Coffee has been a familiar and popular drink in today’s daily life. But waiting for filter coffee, not everyone has time to do that. Understanding and grasping in the market’s demand, instant coffee was born. It only takes a short time to create a delicious cup of coffee. There are many types of instant coffee on the market with many different flavors in addition to the processing method, but also due to the type of coffee used. But in this article we will only learn about one popular flavor, Arabica instant coffee bulk.
What is Arabica Instant Coffee?
For those who do not know Arabica, as well as Instant coffee, let’s learn about the origin of their flavor and place…
About Arabica
Arabica in Việt Nam
Arabica coffee has the scientific name Coffea Arabica. In Vietnam, the coffee line has another name, Che coffee. Arabica has a rich, tart, fruity taste, a sweet aftertaste, and a well-balanced body. The caffeine content in this coffee bean accounts for only 1-2%, much lower than that of Robusta.
Historical origins of Arabica
The name Arabica has distant origins from the Arabica Peninsula in Arabia. Many stories have it that this coffee first appeared in Ethiopia in Africa. After being introduced to the Arabian peninsula, Arabica was considered an esoteric drink. Therefore, this peninsula has gradually become known as the exclusive place for Arabica coffee. Maybe, because of this fact, the name of this coffee bean is taken after the name of the Arabian peninsula.
Arabica coffee was first grown by the Arabs from the 14th century. However, by the 17th – 18th centuries, this coffee variety was popular in many places. Up to now, Arabica accounts for 70% of coffee production worldwide.
Biological characteristics of Arabica coffee plants
Arabica grows well at an altitude of 900-2000m above sea level, rainfall 1,500-2,500mm/year, suitable temperature from 15-25 degrees Celsius. Arabica has a small canopy, oval-shaped leaves and green color. bold, oval coffee berries. When mature, the tree can reach a height of 2.5m – 4.5m. There are even trees growing in the wild that can reach a height of 10m.
Arabica coffee has high economic value but it is difficult to grow and take care of, low yield, poor resistance to pests and diseases. Harvest time is usually 3-4 years after planting. Arabica has a lifespan of about 25 years. Under natural conditions, this coffee tree can reach a lifespan of 70 years.
Arabica grows well at an altitude of 900 – 2000m above sea level
Popular Arabica coffee
Coffee Arabica is very diverse. There are about 125 varieties of coffee belonging to the Arabica genus. Popular lines and known by many people such as: Typica, Bourbon, Heirloom, Catimor or Catuai. Each Arabica strain will have its own flavor characteristics when enjoyed. In addition, each type will also have different farming requirements, so the output as well as the distribution area are not the same.
Typica
Typica is considered the first coffee variety discovered and grown in Ethiopia. In Vietnam, this coffee line was grown by the French in Cau Dat, Da Lat in 1857.
Typica has a light sour taste, clear, thick body and a deep sweet aftertaste. Despite its high value, this is a coffee variety with low yield and poor resistance to pests and diseases.
Bourbon
When it comes to Arabica coffee genera, Bourbon is considered one of the first natural mutant coffee lines discovered on Bourbon Island. Bourbon is suitable at an altitude of 1000 – 1600 meters above sea level.
Bourbon has a characteristic sweetness, fruit flavor, sweet aftertaste, light body, balance. Although possessing an unmatched taste, at present, in the Vietnamese market, Bourbon coffee is not popular. Due to the difficult to grow characteristics, the resistance is not high, so Vietnamese coffee growers have gradually replaced them with other coffee varieties with better yields.
Yellow Bourbon
Yellow Bourbon Coffee Line.
Heirloom
Heirloom is the indigenous coffee line of Ethiopia. This is a coffee variety that grows wild and naturally in mountainous areas. The Heirloom coffee line has a low yield but is appreciated for its quality. They possess a precious natural genome that enhances their rich flavor and is highly resistant to pests and diseases.
Catimor
In fact, Catimor is a hybrid coffee variety of Arabica. It is characterized with slightly elongated seeds. The reason why Catimor is one of the popular Arabica coffee lines is because of its easy-to-grow characteristics. Moreover, the yield is also very high. In particular, this variety of coffee beans also has good resistance to pests and diseases.
However, according to coffee connoisseurs, the taste that Catimor brings in each cup of coffee is still not as high-class as other Arabica coffees. The taste of Catimor coffee line has not yet been able to satisfy the high-class requirements of this drink enthusiast.
Catuai
First appeared in the world in 1972 in Brazil; Catuai coffee strain is known to be the result of hybridization between yellow Caturra (pure Arabica coffee) and Mundo Novo (Bourbon and Typica hybrid coffee). In Vietnam, this coffee variety was first recorded in 1980 when it was imported from Cuba.
The outstanding feature of Catuai is its small tree shape. The fruit of the tree clings very firmly to the branches, not easily falling off. Besides, the kernel of this coffee variety has a round shape similar to Catimor coffee. However, the number of long-seeded kernels also appears to be high due to the heterogeneity of varieties.
On the other hand, this is a suitable coffee strain to grow in mountainous areas with an altitude of 1000 – 1200m above sea level. Besides, Catuai coffee has good resistance to pests and diseases. But on the contrary, their ability to adapt to the frost environment is very poor. The care requirements are also very high. Therefore, even if the coffee yield is high, overall, the cultivation of this coffee strain does not bring much profit.
Instant Coffee
What is instant coffee?
Instant coffee is so familiar that everyone knows it. As an instant drink, instant coffee comes in the form of a fine powder, which is pre-combined with sugar and milk and is synthesized through drying and drying stages. When you want to enjoy, just make instant coffee with hot water and you can use it immediately. The reason coffee dissolves quickly in water is because the processing process has been extracted and retained the soluble substances. The insoluble components and other impurities have been removed.
Production Process
Roasting coffee and grinding powder
Roasting time according to international standards is from 18-25 minutes/batch and roasting according to advanced technology to help keep the natural flavor of coffee beans. The coffee beans are cooked evenly from the inside out, without any calluses, the beans are enlarged evenly, and the edges are not burned. The seeds, whether large or small, are still uniform in maturity and color. So far, the process is generally the same as for other types of coffee
Extraction
To produce instant coffee, coffee powder needs to extract soluble and volatile components. Dissolved substances can be separated in three ways: by filter (percolation batteries), by “counter-current system” and mixed method (slurry extraction). All of these solutions use water as the solvent.
• Filter method: Coffee is kept in a tower pipe system. Then hot water is passed through the system and removes the dissolved substances in the coffee. These substances are separated from the system, and the coffee after extraction is discharged.
• Method of using the “backwater” system: Coffee is kept in an inclined chute, then pushed upward by two high-speed rotating nails. Hot water is then introduced into the upper part of the chute, causing the coffee solubles to be reduced and the solution to escape through the bottom of the chute.
• Mixing method: Coffee and water are mixed together in a tank, then separated by centrifugal pump.
Drying
Drying is to bring the concentrated coffee extract into a dry powder form for convenient storage and use. There are two main methods used for drying: freeze drying and spray drying.
• Freeze drying
This is an advanced method that retains all the highest standards of quality and quality of the natural flavor and taste factors of extracted instant coffee such as color and flavor criteria. , quality stability and solubility. In this method, the water in the coffee evaporates leaving a solution with a high concentration of coffee. The solution is then cooled to -40 degrees Celsius, creating ice crystals. Thanks to the process of sublimation (the solid turns into a vapor), the rock is separated from the crystal. The remaining dry beans are instant coffee.
• Spray drying
The concentrated coffee solution is pushed into the top of the cyclone spray tower. Here there is a disc perforated with many small holes, with a very high rotation speed, causing the coffee to enter the cyclone spray tower in the form of fog. Dry hot air is blown into the cyclone spray tower to dry the coffee mist into powder form. Instant coffee powder is collected at the bottom of the cyclone tower. After drying, we get instant coffee powder with 1-2% moisture, dark brown color. After the drying process, the finished product will be repatriated, because the coffee flavor has been lost a lot through many distillation processes.
Arabica instant coffee bulk
Where can you find ground coffee in large quantities? Of course, with the development as we now have a lot, please supply this drink. With many brands and flavors featured in processing, HELENA is proud to be a coffee exporter and supplier of quality instant coffee in Vietnam. You can check out our products at the link below.