Think Instant coffee is the pits? Think again!
At Nimmo Bay, we have been searching for a better solution to the endless thermoses of coffee that we furnish our picnic lunches and wilderness adventures with every day of the operating season. Although we understand that, for many people, a hot and delicious mug of coffee is an essential part of a long day in the wilderness, we have been discouraged by the amount of waste and felt that pouring out cups and cups of extra coffee at the end of the day was not in line with our conservation and sustainability values. Not to mention the fact that coffee from a thermos that was made hours previously can taste stale. Not our idea of the perfect mug of joe on an adventure day.
This year, we are happy to say that we have connected with Victoria-based coffee roaster, Fernwood Coffee Company, to source the perfect solution–great tasting, easy to make, and ethically sourced instant coffee.
Fernwood Coffee has been supplying Nimmo Bay with all our coffee needs for over a decade and we have the greatest respect for their product and their ethics. Seeking a better option for wilderness coffee from Fernwood was the natural choice and as always, they delivered a fantastic product that we can stand behind and proudly serve our guests on their wilderness adventures.
Why does Instant coffee have a bad reputation?
Ben from Fernwood Coffee credits the bad reputation of instant coffee to the terrible coffee drinking experiences that travellers have had in South East Asia, Central and South America and other global destinations where poor quality instant coffee is the only option. Have you been scarred by travel coffee? We can relate but we can also attest to the fact that the new Fernwood instant coffee blend is NOTHING like the Nescafe coffee experience you had in Thailand when you were in your 20s.
For a long time, quality coffee producers moved as far away from instant coffee as they could. The best cafes were weighing fresh grounds on precise scales, featuring the best Italian-made espresso machines or pushing pour-over or French-press coffee making methods. of course, those methods produce lovely coffee that we can all appreciate but over the last few years, even baristas who consider themselves purists are coming around on instant coffee because the surprise is: it can be done well and it can taste great!
Fernwood Coffee Company is a roastery and cafe in Victoria BC. Fernwood makes hand crafted fine roasted coffees and serves the highest standards of espresso and filter coffee as well as offering a menu of locally sourced, in-house prepared food.
Words: Brianna Sloan
Photos: Dominic Hall