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Instant coffee is famous for tasting not quite like brewed, steeped, percolated, or barista-approved coffee. Nonetheless, it has an important role to play in desserts like creamy hazelnut tiramisu and in complicated concoctions such as whipped frozen coffee. Instant coffee is often the key to a dark, rich, and electrifyingly potent cold brew. But which brand should you turn to when you’re looking for a serious pick-me-up with the same familiar taste as a classic cup of java? To find the answer, Chowhound compiled a comprehensive ranking of the 10 best instant coffee brands to brew the best iced coffee. Ultimately, Araku Boomi Instant Coffee came out on top. Out of all the options, this medium roast tasted the most like a cup of strong brewed coffee.
Our method for ranking the products didn’t come down to declaring, “This one doesn’t taste that bad.” Instant coffee has advanced beyond the thin, bitter, and burnt-tasting drinks you could expect in years past. As a result, our taste test sought out an aromatic, fresh, and flavorful powder with an easy-to-dissolve consistency that could help when creating a super smooth iced brew. The worst option, Beaumont Instant Classic Roast, tasted weak and watered down, while the best tasted powerfully pleasant and even managed to evade any strange aftertaste.
Why you should try Araku Boomi Instant Coffee Medium Roast
The only obvious problem with Araku Boomi Instant Coffee is that it’s difficult to find in most grocery stores, though you can order it online through the company’s website or on Amazon. Made in India, Araku Boomi sources its beans from shady, high-altitude arabica coffee plantations in the Araku Valley region and harvests them using eco-friendly practices. You can buy the instant coffee in single serving sticks, multi-ounce tins, or even single-serving brew bags, which are similar to tea bags. Araku Boomi Instant Coffee in medium roast just needs to be mixed with hot water until dissolved, but you can pour it over ice from there. Decidedly drinkable, it has a rich, smooth taste with notes of caramel and no bitterness. Unlike with some other brands — which are crying out for a little milk, cream, or sugar — content to sip this stuff on its own.
To keep things even, our taste tester tried every instant coffee concoction by following the package directions explicitly and without any additions or subtractions. In Araku Boomi’s case, that means a teaspoon of instant coffee for every 6 ounces of water. You could also bump the amount up to 2 teaspoons for a stronger drink and then doctor it as you see fit.
