Why Grounds Don't Really Make The Cut As Instant Coffee

Instant or otherwise, many people rely on a hot cup of coffee to jump start their day. While the time it takes to prepare a cup of coffee is something one can block into a morning routine, some people would rather indulge in those extra few minutes pressing snooze provides. In such situations it is all too easy to settle for a desperate cup of "instant" coffee prepared with standard coffee grounds. 

But it's not such a good idea. According to Andrea Allen, co-founder of Onyx Coffee Lab, "Standard coffee grounds will never fully dissolve into water or milk,. You could attempt to brew something using hot water but it would still have the residual grounds in the bottom."

If you know what, exactly, is in instant coffee then you know that instant dissolves into water because it is designed to do so. Standard coffee grounds, on the other hand, are not water-soluble; this is why residual coffee grounds need to be separated from the coffee itself during the brewing process. Even though standard coffee grounds will never dissolve entirely, you can still brew it with hot water in a pinch knowing that there will be grounds waiting for you at the bottom of the cup, though it may create an unpleasantly gritty cup. Ultimately, while there are certainly ways to theoretically brew a good-tasting cup of instant coffee, using standard coffee grounds is not one of them.

The balance between a fast and quality cup of coffee will look different to everyone, but Allen says that a drip coffee maker is the best way to get a good, quick cup of joe. "I think you can brew a great cup of coffee just using a standard drip coffee maker and fresh ground coffee! It doesn't take long," she said. If your drip coffee only needs five minutes to brew and serve up, it is worth waking up that much earlier to ensure the day starts off right.

You can take a page from Allen's book and prepare the water tank, filter, and coffee beans the night before. "It makes a HUGE difference having everything ready to go and then you just grind + brew," she noted. "And if you're anything like me ... you need coffee before you can actually wake up!!" Even if you are in a bit of a rush, be sure to have the patience to avoid common pour-over coffee mistakes when making your cup of joe.