Verve Buena Vista Instant Coffee

Missed the mark completely! Way below my expectations for what multiple hikers are reviewing as a good cup of instant coffee. I brought this blend on my last trip and brought it back home, the only item left in my bear canister when I got home.

I will start by saying that if you read my reviews on coffee, then you know that I'm crazy about coffee. I'm actively searching for the best beans on the planet for home and the best instant coffee out there that I can get my hands on.

With that said, I have read review after review, vlog after vlog on Verve Coffee.  I have tried ALL of their blends, whole bean and instant. I have found a couple of the whole bean blends to be satisfactory at most, but not loved. I tried on multiple hiking trips the Verve Instant varieties as well. 

On this last trip I brought the Buena Vista Instant Coffee as a backup plan for when I ran out of the Blue Bottle Bright & Espresso, Cafe Grumpy, and Farm to Summit Double Shot Instant Latte that I brought. 

How to Prepare per Verve

Add one packet of Verve Craft Instant Coffee into your mug along with 10 ounces of hot or cold liquid (water, milk, or milk alternative), stir, and drink up.

I added not just tap water, but filtered water using the BWT Water Filter Jug, see link below:
https://www.bwt.com/en/shop/BWT-Water-filter-AQUAlizer-2-Magnesium-filters/125252023-A

Now for the taste test, once again immediately on my tongue was sourness, then bitter, acidic and sour at the finish. This is the third taste test of this instant coffee. I wanted to like this. Everyone says it's so good! I'm wondering what they are doing to it to make it taste good. For my tastebuds it's a definite NO. I did not add sugar or cream for the taste test but, I didn't pour it down the drain just yet. I added 1 tsp of raw sugar and a generous splash of cream.  (Look at the label on the box, it actually states "tastes good with cream and sugar.)

I generally do not add sugar to my coffees or lattes, but for this test I knew I had to because I knew it was going to be the only way to mask the sourness of this cup, and it did by about 50%, but still a bad cup of coffee and it still wound up down the drain. I gave it a fair shake, but not for me. Everyone's tastebuds are different, no big deal.

For me, Verve Instant Coffee in all varieties continues to be at the very bottom of the list. In fact I'm gonna have to pass on finishing the rest of the packets. I can't even finish one cup.  On the trail I had one cup of this at May Lake after hiking Mt Hoffman. I was tired and it was still early in the day and I was craving a cup of coffee. I couldn't finish the cup out there, either. It was too sour and not palatable in my opinion. My husband refused it as well. That's 3/3 cups tried and all of them unfinished.

What Verve states regarding this Blend:
"As one of the darker roasts on our menu, Buena Vista can be characterized by its deep structure and full body. This extended roast coupled with Buena Vista’s Latin American roots yields a dark chocolate savor, caramelized sweetness, and lasting cup. Its smooth and consistent profile also makes it a very dynamic and adaptable blend that holds up well to just about every brewing device out there. So if you like waking up to a darker, richer flavor, look no further; Buena Vista will give you a dessert first mentality that won’t give you cavities and goes well with milk.

Amazing things come in tiny packages. Verve Craft Instant Coffee is hand-roasted, small-batch brewed, and preserved for your adventures. Ready to be brewed wherever and whenever. A week’s worth of premium coffee in your pocket."

HAVE YOU TRIED VERVE? DO YOU LIKE IT?  

Background

I consider myself a coffee connoisseur. I love a great cup of coffee! I have been drinking coffee for over 30 years.