# Instant Coffee



## Seneca (Nov 16, 2012)

I prep instant coffee, and while it is not my favorite hot beverage it does store well and the space to serving ratio is excellent. I will have a cup of it every once in a while. Not a great cup off coffee yet it is passable. 

I like the idea of prepping the raw bean since they last for quite some time, however the cost to benefit ratio is horrible. As preps go I put raw coffee beans in the nice to have for special occasions category. It's a luxury prep. 

For me in a SHTF it world it would boil down to either instant coffee or no coffee. So instant coffee it is.


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## 1skrewsloose (Jun 3, 2013)

Good idea! Better to barter with than ammo. Whole lotta coffee addicts out there, me included. Cheap coffee can always be doctored up to suit your taste. Shoot, I buy coffee from the machine a work, not the best, but gets me by.


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## TacticalCanuck (Aug 5, 2014)

I have cans of preground sealed air tight stacked 2 high and 8 deep. I cycle it regularly. But then I do have instant as well. What I like about it is it tastes better than it did 10 years ago and it's super easy to make. I have it in my emergency bag and I use it when I camp. It's not half bad and to be completely honest I enjoy it a hell of a lot more than not having any. And it packs light too. No French press or other special equipment required. My stainless cup and my jet boil and in 4 minutes I'm enjoying a brew.


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## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

We're not regular coffee drinkers but we have some instant coffee stores (in 1/2 gallon mylar/o2absorbers). Every once in a while, I'll break into one and have a cup. Instant coffee seems to store well and the generic brand tastes the same as the bog name brands in my opinion. 

I will add that I've been told that storing raw coffee beans is easy and they keep for a long time. But for some reason I just don't have the taste for good coffee. (Good Bourbon, YES. Good Coffee, No)


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## Mule13 (Dec 30, 2012)

i actually prefer instant coffee. drink it everyday.i only drink 1 cup a day so making a full pot of regular coffee would be a waste for me. i do have the fench press and use it from time to time.but usually when i get up in the mornings im mean and grumpy,feel bad and just wanna sit on the couch and chill for a few till everything stops hurting.so with instant in about 2 minutes i have a cup of coffee. with french press it takes maybe 6 to 8.i do instant for the instant


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## alterego (Jan 27, 2013)

I have been on an energy consumption trip. And we went from coffee maker using 1.72 kw of electric to make coffee. To percolator coffee taking 13 minutes of propane stove on high to percolate the coffee. My wife started using instant. I am drinking it right now. It is not my favorite but my wife made it for me and brought it to me. So i gave her a nice approval swat and pinch.

It seams to be the cheapest method.


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## tinkerhell (Oct 8, 2014)

I have the single serving instant coffee in my various bags, 

my boy scout style "kitchen in a box" has a system for drip coffee. This is what I use when tailgate cooking.

At home, our primary coffee maker is a Bosch, I'm a reluctant fan of it. It is convenient but sorta goes against my prepper way of thinking. It will most likely be useless in a HTF scenario, 

I have a normal coffee maker as a HTF machine, they work quite well provided you have one that allows you to pour kettle water directly into the drip filter should you be without power.


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## Auntie (Oct 4, 2014)

If we wake up to no power in our house that means instant coffee and or espresso, so I can get rid of the cobwebs and handle the situation. Our power went off at about 2 a.m. one morning and I slept through it. My nephew however, heard the beep, beep, beep of the battery back up we use. He put on a kettle of water and made me a cup of instant coffee with an extra spoonful of espresso "so I could wake up quickly". That was one strong cup of coffee, but it was made with love and accomplished the task that it needed to.


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## turbo6 (Jun 27, 2014)

Starbucks Via is probably the best, easiest instant coffee out there, IMO. I always have a bunch on hand, as well as the pedestrian stuff for those who just don't care.


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## Maine-Marine (Mar 7, 2014)

Please explain "cost to benefit ratio"

Cost I understand - but how do you calculate benefit ratio???


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## Auntie (Oct 4, 2014)

Benefit ratio in my house is simple. It is to your benefit to make sure Auntie has coffee to clear the cobwebs. The threat of death if you breath loud or talk vs waking Auntie up with a fresh cup of coffee benefits you.


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## DadofTheFamily (Feb 19, 2015)

You can make a "sort of" instant coffee by taking some beans and grinding them into a "turkish grind" which is a fine powder. Heat up some water, just before boiling, and pour it over the powder. Let it sit for a minute or so, and then stir gently. All the grinds fall to the bottom after a few minutes. Tastes much better than store-bought instant.


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## Seneca (Nov 16, 2012)

Maine-Marine said:


> Please explain "cost to benefit ratio"
> 
> Cost I understand - but how do you calculate benefit ratio???


Benefit is what you get out of it. Spend exactly the same amount of money on either raw beans or instant coffee, use both as you normally would, chances are you'll still be drinking instant coffee after the raw beans are gone.

Just an example say you spent the same amount on both and you ran out of beans the first month, yet were still drinking instant three months later the ratio would be 3 to 1 as you are still deriving benefit from the instant three months later and not from the beans for the same cost.


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## Camel923 (Aug 13, 2014)

If I can't have the rawbeans, I'll turn to tea. I am not a fan of instant.


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## MisterMills357 (Apr 15, 2015)

Yes, instant coffee is better than none at all. And it doesn't take up that much room, and it is light in weight.
There is a lot to be said for it.


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## Seneca (Nov 16, 2012)

Tea is lightweight and stores well over a long period of time, tea is my alternate choice. It seem a hot steamy cup of coffee in the morning (even instant) jogs the brain cells alive better than anything else.


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## tango (Apr 12, 2013)

What brand is good instant coffee?


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## bigwheel (Sep 22, 2014)

Seneca said:


> I prep instant coffee, and while it is not my favorite hot beverage it does store well and the space to serving ratio is excellent. I will have a cup of it every once in a while. Not a great cup off coffee yet it is passable.
> 
> I like the idea of prepping the raw bean since they last for quite some time, however the cost to benefit ratio is horrible. As preps go I put raw coffee beans in the nice to have for special occasions category. It's a luxury prep.
> 
> For me in a SHTF it world it would boil down to either instant coffee or no coffee. So instant coffee it is.


Instant coffee would sure be better than no coffee..and should make a great barter item for those too dumb to think of having some..or run out maybe.

I am having misgivings on raw beans too. Takes half a day to cook up a pot of pinto from scratch..waste a lof of propane etc. Thinking we will just eat our beans from the can. Now raw pintos would be good to sprout for some greens in the diet. Those things are much healthier than cooked beans. Real easy to sprout for those of us who know the secret..lol. Which I only charge five bucks for telling folks how to do it. Let me know. Thanks.


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## Auntie (Oct 4, 2014)

*hands big wheel $5.00* My ducks and chickens love sprouts.


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## bigwheel (Sep 22, 2014)

Ok..I will be out waiting by the mailbox sitting in the lawn chair..ice chest within reach..lol. Seems like my sprouter looks sorta similar to this. Not hard to keep the hens out of it unless they are indoor cluckers. Mine aint never seen the light of day. Just waiting for show time. 
Kitchen Crop 4-Tray Seed Sprouter


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## Auntie (Oct 4, 2014)

Very nice bigwheel. However, you are breaking the cardinal rule of practice, practice practice.


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## OctopusPrime (Dec 2, 2014)

I mainly stock whole beans, have a few bags of dunkin donut coffee grounds. I need to get on board with instant coffee.


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## PaulS (Mar 11, 2013)

Coffee isn't a big thing for me - if you want something that will wake you quickly - better than coffee - try an apple or a pear.
I do have coffee in storage but it is for barter more than anything else. I also have a percolator (for those who like their coffee "thick"), and a drip pot that is for just 8 cups at a time. They can be used on the stove or over a fire. 
Water is my morning drink of choice, especially since we moved from Seattle to this much drier part of the country. I find it amazing that it takes so much more water to stay hydrated here than it did in Seattle.


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## Medic33 (Mar 29, 2015)

all I drink is instant coffee -can't stand that coffee maker stuff-and yah I have been ridiculed about it, so I just smile and take an nice big gulp out of my 52 oz cup of joe.


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## Seneca (Nov 16, 2012)

tango said:


> What brand is good instant coffee?


Folgers, Nescafe and Tasters Choice are the three of the more common brands I have found locally. Many of the larger grocery chains Krogers etc. will sell instant coffee under their name (generic) which can generally be bought for less.


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## Prepared One (Nov 5, 2014)

I love my coffee in the morning. I store both instant and the regular. I will miss coffee for sure when resources are exhausted.


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## Auntie (Oct 4, 2014)

PaulS said:


> Coffee isn't a big thing for me - if you want something that will wake you quickly - better than coffee - try an apple or a pear.
> I do have coffee in storage but it is for barter more than anything else. I also have a percolator (for those who like their coffee "thick"), and a drip pot that is for just 8 cups at a time. They can be used on the stove or over a fire.
> Water is my morning drink of choice, especially since we moved from Seattle to this much drier part of the country. I find it amazing that it takes so much more water to stay hydrated here than it did in Seattle.


Try Colorado it is so dry here. Everyone I know drinks a LOT of water and we go through so much lotion. hmmm lotion I better stock up on some of that. Thanks for the reminder.


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## bigwheel (Sep 22, 2014)

Thats why the cute young ladies in Colorada look sorta weather beat in the face. Noticed that when we were up there trying to slay Bambis one time. Wet towels hung over the balcony dry out fast too. Meant the sprouter has not been out doors. I used to use it a lot back when we were trying to eat healthy. Works great. Did several types of seeds and they all did good.


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