Roaring Fork’s own push boundaries of adventure fuel

If you ask Bar Bruhis what his go-to meal is while biking from Aspen to Crested Butte or backcountry skiing in Marble, it’s couscous. Or, more specifically, Boostcous.

Boostcous, the brain child of best friends and local adventurers Bruhis and Brian Gallagher, is a new, protein-enriched couscous brand that’s designed as a “better-for-you alternative” to pasta and rice. It’s already gone viral on the platform X since launching.

Bruhis, who was born in Israel, has been eating couscous his whole life. After moving to the Roaring Fork Valley about five years ago, he met Gallagher through biking, and the two eventually realized their need for a quick, nutritious recovery meal after their long outdoor adventures.

“We’d finish a ride or a backcountry ski and want something fast that wasn’t just another bar or shake,” Bruhis said. “We realized there wasn’t a clean, quick-to-make, high-protein grain option out there — so we decided to make one.”

Boostcous, which cooks in five minutes, boasts 46g of protein and 13g of fiber per box. It’s also gluten-free and has been personally tested by both Bruhis and Gallagher on trips that range from 10th Mountain Division huts to the Grand Canyon.

As it currently stands, Boostcous has debuted with an OG Flavor, but several additional varieties are coming soon. Those flavors include Thai Coconut Curry, Chili Crunch, and more.

“We have some ideas for really fun flavors and have already started to experiment with them,” Bruhis said. “The idea is to try to get it into people’s hands and get user feedback, and have consumers vote on what the next flavors should be.”

He is also hoping to eventually expand the product line from couscous to include other grains that could be “boosted.”

“Boostcous is the first of many products,” he said.

Boostcous can be eaten hot or cold, served on its own, or used as part of a larger meal for post-adventure recovery. Shipping is available nationwide, or locals can pick up in Carbondale at 786 Colorado Ave. Orders can be placed at boostcous.com.

“The entire idea is to start small, keep it local, and continue to build presence from there,” Bruhis said.