I prefer my instant (fairtrade, decaff) to "proper" coffee.
/devils advocate
I've got no objections to instant
Its not trying to be anything else, like
It does what it says on the tin. Nice, predictable, constant. Doesn't matter what the weather's like in a given year, doesn't matter how various regions have cropped - a commercial blend of 50 or 60 beans'll give repeatability year in, year out. Bonzer.
Whittards - great. It's a step on the ladder, aye. But - IMO - it's a shame when people are led to believe that Kenco powdered innafilterjug, or Whittards that's been sitting in an open metal tub in a room full of fragrant substances, after being roast two months earlier - is 'real' coffee.
It's - yep - one step up from Sainsbury's pre-packaged beans. But a huge proportion of the volatile oils that give most beans and blends their unique flavour will've been lost an absolute age in advance. It's like comparing strips of beef jerky - yep, there'll be nicer jerky from the prime beef steak; but the difference'll be far more noticeable if it's fresh-cooked. Likewise dried fruit. The difference'll be noticeable if the original fruit was posh quality; but a lot of the defining characteristics will've been lost with preserving processes, drying out, etc, etc.
Similarly, if its pre-ground then a bean'll lose most of its volatile compounds / oils / etc in a matter of minutes. Sniff beans five seconds after being ground, and fifteen minutes later - the difference is phenomenal.
I'd
bet that you could be swayed away from instant by a decent, fresh roast, fresh ground, single origin (or even a decent blend) espresso, BC. Espresso shouldn't be bitter, or unbearable, or a thump in the face. It should be concentrated, intricate, complex, nuanced flavour.
Most of the commercial / 'proper' coffee I've tasted is... two-dimensional. Set next to top-bollocks fresh-roast fresh ground (which from Hasbean costs pretty much what it costs at Whittard) which - if well prepared - will hit every area of your mouth, every area of your tongue, and the flavours can keep on developing in your mouth, nose and throat for a good long while after you've drunk't.
If anyone thinks the point of coffee is caffeine - it saddens me. Yes, great, there's some in there. But it indicates such a... dearth... of discovery. There's
so much more to an outstanding bean (be it decaff or caff) that to reduce it to the fact that some coffees have more stimulant than others just kinda suggests that there're whole dimensions missing from the beans they're drinking.
[/hobby horse]
Hi, my name's mrs quoad, and I'm an addict
