There are several advantages with this type of coffee for both the producer and the consumer. For the consumer preparation time is much quicker. It has a longer shelf life so it can be stored for longer periods of time and still retain its quality. The problem with coffee beans is they lose their quality quickly once they are roasted because their essential oils evaporate. One caution you must take with instant is to be sure you store it in a dry location. Water and dampness will cause it to spoil. Although both ground coffee and instant coffee comes from the same bean it differs in taste quite a bit. Most often coffee that is instant is made from inferior beans. In other words beans that would not qualify for high quality or gourmet categories. In addition to this, there most often are additives that end up in the coffee as well. These could be unwanted residues from the harvest or even some manufacturers will use corn as a filler because it makes it condense faster. Instant coffee is known to have a bitter taste to it as opposed to ground coffee. In the process of making this type of coffee, the majority of soluble materials are extracted from the ground-roasted coffee beans. The ground coffee ends up going through the extraction stage. This means it is dissolved in water, and then it goes back for evaporation and then drying. There are two most common types used for the drying production. The first is freeze-dried, which rapidly removes the water content so the final outcome is the powder or granules. Then there is another method, which is called spray dried. This method seems to be the most favored because it has such a short drying time. Instant coffee popularity is based on its ease of use and the ability to be able to store it. Being as the characteristics are so different many people often prefer one to the other, meaning some like this type of coffee over ground coffee and vice versa. When it comes to quality though this coffee is no doubt inferior to roasted ground coffee. One benefit that some may feel is good is that there is less caffeine in instant coffee compared to conventional coffee. Some people find this advantageous if they find that they are sensitive to caffeine. There are some instant coffee drinkers that believe the freeze-dried methods produce a better tasting coffee. This comes down to personal preference.
