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Coffee extracts have been made for hundreds of years in many parts of the world.

The reason this technique persists is because it offers convenience and quality.

Because extracts often are not of good quality, a negative attitude has developed by many consumers.

It is necessary to understand the proper brewing methods and preservation methods in order to obtain good taste quality and the rate of change in quality after preparation.

Like any process, the end product reflects the quality of the raw materials used and the processing methods.

The commercialization of extracts has been hindered because of the lack of education by the processors regarding the chemistry involved in the preparation.

Also because roast beans and roast and ground coffees dominate the market, extracts take on an apparent 2nd class role which in fact they do not deserve.

What is not appreciated is the fact that properly prepared extracts actually keep their quality longer than roast beans or roast and ground coffee, in the first few weeks after preparation.

Another important advantage of properly prepared extracts, is that many of the variables that the consumer has to deal with have already been selected for him, thereby eliminating such consequent errors. These are coffee blends, roasts, grinds and extraction methods.

Many commercialized coffee extracts have come from instant coffee plants, and are not of good quality nor are they as flavor stable as they can be. To understand why, one must know that the instant coffee extracts are produced using coarsely ground coffees and very high temperature water, e.g. 350 F, which temperatures convert starchy parts of the roasted coffee into simple sugars. For example, instant plants will get a 45 to 50% solubles yield from the R&G coffees when 200 F water extractions at home or in most all brewers only get 20 to 23 % solubles. The solubles yields are very different and so is the taste of each extract.

Another important phenomenon is that when coffee solubles concentrations exceed about l2 wt %, the flavorful colloidal parts coalesce and separate from the bulk solution, and this occurs with instant coffee extracts.

However, if one only takes say 22 wt% solubles yields from finer grind coffees at less than l2% solubles concentrations , then flavorful and more stable tasting extracts are produced.

One objection raised to such quality standards is that there is less water to be shipped, when extract solubles concentrations are higher e.g. 33 % solubles. However such a specification results in not as good a tasting product.

Whereas instant coffee economics are centered on weight solubles yield, this is not the same as for home/institutional brewing, where yield is determined by cup beverage/lb R&G.

As a result the lesser yields with 200 F water mean higher per cup prices, and for those only concerned with cost, like most restaurants, they want to sell only the lowest cost products. The result is obvious and pervasive: restaurants serve weak low quality beverages.

However, extracts even at higher costs serve some useful purposes which are attractive.

Example 1

Hotels like to have coffee brewing equipment in their rooms, however, these constitute an added cost and mess. By substituting the brewers and pouches of low grade stale R&G coffee with say 2 fl oz bottles of top quality extracts, a lot of mess is avoided, less cleanup labor, etc. Most importantly the hotel client has access to a good tasting cup of coffee.

Example 2

Institutionally high concentration instant coffee extracts, marketed by Dowe-Egbert (Superior Coffee Co.), are locked into the dispensers they provide, similarly Lykes Pasco and formerly The Coca Cola Co. These extracts produce at best a flat tasting cup of coffee, and are used by large corporations like Hewlett-Packard as a convenience to employees. In the late 90’s similar products and dispensers have been used in fast food locations like Burger King and McDonalds.

Example 3

Instant coffee extracts have been the source material for canned coffee beverages in Japan primarily. Usually these drinks are made up with sugar and milk, and are not considered quality beverages, wherein coffee quality is emphasized.

Example 4

Soaking R&G coffees overnight in water and draining off the concentrate in the morning, has been a traditional way to make coffee in some parts of Mexico and Latin America. In fact this is usually very tasty coffee, and often done in coffee growing areas, with names like TINTO in Colombia, Ecuador & Peru.

Example 5

Overnight soaking of R&G coffees is still widely used in the USA by a few percent of the consumers.

This extract can taste very good, is overly aromatic, and usually results in about a 5% solubles concentration. The yield is about l liter extract from l lb coarsely ground coffees. Toddy & Filtron are two popular methods used in the USA.

Example 6

Sivetz has patented and used a columnar extraction process for decades which gives about 9 Brix concentration extract, a liter from .75 lbs R&G coffee, which is excellent tasting and can be stored at refrigerator temperatures for weeks., although it tastes best in the first 2 weeks after preparation.

This product has been successfully used to flavor premium priced yogurts and ice creams, and Sivetz has retailed it in pints, quarts and gallons for decades, where the local consumers have appreciated its availability. Making the product available is a key part of selling it. These loyal consumers have no negative attitudes about this coffee extract, because they know its consistent good quality.

An important part of selling this extract is that it be prepared locally, both for freshness and for minimizing transportation costs. With larger production runs, the product is packaged in 5 gallon palletized pails.

Sivetz sells the extraction equipment to process this product. A columnar system producing 3 gallons of extract from 8 lbs R&G coffee per hour sells for US$l0,000.00, and there are a number of such systems in use all over the USA.

Example 7

There is in New England a company founded by Heyman decades ago that makes various types of extract for trade use. However, their products do not fit into either the Sivetz nor instant coffee extract categories.

Example 8

The Coca-Cola Co. in the l980’s produced an extract called “Minute Maid” and initially was trial marketed for institutional uses. But because of its quality, sales were later limited only to institutional uses where large quantities of coffee beverage were needed at say a hotel or convention quickly.

Mike Sivetz

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