We will be doing a fun little taste-off between Waka Instant Coffee and Starbucks Via packets. Waka reached out to us and said they have a better instant coffee. We will leave it up to you.

The first 4 who respond to this thread that they are interested and agree to post their review after tasting the instant coffee will be mailed samples to try.

Sign me up please! I’m always on the lookout for better camp coffee.

Count me in. I could even do it in the Bdub for the full experience.

I actually just did this exact test last week. I’d never had Waka before and usually on trips just deal with the poor tasting Via because of its convenience. After a blind test I think they’re both poor tasting. I was excited to try Waka after reading reviews on this site but I found it tasted no better than Via. Since ground coffee is light I will continue to bring fresh grounds with me.

I'll be willing to give this a good try and post a review. Sounds like a good head-to-head challenge!

Ps Adam. If Wenonah or Mad River contacts you, let me know.

I'll do it! I have a May 20 put-in at Clearwater Lake, so hopefully I can provide feedback prior to that.

Mike

I know I am not in the top four, but if you need an alternate, I am game!

Awesome! I have expanded this to 6 so we need one more:

fadersup
Finnboy
bobbernumber3
MikeinMpls
NikonF5user

Drop me your address via email.

If you still need one, I’m in. Adam, you have my address….

sns: "If you still need one, I’m in. Adam, you have my address…."

Got it.

Adam, count me in as well if you need another opinion.

Can't wait to hear the results. Starbucks via has been my go to for a few years, but I'm open to a new brand....

Looks like I'm late to the party, so I'll just add that I've been doing my own similar taste test the past couple weeks.

Waka vs. Mount Hagen. I like both actually. I prefer Waka judging solely on flavor and Mount Hagen if adding cost/value to the judging matrix.

Sad I missed this one. Love my coffee.

I like Alpine Start. They have a try three for $3 on their website.

I would love to get involved. Unfortunately still cant smell or taste after my February bout of covid. Again...........

Last time it took 5 months b4 i could smell or taste.

Anybody ever read the book The Sisters Brothers? It takes place around the time of the California gold rush. The two protagonists happen upon a lonely prospector who's been in the bush a very long time. He offers the the brothers some coffee. It was awful. The brothers quickly realized the hapless fellow had been brewing dirt and had convinced himself it was coffee.

Via (and probably Waka) will taste less than pleasing at home. But in the back country with no alternative, I have found Via to taste wonderful.

Argo: "Via (and probably Waka) will taste less than pleasing at home. But in the back country with no alternative, I have found Via to taste wonderful. "

100% agree with you here.

Can't wait to see the results.... I was too late to sign up to be a taste tester but I am intrigued. I bring VIA as my 'backup' coffee for travel days, evenings (decaf) and if I need an extra cup on another day. Heard about Waka recently and was planning to give it a try when my current VIA supply runs low.

(Aeropress is my go-to for in-camp mornings when I have a little more time for prep and cleanup)

On a past trip a friend brought along a lot of Via packets. A co-worker of his had found an entire case of it on a website that sells business surplus items. He paid pennies for each packet when he brought the whole unopened case. Even though its expiration date was a few years in the past it still tasted pretty good.

I am looking forward to taste off results.

I have the package, and it's game on tomorrow morning.

SummerSkin: "

Argo: "Via (and probably Waka) will taste less than pleasing at home. But in the back country with no alternative, I have found Via to taste wonderful. "

100% agree with you here."

Exactly. If it tastes OK at home, then you know in the bush its mighty fine.

Side note, has anyone tried Trader Joes instant? Cream and sugar already added?

Africafe

sns: "I have the package, and it's game on tomorrow morning."

I'm going to quit reading this thread until after I have tested the coffees. I don't want comments to influence my opinion. My wife set up taste tests for cheeses many years ago and has offered to set up a blind tasting test.

I never liked the taste of instant coffee. I just bring the real stuff.

I read the title of the thread as:

Instant Coffee Tastes Off.

Twins87: "

(Aeropress is my go-to for in-camp mornings when I have a little more time for prep and cleanup)"

Prep for instant coffee (excluding boiling water)-10seconds
Prep & Cleanup for Aeropress (being generous)-45 seconds

I've tried both and Via wins by far. I want to like Waka, but mild and weak compared to Via.

Banksiana: "I read the title of the thread as:

Instant Coffee Tastes Off."

Same!

So I tried them both and shared with two family members.

It was close, 2-1 in favor of Waka, but all of us thought that they were pretty similar.

Both had that instant coffee bite that makes most folks prefer to make coffee from grounds, but once you are past that, both are good enough to drink. After drinking about half black, I added cream and thought it really helped.

As others rightly point out, everything tastes better in the backcountry; four coffee snobs all enjoyed our instant last May in the Quetico.

Banksiana: "

Twins87: "


(Aeropress is my go-to for in-camp mornings when I have a little more time for prep and cleanup)"

Prep for instant coffee (excluding boiling water)-10seconds
Prep & Cleanup for Aeropress (being generous)-45 seconds "

If you pack lite and want save safe space the instant coffee wins the race

Blatz: "

Banksiana: "

Twins87: "



(Aeropress is my go-to for in-camp mornings when I have a little more time for prep and cleanup)"

Prep for instant coffee (excluding boiling water)-10seconds
Prep & Cleanup for Aeropress (being generous)-45 seconds "

If you pack lite and want to safe space the instant coffee wins the race "

Agree it saves space (at the risk of being a huge step down in quality). Don't think it saves significant time.

My wife and I did the taste-off yesterday. Below are our findings.

Starbucks: my wife said it tastes like instant coffee. We both found it to be bitter. I found it to be bold but only because it tastes like it's been left on the burner too long, like regular Starbucks coffee tastes. It also had more of an aftertaste than the Waka. Neither of us liked it. As an aside, the packet that I got expired on 7 April of this year.

Waka: we both found the Waka to be smoother and less bitter than the Starbucks. My wife found it to be not as rich as she would prefer, but she said it definitely had a fuller taste than the Starbucks. I thought it was a full bodied and much smoother a cup of coffee than the Starbucks. Pleasant coffee finish. I could drink it for a week.

We even compared the two cups in a "blinded" comparison (we were using identical cups)... to determine which cup was Waka and which cup was Starbucks. One could easily tell the difference based on our findings above.

As with most people, we would prefer a coffee that is not instant. However, if we brought instant, we believe the Waka to be far superior to the Starbucks.

I hope this is what you were looking for. Let me know if you have any questions or comments.

Mike

You people are going at this all wrong.

I grew up in MN but never drank the coffee. My father had a Spanish friend who called the common Minnesota version "agua sucia" and he was dead right.

My wife and I eventually ended up in Seattle, where I tried some actual coffee and got hooked. One day I came out of the office building where I worked and saw one of these. Keep in mind that there were already TWO Starbucks stores on opposite corners of the intersection I was looking at:

I don't think I've ever tried the Via tubes, and I definitely haven't had Waka. Can anyone speak to the taste of these against standard grocery store instant coffee?

In the BWCA, my mornings start with what we call "hot brown," which is just Nescafe dosed by eye, probably quite a bit stronger than the recipe on the jar. I don't think I've ever wished for a better cup of coffee up there, even though I put a lot of effort into my coffee at home.

I did the taste test this morning.

Packaging:
Waka - packet gave directions
- looked "cottage industry"
- somewhat burnable wrap
Via - no directions
- looked commercial... bilingual, patents, barcode, SKU, kosher symbol
- not burnable

Product:
Waka - brown powder, not coffee color
Via - dark brown powder

Taste/Appearance:
Waka - musty aroma, good color
- clean cup, no residue, some foam
- smoother taste
Via - musty aroma, good color
- residue on cup (microgrinds), some foam
- bolder flavour (more bitter?), bit of a mouth feel, gritty last swallow

Overall: Wow... these both are way better than instant coffee from the old days. Each is missing that fresh coffee aroma. Via had some realistic sludge at the bottom of the cup.

Conclusion: I would rate these both as a 7 out of 10 and would buy one over the other based on price. But neither is as good as fresh ground and brewed coffee.

!$/a
!$/a

bobbernumber3: "I did the taste test this morning.


Packaging:
Waka - packet gave directions
- looked "cottage industry"
- somewhat burnable wrap
Via - no directions
- looked commercial... bilingual, patents, barcode, SKU, kosher symbol
- not burnable


Product:
Waka - brown powder, not coffee color
Via - dark brown powder


Taste/Appearance:
Waka - musty aroma, good color
- clean cup, no residue, some foam
- smoother taste
Via - musty aroma, good color
- residue on cup (microgrinds), some foam
- bolder flavour (more bitter?), bit of a mouth feel, gritty last swallow


Overall: Wow... these both are way better than instant coffee from the old days. Each is missing that fresh coffee aroma. Via had some realistic sludge at the bottom of the cup.


Conclusion: I would rate these both as a 7 out of 10 and would buy one over the other based on price. But neither is as good as fresh ground and brewed coffee.

!$/a
!$/a


"

Nice, Bobber...impressive review!

Mike

Which VIA variety is being tested?

Nice portage pack. Doesn't look like it leave a lot of room for other gear though.

Ausable: "Which VIA variety is being tested? "

colombia

I performed the taste test. I might give Waka the win. I feel like it had a little more to it. Full body? I’m not sure what you call it. They are both still instant coffee but they have come a long way.

I like that you can get both in larger quantities not individually packaged. I’ve been using Via for years and buy the tin and put it in a small Nalgene bottle. No little bits of packaging on the ground that way. That’s my LNT tip for instant coffee.

This has been probably the most informative thread I've read is a while.

Many of us share the love of hot coffee on a beautiful calm boundary waters morning. Sitting on the rocks, watching the day begin, contemplating what lies ahead for the day.

Love this sh$t.
Tom

I’ve always made percolated coffee while camping primarily because I enjoy the ritual and despise the taste of instant coffee. That was until I found G7 instant Vietnamese coffee. We still make percolated coffee most days in the BWCA but I generally drink a combo of G7 3in1 and Strong x2 before everyone else gets up. Not too sweet, not too bitter for me.

Banksiana: "I read the title of the thread as:


Instant Coffee Tastes Off."

I did too! Lmao

Black Rifle in tea bags for me!!

Banksiana: "I read the title of the thread as:


Instant Coffee Tastes Off."

I agree... that statement is about right.

Dude: "I’ve always made percolated coffee while camping ... until I found G7 instant Vietnamese coffee... I generally drink a combo of G7 3in1 and Strong x2 before everyone else gets up. Not too sweet, not too bitter for me. "

That's my go-to coffee. I backpack: weight/time/bulk efficiency became necessary. I think this site or a backpack site set me on G7. Not as good as the single pour over I like at home, but good enough.

No I'll have to try one of the coffees on this thread....just because.

I still cannot read this thread without, "Waka," translating to, "Sanka," and immediately I hear, "Wanka" in my head.

Make is stop.

My samples delivered last night and I'll be tasting in the am. Hoping to be instantly impressed.

I'm also mostly an Aeropress user...but sometimes take medaglia d'oro instant espresso. Anyone else drink it and have a feel for how it compares to these two?

I used to take dark-roasted Via but switched to packs of Nescafe Gold Cappuccino because I take cream and sugar. All of that is contained in a packet of Nescafe; whereas, with Via I had to pack sugar and Coffee Mate as well.

After a quick morning comparison, the review:

Aroma - dry:
Waka - light, sweet, caramel
Via - burt, smells like stale diner coffee

Aroma - brewed:
Waka - very light, almost weak, some notes of honey
Via - bold, pleasant

Taste - dry:
Waka - subtle, sweet, woody
Via - bitter, burnt (over-roasted)

Taste - brewed:
Waka - sweet, nutty, smooth, not much complexity
Via - leads with "off" taste, harsh finish, stale diner coffee

Other:
Waka - good mouthfeel, lacks full body but pleasant and round
Via - thin mouthfeel, very bitter, unpleasant aftertaste lingers

Overall the Waka is a bit weak for my liking but as far as instant coffee goes, I consider it very drinkable. I'd either add less water or more powder to give it some oomph.

Would I drink the Via if it's all I had in the woods? Sure, but I can't say I would enjoy it beyond the caffeine. I put Via in the culinary grade of instant coffee - better for adding to a chocolate brownies than to drink.

Waka waka waka.

What's the price per cup on each of these? That would make my decision.

My go to coffee is Foldgers in the tea bags.

Took a while, but the results are in!

Appearance - Waka was light brown and less-finely ground than the Starbucks VIA. The Waka coffee out of the package looked like it was going to be good, so if it really matters, I would give the Waka a leg-up here.

Dry Odor - Waka was the clear winner here - it has a rich chocolatey coffee smell while the Starbucks VIA had a pronounced bitter smell to it that was slightly off-putting.

I brewed both cups using an empty Keurig machine, just letting the hot water run into the cup rather than filter through a pod. This has the benefit of controlling temperature and amount of water. The water temp was very hot, but not quite boiling (something to perhaps change if I were doing this again).

Brewed Odor - this time the Starbucks VIA was the clear winner, the bitter odor that was present when dry still poked through, but blends well with the coffee smell. Sadly the Waka coffee had that "metallic" odor that I associate with old-time instant coffees like Folgers.

Taste Black - Tie. Both coffees had a very similar taste to me black, with perhaps the Starbucks being slightly more bitter. The smell of the Starbucks VIA helped improve the taste.

Taste with Half & Half - Half and Half improves the Waka taste, bringing out the chocolate a bit more. Cream also rounds out the Starbucks VIA Colombia, but the improvement is not as pronounced as it is with the Waka. Seeing as this is how I would drink it "in the wild" (with either one or two Land O Lakes MiniMoos), I need to give the win to the Waka in this category.





Final thoughts - the two coffees were similar in taste, but the chocolate overtones give the Waka an edge, and between the two, it's the Waka I would bring tripping...

For my taste,I find the Starbucks Blonde roast via to be much more drinkable than the Columbian. I think I might give Waka a try.

Just back from a 6 day trip in Quetico - group of 6. All preferred Waka (Ethiopian light roast) over the Starbucks individual packets and the can (Colombian) - various roasts. Hands down Waka was the winner in our group.

I bought the Waka medium roast coffee.

I really like it. Very smooth. It’s not a full body coffee, not real strong tasting.

But for me it is very good. Way better than the Folgers I’ve had in the past.

I love coffee and drink it every day but am not an aficionado and will drink most coffee offered to me. Not on subject but I am a beer aficionado and favor the finest beer I can find. Currently Ursa Minor Galactic Slam hazy IPA is the finest and most hoppy beer I can find. Sorry, moving away from the coffee conversation….
Tom

My favorite thing about this thread is that Coffee is considered Gear.

Jaywalker: "My favorite thing about this thread is that Coffee is considered Gear. "

Next to the canoe/paddle/PFD, the most vital piece of gear for tripping...

Jaywalker: "My favorite thing about this thread is that Coffee is considered Gear. "

Coffee gets me in gear, in more ways than one.

TZ

I'm a Folgers teabag kind of guy, but once got these as a gift, someone should add them to the taste test. No idea how the price compares to the other 2. Did somebody say there's a Black Rifle product similar to Folgers now?

Kuju Coffee

JD

https://bwca.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=photos.load&popup=0#

One of my favorite instants. I prefer my coffee to be very dark, black and strong done in a french press. But once in awhile I like the 3 in 1's. creamer, sugar and coffee. This has a kick to it as well. Each packet mix with about 6-8 oz of hot or ice cold water. Slushy frozen in a water bottle on a hot day, yum. When I don't like as much sweet I mix it with regular black coffee. These are great though camping

Can get at most Asian grocer stores and there are several brands, this is a G7.

Cheers every one, see you on the lakes