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Coffee Tips

How Long Does Freeze Dried Coffee Last?

A cup of coffee in the morning will wake you up and equip you with some energy to kick start the day. However, brewing your cup of coffee on a busy day can take time.

You need the coffee as fast as possible before you can get out of your door. Freeze-dried coffee is an available alternative at this moment. But what is freeze-dried coffee, how can you make your freeze-dried coffee, and how long does the coffee last?

 

freeze dried coffee

 

What is Freeze Dried Coffee?

Freeze-dried coffee is coffee that has its water removed. It is also known as instant coffee. Freeze-dried coffee is a result of brewed coffee. For consumption, freeze-dried coffee is added milk or water to rehydrate. Freeze-dried coffee retains the aroma and taste of your coffee.

 

How to Make Freeze Dried Coffee

The first process involves the extraction of coffee from coffee beans by the brewing method. The coffee liquor then undergoes the evaporation phase. Here, the brewed coffee is evaporated using an evaporator that is warmed up to 150F. The water evaporates at this point.

The next step is the condensation phase. Here, the coffee is condensed to form a thick and syrupy substance.

After the condensation phase, the coffee substance undergoes pre-chilling. Usually, this takes place through heat exchangers. Once the coffee has chilled enough, it undergoes freezing. The freezer used is at a temperature between -40F to -58F. In the freezer, the coffee substance breaks down into granules.

From the freezer, the granules undergo sublimation. The process aims at removing any present water. Sublimation involves turning of solid into a gas without it undergoing the liquid phase. The coffee granules are passed through heat at a temperature of 140F. The water turns into steam. At this stage, the coffee granules are in solid form and will remain that way at room temperature. The aromas in the coffee are intact. The coffee is filled in a glass jar that is tightly closed and stored at room temperature.

 

How Long Does Freeze Dried Coffee Last?

Instant coffee stored in a cool and dry place will last for up to 20 years without going bad. However, instant coffee that has been opened and well stored at room temperature will last for a period of 12 to 18 months. If your instant coffee loses flavor or develops a stale taste, discard it. Instant coffee will deteriorate and lose flavor with time. One of the reasons why instant coffee has a long life is because it contains no moisture.

 

Advantages of Freeze Dried Coffee

  1. You can use your freeze-dried coffee in either hot or cold water. It’s soluble in both.
  2. The original flavor and aroma in freeze-dried coffee are highly retained compared to the normal soluble coffee.
  3. Freeze-dried coffee readily absorbs milk or water. It is considered a porous coffee.
  4. Freeze-dried coffee has all its properties in place compared to normal soluble coffee.
  5. The freeze-drying process produces high-quality products.

The manufacturing process is what differentiates freeze-dried coffee from normal soluble coffee.

 

Storing Freeze Dried Coffee

As stated earlier, freeze-dried coffee should be stored in cool and dry conditions and at room temperature.

Experts also recommend storing freeze-dried coffee in a dark place away from the light. This is to prevent light from coming into contact with your coffee. When the light comes into contact with your coffee, oxidation occurs. This will result in to release of flavor by your coffee which leads to it being stale.

Make sure that your freeze-dried coffee jar is tightly closed before storing it. This you do to prevent any moisture from coming into contact with your coffee. It also preserves the flavor of your coffee.

Do not use a wet spoon to scoop your coffee. When you introduce a wet spoon, you are introducing moisture to your coffee. This will make your coffee stale and can also introduce room for bacterial growth in your coffee.

 

Differences Between Freeze Dried Coffee and Normal Soluble Coffee

  1. Freeze-dried coffee has its original properties retained compared to normal soluble coffee.
  2. Freeze-dried coffee undergoes sublimation while normal soluble coffee does not. The normal soluble coffee is changed to liquid, while freeze-dried coffee goes straight from solid to gas.