Shop Local: The Best Instant Coffee in Calgary
Are you a light packer looking for your coffee fix, or a coffee lover in need of an instant pick-me-up? Fear not, instant coffee has got your back! Now, I know what you’re thinking – it tastes like wet cardboard, right? Wrong! You just haven’t tried the good stuff yet. Lucky for you, there are local roasters out there who know how to make instant coffee that actually tastes heavenly. Yeah, you heard me right – they actually taste good! These little guys are brewed in small batches, meaning they’re super duper high quality and come packed with all the tasty flavour goodness that you deserve. Trust me, I’ve tried them all and you won’t be disappointed.
Tips for making instant coffee
Although the quality of instant coffee matters most, how you prepare it alters the flavour as well:
- Don’t use boiling hot water – let it cool slightly before mixing up your cup of coffee. I find using too hot of water can scald and dampen the flavours. (You can even use cold water if you’re looking to make an iced coffee)
- Before drinking, let it sit for a minute or 2 to allow the flavours to steep.Â
- Start with the smaller recommended amount of water to add (each brand is different!). Take a sip and add more if needed.Â
Calgary Heritage Roasting Company
Calgary Heritage Roasting Co. was founded by two wildland firefighters whose methods and values forged with their growing love for coffee roasting. They believe in active collaboration, giving back to our environment with their 1 Million Planted initiative.Â
In addition to roasted and un-roasted beans up for grabs, CHRC has launched their instant coffee line: Flash Fuel.Â
Flash Fuel tastes like Sunday mornings. That’s the best way I can explain it. It reminds me of a classic cup of Joe: Flavourful, yet not too bold or acidic. A crowd pleaser to say the least.Â
Rosso Coffee Roasters
When it comes to coffee, Rosso knows whatsup. What started as a single café, has won champion awards (Canadian Barista Championship, Canadian Coffee in Good Spirits Championship and the Canadian Latte Art Competition), and has since grown into a top notch roasting company with multiple locations across the city.
Rosso offers a few instant coffees, including a decaf option. I tried the Basecamp line and I have to say that it’s personally my favourite of all instant coffees I’ve tried. It has a more bold coffee taste with notes of chocolate. Yum!
You can pop into one of their cafés to get your hands on their instant brew, but it’s also available at Breathe Outdoors. Excuse me while I go make another cup.
Hasty Coffee Company
Okay, so Hasty isn’t in Calgary – they’re based out of High River – but they take orders online and do delivery, so no worries there! Even though they’re out of Calgary, I thought they deserved a mention on this list because they solely specialize in instant coffee. Partnering with local Calgary roasters, Hasty transforms premium small batch beans into phenomenal instant coffee (some are on this list!)
I tried two: La Severa and Alternate Route (although an American Roaster, you can buy it in local outdoor stores). Both of these had a wonderful flavour profile – slightly on the acidic side, but very pleasant.
Monogram
When Monogram first started out, they were a pop up coffee cart. Clearly, they have come a long way with now having 3 cafés in the city. Their secret? An awesome team. They believe amazing coffee cannot exist without amazing people. “Behind the apron, we are photographers, foodies, hikers, and musicians. There are science geeks, number geeks, and everything in between. Throw in a couple competitive speed-skaters and climbers and you’ve got the Monogram Family. But what brought us all together was a passion for taking care of our community and the diverse people that are a part of it.”
Remember Hasty? Monogram and Hasty have partnered to create Milligrams, Monogram’s feature instant coffee line. I was surprised to open the pack and discover they had 2 flavours in there! One is called N3, the other N4. If you typically like fruity and acidic notes in your coffee, these will be your winner winner chicken dinners.
Eight Ounce Coffee
Eight Ounce Coffee is another special place to make this list. They’re not a local roaster themselves, but they are a local café and coffee machine supplier shop that helps make it possible for local roasters to make the best coffee possible. They carry the best quality equipment and coffee brands, and sponsor barista competitions.
With that in mind, I decided to try an instant coffee they carried that came from a roaster that’s a skip and a hop over the bridge… Edmonton! Vamos by Transcend is another delicious brew. I’d have to say it came in 2nd place for me. I’ll be going back to try some more lines they have in store.
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The Foodie Behind the Screen
Hi there! I'm Bri.
I create and share nutritious and flavourful recipes for outdoor enthusiasts and adventure seekers.
