To ask why Brits drink instant coffee?

[mediumbrownmug]

I’m an American and am genuinely curious. Every British TV show and article I’ve seen so far seems to imply that instant coffee is far more popular than whole or ground beans. Is it too nosy to ask why?

It's not just "brits". We always had both optioms at home with instant being used regularly. I still have it like this. Mostly instant some refillable nesspresso with coffee from roasters i like.
I wouldn't even say it's the cheaper option. It really depends on what you buy.

@knitnerd90

It's silly to call all American food shit. I've had the same experience explaining to Americans that British food isn't stuck in 1962.

Packaged snack cakes are hardly the best measure. I don't think I'd want British food judged by Mr Kipling's either.

Absolutely. British food is more famous as crap than American one. I like it so I am weirdo😂

First time we went to the US (West Coast) we were disappointed by how poor the coffee was in many places - weak and tasteless. At one point we went to a Starbucks drive thru just to get a better coffee and I don't rate Starbucks generally. For proper coffee, in the UK we have a lot of influence from Italy and France where coffee is traditionally served small and strong. A milky coffee there and in Spain is generally a breakfast drink although you can get one at any time of day.

I use pod coffee here, the house doesn’t have instant, pod coffee great

@knitnerd90

It's silly to call all American food shit. I've had the same experience explaining to Americans that British food isn't stuck in 1962.

Packaged snack cakes are hardly the best measure. I don't think I'd want British food judged by Mr Kipling's either.

I haven’t tried all the food here, obviously, but I am reasonably sure it’s not all bad. We have some tasty things here. Our cuisine as a whole isn’t mind blowing, sure. But you are correct, it’s not all shit.

I'm British and live in England. I haven't drunk instant coffee in over 30 years. I went off it while pregnant and still think it's vile stuff. Even my husband has stopped drinking it over the years. Now we have a nespresso machine and have one or two real coffees a day. I honestly thought instant coffee drinking was on the decline till this thread.

When I make proper English food from scratch, people here love it. Younger ones have heard of things from Harry Potter so they're excited to have real treacle tart and custard.

I don't particularly like instant coffee but I drink it if there's nothing else and I need a caffeine hit - like at my Grandma's house! We have a tassimo machine which I use, but husband used it all the time when we first got it but then went back to instant because he prefers that. I do use a reusable pod and fill it with filter coffee rather than using all the plastic ones all the time.

If you buy a nice quality instant, it's as good (but different) to fresh coffee. I have a machine, but it's a faff. Instant is immediate. 😊

@MissTrip82

This can’t be a serious question.

Why do some people choose a cheaper alternative? Really?

Of course it can!

Many people who like coffee dislike instant because it it nothing like coffee.

@knitnerd90

When I make proper English food from scratch, people here love it. Younger ones have heard of things from Harry Potter so they're excited to have real treacle tart and custard.

I’ve been to England and think your food is great. Bacon chips (crisps) and bacon sandwiches? I’m amazed they’re not a thing here. Yes on the HP references. Universal sells treacle fudge in their HP area!

There's nothing pretentious about liking decent coffee. And have a look at yourself using that word.

filter coffee here! We find instant coffee tastes bitter and only drink it where ground coffee isn't available. We're in England

That was to @Blondiney

I always assumed an americano was an espresso diluted to match standard American coffee.
By some of the posts on here, I can see why some people think real coffee is “too strong” or “too expensive”. You can’t make espresso strength coffee in a cafetière by using more coffee, the taste and consistency will never be the same as it’s an entirely different method and gives a different drink.

The phrase 'bean to cup' makes me want to stab myself in the eye with a spoon.

I don't, not everyone drinks instant & with coffee machines that are quicker than boiling the kettle its not difficult now to get a decent coffee thats not instant

I enjoy real coffee outside like costa coffee, but also enjoy a good quality instant. Whenever I make it at home it's bitter and disappointing

I don’t drink instant, it upsets my stomach, and I find it bitter. I make good quality coffee two or three times a day using German or Italian ground coffee, in a cafetiere, I rarely drink tea.

Bit of a faff to make instant coffee without a kettle! That would be an obvious explanation as to why it's not prevalent in the US.

I had a pod coffee machine as a gift once but the pods were revolting both in taste and environmental impact/effort to recycle.

I worked as a barista and love a real coffee but can't be arsed to deal with that in my own home.

Percolator coffee is a no from me.

It's also a generational thing in the US. Everyone drank instant until the 90s when Starbucks became huge, coffee shops opened everywhere and people wanted better coffee. All my older relatives still like instant.

Instant is revolting. Americans tend to drink coffee weaker than I like it, but I enjoy how it’s always ‘on tap’ there and the refills keep coming. Like how the Irish drink tea.

@WeAreTheHeroes

There's nothing pretentious about liking decent coffee. And have a look at yourself using that word.

Quite right. I reported the post and my reply as I don’t want to quote that word.