Stirz instant coffee review

We’re always on the lookout for the perfect instant coffee to take bikepacking. First and foremost, we want something great tasting. Second it has to be easy to pack and has sustainable packaging.

On our coffee quest we ran across Canadian based Stirz (stirzbrands.com) which is just starting out on their journey to become an instant coffee brand with zero waste packaging.  We tried their medium roast micro-ground dissolving pouches, which are not currently available, but were lucky enough to get a sneak peek. In the meantime, however, in early 2021 they will be offering their medium and dark roast coffees in Stick Packs and hot chocolate in sachets that are made 100% from compostable materials.

We decided to try these little dissolving pouches recently on an overnight winter bikepacking trip. We needed a warm beverage that would be quick and light for the trip, so we threw their multi-purpose and re-usable custom designed Fuel Kit (that contained 12 single serving pouches) in our water-proof food bag. This was important as they are made of a dissolving material and we imagine you don’t want to get them wet. We rode our fatbikes about 25 km in a snow storm and made camp. Despite sitting around a campfire all night, the wind howled and we were cold and wet to the bone. Around sunrise we awoke after a fitful sleep and needed coffee fast. With our mitts still on we easily unzipped the kit and popped a pouch in a mug and poured boiling water over it. After a few swirls it looked ready for us to enjoy. The tasty coffee really hit the spot. There was no weird smell or taste and no packaging to clumsily rip open or dispose of. It was such a life saver to have a little boost of caffeine ready in moments.

Overall, this coffee is great for fast and light travel whether you are on the bike, hiking or any outdoor pursuit. Our only criticism would be to source an organic coffee to use in the pouches. But, its packable, quick and has zero waste. Plus, the Fuel Kit would be great to re-use for future use. Because of its super fine grind, no stirring was necessary either and we are curious if it would make a good iced coffee too? We’ll wait for some warmer summer weather to try that out though.

You can buy the coffee kit with 12 pouches for $24.99 at stirzbrands.com.

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