4) A Dark Bitter Powder

How do you drink your instant coffee? If you’re like most of the world, you fill your mug with milk and sugar to sweeten the taste. By adding milk and sugar to your instant, you helped bring new growers - and consumers - into coffee, but arguably contributed to a crisis that left hundreds of thousands of people malnourished. In this fourth episode of A History of Coffee, Jonathan and James explore how the popularity of instant coffee dramatically alters the balance of power amongst coffee growing countries. Coffee as a global commodity takes on a life of its own, sweeping millions of farmers into a race to the bottom. Press the Follow button so you don't miss future episodes! A History of Coffee is a collaboration between James Harper of the Filter Stories - Coffee Documentaries podcast and Jonathan Morris, Professor of History and author of ‘Coffee: A Global History’. Visit Jonathan’s Instagram (https://bit.ly/37eMS3F) and Twitter (https://bit.ly/3jNr9ou) & James’ Filter Stories Instagram (https://bit.ly/2Mlkk0O) and Twitter (https://bit.ly/3baTsJk) Help other people find the show by leaving a review on... Apple Podcasts: http://apple.co/3jY42aJ Castbox: http://bit.ly/38sXdcH Read Jonathan’s book, ‘Coffee: A Global History’ here: https://amzn.to/3dihAfU Listen to other coffee documentaries on James’ Filter Stories podcast: https://bit.ly/3ajoT5e Coffee and brewing equipment featured in this episode 1930 and 2020 “World Blend” roasted by Smiths Coffee (UK): http://bit.ly/3rtR2g1 Comandante hand grinder: http://bit.ly/3qmTSCN Sage electric grinder: http://bit.ly/2Zf3NyC Subscribe to The Science of Coffee podcast Live in Berlin? Join me for a free decaf cupping at Communal Coffee on the 12th December 2025. Reserve your ticket here: https://bit.ly/4nZXyrf.