In search of the best instant coffee

Trying to find out who makes the best instant coffee. Certainly someone has tried a bunch and has figured it out. Nothing will ever compare to fresh brewed but hopefully there is something out there that works. So what is your go to instant coffee?

Full disclosure, I’m an owner but I started as a barista and was one of those folks who tried all the nerd ways to brew in the backcountry. I was at the point of bringing caffeinated GU packets to get myself going. We started an instant project 8 years ago, one liter at a time, and using dry ice to freeze dry it. Now we do it 66 liters at a time, twice a week. Outside review:   https://www.outsideonline.com/food/drinks/the-6-best-instant-coffees-for-your-next-camping-trip/

https://www.firstascentcoffee.com/collections/hand-crafted-instant-coffee

Hero day is our medium blend, crowd pleaser, best seller. Dawn patrol is darker, think dark chocolate.
Ethiopia is our lightest roast, single origin. Also, all of these dissolve in cold. Happy to answer more questions as we do it all from roast to packaging 

Mt hagen dark roast!!!!! I’ve tried a lot and it resembles a regularly brewed cup more than anything else I’ve found. 

+1 for First Ascent coffees.

Last trip, I found a bunch of Starbucks VIA 50% off because it was past its freshness date and supplemented that with some caffeine pills.

If you can get a hold of Percol columbia brew I have found it to offer the best flavour out there. 

bearded sam wrote:

 Outside review:   https://www.outsideonline.com/food/drinks/the-6-best-instant-coffees-for-your-next-camping-trip/

https://www.firstascentcoffee.com/collections/hand-crafted-instant-coffee

Hero day is our medium blend, crowd pleaser, best seller. Dawn patrol is darker, think dark chocolate.
Ethiopia is our lightest roast, single origin. Also, all of these dissolve in cold. Happy to answer more questions as we do it all from roast to packaging 

I was gonna say, all the good stuff is over in Europe, but I'm 100% on board with this company now. 

Those canned coffee drinks at the grocery store always seem like a good idea until you're trying to choke it down the next morning and it's literally worse than no coffee. 

+1 First Ascent. Bought some things from Sam on here and he threw on some samples...great instant coffee for sure.

I know there will be Starbucks haters and I never get coffee there but for easy to find and ok taste the Starbucks Via packets are my go to choice for coffee.  

No such thing.  Get a French press and carry it in.

Omg you haven’t had Coava from Portland, OR?! Run, don’t walk (theoretically) NOW!

LINK

Huck Roasters out of Denver makes some good instant packs

Aeropress for the win. Light, small and brews a proper Americano.

This stuff is as good as the stuff I make at home with my french press. It’s a little expensive, though. I get it at REI.

As a coffee professional (I blind tasted 6 coffees this week to see what country they were from and what tasting notes I picked up on) I agree that brewing coffee or even an espresso machine, is the best way to get flavor from freshly roasted coffee. That said, there are times in our adventure lives when there just isn't room in the pack for a brewing apparatus, not to mention carrying wet grounds out (LNT) so finding instant from someone who has sourced quality coffee beans, roasted them for flavor, brewed for flavor not just a high yield and then carefully freeze dried them, is the best way to get coffee quickly and in some cases, even without a stove. For those looking for a backcountry way to brew coffee that isn't instant, I do like the  Kalita wave pour over as it doesn't break and is quite light. 

https://counterpartcoffee.com/collections/coffee/products/specialty-instant-coffee

Straight out of Squamish!

Thanks for sharing your suggestions. I’ll have to check out these options and see which one tastes the best. I’ll report back once I’ve done some taste testing. 

Mountaineering I like verve’s offerings, but also check your local roaster. Many smaller shops are doing instant now (like craftsman in my hometown) and it’s usually pretty good.

I take my porlex mini and wacaco nanopresso when I have the room. It makes espresso that is not as good as my e61-heat exchanger box at home, but better than my full auto at work. Yes, I know I have a problem. 

I think starbucks via are great, and they're easy to find. But, if you want a really full flavor cup use two packets. They are also good cold, which is a bonus if you're ditching the stove.

I mix a via Columbia roast and an alpine start for that good gut bomb in the am. 10 minutes later... Morning poops. 

Two packs of cheap instant stuff and a pack of hot chocolate - back country mochas are the best.