off the beaten path coffee solutions

[Greggk]

I am in need of a coffee maker for camping. I am thinking of a coffee perkalator. of a 14 cup vartiety.

now who has experience using these on a campfire?

how much coffee grinds should i use, how exactly do i use it? I am not going to go another camping trip without coffee... i think my kids will kill me if i do!

 

[048642]

French Press

If you can boil water, just use a french press...simple, cheap, pretty much failsafe. Well failsafe is not the right word since most of them are made of glass, but I've successfully used them for years.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_press

 

[IdaSHO]

I use a french press.

I also take my hand grinder, and grind just enough for each day.

Im so addicted to FRESH ground + french press it isnt funny. :coffeedrink:

 

[Gooseberry]

Not sure if i picked it up from REI or who but I have a lexan French press in the van and two stove top expresso makers. well maybe three when the wife goes cause she likes her 10 cup unit as apposed to my 6.
http://www.bialettishop.com/EspressoMakerMainPageStainlessSteel.htm

If you can boil water, just use a french press...simple, cheap, pretty much failsafe. Well failsafe is not the right word since most of them are made of glass, but I've successfully used them for years.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_press

 

[Honu]

This thread has good info also

http://expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=55253

 

[dwh]

I've had one of the big blue enamel percolators for decades. I don't use it much, and when I do I mainly use it for boiling water, rarely for making coffee since I'm rarely in a large group.

Most of the time, I use one like this:

(You don't have to make espresso with it, you can use less grounds and make a more "normal strength" coffee. They make larger ones as well, but when they say "6 cups" they mean "6 2-ounce cups of espresso", i.e., 12 ounces.)


http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&...fVnsnzBQ&ved=0CKwBENsLKAAwCg&biw=1366&bih=622


The first problem with a regular percolator is that it will keep on percolating. As long as there is enough heat to boil, it will continue to recycle the coffee up through the grounds until you've got a nice pot of mud. The second problem, using it on an open fire - is that you can burn the coffee very easily. You really gotta keep your eye on that thing if you want a decent pot of coffee. Takes a little practice to get it right, and even so it's not absolutely consistent from pot to pot. Every morning is a new adventure in "hoping to get it right this time".


With the Italian style percolator, the water starts in the bottom compartment, and ends up in the top compartment as coffee. Once through the grounds and that's it, doesn't recycle the coffee back through again. Also, you won't burn the coffee since it doesn't sit on top of the fire - once it percs, it's up on top.


In any case, I don't make coffee on a "camp fire". I either pull aside a bed of coals to set the pot on, or make a small cooking fire. Big fires are great for wieners and marshmallows and keeping the snarks away, not great for cooking.

 

[Spectyr]

I use a big 20 cup percolator I got from Canadian Tire. Cost was around $30 Canadian and it has never failed to brew up an amazing pot. I use mine on both the stove and fire. Usually use the stove to do the initial boiling as the fire can take a while to boil that much water. As for how much coffee to put in, I found it to be a bit of trial and error. Just do some experimenting...if it's too weak, add a bit more coffee and let it perk some more...


Good luck and happy brewing..

 

[Lemsteraak]

I agree with DWW that the little Italian espresso makers are a great for camping. My brother in law has a small one cup one that he takes everywhere in the back country.

One question, I would love to carry roasted beans and grind them. Does anyone know of a small hand operated coffee bean grinder that works well? I think half of having gourmet coffee is having freshly ground coffee.

Rich

 

[squeegee_boy]

I use one of these:

http://www.epicureselections.com/en/products/cookware/tea-coffee/6450/insulated-french-coffee-press/


It's not cheap, but my wife got one for ~$20 after hosting a successful Epicure party (think Tupperware but with herbs and spices). It's built like a tank and works great.

Robyn

 

[Ala5ka]

I use a stainless steel CSI percolator, two big cups perfect.

 

[chasingdreams]

I use the folgers "singles". They look like tea bags. Whether I want 1 cup or 10 cups,..... just add hot water and I'm good to go. I use to use a few of the folgers "coffee pods" in my perculator. I switched to the singles because I can heat a small amount of water really fast and there isn't a coffee pot to clean.

 

[refried]

I like a percolator best, simple and easy to make lots of coffee. When it's strong enough, move it off the heat and keep it warm. I've used the Folgers bags when kayaking solo and they work pretty good if your only making a cup at a time. I also have an Aeropress but it seems like it's a lot more work than using the percolator.

 

[Greggk]

so what is going to be the easiest solution for me? i'm half retarded about learning new things anymore... so what can i do while cmping to give me a good cup of coffee?

my wife said she found some new contraption that you put hot water in, turn it upside down for a few minutes and turn it back ovr and has a cup of coffee made for you.... IDK

 

[Stainless_EP]

This might sound pretty stupid to some of the wilderness gourmands on this site, but I just boil my coffee in a tea ball.

I read somewhere that some coffee traditionalists like the additional bean oils that emerge when you boil the grounds directly instead of just pressing them or dripping water through. I tried it at home and it really was a much fuller taste and kind of... creamy, I guess... so I took it on the road. Yeah, there is the odd ground in the finished product, but it's camping. It's also much smaller to lug around and takes up less precious table space out there.

S

 

[Dowry]

When we need 4 cups in the camper, it's the French press.

When I'm by myself car camping (I mean on an expedition) I use a Big Sky Bistro press to make 2 cups.
(http://gearx.com/planetary-designs-big-sky-bistro-french-press-2011-16.html?feed=5_Base_57061)
It has the advantage of being compact, unbreakable plastic, and insulated, so the coffee doesn't cool before it's done brewing.

And when I'm in a hurry and want the ultimate convenience, the Starbucks Via packets are even faster and easier to prep and make less trash (and better coffee, IMHO) than Folgers coffee singles.

D