5 National Parks and Their Perfect Coffee Pairings
It’s National Park Week and we’re celebrating by sharing five of our favorite National Parks along with the point (best hikes), the pour (our recommended coffee for the park) and the pro-tip (tips from friends and ambassadors to help enhance your experience next time you’re at one of these parks). Why do we care to do this? As part of our membership with 1% for the Planet, we donate to the National Park Foundation, so naturally we love our parks and want you to too!
Let’s get to it!
The Park: Yosemite National Park
The Point: Hike Upper Yosemite Falls for a challenging hike, leading up to one of the best views of Half Dome in the entire park.
The Pour: Basecamp Blend – Our most approachable (and popular) blend is a perfect fit for an adventure through Yosemite.
The Pro-Tip: Get there before the weekend to set up base camp and avoid fighting the crowds for a campsite or parking. Bicycles are great for exploring the valley, so bring one if you have it. Otherwise, you can also rent one inside the park.
The Park: Zion National Park
The Point: The most popular hikes are Angel’s Landing and the Narrows. Both offer incredible views, but one climbs upward while the other brings you through the waters of Zion’s slot canyons.
The Pour: Angels Landing – We named this light roast after the Angel’s Landing hike in Zion. What more can we say?
The Pro-Tip: Enter from the east side (Highway 9 from Bryce Canyon or Grand Canyon) for an unbelievable descending drive in the valley that is reminiscent of Jurassic Park. Also, watch out for flash flooding in the slot canyons, especially right after or during the rainy season.
The Park: Grand Canyon National Park
The Point: The Bright Angel Trail is a classic 9.2-mile roundtrip hike offering incredible views of the canyon. Just be ready for a 3000-foot climb on the way back up!
The Pour: Bold Awakening – Bold and filled with dynamic flavors just like the ever-changing sky of Grand Canyon. Our darkest roast is fitting for the epicness of this park.
The Pro-Tip: While more difficult to get to, explore the North Rim of the Grand Canyon to avoid the crowds and experience a more serene atmosphere. The North Rim also has more greenery and flora, so if you’re looking for something a little different, check it out.
The Park: Glacier National Park
The Point: The Highline Loop is the way to go if you can only do one hike during your stay and offers amazing views of the park, abundant wildlife and wildflowers.
The Pour: Ethiopia Single Origin – The fresh blueberry flavors of our Ethiopian Single Origin pairs well with the cool, crisp air of Glacier National Park.
The Pro-Tip: While not an absolute requirement, you’ll want to plan your visit for at least 5 days to get a full park experience. Covering over a million acres, there’s a ton to see in Glacier National Park, and you’ll want the extra time to explore both the West and East Glaciers.
The Park: Joshua Tree National Park
The Point: As a desert, there aren’t as many long hikes like the other national parks. Instead, spend your time exploring areas like Hidden Valley, Barker Dam or Lost Horse Mine.
The Pour: Papua New Guinea Single Origin – Joshua Tree’s vast desert needs a coffee that can taste great in the extreme hot and cold weather conditions. Papua New Guinea fits the bill, as its red oak and dark chocolate flavors only improve in flavor as the coffee cools.
The Pro-Tip: There are over 4500 climbing routes for all different skill levels inside Joshua Tree. If you’re into climbing, bring a crash pad and some friends to experience the park in a different way.
Did we miss your favorite National Park? Let us know in the comments below!
How to Enjoy the Outdoors...With Plants!
As an avid outdoor enthusiast and trained botanist, I always look forward to the spring season every year, it’s the time of new beginnings for both flora and fauna. Growing up in the southeastern region of the United States, spring season always seemed to show itself early with a promising window of sensory overload. As spring arrives, people seem to follow the patterns of plants and come out from their warm humble abode and start to explore their environmental surroundings. I encourage this, as spring is my favorite time to hit the trail and talk about plants in various ways!
The Best New Glamping Getaways Opening This Spring in North America
Nature is our happy place. But as much as we all love to camp, now and then it’s nice not to have to plan an entire trip, pack up heavy gear, pitch the tent, worry about running out of water (or running into bears). This season, let someone else sweat the small stuff so there’s nothing for you to do but explore, unwind and surrender to a s’mores state of mind. Glamping doesn’t make you less of an adventurer—just maybe a more relaxed one. With resort-like amenities and private, edge-of-the-world backdrops, these six new outposts have perfected the art of glamping.
5 Things to Do With the Extra Sun From Daylight Savings Time
Daylight savings time happened this past Sunday. Sure, it’s a tradition that was started over 100 years ago, and yes, it does mean we all lose an hour of sleep (lucky for us, we have plenty of coffee to help with that). But this age-old tradition also gives us what seems to feel like a few hours of extra daylight. More time for our favorite outdoor adventures and activities. However, it doesn’t last forever, so with the help of our Kuju Ambassadors, we put together a list of some of our favorite activities to do with the extra sun from daylight savings.
Made with Wind Power
Since the beginning of Kuju Coffee, we’ve stayed close to our manufacturing processes. In fact, the very first Pocket PourOvers that were made to fulfill our Kickstarter campaign were individually hand-packed by yours truly and my co-founder (and brother), Jeff. We would measure out the exact amount of coffee to the gram, fill the filter, seal the filter, and nitrogen-flush every single pouch. It helped us ensure quality in every Pocket PourOver, but quite frankly we didn’t have the means to do it any other way.
However, we’ve come a long way. From Kickstarter to going nationwide with retail chains like REI and Academy Sports + Outdoors or our 2018 partnership with Subaru, the company has evolved, and so have our capabilities in producing Pocket PourOvers. We’ve made numerous investments into our packing and production lines, but just in the past few months, we made one of the most exciting changes.
...all Kuju Pocket PourOvers are now produced in facilities run 100% on Wind Power
As part of our commitment to sustainability and the environment, I am excited to share that all Kuju Pocket PourOvers are now produced in facilities run 100% on Wind Power. This new investment means all of our packing equipment, lights in our facility and anything else that requires electricity is run on renewable energy resources, and brings us one step closer to full sustainability.
We call it “Made with Wind Power”. Look for the icon on our packaging!
This initiative comes in addition to our membership with 1% for the Planet and our commitment to donate 1% of all sales to the National Park Foundation, as we will always strive to do right by our planet.
So next time you brew a Pocket PourOver, look for the “Made with Wind Power” icon and know that your cup of coffee not only tastes delicious, but is sustainable too.
To journeys near and far,
Justin Wiguna
Co-founder
Behind our “Send A Cup” Campaign - Why We Do It
Every year, Kuju launches our annual Send A Cup campaign - when we invite our fans and customers to choose someone to send a Pocket PourOver to, along with a special note they write (or type!) - all compliments of Kuju Coffee. Last year all 100 sends were claimed within the first few minutes of launch, so we’re stoked to do it again this year! Check it out here.
The most touching part of this are the notes people write. It’s frankly touching to see that Kuju could facilitate and be a part of some of these special relationships, so we thank you for letting us be part of that. Below are just a few to peruse and maybe act as some inspiration:
- Thank you for all your hard work and long hours to support our family. You are amazing, and I love you forever!
- Thanks for always being there for me and being such a great adventure companion 💙
- Surprise! Sending you a special treat because you deserve it: today and everyday!! You are my sunshine.
- You always have a smile on your face in the morning and tell me you love me, here’s something to brighten your day. I love you.
At the heart of Send A Cup is our mission - to inspire moments of rest & rejuvenation. We love the Pocket PourOver not only because it lets us experience fantastic coffee wherever we wander, but because the process of brewing it inherently asks us to take a moment to rest and be a bit more present.
The sequenced act of opening the filter, anchoring to your mug of choice, and then pouring hot water over the fresh bed of coffee grounds inside reminds us that all good things take time. It creates space for us to have a moment with ourselves or perhaps another and remember what truly matters to us.
Sharing this experience of rest & rejuvenation is what’s at the heart of Send A Cup and we are very glad to make it happen again. So think of someone who matters to you and send them a cup of Kuju - this week!
It’s on us. :)
How to Have Quality Coffee While Traveling During the Holidays
Traveling during the holidays can be stressful. You’re rushing to pack, there’s traffic on the way to the airport, your flight gets delayed, and by the time you get to your destination, you realize you forgot your toothbrush! With all that said, there’s one thing we often forget about until that first morning you wake up at your parents house, walk into the kitchen and realize...there’s no coffee!
Send a Cup for National Coffee Day
UPDATE: Thank you for your interest in our Send a Cup program! We've hit our 100 submission limit. To get in early next time and for exclusive discounts and promotions, sign up for our mailing list below!
9.29.2018 - Today is National Coffee Day and to celebrate, we’re here to help you surprise a deserving friend, family member or colleague with a cup of Kuju Coffee. We’re on a mission to make Quality coffee simple and accessible - wherever you wander. And to help make sure your loved ones have a Quality morning ritual - this round’s on us! Fill out the form below, we’ll package up your note with a Pocket PourOver and send the cheers along.
**Limited to the first 100 submissions!
How to Make Cold Brew Coffee with Kuju Coffee's One-Cup Pouches
Pour Over Coffee: What’s the Big Deal?
These days there is no shortage of ways to make your morning coffee. Espresso. AeroPress. French Press and perhaps the most buzzworthy - pour over. But what is pour over? Why is it better? How do you do it? We’ve pulled together the ultimate guide to pour over coffee. Let’s dig in!
Announcing: New Single Origin Pocket PourOvers by Kuju Coffee
The same ease and convenience of the Pocket PourOver with single origin beans artfully sourced from three of the world’s most celebrated coffee locales.
Why is it that our coffee routine at home is one of our most cherished, protected morning rituals but when we’re away from home, we quickly lower our standards as we accept lower quality, “I guess this will do” options? Whether it’s in a hotel room, an airport or a campsite, we’ve all been there.
Asheville and Beyond
We first heard about Kuju Coffee from our friends at Asheville Trails. We do gear reviews for them and were super stoked when they gave us some coffee to try out on our next camping trip. We ended up packing it for an overnight trip not too far from Asheville knowing that if we didn’t like it, we’d be able to refuel in town without too much effort. But that wasn’t necessary.
The Ultimate Coffee Road Trip
Since we started Kuju Coffee, we've always believed in the idea that Quality Is Never Instant. Really good things take time and they take patience - quality relationships, road trips, brewing a fresh cup of pour over coffee in the morning. All these great things that add real value to our lives take time.
When I had the chance to take the new 2018 Subaru Crosstrek with Kuju Coffee Pocket PourOvers on a California road trip, I obviously took the opportunity. I mean who wouldn't want to take an adventure vehicle loaded with coffee for a ride?
However, this short trip was not about where we were going. We didn't have a true destination. Just a direction and the goal of finding quality moments - Kuju Moments - on the way. But of course, it takes time and a little driving to find truly quality places to enjoy.
With a full tank of gas, a stash of Kuju Coffee Pocket PourOvers, and a loaded trunk of gear, we took off from the steep hills of San Francisco and headed to the ocean with the plan to drive up and down the coast. As we cruised along the beautiful coast, we searched for turnoffs with stunning views of the classic California coast. We found ourselves near the Muir Woods National Monument amongst giant redwoods and curvy roads - perfect for the Crosstrek. After a quick stop under the shade of the forests to brew a fresh cup of coffee right in the car, it was time to head south to the beaches of Pacifica to enjoy the sunset.
A few hours of cruising down Highway 1 brought us to a golden sun setting against the glimmering ocean. We pulled off the road as soon as we could, popped the trunk, and cozied into the trunk to enjoy the view until dark. The perfect Kuju Moment. A moment of quality and rejuvenation that was only reached after a full day of driving. If we had decided to head straight for the sunset, the experience would not be nearly the same, and the memory of it would not have lived on with such vividness.
The mini road trip was not about the destination. It was about the pursuit of quality moments, which are by no means easy to come by. They don't come instantly, but they're always worth it. #KujuMoment
Why We Created the Pocket PourOver Travel 5-Pack
I think a lot of marketing out there attempts to justify the existence of a product that quite frankly just doesn't really need to exist. I'm not going to go into specifics but I think we can all remember a time learning of a product and just wondering, "What is this for?". And so I just want to keep this straightforward in explaining why we created the 5-pack.
The Travel 5-Pack was created because so many people had requests for a larger "bag" of Pocket PourOvers that they could bring with them any time they wanted quality coffee on-the-go. Whether it was to a hotel room for a few days or a weekend camping trip, having 5 in an easy-to-carry bag just simplified the whole experience.
The second piece was for people who have never experienced brewing a Pocket PourOver, the larger format just makes it easier to read and follow the directions, thereby assuring more people that they will get the incredibly flavorful cup of Kuju Coffee that is promised.
And my personal reason is actually because we think it looks beautiful. As entrepreneurs, we believe extending our work to pursue our mission of helping people reclaim their moments of rejuvenation is holistic - it happens in all parts of the business - not just supply chain and the actual coffee experience, but even in packaging design. The hope here is that the visual look of the Travel 5-Pack exudes a sense of rejuvenation whether you use it in your home kitchen, office or monthly travels.
So the next time you're brewing some coffee, grab your Pocket PourOver Travel 5-Pack and share the love!
Here's to Quality,
Jeff
CEO / Cofounder
Kuju Coffee
