Trailside Warmth: How CS Instant Coffee Became My Cold-Weather Hero
Last Saturday was a vivid reminder of why coffee matters. No, that is not hyperbole or an understatement. It matters A LOT. The temperature was in the low 40s, and the rain was constant. I was shooting photos of a volunteer crew re-routing a trail that had been washed out. The whole time, I kept thinking of two things ... (1) I need rain gear like Alaska crabbers being bounced around in a small boat in the Bering Sea, and (2) I need coffee.
Unfortunately, I had neither. I was wet and cold since I wasn't swinging a McLeod over and over again all morning. And so I thought about coffee and plotted ...
Many who know me know that I love coffee. It's not only part of my routine but part of my life. I love roasting it and constantly buying bags of coffee from other roasters. Whether winters consist of subzero temps or damp and bone-chilling weather like here in the PNW, coffee is such a vital part of trail building.
As I've been ramping up our reviews, I aim to feature, showcase, and review brands and products that trail builders are interested in. That ranges from tools to helmets to gloves to overlanding equipment to bikepacking gear to apparel to ... yes, coffee. My goal is to highlight and review what matters in trail building. Coffee at the trailhead before a dig day is kind of a big deal. Coffee out on the trail when it is cold is a bigger deal.
But I wanted to take a step back and think through what it would realistically take to brew coffee out on the trail while digging. Sure, not everyone is going to nerd out and bring a whole pourover setup with a scale and hand grinder (and more). We want coffee, and we need it NOW.
Meet CS Instant Coffee. Yes, I said INSTANT coffee. They were kind enough to send me a handful of bags of their instant coffee.
On a chilly morning a few weeks ago, I ventured into the woods with water, a camp stove and kettle, bags of instant coffee, and my camera gear.
Since the temperature was in the upper 30s / lower 40s, it was a great opportunity to test-drive this instant coffee outside. Also, I packed more than most people would. I brought a little pourover kettle, plus a lightweight stove that would be perfect for bikepacking. I believe that the simplest and most efficient way to go is to bring a thermos with hot water. Then, you only need to rip open a packet, pour the contents into a cup or mug, and add water. Heck, even easier than that would be to brew the coffee up at home or at the trailhead. But that takes away the adventure of brewing coffee outside.
I know I overcomplicated the process, as you can see from the photos. But hey, if I was going to carry this in my backpack with my camera gear, I might as well make a trip of it.
Since the air had a damp chill to it, I was eager to get the water heated and the coffee brewed. And just like that, I was done. Again, it really was and is that simple. I was grateful for a hot cup of coffee to sip on as I snapped some photos and began packing my gear away. Mission accomplished. I enjoyed the coffee, too.
Coffee is about preferences. When it comes to coffee, we all like different kinds and roast levels. Preferences aside, there is a place in trail building for CS Instant Coffee. In fact, I know many of you would enjoy it. I absolutely love how simple the process is. To add onto that, it doesn't get much easier than simply throwing a few coffee packets into my pack and making sure I either have hot water or a way to heat water.
That's it. That's all you need. When you're out on the trail in the winter, it doesn't get any better than a hot cup of coffee. Thank you, CS Instant Coffee. You make a spectacular product that trail builders need and would enjoy. Just this morning, I brewed up a couple more cups of coffee, trying to dial in (for me) the right coffee-to-water ratio (which I didn't do out on the trail). When I did, I really enjoyed it. I would recommend carrying a couple of packets in your pack. Just make sure you can heat the water.
Enjoy!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sean Benesh
Sean is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Trail Builder Mag. He is also the Communications Director for the Northwest Trail Alliance in Portland, Oregon. While in grad school, he worked as a mountain biking guide in Southern Arizona. Sean also spends time in the classroom as a digital media instructor at Warner Pacific University.
