<p>Nowadays, Mocha popularity by the consumers originates from its unique flavor profile, which blends the rich bitterness of coffee, smooth sweetness of chocolate and velvety creaminess of milk. In recent years, scientists have addressed health advantages of products enriched with probiotics. The major target of this study was to investigate effects of encapsulated <i>Lactobacillus rhamnosus</i> (GG) PTTC 1637 with various materials (sodium alginate, sodium alginate-inulin and sodium alginate-whey protein) on the physical characteristics of Mocha powder and survival of probiotic bacteria during reconstitution in cold/hot water as well as their storage and sensory characteristics over 45 d. Encapsulated <i>L. rhamnosus</i> GG and its free form were separately added to Mocha instant powders. Survival of <i>L. rhamnosus</i> GG in Mocha powder was investigated during refrigeration at 4&#xa0;°C and environmental storage at 25&#xa0;°C and after reconstitution in cold/hot waters. Furthermore, pH, solubility, dispersibility, moisture, moisture absorption and clumping of Mocha powders containing encapsulated and free forms of <i>L. rhamnosus</i> GG were assessed. Effects of incorporation of encapsulated <i>L. rhamnosus</i> GG on physical characteristics of Mocha powder resulted in decreases in solubility, dispersibility, hygroscopicity and caking of the powder, compared to those containing free <i>L. rhamnosus</i> GG and the controls (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.05). During the storage, survival rate of encapsulated <i>L. rhamnosus</i> GG in Mocha powder was greater than 7-log CFU g⁻¹ at 4 and 25&#xa0;°C. Encapsulated <i>L. rhamnosus</i> demonstrated higher survival rates than those free <i>L. rhamnosus</i> did under hot/cold-water reconstitutions with statistical significance (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.05). Viability of free <i>L. rhamnosus</i> in hot-water reconstitution was significantly lower than that in cold water (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.05). Panel assessment verified superior textural and solubility characteristics in hot water-reconstituted Mocha powder, compared to those in reconstituted in cold water one. Encapsulated <i>L. rhamnosus</i> addition significantly compromised key sensory attributes of flavor, aroma and overall acceptance (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.05), irrespective of reconstitution temperature. Overall, encapsulation of <i>L. rhamnosus</i> GG with various materials (sodium alginate, sodium alginate-inulin and sodium alginate-whey protein) was effective in enhancing probiotic viability in Mocha powder during reconstitution and shelf life, which may be beneficial in developing shelf-stable probiotic food products.</p> Graphical abstract <p></p>