Ultimate Camping Coffee Brewer

[Thomas G.]

I used to have a stainless steel vacuum pot. It was great. The spring loaded strainer didn't even require a paper filter.

[DrewSK]

My wife and I are espresso addicts, each with our own combination with warm milk. We take one of these bad boys on the road in the scamp, works like a charm:

Amazon.com: Bialetti 6800 Moka Express 6-Cup Stovetop Espresso Maker: Kitchen & Dining

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by DrewSK

My wife and I are espresso addicts, each with our own combination with warm milk. We take one of these bad boys on the road in the scamp, works like a charm:

Amazon.com: Bialetti 6800 Moka Express 6-Cup Stovetop Espresso Maker: Kitchen & Dining

I use a Moka Pot at home a fair bit too. Not a true espresso, but still makes a great cup. Best of all, for campers, no electricity required. I don't usually add anything but a bit of hot water (Americano), or sometimes after dinner with some frothed milk (Cappuccino). These Moka pots make the best cup with fresh ground coffee too.

[carlkeigley]

In my entire life I've had (1) really good cup of coffee.
It was so long ago I can't remember where.

And, I've only had (1) good tasting beer in my life.

Maybe I need taste bud transplants.

[Dave_L]

Originally Posted by Bobbie Mayer

It's very similar, Hilary. The advantage of using K-cups, though, is that the coffee stays sealed and fresh until you use it. I understand the aeropress is easy to clean, too, though

Problem is, K-Cups are far from fresh to begin with...

[Bobbie Mayer]

To each his own, Some people think drinking coffee at all is a waste of time, and some wouldn't go anywhere but the best coffeehouse with a fresh roaster in the corner, even if they are out camping. Just because someone finds a method that works doesn't mean everyone else has to claim there is a better way.

[Stretcher]

We're addicted to Newman's Special Blend K-cups and have a Mr. Coffee/Keurig machine in our Scamp. We'll definitely get a Cafejo for boon-docking. We've tried a couple of French presses and have a hard time getting the grind right to avoid too many grounds.

I find all the back and forth your message has inspired interesting. Just goes to prove that coffee drinkers are an opinionated lot.

Thanks for the tip!

[Dave_L]

Wasn't posting that there was a better way, just interesting to see what peeps consider 'fresh'. Your words, not mine...

[Tom Trostel]

Deryk,
You can get metal stovetop vacuum coffee pots. I have one just like this and it makes very good coffee. You do miss seeing the water go up and the coffee come down.

Vintage ABCO Metal Products Aluminum Vacuum Drip Coffee Maker Pot Estate Find | eBay

[carlkeigley]

Originally Posted by Bobbie Mayer

To each his own, Some people think drinking coffee at all is a waste of time, and some wouldn't go anywhere but the best coffeehouse with a fresh roaster in the corner, even if they are out camping. Just because someone finds a method that works doesn't mean everyone else has to claim there is a better way.

That's true, like anything else.

I'm pretty much a purest about anything.

As far as coffee, I want coffee.............just black.

I used to have six teaspoons of sugar to each cup.
Then I weaned myself from sugar and forced myself
to drink it black. Now I wouldn't have it any other way.
I didn't realize I was drinking coffee flavored sugar.........

My uncles just put on a pot of boiling water and threw a
fist full of grounds in it. That's too stout for me.

[georgewa]

Have you tried Starbuck's Via Instant Coffee, particularly the Italian Roast (extra bold instant coffee) or Decaf Italian Roast ( Dark instant coffee) ?

If you haven't tried it, you might give it a try. This might sound like herisy on this thread.

My wife, Suzanne, loves coffee and typically drinks 3-4 cups a day, and grinds her beans daily and uses a single cup Melita drip coffee maker for every cup of her daily coffee at home. She uses Peet's Summatra beans, because Starbuck's beans seem to have been burned during roasting.

But on the road in our class b rv, there isn't a lot of room for making drip coffee. She boils water in a wide base electric coffee percolator and adds the instant coffee. She's regards the instant coffee as "excellent", compared to the drip coffee. So that's it from one coffee lover.

Just our 2 cents. Hope I haven't ruffled too many feathers.

[Glenn Baglo]

I have to agree. It's a very good instant coffee. Makes you wonder what the other guys make their instant coffee out of. But, it is pricey.

[georgewa]

Glenn,

Thank you for confirming this observation .

You are quite right that it is more pricey, about $1 a cup, vs $0.30 a cup for Peet's coffee beans/drip brewed.

Of course, compare this with what it costs for a cup of coffee at a barista and the convenience factor.

Enjoy!

[Jim Bennett]

I have tried the Starbucks instant on a couple of occasions. I did find it a lot better than most of the jar type instants, and what it is, is super fine ground beans that get drank. It still lacks the freshness of extracting from fresh ground beans. And as long as you are having to boil water, it takes a little more effort to actually brew from fresh ground.

If I don't have one of my favourite brewing methods available, I am definitely not at all going to refuse a cup from other methods. :-)

Bottom line. If you enjoy what you are drinking, then all is good.

[Gilda]

This is how my husband makes coffee while camping. I found this description online.


Coffee Brewing Method #4

Posted on January 12, 2012 by apfergus
Personally, I have made coffee four different ways. Naturally, as an American I have used an auto-drip machine. My coffee brewing workhorse has always been a french press, though. I think it makes a better tasting coffee, especially compared to auto-drip in small quantities. As a wedding gift, someone gave me a moka pot, with which I have made exactly one fantastic cup of coffee which I have never been able to reproduce.
Now I’ve decided to try one of those cone things they sell at the grocery store next to the coffee filters for $5. Why not? It’s easily obtainable, at least some coffee snobs rave over them, and it will make a single serving of coffee. With these on the market, I don’t understand how those $100 single cup drip machines survive.
I am not the authority on canonically good coffee, but I can tell you what I like. The few times I’ve used mine so far have all turned out very nicely. One thing to keep track of is how fast you pour the water. If a lot starts to pool up, grounds can get deposited on the side of the cone where they don’t really see much water once it starts to drain. This probably over-extracts the grounds left at the bottom of the cone.
Overall, I’ll call it a success. The coffee produced was at least as palatable to me as my usual french press ritual. Keep in mind I don’t measure my coffee out by weight. I squint at it, shrug and toss it in when it looks right. However, I do grind my beans fresh and usually use single origin. With the success of the pour-over method I’m trying to cut back a little on my coffee consumption, so this will probably replace the 8-cup french press in my office.

[Glenn Baglo]

Jim, Is your roaster solar powered?

[Glenn Baglo]

One thing to keep track of is how fast you pour the water. [/QUOTE]

I too use a cone filter holder (#4 ), but mine fits a thermal carafe.
Boil water on the propane stove, let it cool a minute and pour it gently over the grounds. Pour just enough to wet them. Then pour again when the grounds have settled.

No electricity required. Little expense. Easy disposal of the grounds. Good coffee, if you started with good grounds.

I have a Nespresso at home. Expensive to buy ( $299 ). Expensive pods ( 65 cents each ). Have to buy the pods on-line ( unless you live next door to one of their boutiques ). Delivery by UPS the next day though. Great selection of coffees. Makes a cappuccino, espresso or latte in about two minutes. Next to no maintenance. Easy clean. It delivers 19 bars of pressure so it makes a proper crema.

I looked at other machines ( not K ), but it appeared it would take about two years to learn to make a good cup of coffee and require hours of maintenance.

[Raz]

K cups are made by Green Mountain Coffee here in VT. They are one of the few "large" manufacturers here. They grow the coffee here in the mountains under the sugar maples and K cup it in Waterbury, VT. Well, the last part is true.

We occasionally buy Green Mountain coffee though never in a K cup. We bought a French press for camping and liked it so much we use it at home too. Raz

[deryk]

Originally Posted by Tom Trostel

Deryk,
You can get metal stovetop vacuum coffee pots. I have one just like this and it makes very good coffee. You do miss seeing the water go up and the coffee come down.

Vintage ABCO Metal Products Aluminum Vacuum Drip Coffee Maker Pot Estate Find | eBay

Well I won an auction for one $8.50 plus shipping... can't wait to try it

[Roy in TO]

You could just open the K-cup and use the coffee in your regular mode of making coffee.

IMO the individual coffee packages are meant for the office. Saves on paid time buying outside. You get a variety of freshly brewed with no one to blame for the missed clean up or burnt java, tea or hot chocolate. Make your own, wash or throw away your own when done.