Brewed for Cyclists: Lachlan Morton’s Instant Coffee Raises the Bar for On-the-Go Energy

Written by Jeremy Benson

If you’ve been following road or gravel cycling in recent years, then Lachlan Morton needs no introduction. The Australian cyclist originally made a name for himself as a professional road racer before charting his own path of endurance challenges and gravel racing. From an Eversting World Record, his own “Alt Tour,” a record-setting lap around Australia, a 1st place finish at Unbound gravel in 2024, and many, many more impressive accomplishments, Morton clearly enjoys riding a bike, and he’s obviously pretty darn good at it, too.

What many people may not know is that Morton is the CEO of a small company called Pretty Great Instant, which makes and sells instant coffee. Morton and his business partners came together “in 2020 through a shared love of coffee and adventure,” with the stated goal of “creating the best instant coffee in the world.” The brand is based in Sacramento, CA, near Morton’s current home in the California foothills.

Pretty Great Instant claims to use only high-quality, single-origin beans responsibly sourced from small farms around the world. Those beans are roasted in-house and then brewed into espresso in small batches. The coffee is then freeze-dried “using the most innovative technology available to carefully preserve the flavor,” then portioned and packed for shipping to adventurers the world over.

I’ve been hearing about Pretty Great Instant for years, but have never had a chance to try it. Until the other day, while wandering around at Sea Otter. I was checking out some new tires and the Neuhaus NOVA32 on display in the Vittoria tires booth when I noticed that Pretty Great Instant was on hand, providing free samples of both hot and cold coffee. Morton’s wife, Rachel, was happy to chat about the product, pour me a cup of cold brew, and even send me packing with a few samples to enjoy later.

Given that most instant coffee has traditionally tasted like absolute garbage, I generally avoid it at all costs and only drink it in a pinch. So, I was pleasantly surprised when the Brazil cold brew in my hand actually tasted like real, good coffee. Rachel informed me that this variety was specifically made for cold brewing with a lighter roast, less acidic taste, and balanced flavor. But it can also be enjoyed hot, as with all of Pretty Great Instant’s coffees.

I was lucky to bring five-packs of the Guatemala and Brazil Instant coffees home with me, and I’ve tried them both hot and cold. To be honest, they are both pretty great either way, but I prefer the slightly bolder flavor of the medium-roast Guatemala hot and the lighter-roast Brazil as a cold brew. Regardless, Pretty Great Instant blows every other instant coffee I’ve ever tried out of the water. It tastes like regular, high-quality coffee, and it’s so easy to make that it almost hurts.

I’m glad I finally got the chance to try it, because now I’ll absolutely be buying more for my upcoming summer adventures. I won’t be setting any ultra-distance world records like Morton, but this will undoubtedly make my morning coffee routine in my truck camper a heck of a lot easier, faster, and less messy. So, whether you’re bikepacking, backpacking, camping for a weekend bike race, or whatever other adventure that requires coffee, I recommend checking out Pretty Great Instant. It’s super easy to make, and it actually tastes pretty great.

Currently, Pretty Great Instant has Guatemala and Brazil varieties as well as Brazil Decaf for sale on their website. They sell their coffee in five-serving boxes for $15, or get the sampler (one box of each variety) for $25. The “30 Day Bag” has 30 servings for $45 and is undoubtedly the best deal. You can also become a subscriber and receive a 30 Day Bag every 15 or 30 days, and save 10% each time.

Check it out at itsprettygreat.com

Follow on Instagram @prettygreatinstant

Written by Jeremy Benson