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Best camp coffee maker?

reboot · · . · Joined Jul 2006 · Points: 125
nicelegs wrote: No Diet Dr. Pepper?
I don't like warm/hot soda. Still my go-to in warmer months though.
M Mobley · · Bar Harbor, ME · Joined Mar 2006 · Points: 911

I personally am not a bitch when it comes to my morning caffeine as long as I have a fucking cup of coffee every morning. Run the shit through a dirty jizz covered sock, I dont give a shit.

highaltitudeflatulentexpulsion · · Colorado · Joined Oct 2012 · Points: 35
Miike wrote:I personally am not a bitch when it comes to my morning caffeine as long as I have a fucking cup of coffee every morning. Run the shit through a dirty jizz covered sock, I dont give a shit.
Does the jizz give it a more robust flavor?
cfuttner · · Chicago, IL · Joined Apr 2012 · Points: 5

Another vote for the Aeropress. I make a 16 oz thermos by filling to the top with water, allowing it to drain 1/2 way on it's own then filling back to the top before putting in the plunger. I use around 4 tbsp of very fine grounds, Intelligentsia Black Cat or Dark Matters Coffee.

M Mobley · · Bar Harbor, ME · Joined Mar 2006 · Points: 911
nicelegs wrote: Does the jizz give it a more robust flavor?
more of a creamer really, kind of like Cubans putting sugar in the grounds first. depends on the sock though YMMV
jpc · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Aug 2012 · Points: 5

Not sure if jetboil has updated their french press design, but the one I have is terrible. There isn't a good seal between the press so you end up with cowboy coffee.

Aeropress is the way to go! Small, easy, and it makes great coffee. And - as has been said before - the cleanup is incredibly easy. Grind your coffee finer than you would for a french press.

If you really want to get serious, get a nice hand mill (Zassenhaus makes one of the best). sweetmarias.com/store/zasse…

Nick Kreilach · · Canastota · Joined Dec 2011 · Points: 65

Last year, I stumbled across this write-up when I was at the same cross roads.
backpackinglight.com/cgi-bi…

After trying various methods, the Turkish-Cowboy method is my go to these days.

Pros:
1: If you use a metal water bottle (i.e. Klean Kanteen), you can use double up the uses as water carrying vessel and coffee maker.
2: No paper filter, so you get more of the savory oils in the brew.
3: If its winter, while your waiting for the brew to come around, toss the water bottle in your puff / bag / whatever and get some extra warmth.
4: Its cheap

Cons:
1: You need gloves or cloth to prevent burning your hands when pouring.
2: It takes about 10 mins to brew

Lessons learned:
1: Use a fine ground coffee, that seams to settle the best
2: Give the bottle a little shake about 1 min before pouring, this gets the grounds sinking to the bottom
3: Stop pouring when you see the grinds coming out. You'll be surprised how little liquid is left.
4: If you uses a metal water bottle, clean up is easy and the bottle won't hold much of the coffee flavor

Michael Brady · · Wenatchee, WA · Joined Jul 2014 · Points: 1,316

Why are we still talking about this, I thought the Jizz sock ended any questions.

TJ Brumme · · Marrakech · Joined Dec 2011 · Points: 1,648

If you want to look at the best (in quality) option available, it'd be this guy: thelittleguy.info/

Michael Brady · · Wenatchee, WA · Joined Jul 2014 · Points: 1,316
TBrumme wrote:If you want to look at the best (in quality) option available, it'd be this guy: thelittleguy.info/
Jesus! Are we still camping? :)

That thing makes me want cowboy coffee
bobbin · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Nov 2009 · Points: 0

IMO, burning coffee in a moka (Bialetti) pot = operator error or distraction.

Adding more complexity to the process is unlikely to yield a better result.

R. Moran · · Moab , UT · Joined Mar 2009 · Points: 140
doligo · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Sep 2008 · Points: 264

Another vote for Aeropress. I was skeptical at first, as the concept seemed like French Press, but more expensive. I finally caved in and got one and it's amazing. I had a side by side taste comparison with a FP and never since used my french press again.

I don't think clean up is easier than French Press, IMO, it's messier esp. when camping and you are trying to reuse the filter, but the positives outweigh this minor minus. For example, I like the fact that you can use finer grind (use less coffee and get stronger brews for somebody frugal like me). Then, there is the ease of use to get a perfect cup of coffee. To get a really good cup of coffee with a FP, you need to get your grind just right (coarse but not too much - uses lots of coffee). Plus, you need to time it right as well - if you go just a little bit over 4 minutes, the coffee tastes bitter. And if you are under 4 minutes, it's weak. With Aeropress, you can manipulate the coffee taste with water temperature - the most ideal temp is well under boiling (I forget exact numbers, but it's in the instructions that come with it). The taste suffers if the water is too hot, but not too noticably.

Like others said, to get more than a cup of coffee with an Aeropress, you can make Americanos (stronger espresso plus hot water) - not ideal for taste, but decent.

If you need something to occupy you while shooting the shit at the camp, I highly recommend a burr hand grinder.

Mike Collins · · Northampton, MA · Joined May 2013 · Points: 0

my last climbing trip I pre ground the coffee before we left and I got two of those little basket ball things that people put loose tea in. I put the coffee in there and poured water. As long as you don't grind it too small it worked great and those things cost like 2 dollars.

Bill Kirby · · Keene New York · Joined Jul 2012 · Points: 480

Backpacking: Starbucks packets

Car camping: Expresso machine and a generator!

Scot Hastings · · Salt Lake City, UT · Joined Apr 2013 · Points: 35

Whatever your method of choice, having fresh grounds can improve things dramatically.

We pickup up an epic little Japanese crank-powered adjustable burr grinder and absolutely love it. It's perfectly sized for our 1L french press and takes about a minute to crank through a full hopper of beans. Hard to beat at $25.

www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001804CLY/

rogerbenton · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Sep 2011 · Points: 210
bobbin wrote:IMO, burning coffee in a moka (Bialetti) pot = operator error or distraction. Adding more complexity to the process is unlikely to yield a better result.
This.

Success is simple:
- Coarse grounds
- Take it off heat at the first gurgle
- It's strong like espresso, cut it with hot water

Feel free to not clean it for a week. The oils are fine.

I've got a "6 cup" pot, but the nomenclature is silly. It's one cup of rocket fuel as-is, two cups of strong ass coffee if cut 50/50 with water, or three cups of regs if yer a sissy.

Big demerits for the size though, that collapsable cone filter pour over situation someone linked to looks nice for a tight pack.
bobbin · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Nov 2009 · Points: 0

The moka pot numbering ("3 cups") makes sense if you think of it as 3 little espresso cups. It's not exactly espresso like from a pump machine, but it's what the Italians drink at home. It's too heavy/bulky for backpacking but good for car camping. I have a big one that is the bomb for group camping, making coffee for a gang of people at wake-up.

For backpacking I have been using the MSR mug-mate, just a right-sized gold filter for pour-over into a camp cup or two. It's a little overpriced but convenient. Tapping the grounds out into the trash bag for carry-out is a minor hassle but worth it.

doligo · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Sep 2008 · Points: 264

I'm lusting after this ultimate camp coffee maker:



Details here: crateandbarrel.com/rok-manu…

Even comes with a hand-pump milk frother! Now if you could somehow rig a bicycle that generates energy to heat water, you've got all man powered cup of cappuccino!
Locker · · Yucca Valley, CA · Joined Oct 2002 · Points: 2,349

In total agreement with this mentality:

"Backpacking: Starbucks packets

Car camping: Expresso machine and a generator!"
...

Exactly!

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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