Post your camp coffee setup

[Mike_rupp]

Like most addicts, coffee has to be done right or I am going to have a bad day.

When most people leave the friendly confines of their home, they can get into a panic when dealing with what food they will eat. I get that way with coffee. Even when I go to a hotel room, I'll bring my hand grinder, French press, hot pot, and coffee beans from home.

I can't imagine a worse start to a day than drinking that crapola that you get in hotel rooms.

 

[Hill Bill E.]

Like most addicts, coffee has to be done right or I am going to have a bad day.

.....I can't imagine a worse start to a day than drinking that crapola that you get in hotel rooms.

I've actually thought of carrying my coffee stuff with me in town!

There are only 2 places in my hometown I will get coffee from (a city of 80,000 people)

Problem this time of year, is the water will freeze:snorkel:

I have been known to bring my thermos to the place near my house that has great coffee, and fill it for the day of running around:elkgrin:


But I really enjoy it fresh, really fresh! I think the aroma of it brewing is half of the addiction:coffeedrink:

 

[lamontagne]

I just use a GSI french-press and whatever means of heating water.

True story,
I was camping in the outskirts of Sedona for a mountain bike weekend. So I've got the tailgate down and the Coleman fired up to make some coffee and eggs when one of my friends says "Hey, that ballon is really low...and coming our way!"
I look up and say "Wow, sure is. Must have awefully cold up there in that basket" and started to pour the water into the press and tending to my eggs.

A moment later, I hear a crashing sound, my friends are yelling and look over to see the ballon is bouncing and sliding down a small hill, about to crash into my truck! :Wow1:

Well the basket missed my truck by about 3 feet! Coming to rest (on its side) right next to my truck. The pilot and 3 passengers stumble out, shaken, but unhurt and upon seeing me standing there (eyes wide, mouth agape, thinking to my self "how would I explain to my insurance agent that I got rear ended by a HOT AIR BALLON!") holding the coffee press. The first thing they said, almost in unision "I will give ANYTHING for a cup of that coffee!"

Well, the eggs got burnt and tossed, but I had enough coffee to calm everyone down and I have a hell of a story! :coffeedrink:

 

[MrsRedline]

Proximity is important

I find that the best cup of camp coffee relates to the proximity of Spressomon's camp site to ours. Best cappuccino I have ever had, city or backwoods :coffeedrink:

I also find that if I linger long enough in my sleeping bag sometimes Redline, either out of pity or as desperate gesture to get me moving so he can close up the tent, will bring me a hot cup of instant (Via or General Foods).

 

[tdesanto]

I can't imagine a worse start to a day than drinking that crapola that you get in hotel rooms.

You hit the nail on the head here.

 

[tdesanto]

I find that the best cup of camp coffee relates to the proximity of Spressomon's camp site to ours. Best cappuccino I have ever had, city or backwoods :coffeedrink:

I have a feeling that there's a lot of truth in that statement.

 

[matt s]

I like a press, as long as it's someone else's. Too messy for me. Dealing with the sludge is a minor pain.

My self I simply love drip coffee at home or out and about. So for me I grind at home and use one of the cones that fits over my thermos. Filter goes in the fire, or trash depending on the situation. Quick, clean and easy.

Like the others, my friends don't even bother to worry about the coffee, they know I am such a coffee snob that I will bring plenty of the good stuff and all the fixings. It's what I pack first.

 

[Fireman78]

I just use a GSI french-press and whatever means of heating water.

True story,
I was camping in the outskirts of Sedona for a mountain bike weekend. So I've got the tailgate down and the Coleman fired up to make some coffee and eggs when one of my friends says "Hey, that ballon is really low...and coming our way!"
I look up and say "Wow, sure is. Must have awefully cold up there in that basket" and started to pour the water into the press and tending to my eggs.

A moment later, I hear a crashing sound, my friends are yelling and look over to see the ballon is bouncing and sliding down a small hill, about to crash into my truck! :Wow1:

Well the basket missed my truck by about 3 feet! Coming to rest (on its side) right next to my truck. The pilot and 3 passengers stumble out, shaken, but unhurt and upon seeing me standing there (eyes wide, mouth agape, thinking to my self "how would I explain to my insurance agent that I got rear ended by a HOT AIR BALLON!") holding the coffee press. The first thing they said, almost in unision "I will give ANYTHING for a cup of that coffee!"

Well, the eggs got burnt and tossed, but I had enough coffee to calm everyone down and I have a hell of a story! :coffeedrink:

I had almost the same experiance happen to my family and I west of Rio Rancho during the ABQ Ballon Fiesta..... except we had no coffee..

 

[slus]

Nothing advanced here, Yuban coffee out of a percolator that was either my dads or grandpas.

 

[bajajoaquin]

I know, that's a lot of crap to support one plain ol' stainless steel percolator.

Having seen the Bodum presses, I'll probably get one of those. My girlfriend really doesn't like the interaction of plastic and hot water, so we didn't want to use the presses we've seen with plastic filters. Now that I've tracked down one that's just glass and stainless, I'll move to that.

Well, two of them: one for home, and one for the camp box!

 

[goodtimes]

Bodum makes a nice all-stainless french press -- part of their 'Columbia' series, I believe. I have one of the double walled versions, and can attest to it's quality and durability. Drop a glass press on a rock and the results are predictable (not that I've ever done something like that :snorkel: ). The all steel press takes care of that issue.

We use it at home and in camp (among other methods -- all depending on how we feel).

 

[Herbie]

I didn't develop a taste for coffee until really late (relatively) in life. Aside from the occasional finals-push in college where I would drink whatever was available purely for the chemical effect, I didn't get into regular coffee drinking until I was in my 30's, and by then the only coffee I had sampled with any regularity was the Vietnamese-style stuff (Ca Phe Sua Da) that is popular at all of the local Pho' houses here in SoCal.

As such, that is the way I prefer my coffee now, and fortunately it is very camp-compatible. It's a one-cup drip system with a twist (the grounds are slightly compressed in the brewer, making the brew slower than a normal drip system, resulting in something closer to espresso-tasting). Filter-cups like these can be had in any asian market for a couple of bucks: [ame="http://www.amazon.com/VIETNAMESE-STAINLESS-SINGLE-REGULAR-SHIPPING/dp/B003A7MH9M"]Amazon.com: VIETNAMESE SINGLE CUP COFFEE FILTER [/ame]


The other trick to getting proper Vietnamese-style coffee is to use Coffee with Chicory, either Cafe du Monde or French Market are my favorites. Here is an overview that pretty much matches the method I use:
http://www.hungryhuy.com/recipes/vietnamese-coffee-recipe-cafe-sua-da-recipe/

Dealing with Sweetened Condensed Milk in a can used to be the only chore of it, but the "Ethnic Foods" section of my local Vons is now stocking "La Lechera" brand that comes in a squeeze tube which makes everything painless, especially since I got my Edgestar fridge for the camper.

The bad news? My wife still prefers regular drip-method, so I'm still experimenting with various tools to find the easiest/most-compact way to make her happy.

 

[jdlcruiser]

Grounds

I think when it comes to the press and left over grounds we are missing the mark. At home I usually rinse the press out with a little cold water and toss on the yard or compost, possibly flowers/ garden. A friend that works in a coffee shop gives me spent grounds for my compost. I doubt it will hurt the ground or campsite if spread with discretion. Of course it is non-native, burnt carcinogen with no natural predator so be considerate.

Coffee fan most of my life. Stunt my growth was uttered long before I was allowed to drink it and even then more milk and sugar than coffee.

Hard to beat a French Press, glad to find out that Bodum has a SS option. Have tried Bialetti http://www.google.com/products/cata...ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CEQQ8wIwAg#ps-sellers,
very trick and smooth. Also have a Miletta with a Gold Filter, super simple and probably most used for me. Cant get over the simplicity and universality of the wisperlite internationals for heat. There are faster ones and simpler ones that are pretty sexy as well. Pre-brewing some cold press at home for warm weather stuff is handy. I dig the Zassenhaus Hand Mill mentioned earlier.

At home I have a Sauk Mountain Pottery mug http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sauk-Mountain-Pottery/147726798576231 that fits my hand perfectly and holds quite a cup. On my bike a locking flip top Nissan SS http://baldmountaincoffee.com/page/BMCC/PROD/Sports_Bottle/00002362 that stays dry in my bag or pack. Four wheels, an old Poison Spider Cycles of Moab UT double wall steel ([ame]http://www.amazon.com/Planetary-Design-Commuter-Double-Shot-Stainless/dp/B00064GSVA/ref=cm_cmu_pg__header Customer Image Gallery for Planetary Design Commuter Double-Shot Stainless Steel French Press Mug, Black). With both a press and somewhat sealed lid but prefer no lid and rarely use the press option other that for tea. A plethora of steel thermos with a multitude of opening and closing options as well as the standard broken top Stanley with a cork http://www.shopstanley-pmi.com/detail/TCL+10%2D01254%2D001[/ame] .

When it comes to grounds most roasters will tell you that you only get about 15 days of fresh out of roasted beans. Which does not say much for my Dag Instant that has been in my camp box for better than eight years. Yum. But, that lends to the local roaster. I like to try different stuff while I am out to support the local economies. Most will grind it for you if needed and like to get their stuff out. When you are on a trip sometimes you can make it in during their non hectic times and actually converse with the owners/ roasters/ barristas for some local spots and fun.

I spent a lot of time in the AK bush working for the BLM and backwoods lower 48 for the USFS and NPS and the simplest brew is Cowboy. Takes a heatable vessel, a heat source and a stick or cold water. Boil water with grounds in. As it boils over remove from heat. Stir the grounds down with the stick or add a bit of cold water so the grounds "fall" out of the drink. Serve and Chew.

 

[Tim A]

Having seen the Bodum presses, I'll probably get one of those. My girlfriend really doesn't like the interaction of plastic and hot water, so we didn't want to use the presses we've seen with plastic filters. Now that I've tracked down one that's just glass and stainless, I'll move to that.

Well, two of them: one for home, and one for the camp box!

For camping, or even home use, I'd definitely recommend an all stainless press like the Frieling. Then again, I'm clumsy :ylsmoke:

 

[DarthBeaver]

One part hot water, one part Starbucks VIA = happy camper :wings: