Starbucks Via alternative

Dan L

FNG
Joined
Jun 16, 2016
Messages
22
I use the target brand, Archer Farms, for coffee at work sometimes (stove practice) and it is my favorite so far. I like to change it up though, just a different taste is sometimes good, even if it is "worse" in some ways.
 

DDAM

FNG
Joined
Mar 21, 2017
Messages
33
Location
SoCal
I use this from time to time. This is an instant mix that replicates "Vietnamese" style coffee which is pretty much espresso with condensed milk. In terms of flavor, I prefer this over any other instant coffee mix. This tastes really good if you add 1/2 a teaspoon of condensed milk to it. You can buy condensed milk in a can, and put a little bit in small tube and use as much as needed in the backcountry. Get your fix!
Amazon.com : Vinacafe Instant Coffee Mix, 1-Pounds (Pack of 5) : Coffee Substitutes : Grocery & Gourmet Food
 

cjl32

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Mar 31, 2016
Messages
144
Location
MS
I ordered the Mount Hagen after reading this thread and to me it tastes as good as the Starbucks Via. I typically have large cups of coffee and mix one Via with one G7 3-in-1 Instant Premium Vietnamese Coffee. I'll be using the Mount Hagen from now on. Mixing the two coffees in 16oz or so of water gives the perfect sweetness and creaminess for my tastes plus I don't have to pack seperate sweetener and creamer with this method.
 
OP
couesbitten
Joined
Feb 29, 2012
Messages
1,796
Location
East Wenatchee, WA
Since I originally posted this, I have ordered and received the Mount Hagen and the Café Bustelo from Amazon, and purchased 3 different Taster's Choice flavors (Columbian, House Blend, and Hazelnut) from Walmart. To me, they're all acceptable, but I'm not a straight up coffee drinker. I always use one Via with cocoa to make my mocha, so the quality of the coffee isn't that important to me. Now my girlfriend is a coffee critic, and we did some taste testing last weekend, and while she agreed that when you're 5+ miles from the trailhead, any of them would be better than having none, she liked the Café Bustelo the best, but she hasn't had the chance to try the Taster's Choice Columbian or Mount Hagen yet. We'll do some more testing this weekend, but what it's really going to come down to, is that I've got enough coffee stored up to last me until this time next year!

Here's a breakdown of prices, pick your poison and enjoy!

Starbuck's Via - 26 packets/$11.99 @ Costco on sale
Mount Hagen - 25 packets/$15 @ Amazon
Café Bustelo - 24 packets/$11 @ Amazon

Taster's Choice @ Walmart
Columbian - 16 packets/$3.18
Hazelnut - 16 packets/$3.18
House Blend - 6 packets/$1
 

Montana

FNG
Joined
Mar 30, 2017
Messages
6
Location
Montana
I tried the Mt Hagen and really missed the Vias for sure. Not nearly as good, IMO. I'm kind of a coffee snob though :)

I like to make mine with as much powdered milk as I can get to dissolve. Kind of an energy meal.
 

Dave0317

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Mar 22, 2017
Messages
258
Location
North MS
Why is everyone always so opposed to real coffee? J/k. I know, it's heavy and bulky, and not really essential to hunt or survive.

I have camped and made coffee with a GSI French press and with a Melitta plastic pour-over cone. Both are great methods. I prefer the pour over for the ease of cleaning and light weight.

Via packets may be better than most instant, but still don't hold a candle to real coffee. Me and my buddy decided that we will sacrifice weight and comfort in enough other areas that it will be worth packing along real coffee. It's the one comfort item we plan on bringing and something we both really enjoy.

With that said, from a purely practical standpoint, I guess Via packets are best. Despite their politics, I would probably get the Via packs for my week of hunting, and boycott them the rest of the year.
 

FURMAN

WKR
Joined
Feb 29, 2012
Messages
1,793
I have switched to the Jetboil press with real coffee. It is much better than Via.
 

Dinger

WKR
Joined
Aug 9, 2014
Messages
323
Location
Australia
I tried Via recently whilst in the UK as it's not sold in Aus........I gave the rest of the box away.

It was my last hope before I snatched one of these in the grind model:

Wacaco | MINIPRESSO - Hand powered portable espresso machine

....real coffee, from real grinds. Not to be carried every trip, but it makes a brew thats indiscernable from a bench top machine. If you are chasing real expresso these things are the business.
 

sveltri

WKR
Joined
Jun 22, 2016
Messages
822
Location
SALIDA
I tried one this past weekend called Alpine Start, I've never had Via, but I thought the AS was very good.
 

pods8 (Rugged Stitching)

WKR
Rokslide Sponsor
Joined
Mar 12, 2014
Messages
3,836
Location
Thornton, CO
So with the caveat I'm not a huge coffee snob and I've historically just drank black coffee as long as it wasn't watery or overly burnt I was generally okay with it. Well I was looking for options for more calories in the morning hunting since I find eating that early difficult and decided to try out powdered coconut oil which was claimed to emulsify in hot fluids fairly well. Long story short I'm finding it does do that pretty well (if you put in a lot you might need to stir it up some), just give it a little time to dissolve. Secondary benefit is unless you really want that virgin black coffee flavor this has the perk of tasty rather creamy and in my opinion makes cheap instant coffee taste just fine. So while I'm mixing that in I'll skip the cost of via and my camping plan is 3 scoops (210cal) with 2 café bustelo in a 20oz mug.
 

Owenst7

WKR
Joined
Jun 19, 2017
Messages
513
Location
Reno
Why is everyone always so opposed to real coffee? J/k. I know, it's heavy and bulky, and not really essential to hunt or survive.

I have camped and made coffee with a GSI French press and with a Melitta plastic pour-over cone. Both are great methods. I prefer the pour over for the ease of cleaning and light weight.

Via packets may be better than most instant, but still don't hold a candle to real coffee. Me and my buddy decided that we will sacrifice weight and comfort in enough other areas that it will be worth packing along real coffee. It's the one comfort item we plan on bringing and something we both really enjoy.

With that said, from a purely practical standpoint, I guess Via packets are best. Despite their politics, I would probably get the Via packs for my week of hunting, and boycott them the rest of the year.

I just bring the same coarse grind I use at home in my french press in a ziplock. I throw some grounds in the pot while I boil water and stir it a couple times. Once it reaches a boil, I let it steep for a minute or so. Then I lay my mosquito head net over my cup and pour the boiled coffee+grounds through the head net in to my cup. Tastes exactly like the french press coffee we make every morning before work. Doesn't require any weight that I wouldn't be carrying anyway.
 
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