Best Camping Coffee method?

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MCtree

MCtree

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Does anybody have a camping coffee method that they love?

I have tired instant coffee.
This means lots of the “premium” brands. Starbucks Via’s, Verv, Mount Hagen, even Folgers….. and all of these taste a bit sour to me.

Wacaco - this made a fine shot of espresso.
But it’s a lot of pumping for a small shot and clean-up was a bit hard if you are in a place without potable flowing water.
And it’s a small amount of coffee, even with the larger add-on.

French Press - I love the taste and size of this method. And it’s relatively easy to make when camping.
But man is this tough to clean without clean tap water.

K-cups:
I have a portable/manual k-cup coffee maker. This is my current go-to camping coffee.
The taste is okay, but not great.
And you do end up with the waste little cups and the prongs that pierce the k-cup can’t be cleaned until you get to a water tap.

So… in short, I’m looking for a perfect method. And yes, I’m being very persnickety here. But why not? Great coffee without waiting too long can be a great start to a day.

Anybody have recommendations?

I tried an Aeropress… and threw it away. Sadly, I don’t really remember what I didn’t like about it. General googling sure turns up a lot of people who like this method.
Should I try it again?

What about pour-overs? Perhaps clean-up would be a breeze if I can toss the grounds and paper filter into my fire?
But I worry about the ease of brewing in cold, windy locations.

Or maybe there is an easier way to clean a French press?
 
I do pour over. You have versatility in how much you can brew, and cleanup is really easy.

I've only heard good things about Aeropress, but I've never tried one. I have a nice French press travel mug (Starbucks! - actually Bodum) I use sometimes.
 
bhsdriller said:
What kind of camping? We just do some sort of cold brew in a can lol
Easy
Click to expand...
Car camping. For backpacking I’ll stick with the the instant packets.

Do you heat it up or just drink it cold?
I was wondering if they made a good concentrate that I could add hot water to.
 
surfpig said:
I do pour over. You have versatility in how much you can brew, and cleanup is really easy.

I've only heard good things about Aeropress, but I've never tried one. I have a nice French press travel mug (Starbucks! - actually Bodum) I use sometimes.
Click to expand...
Yeah… I’m eying that GSI pour over.
Might be fun to try.
 
I personally use French press in a stainless French press from Stanley. Works fantastic. Clean up kinda sucks but I’ve figured out to to manage with minimal water. I can probably clean mine with 1/2 cup of water and a spoon.

I also use the cup to boil water any other time I need water, burner and or coffee stays stored in the top of the press.

I’ve considered an aero press but my $25 French press is hard to beat. Makes roughly 30oz of coffee in one punch which is enough for me a large cup and the lady a smaller.
 
Mason jar coffee method is the easiest, cheapest, most efficient, expandable, and you can use any medium ground coffee of your choice. I use this method every morning.
After constantly breaking glass French presses I found myself needing a better way. I had plenty of quart mason jars laying around from honey jars so I decided to put them to use.

Need: quart jar, metal lid, small towel, coffee, and strainer is optional.

Boil one quart of water.
Add two generous tablespoons of your favorite ground coffee to the empty jar. I use McDonald’s medium roast in the can.
Place jar on top of a tea towel or hand towel.
Pour boiling water slowly over coffee.
Put on metal lid and tighten. Wrap jar with towel from the bottom.
Wait 1O or 15 minutes then shake jar.
Wait 2 minutes and carefully open jar and slowly pour into your cup. I use a strainer but it’s not necessary as the coffee will sink to the bottom and you can slowly pour off the top.
Seep longer for stronger taste. You can do several jars at once and scale it to your needs or a smaller jar for smaller amount.
 
Honestly, the areopress go has been my favorite. Its damn near self cleaning and you can get a stainless reusable filter for it. The go version packs up super small in its own cup too. I use mine for my every day coffee as well.

Sean
 
sogafarm said:
Mason jar coffee method is the easiest, cheapest, most efficient, expandable, and you can use any medium ground coffee of your choice. I use this method every morning.
After constantly breaking glass French presses I found myself needing a better way. I had plenty of quart mason jars laying around from honey jars so I decided to put them to use.

Need: quart jar, metal lid, small towel, coffee, and strainer is optional.

Boil one quart of water.
Add two generous tablespoons of your favorite ground coffee to the empty jar. I use McDonald’s medium roast in the can.
Place jar on top of a tea towel or hand towel.
Pour boiling water slowly over coffee.
Put on metal lid and tighten. Wrap jar with towel from the bottom.
Wait 1O or 15 minutes then shake jar.
Wait 2 minutes and carefully open jar and slowly pour into your cup. I use a strainer but it’s not necessary as the coffee will sink to the bottom and you can slowly pour off the top.
Seep longer for stronger taste. You can do several jars at once and scale it to your needs or a smaller jar for smaller amount.
Click to expand...
Not a bad idea.
Isn’t this essentially “cowboy coffee” or maybe “Turkish coffee?”
I bet if one poured it through a coffee filter at the end it would be a good way to get the grounds out for disposal.
 
smokeysevin said:
Honestly, the areopress go has been my favorite. Its damn near self cleaning and you can get a stainless reusable filter for it. The go version packs up super small in its own cup too. I use mine for my every day coffee as well.

Sean
Click to expand...
I wish I remembered what I disliked about the Aeropress when I had one.

One possibility I can think of was that I felt the amount of coffee one got out of a press was too small.
But I have since seen people making a super strong press and then adding more hot water to the concentrated coffee.
Maybe I never tried that.
Have you tired adding more water to a concentrated batch?
 
MCtree said:
I wish I remembered what I disliked about the Aeropress when I had one.

One possibility I can think of was that I felt the amount of coffee one got out of a press was too small.
But I have since seen people making a super strong press and then adding more hot water to the concentrated coffee.
Maybe I never tried that.
Have you tired adding more water to a concentrated batch?
Click to expand...

I have done it both by the book and basically like a half pourover/drip and half press.

Usually, I do 1.5 scoops of coffee grounds to start. I fill the press with hot water up to the 3, let it drain all the way, fill it up again, let it drain half way, and top it up, then press it. Its enough to fill a standard tumbler ~10-12oz.

Sean
 
i go with the french press on the boat, easy to make and easy clean up. you could always try a pour over, probably going to be easiest clean up with little to no water for clean up
 
My number one go to is pour over, followed closely by a small percolator , and third coffee bag singles (not an instant). If I had to chose one method based on being quick and use of room would be the bag single method.
 
Another vote for pour over - easy clean up, great coffee, adjustable volume. I had an aeropress and clean up is much easier with the pour over.
 
If you do a pourover method, get one that uses a filter to make the clean up easy. I use a hario camping and at home.
 
We use either a Stainless steel French press and the little REI pour over dealio, depending on if there’s room for the press.
 
bigredmachine said:
i go with the french press on the boat, easy to make and easy clean up. you could always try a pour over, probably going to be easiest clean up with little to no water for clean up
Click to expand...
I find cleaning the push-down filter on the French press a pain to clean if I don’t have running water. How do you clean it easily?

And for all of you pour-over fans, I will say that my Hario V60 arrived yesterday and I made my first cup this morning!
Not a bad result. I think I prefer the taste of my French press, but love the ease of clean-up with the pour-over.

I need to play with grind settings and the coffee/water ratio now to see if I can improve the taste.
 
toy_tek said:
We use either a Stainless steel French press and the little REI pour over dealio, depending on if there’s room for the press.
Click to expand...
If you are camping with a jet-boil like I do, the French-press accessory really doesn’t add any size to it so room isn’t an issue.
(In case you were unaware of this product. It makes great coffee but see my laziness about having to clean it while camping above)
 
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