Campsite Coffee

[Garnett]

How do you brew your coffee when out and about?

We're not hardcore campers, but we go campsite camping with the family a few times each year. This year one site only had electric-hook-up spaces left, so we took full advantage and took the Nespresso machine. At home, we've used semi-decent espresso machines, and moka pots before ending up with the Nespresso machine out of sheer convenience.

The recent camping trip got me wondering about coffee when we're back to camping without power. What do other campers do?

I always manage to burn the milk, so I've bought a disc of copper to act as a diffuser, and I'm waiting for a copper-bottomed milk pan to arrive which may or may not be too heavy/bulky to take with us, but we not that strapped for space/weight. Hopefully that's the milk problem sorted.

I'm tempted to give a Moka pot another try. I find the flavour can be a bit too fruity for my liking, and the coffee is normally rocket fuel in terms of the caffeine levels, but I think that's just because I have too much.

I'm tempted by the handheld Wacaco espresso makers, but I had one of the early models and it broke almost immediately. I've no doubt they've sorted out a lot of the issues, but it is also a faff. Often I'm making coffee for others, and making multiple shots is laborious.

I'm interested to hear what others do.

 

[Suffolkrafter]

Hello. My preferred method:
Simmer ground coffee in a pan of water (the narrower the better) for couple of minutes or so. Take off heat. Add a slug of cold water; this drives the coffee grounds straight to the bottom of the pan. I then decant the coffee into a mug.
Unless I have microwave I don't bother heating milk, but then I don't have much milk in my coffee so it doesn't cool it down too much.
I use this method camping, but also when on holiday and faced with the nightmare of not having access to an espresso machine or similar.

 

[oldtimer]

I drink only freshly ground filtered coffee at home. I am very fussy about the variety and roast of the beans.

When travelling and camping I use a good quality instant coffee and regard it as a dirrent beverage.

Without wishing to appear rude, I wonder if having such a reliance on technology for a drink means that camping is really for you.

 

[slowworm]

At home we use ground coffee and a paper coffee filter in one of those cheap plastic filter holders. I can't see that being too much trouble to take camping if you're happy to lug a machine about. Or a fine tea strainer. You can then either boil the coffee in a pan (wrong) or add boiling water to the coffee in a pan (right), wait for a while and then filter into cups.

 

[Broch]

This is very subjective TBH; I can't stand the taste of boiled/simmered coffee. For me it's an Italian roast (strength 4) made strong with boiling water over the top (ideal temperature I am told is 98C). Left only for two minutes at the most - this extracts all the caramels/sugars and tasty oils from the beans without the bitters and produces a nice crema.

At home I make it in a cafetiere and I do have a travel one that lives in the Landy - but in camp, it's a desert spoon of fresh ground coffee in the mug, boiling water poured over it, stirred and left for 1 to 2 minutes. Then wipe over the surface with a cold spoon and the majority of the grounds sink to the bottom - simples.

I hate to see the 'swinging the billy by the handle' method; that's just a recipe for a boiling water accident IMO and don't allow it in my camp.

 

[Garnett]

Hello. My preferred method:
Simmer ground coffee in a pan of water (the narrower the better) for couple of minutes or so. Take off heat. Add a slug of cold water; this drives the coffee grounds straight to the bottom of the pan. I then decant the coffee into a mug.
Unless I have microwave I don't bother heating milk, but then I don't have much milk in my coffee so it doesn't cool it down too much.
I use this method camping, but also when on holiday and faced with the nightmare of not having access to an espresso machine or similar.

Thanks. I might need to give that a try. Currently, I'm looking at how close I can get to what we have at home.

I drink only freshly ground filtered coffee at home. I am very fussy about the variety and roast of the beans.

When travelling and camping I use a good quality instant coffee and regard it as a dirrent beverage.

Without wishing to appear rude, I wonder if having such a reliance on technology for a drink means that camping is really for you.

It's a Moka pot and a pan. Hardly cutting-edge. Without wishing to appear rude, if that technology is beyond you, I wonder if the last century is really for you.

At home we use ground coffee and a paper coffee filter in one of those cheap plastic filter holders. I can't see that being too much trouble to take camping if you're happy to lug a machine about. Or a fine tea strainer. You can then either boil the coffee in a pan (wrong) or add boiling water to the coffee in a pan (right), wait for a while and then filter into cups.

Another method I might need to try. Thanks.

 

[Buckshot]

I use an aeropress

 

[Suffolkrafter]

I'm tempted to look into trying Greek or Turkish coffee. I believe they leave the grounds in place, and make it in a tiny pot. That's about as much as I know.

 

[Sebc]

I'm a weird coffee person and at home I pretty much only drink light roast fresh ground v60 pourover or aeropress
When I'm out I'll either grind at home or bring a grinder. Sometimes I'll bring an earopress or ill bring water to the boil take it off put in my ground coffee, typically finely ground. Leave it for 2-4 min then filter or drink carefully to avoid grinds.
I find somehow this actually takes pretty good with good coffee.
Boiling typical dark roast coffee just seams like it'll make a super bitter over extracted cup.

 

[Nice65]

Sure we’ve had a few coffee threads here recently. I’ll have a look later.

 

[SaraR]

How do you brew your coffee when out and about?

We're not hardcore campers, but we go campsite camping with the family a few times each year. This year one site only had electric-hook-up spaces left, so we took full advantage and took the Nespresso machine. At home, we've used semi-decent espresso machines, and moka pots before ending up with the Nespresso machine out of sheer convenience.

The recent camping trip got me wondering about coffee when we're back to camping without power. What do other campers do?

I always manage to burn the milk, so I've bought a disc of copper to act as a diffuser, and I'm waiting for a copper-bottomed milk pan to arrive which may or may not be too heavy/bulky to take with us, but we not that strapped for space/weight. Hopefully that's the milk problem sorted.

I'm tempted to give a Moka pot another try. I find the flavour can be a bit too fruity for my liking, and the coffee is normally rocket fuel in terms of the caffeine levels, but I think that's just because I have too much.

I'm tempted by the handheld Wacaco espresso makers, but I had one of the early models and it broke almost immediately. I've no doubt they've sorted out a lot of the issues, but it is also a faff. Often I'm making coffee for others, and making multiple shots is laborious.

I'm interested to hear what others do.

I used to do filter coffee at home and just did the same if car camping (straight into an insulated flask), but since I need milk in my coffee but drink tea black, I tend to just do tea when camping. I have used French presses (easy but you need to avoid the slurry at the bottom and the volume is too small) and moka pots (faffy if you need more than one volume).

In work, I’ve settled for a Finum brewing basket with a fine mesh that I use for coffee and it’s super simple! Add ground coffee, pour on hot water and let steep for 4 minutes. Easy to adjust the volume, easy to clean and can be used for another cup straight away - and very cheap too! I really recommend it!

I prefer filter coffee to espresso based coffee, but if you’re the other way around perhaps a moka pot is the easiest way to achieve that?

 

[crosslandkelly]

Search results for query: coffee

bushcraftuk.com

 

[Herman30]

I brew my coffe excactly the same way at home as outside = french press. Also grind my beans myself.
Only the brewing equipment differs. At home I have french press made of glass and the one for outside use is made of titanium. At home I boil the water in an electric kettle, outside on gas or alcohol stove.

 

[Stew]

I use an aeropress

This is the way.

 

[EdS]

With rum

 

[Mesquite]

I use a Bodum two part coffee filter similar to this

Sadly they discontinued it a few years ago but I do know I paid a lot less for it than the Amazon one. It makes a great coffee and is easy to use and store.

 

[MartinK9]

 

[bearbait]

I, like others above, use an Aeropress for my coffee (consumed black), using the same one at home and when out day hiking or camping. I use a Caldera Ti-Tri when hiking to boil my water, and other heavier stoves for base camp, etc., e.g. Firebox Stove, Primus Omnifuel, etc. Even an open fire on occasion!

 

[demographic]

I have a small stainless steel French press and just take ground coffee.
There's a faff versus reward equation and its got limits.

 

[Muddy Boots]

I’m watching this thread with quite a degree of interest having recently been reintroduced to the joys of Nescafé 2 in 1 coffee at the weekend.
In 15 years that stuff is still as grim as I remember it. It’s like drinking aeroplane coffee without the nice holiday at the end of it.