that ground or whole-bean coffee can’t. Luckily, inquiring coffee minds across the world have wondered if it’s possible to make instant coffee better. From adding milk to adjusting the way you stir, here’s what to know about how to make your instant coffee taste better.
How to make instant coffee taste better
According to Riley Westbrook, co-owner of Valor Coffee, using an incorrect water temperature is one of the most common mistakes people make when making a cup of instant coffee. “The typical problem occurs when individuals pour boiling water directly onto the coffee powder,” he says.
“When you add boiling water to instant coffee, it reveals both extreme bitterness and eliminates any remaining delicate taste elements. Each batch requires a brief waiting period for the water to achieve an appropriate temperature. Add thirty seconds of wait time after boiling or transferring water into a different cup before pouring it into the coffee. A hot water temperature that does not aggress the coffee should be your optimal choice. The single adjustment in our procedure substantially alters the coffee experience,” says Westbrook.
Stirring method
Using the proper water temperature is key to enhancing the taste of your instant coffee. Additionally, Westbrook suggests stirring the instant coffee in multiple stages. “Adding the water all at once while dumping the powder produces uneven flavor, together with clumping,” he says. As co-owner of Valor Coffee, Westbrook has spent a lot of time experimenting with all possible variations to optimize the taste of instant coffee. His team developed a different process to prevent clumping which involves adding just enough water to create a paste-like consistency.
“Mix the ingredients after you dissolve the first amount completely, followed by adding the remaining portion. This method results in smoother instant coffee and eliminates the obnoxious chalky taste noticed after drinking,” he says.
Mix-ins for instant coffee
Learning how to make instant coffee taste better also extends beyond the preparation method you use. For example, consider what you add to your coffee and how it affects its taste (think creamer, sugar, flavored coffee syrups, etc.). Westbrook shares that Valor Coffee has experimented with adding powdered collagen peptides to instant coffee to improve the body and consistency in each cup. “Powdered collagen doesn’t affect taste, yet provides substance to the drink, which reduces its watery appearance. Our team includes this powdered collagen as a substitute for milk on jobs that require fast delivery or when transporting milk proves difficult,” he says.
Vanilla extract
It’s no secret that vanilla tastes delicious with coffee. French Vanilla is one of the most popular flavored coffee options on the market. But few instant coffee powders come in a vanilla flavor. If you’re looking to improve the taste of your instant coffee, Westbrook suggests softening it with a single drop of vanilla extract.
“[Don’t use] vanilla syrup. Just plain extract. You should not add any sugar because this will dull the flavor instead of merely softening its edges. The technique comes in handy for testing high-volume instant coffees that require additional finishing touches before they are commercially available. Users can prepare the drink quickly because it doesn’t require any measuring steps,” he says.
Adding milk
If you don’t like the taste of instant coffee, adding heated milk or creamer can help improve its taste. Adding milk at cold temperature (right out of your fridge) can degrade the texture of the instant coffee, but adding warmed milk, butter, or coconut oil may help improve the taste. As coffee YouTuber Ethan Rode describes, “Adding milk to your coffee in different ratios can open up the possibilities of drinks you can make. Milk acts as a buffer between your tongue and your coffee, helping to buffer the bitterness.”
Water quality
Although it may seem obvious, water quality is often overlooked when considering how to make instant coffee taste better. Given that water makes up 98% of your cup of coffee, don’t forget to assess the quality of the water you use when making instant coffee.
As Rode describes, you don’t necessarily need to go to the extreme with water quality (although you could) with something like a Reverse Osmosis Water Filter. However, using tap water probably won’t make your instant coffee taste great. Even using bottled water or filtered water with a pitcher, such as the LARQ PureVis pitcher, can make a big difference in removing impurities in your water, like chlorine and lead.
