Recipe Request - Camping Coffee


 
Tommy B

Tommy B

TVWBB Pro
For you campers/outdoors-men: How do you make your coffee in the great outdoors? What gear do you use and what is your technique?

I am planning a trip to Guadalupe Mountains National Park to tackle Guadalupe Peak (The tallest peak in Texas). The mountains are in the desert and wood AND charcoal fires are not allowed year round due to the area being so dry. I will be bringing a little weber go anywhere propane grill. I know most camping trips you cook the coffee on a fire but I figure the propane grill could be used in a pinch like this.
 
Starbucks Via is a cheater way - has sweetened & black versions.... just shake it in a bottle of water :)

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I went camping a couple weeks ago & took a 32 oz container of drip from home... I have several contraptions for brewing coffee but drip is generally my favorite (percolator, espresso, mocha pot, french press), but change is good. The last percolator I got has a plastic bubble on top. You might be able to find a nice or beat up percolator...

My french press is made of stainless instead of the typical glass - that might be a good option.
 
"Back in the day", I used instant coffee. It was awful, but served its purpose. Then I 'graduated' and I would brew coffee ahead of time, cool it, then keep it in Nalgene containers in the cooler. When needed, all we had to do was heat it up. It wasn't great that way, but it wasn't bad. Nowadays, I do as Clint mentioned and use Via packets. Just heat the water, mix and drink. I do keep a little half and half in the cooler, but otherwise, the Via makes a pretty good cup of coffee.

A stainless steel French Press (again, as Clint mentioned) is another good option.
 
The Aeropress at $30 from Amazon makes a great cup of coffee.
Strong enough that I water it down a little.

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I HATE camping but our kids love it so we go every year as a neighborhood. I "survive" by making sure the food is good and that includes coffee. I bring a chemex brewer, filters and a bag of La Colombe "Louisiane" coffee. Heat the water on the camp stove and go to town, everyone always enjoys it.
 
Thanks for the recommendations. After ready responses I came across an old stainless peculator at an old timers estate sale. for $2 I couldn't resist.
I want to invest in a nice french press and or a chemex brewer for home.
 
Either a french press or good quality instant, such as starbuck's. Make sure to take a wind shield for your go anywhere. It'll take forever to heat water or cook something if there's any breeze.
 
OT: Jim - you enjoying that drip machine? Mine's still going strong (12/2007) and making a killer cup!

Looks like it was finally discontinued.... wish I'd have got an extra. Their (Zojirushi) new models cost double but are probably worth it.
 
Tommy B said:
Thanks for the recommendations. After ready responses I came across an old stainless peculator at an old timers estate sale. for $2 I couldn't resist.
I want to invest in a nice french press and or a chemex brewer for home.
Click to expand...

French press is good, I just had to work on my timing a little at first to get it how I liked it.... I get less picky as time goes on though I think. For me, it was boil, steep for 4-7 minutes, then slowly press.

I'd like to find an old perc like yours. Enjoy the trip!
 
Make cowboy coffee, Bring a pot to a boil, then take it off the heat, add grounds to the water let it set for a bit and then add cold water to the pot. Adding the cold water makes the grounds settle to the bottom of the pot
 
I used to take my old Melitta, boiled the water in the great big granite ware pot which also served as the corn cooker!
A friend did the put the pot at the edge of the fire method and made great coffee, I never got it right. The little percolator should serve quite well, I had a girlfriend who had one of those, she didn't like coffee so, I learned how to use one of them. Takes a couple pots to get it timed out right but, makes pretty good coffee!
 
Tommy B said:
Thanks for the recommendations. After ready responses I came across an old stainless peculator at an old timers estate sale. for $2 I couldn't resist.
I want to invest in a nice french press and or a chemex brewer for home.
Click to expand...
This ^^^
When you're out in the wild, boiled coffee is the only coffee unless you want to bring some bad mojo down on you for using a French press or instant.
Cowboy coffee is boiled coffee, period. You don't want the bad mojo.

Set it up the night before and let the good mojo come streaming in.
 
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