An agglomerated coffee or coffee granule is a very balanced instant coffee with smooth and mellow taste. As this coffee is easy to be broken, it should be store on a firm and tight container such as jars or tins. Agglomerated coffee has the other name as granulated instant coffee or coffee granules. Agglomerated coffee looks like a hybrid between spray-dried coffee and freeze-dried coffee. This coffee is in a form of granules (bubble-shaped), volatile and easy to be broken. Agglomerated coffee has been beloved by coffee drinkers in developed countries and also positioned as high quality instant coffee. Agglomeration process improves solubility and transforms the coffee powder into more attractive granules. This process basically involves rewetting the surfaces of the coffee powder particles and bringing the particles into contact, so that they will hold on to each other and form larger, more granular particles. This is attained by exposing coffee powder to steam while tumbling it in the air.
Spray dried coffee is the quickest and most cost effective type of instant coffee to produce.The instant coffee powder is created through spray drying.Spray dried coffee is considerably cheaper to produce than freeze dried coffee. Spray drying is achieved by spraying liquid coffee concentrate as a fine mist into very hot, dry air (we’re talking about 480 degrees F). When the coffee hits the ground, the water has been evaporated and it has dried into small, round crystals.
The instant coffee crystals are created through freeze drying. Basically, freeze-dried coffee has a higher aroma retain as compared to spray-dried coffee and agglomerated coffee. Thus, its coffee aroma is very premium and is positioned as high quality instant coffee. Freeze dried coffee have higher quality and better taste due to the flavor preserving process, while instant coffee powder can taste more burnt. Freeze drying coffee involves a few steps. First, the coffee is cooked down into an extract. The coffee extract is chilled at about 20 degrees F into a coffee slushie. The coffee slushie is then further chilled on a belt, drum or tray to -40 degrees F until it forms slabs of coffee ice. The coffee ice is broken into granules. They’re then sent to a drying vacuum, where the ice vaporizes and leaves behind instant coffee granules.