Spray-dried vs Freeze-dried coffee, which one is better?

Providing good quality coffee is an enormous task! Believe it or not, miniscule steps in the manufacturing process make a big difference in the end product you get in your bottle. Coffee brands are usually very meticulous when it comes to the processing of coffee. Everything, right from harvesting to roasting and brewing needs to be perfect in order to get that premium taste!

One of the important steps in the process is drying the coffee concentrate.
Drying is a process that reduces the water content present of coffee to preserve it for a longer time and so it can be stored and sold in a granulated or powdered form.

There are two popular commercial drying methods for coffee: 1) Spray Drying 2) Freeze-Drying

Spray drying
This is a process where a liquid concentrate is sprayed with hot air in a tightly sealed chamber. This leads to evaporation of water leaving the coffee powder as residue. This method is widely used in the coffee industry to dry large batches of coffee at a time because it is cost-effective and quicker. One major drawback, however, is that the natural flavor and properties of the coffee are lost in the process.

Freeze-drying
This process is more time-consuming and costly as compared to spray drying. It uses a process called sublimation, which converts solid directly into vapor. As the name suggests, the coffee concentrate temperature is brought down rapidly below freezing point and then under vacuum conditions (extreme low pressure), the solidified product becomes vapor. Any residual water content is removed by gradually raising the temperature giving you the powdered final product. This process ensures the aroma, color and flavour stay intact because the coffee is less susceptible to physical and chemical alterations, or thermal degradation. 

One of the fundamental reasons to opt for the freeze drying process is because it guarantees that the quality of coffee remains intact. Moreover, we at Impulse Coffees want to continue to come up with new and exciting flavors, while trying to preserve the rich aroma and flavor in the manufacturing process! 

We at Impulse Coffees are patient with our production process because we believe in the process of curating the perfect coffee flavors that give you the subtle nuance in every sip. If you’ve tried our flavours, we are sure you know what we are talking about. In case you haven't, here's your chance to experience our piquant flavors! Order now!