I'll be very surprised IF any instant coffee is given the thumbs up by anyone who loves decent coffee.
 If your just looking for a caffeine jolt, then it might be tolerable, but if your taste for good coffee is anything like your taste for good Scotch, Starbucks or not, I doubt instant coffee will satisfy?
 I like the Folgers coffee singles for the quick morning get-away, but there is also this item, which I have tried.
 Don't know about price comparisons, but it makes a real good cup of coffee, almost as good as French Press.

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I believe in traveling light but make no sacrifice on coffee in the woods. I lug a moka pot (quick and strong) and fill it with Gene Hick's blends   (You need to Login or Register to view media files and links)
(Signature blend for lighter roast, Canoe or Fishing blend for darker).

Worth the weight.

PhantomJug,

I don't know anything about Via Coffee, but if you're trying to speed up the morning brew, I'd highly suggest getting a JetBoil with the coffee press accessory.

Just my 2 cents,
-JJ

PJ-

Close to espresso strength and thickness, not quite there. Similar to the press in that the wrong grind will mess up the brew. I carry the moka pot and a camp stove when traveling by car too, a few minutes in a rest area and great curbside coffee.  Wouldn't trust Via as even fresh Starbucks beans are suspect- they over cook the beans to cover  for marginal beans, due to the sheer quantity necessary to feed the beast.

Campgirl....give mountain blend a try....

My lovely wife bought me a 12 pack of Via that sat by the grinder for months. Coffee is really personal to those of us who can't live as well w/o our daily fix.

Last week we were both busy so she picked up whatever whole bean X2 from wherever she thought of it.  Both sucked.  They were aweful! Both were barely roasted and we like dark oily beans (well I always did and she's become worse than me) and neither of us could get that crap to be palatable no matter how hard we tried. I saw what was left in the garbage yesterday and thought awe crap, well, yeah.

So anyway, I tried a Via last Monday just to get the taste out of my mouth and I was pleasantly surprised. It was pretty damn good, a whole lot better than instant or even the best steeped grinds. (Yuck!) Steeping for any period of time (re: singles and pressed) just brings / develops a whole lot of ugly flavors that good coffee shouldn't have IMHO.  I like strong if I cant have good. Good and strong is always preferred but I do have standards.

I tried the Colombia / medium but I hear there's also a darker Italian roast that could be better from the sound of it.

I perk rather than press on trips because all of the water hasn't been boiled to death when perking which makes a better cup to begin with and I expect the smoke mingles with the flavors I enjoy as well.

Oh but the math, arrrgh:
Two pounds of coffee lasts me ~10 days. (+I'll add some emergency instant.) The Colombian was good enough and considering I'd save the space of two pounds of coffee plus the percolator so would be easier plus I'd repackage it into thermos size servings (Not a fan of the single serving packaging at all.)  ... so, I could probably shave a pound+ while adding convenience and space.

But wait, Two pounds of coffee is ~$20.00 for 80 - 100 cups. This stuff would cost something like >$50.00 more. That's a deal breaker here. It's good but it's not that good. I'm sure a box will replace my usual odd tea bag and bag o' instant though so it will probably have a place and I'd bet it will even taste better with some smokey, near boiling water and ambiance.

It does have the usual, pervasive Starbucks aroma although to a lesser extent so if you can get past that....   And/but this reviewer would like to try the darker roast someday but you can get used to almost anything if it works for you...

The best time of day for me is the first hour when I get up before anyone else and have a quiet couple cups of coffee.  Tried many brands over the years and have settled on Cafe' Verona....just tastes better for me.

Usually bring in Folgers Singles on canoe trips, but tested the Via Italian Roast first time this morning.

Only one word to describe it....YUK!!   

Intrepid Camper makes a mean/great cup of Joe on the trail!  Easy, simple and at the time I was drinking it, it was fantastic     Maybe she'll give up her trade secret on this thread?

I tried the Star Bucks instants back around Christmas.  They would be ok in a pinch, but I'll still be taking the perker next time.  Kind of expensive and still not as good as perked.  I like a few grounds in my coffee, makes the fish bite better when you spit on the lure.   

qp

The JetBoil, the Dunkin' Donuts blend, and the French press constitute a successful formula in my camp.  I'm just not sure I'd know what-to-do next if I didn't go through that daily pre-dawn morning mist get-my-mind-right ritual.

Of course, if KF is located nearby, he's probably up already, too, & I might go bum a cup of coffee from whatever he's perking... or vice versa.  

Jimbo  

What's my rush?  I'll tell you my rush.

There are 365 days in a year.  I get to spend 8 of them with Pascannel in a canoe in Quetico.  That's roughly 190 hours out of 8,760.  Subtract 20 hours for travelling, 56 for sleeping, +/- 10 for screwing around in camp with chores etc.. and that leaves 94 hours for fishing or 1.07% of the year to fish Quetico.  Every minute not spent in a canoe fishing in Quetico (while in Quetico) is a minute wasted IMO.

So, if I can get my coffee in 5 minutes vs. 15 thats an extra hour and a half on the water.

There is a greater life lesson in here though; which I would be happy to share with the rest of you.  Canoe camping, like life, is about being efficient, streamlined and intentional.  Those people that simply "let the day happen" end up being the weakest of the herd.  These are the folks blowing out knees on portages, sleeping till 3pm and baking pizza in dutch ovens on top of a BWCA fire grate.  You call that living?!?!?!  They are the same people swapping pink-stew recipes and wondering how and where to hang or hide a food pack or plugging in coordinates into their GPS or trying to balance a tripod.  That's not life my friend.  That's a pity and pray for their souls.  You know how I know this?  Because come May, my PM box is filled to the gills with fishing related questions from every member on the block.  You know why?  I'll tell you why.  Because it finally dawned on them that they just spent the last year trading stew recipes.

That is how I can look myself in the eye and know that I spent my limited time here on earth wisely; no excessive time brewing coffee, hanging my food pack, cooking pizza or snapping nature photos.  No my friend, I spent my day  intentionally and efficiently.

Who are you going to be Pax?  Recipe guy or fishing guy?  The choice is yours.

I'm with PJ on a lot of that.  Our goals may differ to some extent...fishing's also a big part of the allure to me...but sitting around waiting for coffee to perk isn't my idea of a great use of vacation time either. 

That's the beauty of a french press.  All the flavor of perked coffee with no waiting.  By the time it's cool enough to drink, it's time to push the plunger.  Meanwhile, I'm busy getting other chores out of the way.  Bottoms up!

Confession time. I've made one fish stew in my life, it just happened to turn out pink. It was a PJ original...as in Practical Joke. Had a little smoky taste as I recall...

If you've never had smoked laker in a stew, don't knock it, ever bit as much fun as catching it.

PJ,
You are an interesting and thought provoking fellow. 1/2 of me understands and supports your views and the other 1/2 does not. I am with you on people who lack clear vision about what they want and end up being aimless and waste time and ultimately are unsatisfied with a great many endeavors in life, not just canoe camping. You are indeed correct in pointing out that our time on this earth is limited and it's best to take full advantage of the gift of life.

That being said, there is also much to be said about being content in whatsoever circumstances one finds oneself. That extra 1.5 hours of fishing time even if it does land you a few extra fish is that then the measure of a good trip? (I'm not saying it is or isn't, let each be convinced in their own mind). And I say this from a hardcore fisherman's point of view. When they allowed bait I had a line out while setting up camp. Usually I run a line on travel days and it is seldom that I wrap it up for the night before 11 P.M. and I often fish until midnight. I fish hard. Life is short. As for that morning cup of Joe. Ah, life is good. I relax, the fish will be there. I write a bit, read a bit and I might even make a second cup! 

Rats, I didn't get it. Still, the best cutting humor always has the element of truth. I shall try and be more observant and learn from the master.

PhantomJug wrote on Feb 26^th, 2010 at 11:03pm:


I think your funny PJ, in that twisted " Oh NO he didn't way"
And any guy who sends a picture of themselves "sunning" on the beach with libation in hand and has a wife who laughs at it, should count his blessings over a leisurely cup of camp Joe every paddling morning

A good laugh, indeed . Efficient..... , that's why I drink instant. Dont want to cut the tackle box down so the french press got ditched. Cant ditch the Outback cause boy and the I like fish pizza to much, bread and chocolate cake too. So I take pictures to pass the cooking time and let the youngster catch a few more ZZZ's so we're efficient on the portages, and I get some utter silence. We all have our methods of madness. PJ your a lucky man to have gotten it so young, kudos. Here is to the morning cup and all that follows, Skoal!

AH italian roast

Solus wrote on May 19^th, 2009 at 3:51am:


I tried the asian instant coffees described in this thread and was not overly impressed. I usually use a press at home but wanted something, shall we say, a bit different for trippin. I found Solus's comments stuck with me for a long time so I gave the "moka pot" a try. Impressive indeed. Strong and a tad thick but not bitter. I think I have found a new friend.
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On a big trip it's a tad heavy and I worry about breaking the handle while in the pack. It also uses a fair amount of coffee per cup............but it's pretty dang good!
Makes one cup BTW

Instant coffee is an abomination not to be endured.

QPassage wrote on Jan 27^th, 2010 at 4:00am:

Sorry QP...very slow on the uptake on this thread...but I did finally see your comment.  And I read the thread.  Sounds like some coffee snobs out there in the woods...
My mean cup of Joe :  Lake water of one's choice, about a medium saucepan full.  Folgers Classic Roast Medium coffee, 1/4 to 1/3 cup drip grind.  Start water to heating, about half way to boil put in the coffee and give it a stir.  Watch carefully and when it hits a rolling boil and threatens to boil over, quickly remove from the heat.  Give another stir, set aside a few minutes for the grounds to settle.  Pour carefully off the top into cups or pour through a coffee filter in a small strainer if you want all the solids out of it. 

Anyone ever tried (You need to Login or Register to view media files and links).  This link is for a smaller jar, but it is also packaged in single-serving tubes (which is probably more practical for backcountry travel).  I've had this brand as brewed coffee and it is EXCELLENT.  It is sometimes served at better restaurants and specialty shops.  (It is sold in the US by Sara Lee, but the company is Dutch.)

dd