2016: A Year We Were Stoked On

Posted by Bold Apps on

We've been taking a little time to reflect on 2016 and all the great (and slightly less than great) moments that came with it as we dive into 2017. However much of a rollercoaster this past year may have been, there was no doubt that it was 12 months packed full of adventures and accomplishments! Here are a few major highlights that we are celebrating:
 
WE LAUNCHED A NEW PRODUCT
This summer we launched STOKED STIX, convenient and ready-to-go packets  of 100% organic instant coffee. Whether you are backpacking with your kids, on a ski tour with friends or chasing to get the next surf break, we have your back. Just add 8oz of hot water to either our medium or dark roast and get stoked! 
WE ADDED SOME BADASS NEW AMBASSADORS TO TEAM STOKED
            
STOKED Roasters is the only coffee company in the world to have a fleet of athletes as our brand ambassadors.. Team STOKED is proud to have 27 athletes on the roster going into the New Year. New additions to highlight this year are Sensi Graves, Lindsay McClure, Eric Pollard, Kyle Skutch, Elle Truax, Paul Dzierba, Hannah Bergemann, Greg Cohen, Glen Morden, Brandon Scheid, Amy Esnard, Jeff Lenosky, Brian Warren, Pete Takeda, and Mackenzie Berg! We are proud to fuel an absolutely incredible band of athletes. 
WE RAISED OVER $3000 FOR OUR CHARITY OF THE YEAR
Each year our staff gets together and votes on a charity to represent. In 2016, we were proud to support the LymeLight Foundation in tandem with a project that STOKED Roasters owner Jax Mariash was also supporting through a global running project. The LymeLight Foundation provides medical grants for children and young adults that are suffering from Lyme Disease to help them get the medical care that they need to heal. This year, our grand opening party and various initiatives raised over $3000 for the cause!
 
WE LAUNCHED A FULL LINE OF SEASONAL BLENDS
We rolled out Spring, Summer and Fall stoke blends for the first time, and perfected our much-loved Winter blend. The seasonal blends become an opportunity for us to create unique blends that ignite your stoke to get outside and enjoy the seasonal sports as well as explore your coffee pallet with a blend that suits well for seasonal foods and flavors. Check out our Winterstoke that is on the shelves now and enjoy custom coffee labels that feature our winter Team Stoked athletes! 
 
STOKED WENT MOBILE
At the end of 2016, we were excited to present a long-coming project: STOKED Mobile. We had a couple soft launches out on the Waterfront in Hood River, then hit the road in December bound for Park City and Snowbird. We kicked off STOKED Mobile with serving espresso drinks at the Powderbird Heliski kickoff party. STOKED Mobile is a unique coffee shop on wheels. It will go on the road in 2017 to serve as a sales and marketing vehicle to spread the stoke to the masses.
 
OUR OWNER AND FOUNDER (LITERALLY) RAN AROUND THE WORLD
At STOKED, we love to be outside as much as you do. In fact, STOKED Roasters' owner, Jax Mariash, became the first woman in the world to complete the 4 Deserts race series Grand Slam Plus. This is a series of 5 250k self-supported ultra-marathons in 4 Deserts and 1 jungle all over the world. Mariash also became the 4 Deserts Female World Champion as she won all 4 Deserts races. Mariash also surpassed her fundraising goal of 10k and is at 18k for the LymeLight Foundation. (Her biggest help in the desert each morning was STOKED STIX of course.)
 
WE GOT TO BE A PART OF SOME SUPER AWESOME EVENTS
We had the opportunity to sponsor some really awesome events, and threw a few of our own:
  • Kiteboard for Cancer (Hood River, OR)
  • Hood Jam 2016 (Hood River, OR)
  • STOKED's 2nd Birthday Party (Hood River, OR)
  • FallStoke Release Party (Hood River, OR)
  • World Premier of The Fourth Phase (Hood River, OR)
  • Powderbird Helsinki's Season Kickoff Party (Snowbird, Utah)
  • Gorge Kid's Triathlon (Hood River, OR)
  • Ride for Lyme at the Marin Century (Marin, CA)
  • Go Beyond Racing's 2016 Marathon Series (Various Locations in OR)
  • Doug's Sports Get Outside for Education Fundraiser (Hood River, OR)

We want to thank everyone who supported us and made 2016 an incredibly successful year full of celebration and adventures galore! We couldn't have done it without you, and hope you've enjoyed the ride as much as we have.

Here's to 2017 and all the surprises it has in store! 

Cheers! :) 

 
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STOKED Mobile in Park City

Posted by Claire Botsford-Allain on

Last week we brought STOKED Mobile from Hood River, Oregon, to Park City, Utah. From 160 feet to 7,000 feet, STOKED Mobile trekked through mountains and cities to serve coffee to some pretty crazy adventure-seekers.

Ever been on a helipad? Ever been on a helipad serving coffee? Ever been on a helipad serving coffee while it's puking snow outside? Well, after doing all three at Powderbird's season kick off party I have to recommend the experience to any thrill seeker with a palate that prefers coffee and that extra jolt of adrenaline that comes from doing the surreal.

Sure, I may have been about a foot away from driving our beloved van off the helipad and getting the generator to stay on while snow was blowing so hard our footsteps were covered within minutes were challenges in and of themselves, but being able to have a party inside of a van fueled by our delicious single origin Ethiopian Espresso was totally worth all of it.

Another cool thing about Park City is that so many of the outdoor retailers and awesome brands that make the apps, technology, gear and equipment that we use when we get outside are based in Park City. We even got to hang out with a few of our friends at Mountain Hub and POC. They got to experience a pretty awesome coffee break!

 

 

 STOKED Mobile is a pretty awesome embodiment of what we are all about. As outdoor enthusiasts and thrill seekers we know that getting good coffee wherever you are can be a challenge. That's why we want to bring the stoke to you. Whether it's with our instant coffee, STOKED STIX, or with our sick van, we want to be able to fuel your next adventure wherever you are. The coffee culture is super interesting, and I love being a part of it, both as a barista and a lover of coffee, but oftentimes the experience is confined to a coffeehouse. We are breaking through that limitation, come get stoked with us!

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STOKED Mobile Takes Park City, Utah!

Posted by Claire Botsford-Allain on

On Thursday morning Claire and Devyn, STOKED ladies respectively, hit the road. Taking STOKED Mobile - the tricked out Sprinter van turned mobile coffee bar - on it's first ever road trip.

Claire's morning began with a cup of freshly brewed (and roasted) Winterstoke. The debut trip of the van could only begin with something symbolic of what was to happen: impending disaster until you look around and see the beauty that the storm created.

Devyn's morning got off to a very different start; she attempted to drag her over-sized Christmas tree into her house, attempting to wrestle it into a tree stand (alone), only to realize that 1) trees are very, very heavy, and 2) this specific tree was 5 inches too tall for the ceiling. The giant tree is still on the living room floor..lying on its side. Tis the season, hey! Thankfully, a cup of Super STOKE awaited her at headquarters, making the world seem alright again. If you've ever had coffee, butter and coconut oil blended together, you know that you feel infused with superhero powers afterwards.

Van loaded, mugs full, tunes ready, time to hit the road. Park City, prepare yourself to be taken by storm, the STOKED team is coming for you. But actually we were about to be taken by storm(s). We were running away from one storm that smacked Hood River with over a foot of snow and heading right into another storm that was covering Idaho and Utah with a thick white blanket.

With an overnight stop in Boise, ID, we were able to catch up with fellow coffee lovers and outdoor junkies alike. Boise is pretty cool and definitely underrated and we are stoked that it is so close to us right down the 84.

Oh, vanlife, how we love you so. Mistakes? Of course not! Going the wrong way? Definitely not on our agenda. But, like all travels big and small, there are hiccups along the way. We took some wrong turns, learned some lessons, are still confused about some things, but we made it to Park City in one piece, maybe we lost some sanity along the way but at least I have all my digits still.

Getting to Park City was just the beginning. You know about ice bergs, right? Ninety percent of their mass is beneath the surface. That's what this trip was like. Getting lost, maneuvering our behemoth van, bonding over sisterly talks. It all seems like gravy compared to getting ready for our debut event. Ever get ready to serve coffee on a heli pad while it's puking snow? Come back next week to see how it went. We are still in a daze about it, but in the best way possible.

Here's to the travels behind us and the travels that lie ahead of us, hope to catch a few of you on the way!

 

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Team STOKED Spotlight: Lindsay's Taking Off On Brazilian Wind

Posted by Devyn Sullivan on

Most of us are enduring the colder temperatures and torrential rain that an Oregon winter brings, while dreaming of warm, tropical beaches. But Team STOKED Ambassador Lindsay McClure is lucky enough to be living that dream. 
This badass lady boarded a Brazil-bound flight at the end of October in pursuit of high, steady wind and an endless summer. She found it.
This is what our Team Rider had to say about the her time in South America:

"There are a myriad of locations on this planet where we can kiteboard, but there’s only one Brazil. Right now, I’m lucky enough to be on the North Coast of Brazil with kiters from around the world. We’ve all come to kite our brains out and become more skilled, especially in freestyle. This is my second trip to Brazil, and I’m one month into my two month trip. One of the coolest things about being here is that every kiter I talk to understands that they are on the trip of a lifetime. 
To set the foundation, Brazil is the perfect place to kite because of the ceaseless wind. Without wind, nothing else matters. In Brazil this time of year, checking a forecast isn’t necessary because the wind blows every day. Along with a constant flow of wind, Brazil wins because the coastline is dotted with lagoons that provide perfect, little flatwater pockets. The surface on the water is consistent, so the takeoff and landing for each trick is the same every time. Training in Brazil can feel like a different sport, it’s almost like wakeboarding, because each attempt at each trick feels the same every time. 
The fantastic conditions in Brazil aren’t a secret. Because it’s so ideal, the whole world comes here, and the lagoons become crowded. However, the kiters in Brazil are good at sharing. Riders wait on the side of the lagoons while others do their tricks. Then, when we see an opening, we go for it. This atmosphere is helping me progress because I have the chance to watch everyone session, and they watch me. So, I feel motivated to push my limits. I don’t want to be taking up space in the lagoon if I’m not doing something rad. Not to mention that the other riders have been generous about offering helpful coaching advice. 
Which brings me to the next factor that makes Brazil the bees knees. Most of the best riders in the world are here right now. Watching world champions nail trick after trick helps me believe that anything is possible. The attitude among kiters in Brazil is all about progression - just going back and forth without trying to learn anything new isn’t acceptable here. 
With all these factors working in my favor, have I been checking off my goals? I’m making progress. A special thanks to STOKED for supplying me with my daily dose of Fallstoke, which adds even more perfection to the equation."
We're glad you're digging the Fallstoke, girl! ;)
I asked Lindsay a little more about the progress she's been making in Brazil and the improvement she's seen in her riding. 

 

"As far as learning new tricks and improving my skills, I’ve added new grabs to my tricks and become more comfortable passing the bar in the air."

 

We're admittedly jealous about Lindsay's rendezvous in paradise, but we can't wait to see the skills they've gained back in our blustery home this summer! Keep shredding, girl!

 

You can keep up with Lindsay's adventures by following her on Instagram @lindsaymcclure, and learn more about her work with World Class Kiteboard Academy on their website! 

 

 

(Photo credit: Lindsay McClure and Blaine Baker)
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ROADSIDE COFFEE: The Very Clever Dripper

Posted by Claire Botsford-Allain on

This edition of Roadside Coffee was curated on the road, where some turns take you to more corn fields, some to vast mountain ridges, and some to the completely avoidable miscalculation of an empty gas tank. Ever been driving for so long that you wonder when the next sign of civilization will be? The only reason you may wonder this is probably because the gas needle is cozying up next to "E," but otherwise the  scenery, the wind through the window, and the musing that goes along with any type of travel is quite enjoyable. With a lack of civilization though, comes a lack of good coffee, that is unless you brew your own.

Facing a twelve hour drive? Seven hour drive? Three hour drive? Regardless of how long your trip is, ask yourself what difference will a ten minute brew stop make? Time-wise, not a bit! Morale-wise, all the difference! Don't get that gas station sludge, unless you can actually stomach it, then go for the gold and cash in on the convenience of our modern age (that's what it's here for).

Seriously though, ten minutes is all it takes. A Jetboil can boil water faster than I can grind my beans and using a Clever Dripper will actually change your life. These clever brewing apparatuses are big enough to brew more than one cup if you're lucky enough to have a co-pilot and easy enough to use even when you're standing. They're actually easy enough to use when you've run out of gas in the middle of nowhere and your hands are so cold you can barely tell you still have fingers and the only good thing in this world is the cup of jo that you've brewed for yourself. That easy. Pretty impressive in my opinion.

 Gas off, coffee accessories out. I like to grind my beans first, seeing as my Jetboil has consistently beaten me every time no matter how fast I try to crank. If you're using a camp stove or other small backpacking apparatus for boiling water it will take a few minutes longer, go ahead and start that water now. If you're a fanatic about getting that paper taste out (I am admittedly so) do a quick rinse of the paper filter you've placed in the Clever Dripper, regular water works fine, and dump the water out over some thirsty plants. If you don't mind a bit of paper aroma in your coffee then carry right on, you little speedster. You'll want to have your Clever Dripper on a flat surface or you can hold the handle (if you set it on top of your mug it will let the water through). If you have your beans ground already then you're ahead of all of us, add those grounds to the Clever Dripper and once your hot water is ready pour it over the grounds. You can eyeball the amount of water, weigh it out if you have a scale handy, or measure it by volume before boiling. I find that brew times for darker roasts will be shorter, around 90 seconds and up to 2 minutes. Lighter roasts I like brewing for about 3 minutes. If I have a utensil handy I'll give it a stir at about one minute. Once time is up, place that Clever Dripper on top of whatever drinking vessel you have anointed as the chosen one and let it drip away. The coolest thing about the Clever Dripper? You can lift it up and it stops the drip, making sharing a full brew super easy. Talk about the age of convenience.

I'm a traveler and a coffee loving gadget geek, a mixture that is hard to combine heterogeneously at times. I like trying out different coffees with different brew methods, and some work better than others. I'm not just talking about the roast or type of coffee, but also the kinds of situations you will find yourself in. Travelling always calls for adaptability and flexibility and learning to adapt your brew method can make your trip better in many ways. While you CAN bring your ceramic V60, there may be a better option for your travelling needs. The Clever Dripper is awesome for road trips, train trips, trips where you have space, but want something lightweight and easy to use wherever. You could probably even take it backpacking and just loop it onto the outside of your pack, it sure is light enough, but an Aeropress or instant coffee (STOKED STIX anyone?) may be a better option. Join us next time for another perusal into the world of brewing everywhere.

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