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Old 03-13-2023, 01:40 PM   #1
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Coffee

We are re-evaluating our coffee making techniques while camping.

We have a hand grinder (ceramic burrs) because freshly ground beans seem to yield a much better flavor.

For some years now we have used a French press from Starbucks. Stainless steel double walled, supposed to be insulated but it is marginal. Also the "filter" screen lets a lot of fine grounds through. I could get a pour over cone and use a paper filter to filter the coffee. One extra step I would prefer to avoid if possible.

An electric pot or stove top pot makes the hot water. Obviously the bean quality makes a lot of difference but I am getting some good coffee and some marginal coffee.

In the past we have used a percolator but that seems to burn the coffee.

I have an AeroPress that makes very good coffee but it makes enough for one person. It would be helpful to make enough for two mugs at a time.

For mornings that we want to get on the road early we are starting to try out some instant coffee. We tried some Starbucks instant that was good but we need decaf for several reasons.

My son recently purchased a MoccaMaster coffee maker. It uses a drip process but their claim to fame is very accurate temperature control. It seems to consistently make very good coffee.

I did find with the French press if I added some cold water to the boiling water the flavor seemed to be better. Maybe I should get a thermometer to make the water a consistent accurate temperature.

This discussion could spark a lot of questions so let me start with this.

Do any of you folks know of a good French press that is not breakable, insulated and filters the grounds well?

What are your favorite sources for good coffee beans?

Are there any good decaf instant coffees to try?
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Old 03-13-2023, 04:09 PM   #2
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We use this Stanley press.

https://www.amazon.com/Stanley-10-02...s%2C101&sr=8-3

If it leaves too much grounds, you could place a bit of filter paper in between the mesh layers.

We just "let it settle" and choke on the last swallow. :-)
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Old 03-13-2023, 09:19 PM   #3
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I use single cup, coffee "bags", (like a tea bag), real coffee, not instant. Folgers is what I usually find, have found Maxwell House. I've never seen decaf. Decent coffee, takes up little space, nothing to clean up but the cup. Bag in the cup, water on the bag, microwave 3.5 min.
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Old 03-14-2023, 05:30 AM   #4
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Can you adjust the grind? French press usually calls for a coarse grind. The thermometer might be next on the list.
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Old 03-14-2023, 07:40 AM   #5
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Originally Posted by Craig D. Thompson View Post
We have a hand grinder (ceramic burrs) because freshly ground beans seem to yield a much better flavor.

In the past we have used a percolator but that seems to burn the coffee.

I have an AeroPress that makes very good coffee but it makes enough for one person. It would be helpful to make enough for two mugs at a time..

My son recently purchased a MoccaMaster coffee maker. It uses a drip process but their claim to fame is very accurate temperature control. It seems to consistently make very good coffee.

Do any of you folks know of a good French press that is not breakable, insulated and filters the grounds well?

What are your favorite sources for good coffee beans?
Grinding fresh is the number one thing to do for good coffee regardless of method of extraction. Any coffee I have drank lately that has been previously ground really lacks a strong, smooth flavour. Everyone I know grinds, at home or in the trailer.

A percolator CAN make good coffee. One needs to ensure once the perc starts that it is not all to violent and only perc for a 3-5 minutes. After that do not heat it any more. Both over extraction and boiling the coffee to heat it will produce a bitter taste.

I have used an AeroPress since their inception, and always in the trailer. I do two cups at once with it. Just recently I bought an electric brewer for home use, but have mostly used the AeroPress over the years.

My recent coffee maker purchase is like your son's, a Technivorm MoccaMaster. This makes a great cup of coffee. It is not cheap, but it is great. Not an option for the trailer though.

One of my brother's used a French Press for his trailer, but recently went to the AeroPress. The one thing with a French Press is that the coffee in it should not sit long with the grounds present.

I have also made great Cowboy Coffee. The thing to do is to not boil the water, only put the grounds in for a few minutes, then pour the coffee off. If it sits with the grounds in it or is boiled you will get a bitter taste. I have used this method a lot in the past while venturing into the backcountry.

I have no favourite source of beans. Find a good roast, often at a roastery, and use it some. I very much prefer varying the origin of the beans. I have roasted my own a lot in the past too, something due to major house renos for near five years full time I have not done but sure wish to get back to it.

And sorry, not a decaf drinker, just a 2-3 large cups of regular daily fortunately works for me. In saying this, I cannot recommend any decaf.
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Old 03-14-2023, 07:41 AM   #6
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When we are boondocking we use an aeropress for 2 cups of coffee by doubling the grounds, adjusting the time, pouring the concentrate into 2 cups and then diluting with water. I wanted to brew 2 cups at a time and the French press took too much water to clean up for our situation.
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Old 03-14-2023, 07:51 AM   #7
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Originally Posted by Lisa in Michigan View Post
When we are boondocking we use an aeropress for 2 cups of coffee by doubling the grounds, adjusting the time, pouring the concentrate into 2 cups and then diluting with water. I wanted to brew 2 cups at a time and the French press took too much water to clean up for our situation.
As mentioned in the post above yours, and a few other times here, I too do two cups at a time with the AeroPress and have for many, many years. Gotta have coffee for the dear wife at the ready.

For others wondering, this is my method which has been copied by a bunch of other users.

I grind three slightly rounded AeroPress spoons of beans, Fill the plunger full with boiling water. By pouring boiling water into the plunger it cools it to a great temperature for extraction. I then pour in about 1/2-1" of the water and let the grounds bloom for up to 30 seconds. Fresh roasted coffee needs this as it blooms a lot. I then stir in the remaining water, let it sit about 30 seconds, stir again, let sit for near another 30 seconds, then press. I then split the syrup into two cups and add water to equal 8-10 ounces, all dependant upon the origin of the beans and their roast level.
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Old 03-14-2023, 11:38 AM   #8
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We have two Areopress makers, problem solved. We also have a boiler that is temperature controlled (203 f is my sweet spot) and a burr grinder. I'm careful to not get many grounds into the Grey tank, empty the Aeropress then wipe off the grounds with a paper towel.
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Old 03-14-2023, 01:09 PM   #9
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Originally Posted by Cotton View Post
I use single cup, coffee "bags", (like a tea bag), real coffee, not instant. Folgers is what I usually find, have found Maxwell House. I've never seen decaf. Decent coffee, takes up little space, nothing to clean up but the cup.
We used to use those when we were backpack/tent/canoe camping and loved them.
Boil water, pour, wait, drink, squeeze the bag and toss it in the pack-it-out bag.

Now, we keep those as a backup.
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Old 03-14-2023, 02:53 PM   #10
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I am happy to know that Folger's still makes their coffee bags!


Haven't seen them in stores for a few years---since the advent of Keurig, to be honest. But I only ever purchased the Folger's Decaf bags. The box was green. Loved 'em!


Knowing that they are still available, I am heartened. We only used these when camping. And even then, only on occasion.


My first choice will always be tea.
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Old 03-14-2023, 04:38 PM   #11
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I am happy to know that Folger's still makes their coffee bags!


Haven't seen them in stores for a few years---since the advent of Keurig, to be honest. But I only ever purchased the Folger's Decaf bags. The box was green. Loved 'em!


Knowing that they are still available, I am heartened. We only used these when camping. And even then, only on occasion.

Only use them when we are traveling.


My first choice will always be tea.
We find them at Walmart and Kroger, but not every time, every store.
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Old 03-14-2023, 05:05 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by theresa p View Post
I am happy to know that Folger's still makes their coffee bags!


Haven't seen them in stores for a few years---since the advent of Keurig, to be honest. But I only ever purchased the Folger's Decaf bags. The box was green. Loved 'em!


Knowing that they are still available, I am heartened. We only used these when camping. And even then, only on occasion.


My first choice will always be tea.
Hi: theresa p... Just came home from Florida w/ a new box of Folgers coffee bags. Emergency supplies when no current bush is available!!!
Alf S. North shore of Lake Erie
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Old 03-14-2023, 05:16 PM   #13
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Folgers instant for us when camping and at home......when camping....old pot over campfire to boil water....add some coffee....bingo....ya got yourself a nice cup of Joe.....at home.....we are fancy.....we use a teapot on the stove.....these modern convienences are remarkable. Enjoy your coffee!
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Old 03-14-2023, 05:22 PM   #14
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I am also a coffee bag kinda guy. Started taking them on backpacking trips years ago and since my wife is a tea bag user, it makes sense to keep using them. Actually I use them at home most of the time. Yes, Folgers regular is available most every place we've traveled, but I've never seen the decaf. I have seen, and ordered, some "gourmet" bags online, even at Amazon. Had some really good Brazilian brew, but it's more expensive, doesn't keep as well as the Folgers in the foil package, and of course you have to wait for it to arrive. Folgers has been doing coffee since 1850 so they must be doing it right!
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Old 03-14-2023, 09:12 PM   #15
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Maaaan, I am a bit of a coffee nerd. I have a hot-rodded Baratza Vario flat burr grinder with Baratza Forte BG steel burrs since I don't do espresso, I have an original milled aircraft aluminum one-piece Helor 101 hand grinder with both espresso and normal burr sets, Aeropress, Hario V60-02 plastic, V60-03 glass, Clever Dripper Large, Melita one cup brew cone, had a couple french presses, bought/sold espresso machines, Moka pots, etc. I'm the only person in my household who can drink coffee, so I buy it fresh roasted from a fancy-schmancy low volume roaster locally who purchases all their bougie coffee from single origin, fair trade, non-GMO, cruelty-free whatever whatever farms. I measure both my water and ground coffee using a scale set up in commie units(grams) and keep my ratio at a 16.67:1 when at home. If I'm using someone else's machine/maker then I do 1 flat Tablespoon per 3oz of water or 1 flat 'coffee scoop' per 'coffee cup' for whatever volume the machine is.

Now that I've said all that, I am THE laziest when I camp, instant cafe bustello or Trader joe's all-dressed instant packets lol.

Coffee is roasted at 350~490º+, hitting it with boiling water will not burn it. BUT, too long of an extraction, too fine of a grind, too uneven of a grind will all possibly result in over-extracting the dissolvable sugars within the ground coffee, or in the case of an uneven grind a mix of under and over extraction at the same time making it bitter and sour. Once extracted, it can be burned, which is one reason why perc's can often taste burnt/over-extracted to a lot of people since many run them too hot too long, over extract, then burn the extracted coffee.

If you want french press quality without the cleanup and a cleaner cup(no sediment), I'd do a large Clever Dripper. Uses run of the mill #4 Melitta paper filters. Fill with set amount of boiling water, add coffee (ground for normal drip machine size or a touch finer), stir in grounds until they are all are wet, then let steep for 2 minutes. At 2 minutes, lightly stir or jiggle the dripper to cause any surface floating grounds to sink, wait for 30 seconds, then set on a cup to drain. Pick up paper filter full of grounds and toss into fire/trash/compost bin.
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Old 03-15-2023, 08:18 PM   #16
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My MoccaMaster is the last coffee maker I will buy. It is so well made and their water delivery over the cone filter is perfect. Even Folders tastes wonderful.
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Old 03-16-2023, 10:35 AM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AlekP View Post
Maaaan, I am a bit of a coffee nerd. I have a hot-rodded Baratza Vario flat burr grinder with Baratza Forte BG steel burrs since I don't do espresso, I have an original milled aircraft aluminum one-piece Helor 101 hand grinder with both espresso and normal burr sets, Aeropress, Hario V60-02 plastic, V60-03 glass, Clever Dripper Large, Melita one cup brew cone, had a couple french presses, bought/sold espresso machines, Moka pots, etc. I'm the only person in my household who can drink coffee, so I buy it fresh roasted from a fancy-schmancy low volume roaster locally who purchases all their bougie coffee from single origin, fair trade, non-GMO, cruelty-free whatever whatever farms. I measure both my water and ground coffee using a scale set up in commie units(grams) and keep my ratio at a 16.67:1 when at home. If I'm using someone else's machine/maker then I do 1 flat Tablespoon per 3oz of water or 1 flat 'coffee scoop' per 'coffee cup' for whatever volume the machine is.

Now that I've said all that, I am THE laziest when I camp, instant cafe bustello or Trader joe's all-dressed instant packets lol.

Coffee is roasted at 350~490º+, hitting it with boiling water will not burn it. BUT, too long of an extraction, too fine of a grind, too uneven of a grind will all possibly result in over-extracting the dissolvable sugars within the ground coffee, or in the case of an uneven grind a mix of under and over extraction at the same time making it bitter and sour. Once extracted, it can be burned, which is one reason why perc's can often taste burnt/over-extracted to a lot of people since many run them too hot too long, over extract, then burn the extracted coffee.

If you want french press quality without the cleanup and a cleaner cup(no sediment), I'd do a large Clever Dripper. Uses run of the mill #4 Melitta paper filters. Fill with set amount of boiling water, add coffee (ground for normal drip machine size or a touch finer), stir in grounds until they are all are wet, then let steep for 2 minutes. At 2 minutes, lightly stir or jiggle the dripper to cause any surface floating grounds to sink, wait for 30 seconds, then set on a cup to drain. Pick up paper filter full of grounds and toss into fire/trash/compost bin.

No wonder my Folgers instant tastes so darn good.....I do all that stuff too!
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Old 03-16-2023, 07:36 PM   #18
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Thank you all for the great information. I have been using my AeroPress the past two days. Makes very good coffee. Easy to clean. I just need to make two batches. Maybe that is not so bad.

I will try to get some decaf coffee bags to try.

There was one vote for Petes coffee. That is good coffee but I cannot get decaf beans. Maybe that can be ordered? Are there any other favorite coffees?
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Old 03-16-2023, 08:42 PM   #19
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Originally Posted by Craig D. Thompson View Post
Thank you all for the great information. I have been using my AeroPress the past two days. Makes very good coffee. Easy to clean. I just need to make two batches. Maybe that is not so bad.

I will try to get some decaf coffee bags to try.

There was one vote for Petes coffee. That is good coffee but I cannot get decaf beans. Maybe that can be ordered? Are there any other favorite coffees?
Kicking horse Swiss water process decaf is excellent
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Old 03-17-2023, 06:41 AM   #20
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I like my coffee hot. After spending a lot of money on coffee makers that produced luke warm coffee, I finally found a method that produces coffee to my liking. I use an Oxo pour over into a 20 ounce Yeti tumbler. Coffee stays hot for at least 2 hours. Longer if you warm the milk. Like all Yeti products, the tumblers are not cheap and best bought from a reputable source to avoid knock offs.

At home I buy 5 lb bags of roasted Columbian decaf beans from Amazon. On the road, most grocery stores sell Dunkin Donuts decaf already ground. The shops sometimes sell whole bean. Since I can't tell the difference, I buy the ground. One less thing to bring. Click image for larger version

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