I don't know of any studies out there, on this.....

I would think it is already vac-sealed.... so it should last.... "nearly forever".... if kept in a cool, dry place.

We have many, many pounds of coffee vac-sealed and expect it to last a long, long while.


.......

 

Depends on whether it's packaged in glass or plastic bottles and what your storage conditions are. In glass bottles and vacuum sealed, for years, especially if stored cool. In plastic, the exchange of air and humidity through the semipermeable plastic will cause it to slowly lose aroma and flavor and probably eventually clump up into a rock.

ETA: This is the big problem with all "how long will it last" questions. The answer is always widely variable depending on in what and how the food is stored and under what conditions it is kept.

 

I have instant packed in glass, Nescafe. But the lid is plastic with just a paper seal.
I have switched mostly from coffee to green tea. Don't know why but my blood pressure has dropped enough that doc took me off BP med losartan though I still take a heart med metropolol

 

All coffee is bad when made.

 

I've made instant coffee from sealed jars (grocery store brands) that were 10 years or older. I couldn't tell the difference between those and instant containers that were far fresher.

Have also drunk thousands of cups of instant coffee made from packets included in military C-Rations, MCIs, MREs, and LRP rations. Those were normally powdered instant packaged inside of a little foil lined paper sachet. Then sealed inside of a larger plastic coated/foil lined accessory pouch found inside the main ration container (cardboard box or plastic pouch). Double sealed, but not canned/jarred. Again, GTG... even if manufactured 20 or 30 years before.

My understanding is that, since the 1960s, most instant coffee is freeze dried, then vacuum sealed. Similar to long term storage backpacker meals from places like Mountain House. As long as the stuff remains sealed and dry... it's good for decades.

I like a good cup of fresh gourmet ground coffee as much as anyone, but my former Infantry life made me not picky when it came to instant hot Joe. I remain agnostic on the issue to this day. Anything will do and age of the product is of zero concern. YMMV.

 

Metal is, of course, as impervious as glass. Either will do. The instant I keep for summer iced coffee comes in glass jars with a plastic snap lid with a liner, but also has an inner foil seal until opened. Keeps very well.

 

I find I like iced coffee made from instant better than hot. Takes a little more effort to dissolve and I add milk and sugar.

 

Yes, I think instant makes good iced coffee. I consider that its justification for existing. The trick to getting it to dissolve (and getting the best flavor) is to dissolve the instant coffee (and for me, the 2% milk powder) in 1/4 cup hot water, whisk, and then fill the tumbler with ice water and three or so ice cubes. I do the same when I occasionally drink it black, just skip adding the milk powder.

BTW, the best instant now is a combination of freeze-dried and micronized coffee beans. Starbucks stole that idea from the Vietnamese, but they do it both better and cheaper.

 

BTW, the best instant now is a combination of freeze-dried and micronized coffee beans. Starbucks stole that idea from the Vietnamese, but they do it both better and cheaper.

micronized

That is new to me. I'll check it out. I love me some coffee and am always looking for good things to try.
We rarely try dried coffees and stuff because we are pretty stuck on fresh. But, better options for longer term are always welcome.
Thanks.

 

They are freeze died. As long as it is sealed and dry, should be good for decades.

 

I think I've had opened instant coffee that may have been 10yrs old.
Keep in mind , I like coffee rough and a lot of instants are rough to begin with . at least how I make it.
Try adding some honey to your coffee if it is rough and you don't like it that way.
It doesn't taste like you may think and helps smooth it out.

 

Vietnamese coffee is robusto beans vs arabica. Cheaper, more bitter but I add milk and sugar. Fresh ground and filtered coffee is better but I don't bother, been avoiding anyway.

 

Like many primo espresso blends (Robusta gives the best crema), there is Robusta in there to be sure, a generous amount, and I like the stronger flavor. I do generally drink my coffee as cafe con leche with a lot of milk, but no sugar.

The best-known Viet coffees are actually a blend of 4 kinds of coffee beans, though, Robusta, Arabica, Excelsa, and Catimor. I prefer the result to pure Arabica, just as I prefer a dark roast to ligher traditional American roast. Other people's mileage may vary.

 

I had an opened plastic jar of instant coffee stick all together after 5 years. I knew it was bad. At the same time I chose to open a glass jar of instant coffee. Plastic, paper seal. It was still good. I transferred it to a pint mason jar.

 

I keep some in mylar with O2, supposedly will last forever. I'd use an unopened store container of the stuff that was 10 years old, and at least consider it. I drink the instant from time to time, but - it has a certain unpleasant taste that is there, but never really grew on me, but for a cup I can get past it.

 

I have a instant coffee in my camping kit as a backup coffee in case I forget to get beans or ground coffee, it’s not in the original container, so it has been opened, at least 5 years ago and used couple times a year. As far as I can tell it tastes just like any other low quality instant coffee even after 5-6-7 years. This isn’t a medical advice, your mileage may vary.

 

Yup instant is great for camping because if you don't feel like taking the time for a fire you can just chew it up and eat it. Regular grounds you have to put under your lip like a pinch of the bear.

 

I buy instant Folgers on a regular basis. Don't always have time to brew a pot when I am busy and working from home. Plus many mornings all I want is one cup. It'sa pretty good prep, though you do need to have a source of hot water in order to make it. Of course, you'd need that for regular coffee too, but with instant, you don't need a working coffee pot.

How Long Does Instant Coffee Last? Does It Expire Or Go Bad?

Found a pack of Instant coffee that is past the best before date? Is it safe to drink it? Does instant coffee go bad? You'll find the answer here.

www.brewcoffeehome.com

 

You can use instant like Folgers to make a decent iced coffee. Even with no hot water just use cold though I prefer it with milk and sugar. And ice if you've got it.

 

2 "new" sealed Plastic jars of Folger's Crystals.
7 yrs in camper cupboard.
Temp extremes 100F summer -20F winter

Texture Decomposed to a "glob" of 1/2 full jar.
Pound-chip-dig-scrape-swear... got a spoonful.
Drinkable! Not "fresh", but more like 3 hr old gas station drip.
OK with creamer

 

Just like bucket chow, friends don't let friends buy anything for storage in plastic.

 

I'm not picky about coffee so long as it's not too strong, I like to enjoy my food not endure it.
I have plenty of ground coffee that is put away safely , I go through it very slowly. One lb lasts me about a year.. I never thought of storring freeze dried coffee but I wasn't sure of it's manufacturing process.

 

Most instant is freeze dried, not My favorite but I’d be very glad to have it in a SHTF scenario. Comfort food is important for morale and for dealing wiht stress.

Also not my favorite but Starbucks has an instant coffee in a metal can that should be good for LT storage. They have sales sometimes so watch the price. They have different types so pick your poison.

Amazon.com : Starbucks Premium Instant Coffee — Dark Roast — 100% Arabica — 3 Tins (up to 120-cups total) : Everything Else

Amazon.com : Starbucks Premium Instant Coffee — Dark Roast — 100% Arabica — 3 Tins (up to 120-cups total) : Everything Else

www.amazon.com

 

Regardless,

Also instant espresso available. It is in a small glass jar.

 

So, whats the preferred brand here? Glass jar.

 

Folgers Nior Golden Dusk, a little pricey but really good for instant and in glass. Thinking about stocking Costco’s Kirkland instant, good cup and cheaper at $9 for 16 ozs. Its in plastic so I’ll have to transfer to jars or mylar.

 

My folks drank Cain's instant. I couldn't hardly choke it down.
They saved the glass jars. Must of been 4-500 jars in boxes in the attic when we cleaned the house out.

 

Back in my grunt days, I carried instant coffee to the field in a short soft plastic baby bottle. Never broke, cracked, or leaked. Because all the grocery store instant used to come in glass jars that might not handle field impacts/crushing. Today, many brands are offered in plastic jars.

Still, the baby bottle trick works for a lot of things: instant coffee, honey, powdered fruit drink mix, syrup, olive oil, instant ice tea mix, cocoa powder, etc.

 

I'm using instant coffee that was opened 4 or 5 years ago. It tastes fine to me.

I like to make "instant iced coffee" or lattes by putting a little water in a cup, add 2 tsp instant coffee, 1 tbsp sugar, 1 spoonful of milk powder (like Nido), and I'll mix that well and let it sit for a minute - this lets all the instant coffee dissolve. Then I'll add some flavoring - caramel syrup, a drop of vanilla flavoring, almond extract, whatever I'm in the mood for. Then fill it up the rest of the way with water and stir it again.

I don't have ice (no room in freezer) so I'll just put it in the fridge for a bit.

 

Found a glass jar I picked up at Aldi's about a year ago. Beaumont brand, 8oz jar. Anyone use it?
Also have a vac packed bag of Cafe Bustelo ground coffee. Sounds like it's drink&die coffee. 😬 BB date is Jan 2021
Found it all stashed in my coffee aisle.

 

Found a glass jar I picked up at Aldi's about a year ago. Beaumont brand, 8oz jar. Anyone use it?

I used to. They keep switching suppliers. Originally it was from Germany and really good for the price. Then it came from Mexico and wasn’t bad but in a plastic jar. I opened a sealed jar at about 18 months and it looked like spider webs in it. Definitely some sort of fungus growing in there. Dumped 10 jars with the same webs and never bought it again. Don’t know where its made now, not on the label.

 

Used to put 3-4 packs from MRE's in a canteen and drink it cold. Keep you awake, barely. They sold those little packs in 25 pack packages at the PX and I always had one of those in my gear. I also drank a lot of it when visiting inlaws in China. Folgers/nescafe/wierd chinese stuff until noon, then switch to a case of 24 oz Snow beers. The only time I drink that now is if I'm desperate and need a cup now. I keep folgers crystals and some funkadelic chinese stuff just for those ocassions, stuff lasts forever.