Introducing Battle of The Brews

It all started last summer on the BioLite team’s annual camping trip.

During a group hike, we started playing Would You Rather... and someone chimed in with a brutal choice: Okay, you can only have ONE: sunrise campsite coffee or summit beer?

Six months later and the team debate rages on.

We think it’s high time to settle it once and for all – and that’s where you come in. Just in case college basketball isn’t enough for ya this March, we’re rolling out our own bracketed battle royale, outdoors style:

10 Microbreweries.
10 Coffee Roasters.
1 Outdoor Champion.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Welcome to Battle of The Brews.

Here’s how it’s going to go down: for the next two weeks we’re going to host a daily matchup across Instagram and Facebook and YOU get to vote on who should move forward. Eventually we’ll land on ONE Roaster and ONE Brewery for the ultimate showdown. Along the way, you’ll discover some awesome folks making amazing brews that keep our spirits lifted on the trail so it’s ultimately a win-win for all of us.

In true March Madness style, we’ll ask you to make your predictions for the chance to win big. Instead of a crazy bracket, we’re just asking for 2 glimpses into the future:

1) Coffee Or Beer?
2) Ultimate Winner.

What’s in it for you? Guess the correct roaster or brewer and you’ll be entered to win the grand prize - a BioLite CampStove Bundle with CoffeePress and StickSnapper. Even if your brand goes out during the first round you can still win! Everyone who guesses the winning side correctly will be entered to win a $20 gift card to the BioLite shop.

May The Brews Forever Be In Your Favor.

Not sure what or who to pick? Well, as we said, this debate has been going on here for a while and has extended into our broader network; to get you started, here’s a quick rundown from some athletes and adventurers who have already weighed in:

“Rather than carrying the weight of a beer, I like to bring a small Hydroflask filled with coffee for the climb. While everyone else is trying to unfreeze their camelback tube on an early morning ascent, I’m warm from the inside out!” ~ Julie, Mountain Guide, Rare Earth Adventures.

"BEER! It hydrates better, it decreases in weight as you go. Provides more efficient energy-calories than coffee." ~ Amin, Backpacker & Boulder.

“How do you climb a mountain? One step at a time. And what powers those first steps? A morning coffee. As nice as a summit beer sounds, you have to get to the top first. No one's goal is to get halfway up Everest or to the middle of the Dawn Wall. The morning coffee will get you all the way!” ~ Beau, Endeavor Challenge.

“Beer is the reward I work for when shredding outside and connecting with people in the outdoors." ~ Griffin, Climber & Operations Manager, Brooklyn Boulders.

“Throughout my years working as a guide and instructor I'd have to say coffee. Waking up early before my group, making and enjoy a cup of coffee is generally how I charge my battery. I also find having a hot pot waiting for my fellow guides as they rise helps with morale." ~ Alexander, River Rafting Guide.

A Recap:

• Welcome to Battle of The Brews!
• Place your 2 Big Predictions here
• Join us daily on Facebook and Instagram to vote for the matchups
• Battle Ends March 30th

Get to Know the Brewers and Roasters:

Microbreweries

• Avery Brewing (Boulder, CO)
• Brooklyn Brewery (Brooklyn, NY)
• Boulevard Brewing (Kansas City, MO)
• Deschutes Brewery (Bend, OR)
• Flying Tiger Brewery (Monroe, LA)
• 4 Hands Brewing (St. Louis, MO)
• Great Northern Brewing Company (Whitefish, MT)
• Half Acre Beer (Chicago, IL)
• Redhook Brewery (Seattle, WA)
• Uinta Brewing (Salt Lake City, UT)

Coffee Roasters

• Bluestone Lane (NY, NY)
• Counter Culture Coffee (Durham, NC)
• Crimson Cup (Columbus, OH)
• Dark Matter Coffee (Chicago, IL)
• Kuju Coffee (San Francisco, CA)
• Intelligentsia (Chicago, IL)
• Ozo Coffee (Boulder, CO)
• Rook Coffee (Oakhurst, NJ)
• Ruby Coffee Roasters (Nelsonville, WI)
• Thou Mayest Coffee Roasters (Kansas City, MO)

New to BioLite? Hello! We're glad you're here.

We're talking morning coffee and summit beer because we love the outdoors: we make gear that can cook, charge, and light your adventures outside and away from an outlet. Every purchase the the BioLite shop helps us bring clean energy and cooking to families living off-grid in sub-Saharan Africa. You can learn more about our mission here.