Reddit mentions: The best instant coffee

> Oh my god this is so great. I know these have no nutrition and are basically junk, but sometimes I just want a treat that won’t break the calorie bank.

If you like stuff like this, I would personally recommend the various Maxwell House International powders. It's about 60 calories per serving (I usually use 2 servings or so to make a big 12-15oz cup because I like my stuff totally saturated with flavour) and they seriously hit the spot. The Pumpkin Spice Latte is amazing and my absolute favourite seasonal one is the Peppermint Mocha. My regular go-to is the Cinnamon Cappucino though. Amazing for if you're a little over Pumpkin Spice after October but you still want something sweet and satisfying along the same flavour profile.

You can make these all flavourful enough that having them iced would probably be good for those that enjoy things like iced coffee as well. :)

Edit: Okay, so feel free to read what I wrote... but I found this article on BPL which should be pretty much what you're looking for. It appears to be a free one, too!

I have a pretty serious coffee addiction, so this is a question I've asked on multiple occasion. I've found several solutions. Here's my breakdown, in descending order of what I typically use while camping. Keep in mind I tend to go light and low-hassle just to get my fix.

• Instant coffee. Some people swear by Starbucks VIA, but they're way too expensive for me... but neither can I force myself to gag down Folgers or Maxwell House. I found the perfect instant for me: G7 black (I prefer black coffee). It's Vietnamese, and appears to be micro-ground like VIA, but costs about $4 for 20 sachets. Tastes pretty damn close to a real cup of coffee, and I would argue just as good (if not better) to a cup of VIA. Look for it on amazon or in your local asian market. FWIW, Vietnamese have been pretty damn good at coffee ever since their days as a French colony.
  
  
• Coffee bags. Kind of like tea bags, but filled with coffee instead. The coffee is usually stale in the bag, but still not too bad. The bags are generally completely biodegradable or combustible (except for possibly a small staple).
  
  
• Cowboy coffee. Take a ziploc of grounds, brew right in your cup. You'll get some sludge and grounds, but the coffee is real coffee and cleanup is a breeze.
  
  
  Finally, if you want espresso, and you're not scared of a little fuss and muss, why not try to make turkish coffee in a camping stove?

There are fixed and variable costs involved in different sizes of brewed coffee. Often I've seen a large be only 125% or 150% of the price of a small even though the small is half as much coffee. That being said, a clawfoot bathtub like that could run $1000 (it's reusable, but you've got to amortize) and take a lot of effort to clean. The price will reflect a higher cost than a standard ceramic mug.

Bathtubs can range in size from 30-60 gallons (https://www.amazon.com/clawfoot-bathtubs/b?node=3754241), and with the cartoon proportions of the character we can't get an accurate estimate of the coffee he is displacing. Given that I'm going to make some estimates to ballpark what it would cost.

The coffee required would depend on the brew strength- one recommendation I saw was 7 g for a 5oz cup of coffee (http://www.omaricoffee.com/product/preparing-coffee.html) although that site notes that this is a strong brew. For a 50-gallon bathtub this would be 6400 oz * 7g = 44.8 kg of coffee = 98.5 lbs. = 8.96kg = 19.7 lbs

Green (unroasted) coffee sells in sacks with a nominal weight between 100-150 lbs (45-70 kg) - http://www.futuresknowledge.com/knowledge-center/faq/how-many-pounds-of-beans-are-in-a-sack-of-green-unroasted-coffee/. When roasted it loses 12-20% of its moisture content, so with those factors the yield of one sack of green coffee beans could be between 35 and 60 kg of roasted coffee.

Therefore, as a very rough approximation it would take about 1 sack 1/4 to 1/6 sack of coffee to fill a bathtub, as a very coarse estimate.

So we have 1 sack 1/4 to 1/6 sack of coffee, the amortized cost of the bathtub, labor to wash the bathtub, labor to roast the beans, labor to brew the coffee, per-cup costs for the store to keep a bathtub on hand (rent, utilities, etc) and whatever profit the store takes on the sale. Oh, and sales tax and tip as well. You're not going to *not* tip after waiting an hour for your barista to brew a bathtub full of coffee, are you?

Specialty green coffee beans sell for around $5/pound (https://copantrade.com/coffee-buying-importing/), although prices would likely be better for the larger quantities that a coffeeshop would buy. That would put the coffee cost in the vicinity of $600 $120 to fill the tub (24 lbs of coffee to yield about 20 lbs of roasted beans), with of course a very large variance.

Depending on the location for prevailing rent/utilities/salaries/tax, as well as depending on the type of beans selected (organic? single-origin?) and the strength of the brew there is a lot of room for variance in the end price. However, expect to pay no less than $300 and possibly over $1000 if you get this in your neighborhood coffee shop.

​

If, on the other hand, you'd like to brew this at home I'd recommend instant coffee. A typical drip machine would take all day to brew a bathtub full of coffee, but a home bathtub is already plumbed to fill with hot water. Residential hot water is less than $1 to fill a tub with hot water in most American cities. An 8oz jar of instant coffee is as low as $3 on Amazon at time of writing (https://www.amazon.com/Maxwell-Original-Instant-Coffee-Medium/dp/B00I8GCF9C/) and makes 120 cups according to the label. It would take about 14 of these to brew a bathtub full of coffee. If you catch promotions or coupons you could make a bathtub full of instant coffee for under $50.

EDIT: messed up a bunch of my math, it should b 7g per 5oz not 7g per 1oz.

Little late to the party, but I am a huge iced coffee fan and I'll tell you what worked for me.

I loved Starbucks Iced Coffees but they got too expensive after a while. I initially used regular VIA packets (not the Iced Coffee one) in a 32 ounce bottle filled with ice water, they were good, but again, got too expensive.

I then found this: [Cafe Bustelo Instant Coffee] (http://www.amazon.com/Cafe-Bustelo-Instant-Espresso-3-5-Ounce/dp/B001E95KUQ/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1376341585&sr=8-6&keywords=cafe+bustelo) Makes strong, tasty iced coffee.

If you need it sweet, add a scoop or two of Protein Powder (chocolate or vanilla). Makes it a Iced cafe mocha.

Muscle Milk is the best brand for this recipe (although higher in calories).

completely disregard every comment on this board, your search is over:

https://www.amazon.com/Vinacafe-Instant-Coffee-Mix-sachets/dp/B00Q7DKXKQ/ref=sr_1_1_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1491538325&sr=8-1&keywords=vinacafe

No, not many people have heard of it. Yes, I spent lots of time to find the best coffee for the trail. Yes, this is hands down the best coffee I've ever had in my life. It mixes perfectly, and has the perfect amount of sweetness to it. It's absolutely delicious, and no you won't find a better coffee ON THE PLANET.

I'm really into the single serving Mountian House meals, they taste better than what I make at home. Walmart carries them like $5 each. One for breakfast, one for dinner, and for lunch snacks, Oh! Ricey instant noodles (way better than ramen) or whatever for lunch. Throw a couple Vinacafe sachets for the morning coffee and you're all set!

I'm not Asian but I've found out that the Asian markets (specifically Vietnamese) carry the BEST food for backpacking. They're big into freeze dried, dehydrated stuff with tons of flavor their culture isn't big into refrigeration.

As far as stoves go? I use this one, works great. Oh, and a Sawyer mini filter.

Ok, here's the totally non-essential, and stupidly expensive for what it is, but I won't go out even overnight without is my Nalgene coffee press or the GSI Nalgene coffee filter. The filter weighs nothing, it's the coffee and sugar that gets you. Now, if you are good with typical Maxwell House/Folger's coffee, and you drink it with cream and sugar, there is one good alternative. Maxim Korean Coffee Packets are amazingly good. I use 2 packets every morning and sometimes again in the evening. The 100 pack does me good for about a month. If you're reading my post, checking out the product, and saying "Really, um... no.", then you are in the same shoes I was in until I tried it. Has sugar and cream already in it.

I'll also second the battery pack. Those who claimed that pillows and camp shoes are non-essential, I beg to disagree! That's like saying Gold Bond powder is non-essential! I'll admit that I'm not UL, but tax, tag, and title, out of town I'm weighing in right around 30 with 2 liters of water and food. Since I weigh 250, it's light enough.

On a tangent, at the very end, when he says he doesn't drink coffee, she says she's got "Sanka." I had to google that and it turns out it's an early brand of instant decaf coffee. Amazon still sells it.

Their description makes me want Sanka like you wouldn't believe:

About the product

• Tastes like it's made from cornbread you just baked
  
  
• Quicker and easier to prepare than homemade stuffing
  
  
• Ready in just 5 minutes
  
  
• Versatile pantry staple; can be enjoyed as stuffing or as an ingredient in many dishes
  
  
• 110 calories per serving; 6 servings per package
  
  110 calories per cup and it tastes like fresh baked cornbread? Sign me up!

I bought this instant coffee from amazon, and I think it's supposed to approximate what you described. Nescafe Classic Instant Greek Coffee I think it's also called a "frappe."

>One of the reviewers tells how he makes it:
>
>" I was in Greece this summer and had lots of Nescafe Frappes. When I got back to the US, I bought some instant Nescafe from my local grocery store, but it didn't taste as good as the stuff in Greece. In fact, I threw it out because it just wasn't good. When I saw that this instant coffee had Greek printed on the can, I decided to give it a shot. I'm glad I did, because it's delicious! My recipe is not frothy, but an easy way to make iced coffee: In a travel mug, mix with a small amount of hot water: 1 coffee scoop of instant coffee, 1 coffee scoop of sugar. Stir until dissolved, then fill the mug with cold milk and ice cubes. Enjoy!"

If you enjoy Nestle instant, then you will definitely enjoy Starbucks instant coffee. They come out to about 50 cents a cup and for someone who is new to coffee, these are a good start. I usually keep a couple in my backpack when we run out of coffee at work. Hope this helps!

I've been really happy with Cafe Bustelo. Recently started using their Instant Espresso when I didn't have access to a coffee maker. Now I prefer it for a quick drink in the morning. Makes excellent iced coffee as well. Big Lots has been carrying this (and their espresso grind) so you can pick them up pretty cheap.

This One!
It’s the best espresso powder I’ve ever had. But it’s half the price at Smart ‘N Final. Not sure if a store like that is an option for where you’re located but just throwing that in there :) Lemme know if you try it and like it.

Consider Mount Hagen instant coffee. Great stuff.

And a handkerchief is awesome. Keep the sun off, keep the bugs off, wipe away sweat/sweatband, blow your nose, potholder/hot-thing holder, or just about anything else a small swatch of cloth might be useful for.

Found out about this stuff in korea. Instant coffee with the cream and sugar pre-added into the packets. Turns whatever the shit that comes from the DEFAC into something tolerable. Obviously not as good as fresh brewed but still pretty good. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005GV9RZC/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_2?pf_rd_p=1944579842&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B003VCULUS&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=110VKJ4X9MJHDEWAQ1RJ

I love my G7 Vietnamese coffee (coffee+cream+sugar) in packets. Good warm brew, and good flavor...great for hiking. http://www.amazon.com/G7-3--Instant-Coffee-Sachets/dp/B008KZAFZM/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&qid=1412466054&sr=8-12&keywords=Vietnamese+coffee

If you like that 3-in-1, try Maxim. It is MUCH better and the best I have ever tried in that style: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005GV9RZC/ref=crt_ewc_title_huc_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=AC40OSU6U7Q4G

Like all the Asian instants, they are a little weak. My wife and I use two of these + 2 vias for a 500ml shared cup of wake up.

I haven't made coffee since I found Medagalia Instant Espresso. It's expensive on Amazon, but I buy it locally for $3.50. It's honestly amazing stuff!

Completely dependent on your location and availability, but Asian markets here in the West coast carry 10-packs of soup in different flavors all dehydrated about the size of a larger ramen seasoning packet for about $1.20. They come in a variety of flavors (miso: tofu, green onion, bean curd, etc.), I’ve eaten some over 2 years past shelf life and you’d never know it was expired. Plus they come with seaweed (a good source of vitamin c). You can also buy a jar of condensed seasoning (powdered) that will last about 40 meals - longer if rationed - they’re typically $4-6.

The Asian markets also sell coffee packs with creamer and sugar blended in shaped like Starbucks Via packets. I bought them on sale last time, 100-pack was $5.

I’m a long time backpacker and happen to be part Viet and love the bold/sweet/rich taste of their coffee. Please try the brand in the link below. Much better tasting/instant!

https://www.amazon.com/Vinacafe-Instant-Coffee-2-Pack-sachets/dp/B00Q7DKXKQ

I drink a lot of instant. Mainly because I use coffee as a milk-flavoring for my morning cup :)

I've been living on Cafe Bustelo Instant espresso for a month now. It is a perfectly palatable instant, and way better than Nescafe Taster's choice.

If you want a little (a lot?) more expensive look for Nescafe Gold and Davidoff Cuvee. Expensive for instant coffee but damn it's delicious!

Or maybe I am just showing my coffee-illiteracy :P

I wish I was a wizard! I just started experimenting by always making a second batch and adding different things. Oh, I forgot to say with the tiramisu-type ones: add a dash of almond extract.

Some things I've found to be good in 'mallows:

Dehydrated berries, crushed into powder.

Peppermint extract (with or without adding cocoa powder)

Instant espresso

Vanilla bean paste - this has become my standby recipe, sometimes dusted with crushed candy canes.

*Matcha, though I'm still trying to get the balance right for that nice, creamy green tea flavor.

Your marshmallows look gorgeous, by the way!

Mt Hagen is pretty decent. It also comes in more economical sizes if you want to portion it yourself.

Vitacsost occasionally has better pricing, but you have to get up to $49 for free shipping.

Get some really good shit.. I'm in love with the Starbucks VIA. >> ... <<<

Mount Hagen is great. A nice rich chocolately type, nothing crazy by the standards of 'real' coffee but it's perfectly fine in its own right. I get the jars here on Amazon. I drink coffee like a fiend but these last forever, I bought them in March and I still have plenty left in spite of drinking 1-4 cups on a daily basis at work. 20 bucks for months of work coffee is an incredible steal imo.

You may want to try some of these in your 2.0. There are four coffee flavors in the pack, I was a little iffy with them at first, but came to love all four. They should have about 65mg of caffiene per squirt, one squirt is plenty to flavor a bottle of 2.0.

Oh wow cool. Ordered!

Amazon link. Sorry everyone for the long link

https://www.amazon.com/Four-Sigmatic-Mushroom-Coffee-Pack/dp/B06XCHS1W7/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?adgrpid=52817018581&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI_PqftaaK4gIVAlcMCh1F4Q0MEAAYAiAAEgIhKvD_BwE&hvadid=274713345353&hvdev=m&hvlocphy=1015254&hvnetw=g&hvpos=1t2&hvqmt=e&hvrand=7749515319032812087&hvtargid=aud-649564993678%3Akwd-299670222199&hydadcr=16927_9865166&keywords=four+sigmatic+mushroom+coffee&qid=1557262379&s=gateway&sr=8-4

Mountainhouse/Wise/Backpacker's Pantry are my go-tos. The lady loves Good to Go meals when we're in the woods. I'll admit, they're delicious, but they're also several dollars more per package. https://goodto-go.com/ - The Thai Curry is our favorite.

Beyond that...peanut butter, tortillas or wheat wraps, Lära and Clif bars, Stovetop Stuffing, oatmeal, dried salami, cheese, soup mixes. If you don't mind the weight, you'd be shocked at how good a SPAM and Stovetop burrito can be at the end of the day.

For coffee, I've fallen in love with Vinacafe for its low price, decent taste, and all-in-one creamer and sugar inclusion: https://www.amazon.com/Vinacafe-Instant-Coffee-2-Pack-sachets/dp/B00Q7DKXKQ . If the pack's still light enough this time around, I may add my AeroPress and some pre-ground coffee, plus some teabags for her.

I know this probably sounds crazy, but Starbucks Via is the best instant coffee I've tried. I can actually bare to drink it black.

http://www.amazon.com/Starbucks-Ready-Colombia-Coffee-count/dp/B00438XVGU#customerReviews

Maybe that could be your go-to rush coffee.

Mount Hagen has a pretty good instant coffee that I used to drink a lot.

I just use the instant coffee. Really not a big difference to me in fresh brewed or instant. Especially when I'm out hiking, anything tastes amazing after a long day.

http://www.amazon.com/Medaglia-Instant-Espresso-Coffee-Ounce/dp/B002BTI9B0

I'm a big fan of this off of Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00HMCMADE?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

It has creamer and sugar already in the package, is cheap, & I really like the taste.

All ya'll VIA drinkers need to check your coffee game.

BOOM!

Vietnamese instant w/ creamer and sugar included. Do 2 packets if you have a large (>8-10oz cup). Like $0.23 a pack from Amazon. If you have a decent Asian market in your town they'll usually go for closer to $15 for the same 100 pack bag.

Seriously the truth. Unless you want your coffee w/out cream/sugar.

This is the best trail coffee I have found in my opinion.

Is this
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B002BTI9B0/ref=redir_mdp_mobile/185-0789953-7073021

What you're referring to? It's the best cup of coffee I've ever had while backpacking

G7 because I am cheap. VIA is the best I have tried.

Mount Hagen instant/freeze dried coffee is the best one I've tried so far for camping.

I prefer instant coffee. The packets are tiny and easy to make.

Starbucks VIA were my standard for a long time, but I've tried a few others recently and recommend them too.

• https://athome.starbucks.com/coffees-by-format/starbucks-via-instant
  
• https://www.amazon.com/Mount-Hagen-Organic-Single-Instant/dp/B002HQLCJS
  
• http://www.swiftcupcoffee.com
  
• https://www.stokedroasters.com
  

https://www.amazon.com/Instant-Premium-Vietnamese-Servings-Sachets/dp/B00HMCMADE/ref=sr_1_3_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1550031805&sr=8-3&keywords=g7+coffee

​

G7 Trung Nguyen brand coffee from Vietnam a.k.a land of the coffee. I personally think that the Starbucks cafe latte is quite weak and watery (i do get it cold w/ ice though). The consistency is a little thicker and creamier but the flavor is suuuuper rich and aromatic.

There is some decent instant coffee on amazon that I've used while traveling/backpacking. It's not bitter at all and is hoenstly better than gastation and most restaurant coffee.

https://www.amazon.com/Mount-Hagen-Organic-Freeze-Instant/dp/B00N9TYGVS/ref=sr_1_1_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1480386777&sr=8-1&keywords=freeze+dried+coffee

It's not discontinued AFAICT, although S&D doesn't seem to do as much to promote it as you'd think.

There are competitors you could consider, though, like Milk Magic, Johnny Moo, or even a straw approach. Heck, there's even caffeinated versions.

Are you talking about the instant espresso form of Bustelo? In the little packets? Or the kind you brew? If it's the latter, it's preferable because the finer grind works better. If it's actual espresso powder, the sort you mix with hot water and stir with a spoon? Don't use that.

I buy this stuff on Amazon called G7. It’s cheap and I really really like it. Coffee, creamer, and sugar in one.

https://smile.amazon.com/Instant-Premium-Vietnamese-Servings-Sachets/dp/B00HMCMADE/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=g7+coffee&qid=1568182291&s=gateway&sprefix=g7&sr=8-3

Also, it’s in individual packs so it super convenient on the go or backpacking.

Four Sigmatic makes a mushroom powder that is an excellent pre workout stimulant.

I use instant [coffee.] (http://www.amazon.com/Starbucks-Ready-Colombia-Coffee-count/dp/B00438XVGU/ref=pd_sim_gro_4) With a little Hersey chocolate syrup. Easy and not to bad

If you're willing to overpay for instant coffee, this stuff (Mount Hagen brand) is pretty good for instant. Additionally, the Starbucks via stuff is alright but also very overpriced.

And it's still available! I always thought it was something from a bygone era, but sure enough, I saw some in the coffee aisle at the grocery store just last weekend!

If you want instant coffee this isn't terrible, or even Starbucks Via. Every other instant coffee I've tried has tasted like stomach acid.

This Korean instant coffee is actually pretty alright. I drink it some nights when I'm feeling extremely lazy.

https://www.amazon.com/Maxim-Original-Korean-Coffee-100pks/dp/B005GV9RZC

1 - There's really no need to rinse. Swishing the cage and grains around in the milk of a new batch should be sufficient.

2 - If it works for you, there's nothing wrong with it. I like it to ferment 24 hours, that way I only have to take care of it once a day, and so I don't overproduce and waste milk. Simply reduce the amount of grains you're using for it to take longer.

3 - I'm also on a ketogenic diet. There's really no way of knowing the carbohydrate content of homemade kefir, so I calculate it the same as commercially-produced kefir, about 6g carbs per 1/2 cup (118 ml).

Once I see pockets of whey in the curd (before it becomes fully separated), I remove the grains and let it continue to ferment (secondary fermentation) another 24 hours. At that point it's usually separated, so I just stir it together and refrigerate it. I figure this way I'm reducing the carb content as much as possible. I also only drink 1/2 a cup of kefir a day (1/4 cup morning and night)... I make it in a 2 oz instant espresso jar.

I really like this stuff:

https://www.amazon.com/Maxim-Original-Korean-Coffee-100pks/dp/B005GV9RZC/ref=sr_1_2_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1523158929&sr=8-2&keywords=korean+coffee

You can make Greek Island style Frappe in around 45-60 seconds, maybe less.

All you need to do is put 2-4 spoons of the coffee mix in a cup(Note that is the exact brand/mix you need)

Put in 2-4 spoons of sugar and a splash of milk and then grind it up using this

Then you just add a bit more milk, 4-10 ice cubes and top it off with some water and done.

No, it's a different thing. Here it is: instant expresso powder

When I make my chocolate cake, I mix cocoa powder and instant expresso powder in a bowl and then add boiling water and mix. Then I let it cool and add buttermilk and vanilla extract and those are my wet ingredients (that I then mix with the butter, sugar, eggs, and dry ingredients).

Esbit stove, water from my camelback, and 2 packets of vinacafe instant coffee.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00Q7DKXKQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_454Mzb0ZV2B1R

I use a coffee based rub at my places for braised pork shoulder. However I use [instant espresso] (http://www.amazon.com/Medaglia-DOro-Instant-Espresso-Coffee/dp/B002BTI9B0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1407518248&sr=8-1&keywords=instant+espresso). the rub is made up of the coffee, smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne, brown sugar, salt and pepper. Never tried it on short ribs, but its very tasty, the coffee is subtle though.

Non-mobile: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002BTI9B0/ref=redir_mdp_mobile/185-0789953-7073021

^That's ^why ^I'm ^here, ^I ^don't ^judge ^you. ^PM ^/u/xl0 ^if ^I'm ^causing ^any ^trouble. ^WUT?

Try instant coffee. I picked up this brand at Market of Choice not too long ago, and it's actually really tasty. Just add water.

http://www.amazon.com/Starbucks-Ready-Colombia-Coffee-count/dp/B00438XVGU/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1314116598&sr=8-2

They are 50% and come out to .58 cents per coffee. Though they expire soon, but someone mentioned that they don't affect the taste at all.

I have a Keurig at home and I'm a little of a snob but also won't complain if I have regular coffee.

For camping I've been having the G7 3-1. All I have to do is heat up the water and I add 2 packets per cup.

Oh yea, I don't have an RV yet so I tent camp but once I get my RV I'll probably still drink the G7.

I put 2 spoonfuls of this is every chocolat KC shake I make:
https://smile.amazon.com/Medaglia-DOro-Espresso-Instant-Coffee/dp/B002BTI9B0?sa-no-redirect=1

Time to break out your finest Sanka for those difficult guests. Just don't tell them its decaf.

What about just mixing in espresso powder? Flavor, caffeine, basically no extra calories?

Basically, yeah. I use this one (although that's an absurd price).

I don't see why you couldn't use instant coffee, although I'd bump it to 1.5tsp because it's a little weaker. I use 2tsp of espresso powder when I make this because I like getting a little more coffee flavor.