The Origin of Alpenglow
“I take a step forward, and the magic of the backcountry surrounds me. The absence of noise is a stark contrast to the hustle and bustle of everyday life, and it's a welcome relief. I look around and take in the beauty of the natural world. I take a sip of Alpenglow Coffee, feel a sense of peace, and I know that I am exactly where I need to be.”
Two friends had an idea to bring a dream to life in the most unlikely of places – the backcountry. Alpenglow founders Cheyenne and Brigit's paths crossed while working as backpacking guides for Colorado Non-Profit, Women’s Wilderness. As mountain guides and years of tackling trails and spending time in the great outdoors, Cheyenne and Brigit realized the importance of starting your day with a cup of hot coffee. Unfortunately, the single-serve, instant coffee options available weren't up to a eco-conscious coffee lover's standards—bitter and mostly made of single-use plastics, and traditional roasting methods weren’t feasible due to the limited space and weight. .
So the question stood: How can you sustainably bring fresh, quality coffee to the backcountry? With that, Alpenglow was born.
After months of research, development, and testing, the steeped method emerged as a superior backcountry coffee brewing technique. What is steeped coffee? Put simply, steeped coffee is a process of steeping ground coffee beans in hot water for several minutes. The result is a flavorful cup of coffee that is full of body and complexity. One of the biggest benefits of steeped coffee is that it is incredibly simple to make. All you need is ground coffee beans and hot water. Another great thing about steeped coffee is that it is extremely customizable. You can adjust the strength of your brew by changing the amount of coffee used, the length of time it is steeped, and the temperature of the water. This allows you to tailor the flavor of your coffee to your own personal tastes.
Cheyenne and Brigit developed the first blend of Alpenglow Coffee, a medium roast called “The Wasatch Blend,” inspired by the Wasatch Mountains of Utah. Their commitment to sustainability and their passion for outdoor exploration fueled their mission to make quality, sustainable coffee, accessible to everyone in the backcountry and beyond.
Aside from their own business model, Cheyenne and Brigit value the important work that is already being done on the ground and in doing so, donates a portion of every purchase to organizations that share a similar vision – grounded in climate justice, conservation efforts and equity in the outdoors.
Alpenglow has come a long way since Cheyenne and Brigit first had the idea to bring fresh coffee to the backcountry. Now, their coffee can be found in local retail stores, festivals and online.
From the mountain tops, to the slopes, the long road trips to the quick coffee sips ~ Where will Alpenglow take you?
