Coffee powder is a coffee product selected from the best coffee beans, through the process of harvesting, roasting, and grinding to produce the finest coffee for drinking or beauty purposes.
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Coffee powder general information
Coffee powder is the finished product after the process of harvesting, roasting, crushing, (and sometimes marinating other by-products). However, depending on the purpose, it is divided into two different forms: the form used in beverage preparation, and the form used in beauty.
For the beverage preparation aspect, there may be many other by-products and additives such as oil, butter, and preservatives added to increase the aroma and taste of the drink. However, coffeeholic prefer pure coffee over soluble coffee mixed with other by-products.
In addition, the coffee powder also has another use in beauty. For this purpose, the composition of the powder must be completely pure, simply dried, finely ground, and does not contain any other fragrance products.
Coffee powder definition
In fact, many people are often confused about coffee powder and coffee grounds. Coffee grounds are only the final part after making a cup of coffee. Therefore, for beauty purposes, the powder has a significantly positive effect. On the contrary, coffee grounds have almost no effect on beauty as many people often mistakenly believe.
Coffee powder characteristics
Coffee powder, specifically pure coffee without additives, includes the following properties that distinguish it from impure powder.
Coffee powder fineness
Pure coffee powder is light in weight, has a relatively uniform porosity, smoothness, and is not sticky or lumpy.
As for the powder of cereal grains, such as soybeans, corns, mixed when grinding, it will have uneven smoothness. The powder will be different in size and be easier to clot. Moreover, the composition weight is heavier, so it will sink faster when dropped in water.
Pure coffee powder is light in weight
Coffee powder color
When the beans are roasted to the right temperature and time, pure coffee powder has a dark brown color. If the roasted coffee beans have not reached the appropriate temperature and time, the powder will have a bright yellow color.
Roasted corn kernels for blending into coffee are usually dark black. The roasted and ground soybeans are dark brown or opaque yellow, completely unlike the dark brown color of the coffee.
Coffee powder aroma
It will not be difficult to recognize the aroma of pure coffee powder which is very pleasant, attractive, and very distinctive.
In contrast, the corn kernels and soybeans have a slightly fishy, harsh smell, or give off a heavy smell of caramel after roasting.
Coffee powder specific weight
Coffee beans have a different property than other beans that when being roasted to a certain temperature, they will expand and increase in volume by 1.5-2 times and decrease weight by 20-30%.
Therefore, real coffee powder always has a lower density than other cereal powders, hence the volume (or specific weight) of 1 kg of coffee is always greater than that of a roasted mixed one.
Real coffee powder always has a lower density than other cereal powders
Coffee drinks color
Pure coffee will have the color of puce or dark brown, not the burnt black type that many people think. When ice or milk is added, the coffee color will turn amber. When exposed to sunlight, it has a light brown color.
Impure coffee will change color depending on the number of impurities in the coffee powder. If the coffee cup has an opaque black color, it means that it has been adulterated with soybeans and corns when roasted.
Coffee drinks flavors
The decent coffee powder brings a cup of pure cup with a bitter mixed with a gentle sour taste, which is very delicate due to the element of the acidic components in the coffee.
Blended coffee, on the contrary, does not have a natural aroma but a chemical smell due to the coffee flavorings. Although this chemical fragrance is quite similar to that of pure coffee, it still has a harsh and persistent taste.
The decent coffee powder has a bitter mixed with a gentle sour taste
Here is a quick comparison between pure and impure coffee powder.
| Criteria | Pure Coffee Powder | Impure Coffee Powder |
| Color | Ranged from puce to dark brown
Turns to amber brown if ice is added |
Opaque black |
| Weight | Lighter weight
Smooth and even porosity Dry, loose, not sticky |
Heavier weight
Uneven smooth, squishy Sticky, lumpy |
| Flavor | Pleasant aroma
Light bitter, sour taste |
Strong aromas of flavorings and fragrances
Bitter, sour taste |
| Brewing status | Effervescent and overflowing in the filter when it encounters boiling water, causing the lid to rise frequently | Becomes sticky and deflates when boiling water is added |
| Coffee consistency | No significant consistency | Very consistent, even sticky, clinging to the ice |
| Coffee foam | Creates little foam when whisking and quickly deflates | Creates much foam, takes a long time to deflate |
Coffee powder production technology
When it comes to coffee powder production technology, there are two main techniques that are freeze-drying and spray-drying.
Spray-drying
During spray-drying, the coffee extract is sprayed into a stream of hot air at the top of a tall cylindrical tower. As the raindrops descend, they dry out and transform into a fine powder by the time they reach the bottom.
The coffee powder might be texturized into granules to make it easier to manipulate and dissolve. The quality of the aroma and flavor is preserved due to the quick drying that occurs throughout this operation. As a result, spray drying is the most often used drying method.
Freeze-drying
In the freeze-drying process, the coffee extract is frozen to roughly – 40°C and then diced into granules. The frozen granules are then vacuum-dried at a low temperature. The smell and flavor are preserved due to the low temperature and meticulous drying techniques.
The smell and flavor are preserved due to the low temperature and meticulous drying techniques
Related: Vietnamese coffee powder suppliers: A vibrant trading market
How to make a coffee cup with coffee powder
Here is the procedure of how to make the perfect cup of coffee at home with a French Press. The French Press is what most coffee consumers will be familiar with as manual brewing, aside from the coffee machine that may still be lurking in the cupboard from the 1980s.
Preparation: French press, coffee powder, tablespoon, kettle
- Step 1: Prepare the water
Drinkers have to ensure that the heated water reaches the desired temperature. Before submerging the coffee in the French Press, pour from the filter and let the water sit off the boil for around 30 seconds.
- Step 2: Pour the powder
Saturate the powder equally using a smooth, steady flow that agitates it. Do not cover the brewer with the lid just yet.
- Step 3: Soak and stir
Allow the coffee powder to absorb the water for around 30 seconds before stirring – a few gentle strokes across the top layer of the mixture and along the edges with the back of a spoon to soak any powder that is stuck.
The procedure of how to make the perfect cup of coffee with a French Press
- Step 4: Brew
Allow 2 minutes and 30 seconds for the water to extract from the coffee. If the time is not enough, the coffee may be overly sugary or even sour. In contrast, if the time is too long, the coffee will be over-extracted and unappealingly bitter.
- Step 5: Plunge
The coffee water then starts to drip into the cup, drinkers wait until the coffee is almost dripping and press the lid tightly to extract all the remaining coffee. However, do not use too much power or the coffee will spill. If the machine is made of glass, it may be smashed.
- Step 6: Pour
As the cup cools, the flavor notes of the coffee will shift. Pour a little more hot water and allow the drip to continue if drinkers are not getting the flavor they are looking for at first.
Other uses of pure coffee powder
Pure coffee powder is very benign, so those who have sensitive skin can completely use it as a safe home skincare treatment.
Pure coffee powder can completely use it as a safe home skincare treatment
- The coffee contains caffeine compounds that help stimulate skin cells to grow as well as regenerate. Likewise, caffeine in the coffee helps the skin become smooth and healthy, resistant to bad factors from the daily environment.
- Besides, the powder contains tiny particles that help remove dead skin cells on the face easily and quickly. In addition, when combining the powder with other natural ingredients such as fresh milk, coconut oil, honey, or olive oil, it can become a mixture that whitens, exfoliates, and brightens the face skin in a very effective way.
- The composition of coffee also contains antioxidants and can be absorbed into the skin, which helps the skin be younger and brighter. More so, coffee is antioxidant and anti-aging, and can effectively minimize common skin problems such as skin tans, dark spots, or wrinkles.
I hope that through this article of K-Agriculture has helped you understand more about coffee powder
Read more: Finding some reputable coffee powder brands
