Q: What is YOSE Coffee?
A: YOSE Coffee is THE choice for travelers, outdoor adventurers, people short on time, and for people who want an eco-conscious alternative to what’s otherwise available on the market. It is coffee wrapped in an edible and dissolvable packaging so there is no waste. There are no grounds to discard, no plastic for landfills, no trash to pack out….only coffee, just the way you like it.
Q: What type of coffee do you use?
A: Right now, we are serving organic coffee from Columbia. It is a medium roast coffee, chosen to offer a less acidic and more mellow option than a light roast, while still providing a rich and smooth taste of a dark roast. In the future we will explore options with creamer, similar to a latte or cappuccino, and possibly flavored options such as hazelnut or French vanilla. We are also exploring decaf options for those that might prefer it.
Q: Are there any special instructions to use YOSE? Generally I just tear open the plastic packaging, pour it in my cup and stir.
A: No special instructions or tools required! Boil 8-10 oz of water, add 1 packet of YOSE coffee, stir, and enjoy! The thing that sets us apart from other coffee options is that there won’t be any waste left over from the coffee-making process.
Q: What is YOSE packaging made of?
A: Individual YOSE Coffee comes packaged in a plant & fungi based film. It is fully dissolvable in hot water. There are 8 servings per bag and the main bag is fully compostable, no special equipment required. Tear it into pieces and bury it in your garden, it’ll become worm food and feed your plants in 90-180 days.
Q: What is the shelf life of YOSE Coffee?
A: Because we don’t use plastic in the manufacturing process, we have a shorter shelf life than other options on the market. The shelf life for our coffee is currently 2-3 months. We are working at lengthening this but what this really means is that you get fresher, better tasting coffee than the other stuff that might have a 12+ month shelf life.
Q: Do I need to have hot water to make coffee? What if I want iced coffee?
A: No! You don’t need to have hot water to make coffee. Our plant & fungi based film will dissolve in cold water too. The caveat though is that the coffee itself will dissolve slower in cold water than hot water. If you want iced coffee, we recommend dissolving the pouch in 3-4 oz of hot water, then add that to your glass with ice and top off with cold water.
Q: Is YOSE “real” coffee?
A: Yes, absolutely! YOSE coffee is real coffee. More specifically, it falls under the category of instant coffee. For those that don’t know, instant coffee is regular coffee, like you’d brew at home or buy in a coffee shop, that has then been dehydrated. By doing it this way, all that is required is to add water to make your cup of coffee.
Q: How does YOSE make their instant coffee?
A: At YOSE, we only source freeze-dried coffee. There are two main ways companies dehydrate their coffee. The first method is by spray-drying it. This involves spraying coffee through a nozzle into air heated to at least 270°C, the water evaporates from the coffee droplets leaving only coffee solids remaining. The second method is by freeze-drying the coffee. With this method, coffee is frozen to -50°C. It is crushed into tiny granules and at this temperature, sublimation occurs. Sublimation means water goes directly from the solid to gas state leaving behind no moisture, only coffee.
Q: What is the difference between spray-dried and freeze-dried coffee?
A: There are advantages and disadvantages to both methods. With the spray-dried method, advantages include cheaper manufacturing costs and quicker drying time. The disadvantage of this method is a loss of both flavor and antioxidant properties due to the extreme heat involved. Because the freeze-drying method doesn’t use high temperatures, one advantage is that coffee retains its flavor profile much better, creating a more enjoyable beverage. The disadvantages are that it takes longer and is more expensive to produce.
Q: Where can I buy YOSE Coffee?
A: YOSE can always be found online on our website. This is the best way to shop as it gives you options that might not otherwise be available, such as subscribing for a discounted price. We are exploring partnership with other brick and mortar (as well as internet) merchants so stay tuned for updates.
