How to Caffeinate In The Wild - Episode 1

Having good coffee in the backcountry is a non negotiable. And while VSSL JAVA can expertly grind your coffee in 50 different ways, you’re going to need to know how to turn those grounds into your ideal morning brew. We sat down with Brandon Litun, local coffee expert and founder of Smoking Gun Coffee, and asked him to walk us through his tried and true process for brewing the best backcountry cup of coffee possible. Over the next month, Brandon will walk you through hands-on tutorials on four of his preferred brewing methods, and his best tips on how to caffeinate in the wild like a pro.

First up, Aeropress.

The Aeropress was developed in 2005 to manually brew one fantastic cup of coffee at a time, and has become a fan favorite by outdoors enthusiasts and home coffee drinkers alike. Not only a great manual brewing tool, it is affordable, accessible, durable, and incredibly versatile (and the focus of many local, national, and international competitions!). This is just one way to make an Aeropress - there is an infinite amount of recipes and possibilities. Find what you love and enjoy!
 

Brandon Litun is the founder and head roaster of Smoking Gun Coffee Roasters based in the Fraser Valley, BC. Brandon has been in the coffee industry for many years, working as a barista in cafés around western Canada, consulting with some of the best roasters and coffee leaders in the Pacific Northwest, and competing in several local festivals and events.

Brandon discovered roasting coffee to be an incredibly dynamic, sensory, and therapeutic process, and recklessly threw himself at it, eventually founding SG out of his garage as a side hustle in 2015. In winter 2019, SG partnered with a local brewery and launched its first production roastery with a focus on wholesale. This was quickly impacted by the pandemic that closed many businesses in spring 2020.

In an effort to pivot, SG quickly launched a "curbside café" which was warmly received by the community and provided an opportunity to develop the service side of the business. This momentum also resulted in SG signing a lease on a new brick and mortar café/roastery in Chilliwack BC (launching summer 2021). SG's goal is to craft exceptional coffee experiences, and to make the dynamic world of specialty coffee accessible to everyone. SG works hard to offer a range of coffees - from light and bright to dark and classic, including dope decaf!