Even the most snobbish of coffee drinkers amongst us has to admit that sometimes instant coffee just makes sense — namely when recreating far away from civilization and or when traveling where your only other option is Folgers in the hotel room pot.
While Starbucks Via has long been the go-to for coffee in the outdoors, upstarts such as Alpine Aire are entering the instant market to give us a few more options for a delicious cup of joe. Now, the relatively new Oregon-based coffee company Stoked Roasters created their own version of instant coffee and it’s pretty darn good.
Started by professional ultra runner Jax Mariash Koudele, Stoked Roasters is the culmination of a dream she’s had since she was 11 to own a coffee business. I originally met Jax quite a few years ago when she was working with Native Eyewear, but a few years ago, after an 8-month intensive apprenticeship program at Jackson Hole Roasters, she finally set up Stoked Roasters in the outdoor mecca of Hood River, OR.
To make their coffee, high-quality green beans are roasted on a custom-built 25-pound San Franciscan roaster located right on site. The beans are Certified Organic by the Oregon Department Of Agriculture, and Fair Trade when possible.
Stoked offers six Signature Series Blends so you can switch up your blend as often as you switch up your sports. They also offer rotating Single Origin roasts, as well as a Signature House Blend Espresso (it’s really delicious for drinking at home) and a rotating Single Origin Espresso.
For when you are ready to head outdoors or off on a trip, you can get the same delicious coffee in an instant version with the Stoked Stix — they come in either medium or dark roast flavors.
A $9 box of Stoked Stix contain 8 packets, and each 3.2 gram packet will make an 8-ounce cup of hot coffee. The instant coffee along with all the freshly roasted beans can be purchased from the company website. And if you ever find yourself in Hood River, be sure to pop in.