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?

[quote dreamingbohemian]@habibibibi I agree with you about Starbucks but when it first arrived in the US it was much better than Folgers at least. It was like a gateway drug to better coffee![/quote]
@dreamingbohemian
Oh, yeah. Folgers drip coffee - from a massive tub with creamer. Foul.
And I'm quite partial to a Starbucks from time to time as well - but even I recognise it's quite crap.

I drink it because I like it. Simple.

[quote BalladOfBarryAndFreda]@mediumbrownmug these are another excellent bacon snack, crispier than frazzles and usually only available in pubs. Magnificent with beer.[/quote]
Wait, what?! Why don’t we have those kinds of things here?! I’m sure they’d make a fortune.

I'm American (living in the UK) and I can vouch that Americans certainly drink plenty of instant coffee. All sorts of weird sickly sweet things in pouches you add water to. I used to drink them from when I was about 8 (for some god awful reason, I have no idea why my parents were letting me drink instant pre-sweetened coffee).

But actually, no, I don't know many Brits who regularly drink instant coffee. We mostly make espressos or unfiltered coffee at home. I only drink instant when I can't be asked to wash out anything else, or when dc were babies and I couldn't function to make anything more than that.

For me it's because I prefer it

Real coffee is too strong for want of better words for me

I live in a flat above a bar in Italy. I often pop down for an espresso or a cappuccino. I also drink instant coffee because I like it and because I don't have a coffee machine.

@mindutopia

I'm American (living in the UK) and I can vouch that Americans certainly drink plenty of instant coffee. All sorts of weird sickly sweet things in pouches you add water to. I used to drink them from when I was about 8 (for some god awful reason, I have no idea why my parents were letting me drink instant pre-sweetened coffee).

But actually, no, I don't know many Brits who regularly drink instant coffee. We mostly make espressos or unfiltered coffee at home. I only drink instant when I can't be asked to wash out anything else, or when dc were babies and I couldn't function to make anything more than that.

Interesting! I knew it must be drunk here, but I’d never met anyone who drank it. Excellent!

I think in fairness bac in the 80's and 90's mostly people around us in the UK drank instant coffee. It seems to me to be newer that more of us drink ground coffee or beans. We grind beans and drink from a cafetiere or we have a filter coffee machine (neither of us like the pods). However we do have emergency instant because frankly we have an unhealthy relationship with caffeine.

However I grew up in the states and when we moved back my DP were the odd ones out in the late 80's and early 90's that they drank ground coffee. DM was thoroughly supercilious about being posher than everyone else and DF was thoroughly embarrassed about being different and used to hide the cafetiere if people visited . Now of course DM is horrified that she is no longer extra civilised and loads of people don't drink instant coffee. Bless her. Its a bit like when drive thrus became more popular here and she couldn't get traction from "Well of course in America we didn't even have to get out of the car".

Poor DM this whole progress and globalisation is a real kick in the pants for her social aspirations

Kettles are uncommon here because hot tea isn’t as popular a drink.

I've seen Americans say this before.

I'm not a tea drinker my kettle boils water to put over veg, to make couscous, to get rid of ants, fill a hot water bottle it's not just for making tea.

[quote BalladOfBarryAndFreda]@mediumbrownmug these are another excellent bacon snack, crispier than frazzles and usually only available in pubs. Magnificent with beer.[/quote]
Oh, yes, I second that recommendation.

There's a scampi flavoured version of those too, which is equally good.

Ds grinds beans himself and brews his own coffee. So I have access to all the kit.

I just prefer instant.

Now you get the really nice instant coffee the barista style grounds it's quite nice.

Old style Nescafé instant coffee is utterly disgusting and tastes like fag ash

@sashh

Kettles are uncommon here because hot tea isn’t as popular a drink.

I've seen Americans say this before.

I'm not a tea drinker my kettle boils water to put over veg, to make couscous, to get rid of ants, fill a hot water bottle it's not just for making tea.

There’s also issues with the voltage, from what I understand. Kettles need loads of power and our 240v allows them to boil quickly and efficiently. The US is on half our voltage at 120v and so even a kettle rated for that system would take ages to boil water, as I understand it. They just never took off.

I drink instant coffee because I like it. Nescafé ‘expresso’ is my favourite. I much prefer it to Starbucks or Costa etc.

@sashh

Kettles are uncommon here because hot tea isn’t as popular a drink.

I've seen Americans say this before.

I'm not a tea drinker my kettle boils water to put over veg, to make couscous, to get rid of ants, fill a hot water bottle it's not just for making tea.

I agree, personally. I have always had one, and use it all the time for all kinds of things. Couldn’t imagine not having it, but as a lot of folks here don’t have kettles I suppose they don’t miss what they haven’t got.

You can always boil water on the hob and convection is super fast

There are some very good quality instants on the market which taste pretty good when made with two full teaspoons. Much better than filter coffee.
I have that on the days I don't have time to grind beans and use the espresso pot on the stove.

YABU, particularly when you consider how your country approaches making tea.

I use to drink instant coffee before coffee shops, and the availability of coffee machines for the home. Regularly drink “real” coffee now as I have my own coffee machine at home, buy bags of coffee beans, as machine has a built in grinder, but can use ground coffee as well (found that more expensive).

It can be a bit messy, emptying the coffee grounds etc. but much prefer the taste to instant. Good instant coffee is not particularly cheap either.

@Feather12

I am in the US and my DH thinks instant coffee is hilarious. But I can honestly say that good instant coffee is far better than shit filter (which sadly is becoming more and more common.) I am in NY and I am seeing instant becoming quite popular. We also don’t put chicory or other shit in it like the old American instant. But can’t easily get decent versions in the US, yet.

I've lived in NY for my entire life and I don't know anyone who drinks instant coffee.

It's easy to make a single cup of ground coffee with a pour over coffee dripper.

Can’t stand instant coffee.
I have a cone and make a cup of filtered coffee every morning

@BalladOfBarryAndFreda, I think the newer kettles must be slightly better here? Mine doesn’t take terribly long to boil. I’d say about a minute, maybe slightly more. Doable for sure.

I'm an American in the UK drinking instant coffee at this very moment, ready to answer all your questions! The instant coffee here is quite nice.

@MissConductUS that’s exactly what I have

I think that it's because the United States don't use kettles like we do in our kitchens. I remember reading once that they don't tend to use kettles in the US.

@FirstCoffee

I'm an American in the UK drinking instant coffee at this very moment, ready to answer all your questions! The instant coffee here is quite nice.

I imagine it must be superior to the most common brands here. Although I haven’t bought any since we went camping years ago, so I’m hardly an authority on our instant coffee.