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The Aeropress.

<snippage for space>

looks pretty cool, now my next question is what kind of coffee????

 

I'm a huge coffee fan but I am not going to spend $5 for a cup of Starbucks or $20 a pound for some fancy stuff that I'd have to gag down. I'm a (hold on) Tasters Choice fan (even better) instant. Got hooked when I started taking the kids car camping, just too easy - like my personal crack in a cup. A couple of scoops & some water and I'm good to go - nothing else. I've got it down to a personal science - right cup, time in the microwave, spoon, jeez even the water (I can tell :) )

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The Aeropress.

<snippage for space>

looks pretty cool, now my next question is what kind of coffee????

 

I'm a huge coffee fan but I am not going to spend $5 for a cup of Starbucks or $20 a pound for some fancy stuff that I'd have to gag down. I'm a (hold on) Tasters Choice fan (even better) instant. Got hooked when I started taking the kids car camping, just too easy - like my personal crack in a cup. A couple of scoops & some water and I'm good to go - nothing else. I've got it down to a personal science - right cup, time in the microwave, spoon, jeez even the water (I can tell :) )

At $20 per lb I think I'd give up my caffeine. I think I'm paying too much at $10 per lb. One thing I've started doing... If I can't put a coffee bean in my mouth and appreciate the flavor, I don't buy the beans.

 

For me, drinking a cup of coffee needs to be enjoyed for the flavor and not just for the caffeine. IF it tastes so bad I have to add sweetners and milk, then there's no sense in consuming it. Coca Cola would be more preferable if that were the case.

 

Brewing a cup of coffee with fresh ground beans is maybe just a little slower than instant. You have the grounds in with the water at the same time you're heating it up. Bring to a boil for two minutes, steep for two minutes and you have a nice roasted flavor cup of coffee that beats the stale freeze dried instant anytime.

 

There's nothing like a fresh brewed cup of coffee while watching a sunrsie after camping overnight in the mountains and the odor of freshly brewed roasted coffee in camp in the morning is just so right.

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I've tried the Folger's Singles a few times in the truck, the work for passable weak coffee. I am leary of any of the packaged stuff for cost and disappointing results in the past.

 

One of the things I love best about coffee when camping is the anticipation of the first sip. This is built up to by the odor of fresh coffee wafting acoss the campsite on the breeze, calling the lazy campmates out into the open. I have not found anything to compare to a real coffee percing over a campfire. In a pinch, it works just boiling grounds in a pot. Remove from fire, add just a pinch of salt to settle the grounds.

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The Aeropress.

<snippage for space>

looks pretty cool, now my next question is what kind of coffee????

 

I'm a huge coffee fan but I am not going to spend $5 for a cup of Starbucks or $20 a pound for some fancy stuff that I'd have to gag down. I'm a (hold on) Tasters Choice fan (even better) instant. Got hooked when I started taking the kids car camping, just too easy - like my personal crack in a cup. A couple of scoops & some water and I'm good to go - nothing else. I've got it down to a personal science - right cup, time in the microwave, spoon, jeez even the water (I can tell :o )

 

I guess you'd have to experiment with that. But if you're happy with what you take backpacking already, why mess with success...

 

We buy coffee in the $10 to $15/pound range depending on what we are liking at the moment. Right now I'm still sucking down some seasonal coffee made from $13/lb beans that I happen to love and am not sure what I'm going to have after I'm done with that... probably this free-trade stuff I found out of Oregon that is like a little bit of heaven in a cup... Yes, the beans are yummy and they roast it to order.

 

michelle

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The french press jetboil thing is pretty sweet. I bought one last year and have been very happy with it. One thing that I thought was odd about it is that jetboil usually does a great job of making everything pack together well, but I have not found a good way to store the french press equipment, if I am storing a fuel canister in the cup. I am afraid I am going to lose the "stalk" while unpacking sometime. Makes darn fine coffee though, assuming you start with good coffee.

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The french press jetboil thing is pretty sweet. I bought one last year and have been very happy with it. One thing that I thought was odd about it is that jetboil usually does a great job of making everything pack together well, but I have not found a good way to store the french press equipment, if I am storing a fuel canister in the cup. I am afraid I am going to lose the "stalk" while unpacking sometime. Makes darn fine coffee though, assuming you start with good coffee.

I have the screen packed in the plastic cover that goes on the bottom and the stalk is stuck up in the flutes. I'm not entirely sure how well that will work. I may end up putting that in a ziplock baggie.

 

I just broke down and bought a french mill press. A Jet Boil stove came with it. :rolleyes:

 

I can't believe they're giving away Jet Boils with the purchase of a French Press! Amazing!!

 

:blink:

 

 

michelle

(who bought a new tent with her 20% off and rebate)

Awesome!

Edited by TotemLake
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Glad to see I'm not the only coffee snob that wanders into the backcountry. I really don't like instant coffee and love the taste of a really good cup of coffee, especially when I roll out of the tent in the morning.

It's a little bulky though it dosen't weigh much. I picked this up at a yard sale in the late '80s and it's seen more than one trip with me. Usually it only comes along though if there is going to be more than me drinking coffee. The smells of fresh perked coffee while sitting in the alpine is what heaven has got to be like.

 

44283.jpg

 

Usually though I just take this - http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_detail....D=1205330640753 - It works great, not usually any grounds in the coffee, is only 205gms, and makes a nice strong cup of coffee.

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Glad to see I'm not the only coffee snob that wanders into the backcountry. I really don't like instant coffee and love the taste of a really good cup of coffee, especially when I roll out of the tent in the morning.

It's a little bulky though it dosen't weigh much. I picked this up at a yard sale in the late '80s and it's seen more than one trip with me. Usually it only comes along though if there is going to be more than me drinking coffee. The smells of fresh perked coffee while sitting in the alpine is what heaven has got to be like.

 

44283.jpg

 

Usually though I just take this - http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_detail....D=1205330640753 - It works great, not usually any grounds in the coffee, is only 205gms, and makes a nice strong cup of coffee.

 

I have a similar percolator that I use when we have a large group. The difference is the handle. The plastic handle that juts out makes it harder to pack. Mine has a wire handle that folds flat against the pot and makes packing easier. It also comes handy for burning your hand if you pick it up right off the stove without a pot holder. It's not a backpacking trip if I come home without burns on my hands.

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The key is to use the best coffee you can find. In Milwaukee, the coffee of choice is from Alterra (www.alterra.com) -- IMHO superior to anything at Starbucks. We are currently working through a bag of Costa Rica Campeon de Valle that makes your tastebuds dance. We just grind up a bunch before we head for the woods, and keep it in a ziplock bag.

 

I think have tried every combination suggested (except for the gravity espresso maker, which I have done at home, and the fancy-schmancy Coleman drip units that you plug into your cars cig lighter). Coffee is such a civilizing pastime that it is hard to imagine camping or backpacking without. After sleeping on the cold ground, you gotta have something to clear the fog! Here are my own opinions:

 

1. "Cowboy" coffee (toss course grounds into pot of boiling water, steep until grounds sink to bottom, do NOT boil the coffee!). This really works better than you would think. No, really. OK, I see noone believes me, but be patient give it a try once, eh? It is simplicity itself -- no special gizmos to carry around and the taste is comparable to french press coffee. The last couple of gulps, thick with grounds, are best offerd to the gods. The gods need coffee, too.

 

2. French press. So far the best cuppa joe on the road I have had was with some cheap plastic Bodum units that we picked up for the SLC Olympics. The RV that we rented had no coffee maker, so we got these from a Target in Sandy and used until they cracked last summer. We have replaced with fancy stainless units that I picked up at Starbuck's (wife uses for her morning drive joe).

 

3. Percolator. The coffee snobs will scoff and complain that perc coffee is, well, not real coffee. True, if you have the heat cranked up, and you boil away, you WILL end up with an over-cooked bitter mess. Gently simmered, perc coffee is truly as good as any. With average quality coffee beans (8 o'Clock), the extra heat actually adds an extra dimension of flavor. Ideal for socializing -- you can make a lot of joe at once, and the aroma draws folks in.

 

4. Mellita cones. Some of the best and worst coffe I have ever experienced has been brewed this way. There is a bit of a black art to ensure a proper cuppa joe. Water has to be at just the right temp, the coffee has to be ground just the right way, and the water poured in at the proper rate. Screw any of this up and A) the water bypasses the coffee and you end up with something that tastes like hot water with a crayon melted into it or, less commonly, <_< the water and grounds turn into a brackish mud that refuses to drain into the cup.

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I love percolating a pot of coffee at camp. When car camping, it's teh only way I'll do it. The french press is a quick way to get a decent cup when you're backpacking.

 

Gotta agree with ya though, starting off with a good bean is critical to a good cup of coffee. I've always said if you have to add milk and sugar, you're drinking the wrong stuff.

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I love percolating a pot of coffee at camp. When car camping, it's teh only way I'll do it. The french press is a quick way to get a decent cup when you're backpacking.

 

Gotta agree with ya though, starting off with a good bean is critical to a good cup of coffee. I've always said if you have to add milk and sugar, you're drinking the wrong stuff.

 

I didn't read the whole thread so I don't know if someone had mentioned muslin bags. I got some cloth bags for making tea at some websight. I hadn't done it yet but I was going to put coffe grounds in the bag for steeping coffee. The bags are made for steeping food so no worries there.

 

The folger singles have instant coffee in them and I can tell. There are some other coffee bags made for one cup coffee makers that taste a lot better.

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I use a personal coffee filter -- it has the Swiss Gold permanent filter -- from MSR and carry a stash of ground coffee. I am a bit of a coffee snob, and will not go anywhere near the Folger's singles paks. I've not tried the lexan french press yet, but in an effort to compromise on weight and 'gourmandizing,' I've also simply brought coffee and made it Turkish-style: You boil the grounds in a pot. I usually use an espresso roast for that. Not something I do often, but it works if you bring sugar.

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The cup of Joe each prepares is to their own liking and ease of making/cleanup.

 

French press is nice but clean up is not my cup of Joe.

 

A cheap BonJour 3 Cup Café Milano Espresso Maker makes a great wake up Brew on a Backpack trip and to top off the Brew is a smooth splash of Bailey's. Now we have a morning wake up for that mellow get the act together and move on.

 

Now that first cup of Brew has begun to stir the Soul.

 

What should be Breakfast? A Stir Fry of potatoes, Ham, onion, green pepper, eggs and sharp cheddar cheese? or Just maybe that fresh caught Mountain Lake Trout with potatoes, onions and eggs over medium?

 

Any one notice that they're getting hungry, yet? :anicute:

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Our old lexan French press died, so we picked up this one. It comes with an insulated mug too, which is a nice touch.

 

8bf37f95-e935-4dab-9e12-930434cb5aa4.jpg

 

If you can carry that kind of stuff, you're not hiking far enough or high enough. :(

 

When are you visiting? I have some really awesome remote no-trail hikes to take you on. I haven't lost a hiking partner yet!

 

10 ounces for the French press and insulated cup together. You need a cup anyway, so subtract that from the weight of the cup, or if you already have a lightweight cup, leave it home. Good coffee is worth about 6 oz. of extra weight in my book.

 

I've also heard some pretty good things about Starbucks instant. There was a discussion over in Backpacker.com and most people found it to be agreeable and significantly better than other instants.

 

Some day I'll get out that way. Hope I'm still able to walk when I go.

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Back in the day... I even would make a pot of Killer Joe and let it cool. Then I would make cup size portions into a Seal-a-Meal bag. Then freeze them, when it came time to head out grab some and throw into pack.

 

I could get the coffee hot at the same time I was cooking a meal which was also in a Seal-a-Meal bag. Once all is done a water in pan had cooled down I would pour it into my Poly Bottle.

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The new Starbucks Via instant coffee is well beyond passable. I was surprised at how good it is for instant coffee, actually much better than many places brewed coffee. It is part of my hiking gear now.

I'm going to ditto this. I finally got tired of the fuss and muss of the french press, the drip, and the effuser and went to the instant.

 

I tried Nestle's Taster's Choice which reminded me of the ugh aftertaste I despised. I then went for the jugular and tried the Starbucks. It's quick and easy. Nothing to clean up afterwards as it is a microgrind bean and freeze dried combo making for a clear dark brew of coffee. 8 oz of water gives it a watered down flavor, but anything between 6 and 7 oz works very well. There is very little trash to deal with, a pencil thin tube of plastic about 3.5 inches long and the tear-off.

 

I do recommend pouring the coffee into the cup before the water. The steam from the water will clog the tube and make for a messy dispensing of the coffee grind and disposal of the tube. No stirring is required unless you're adding your flavor of choice. I prefer JD single barrel myself.

 

I boiled up two cups of water, 6 oz went to the coffee mug and the rest to the freeze-dried stew. Within minutes I'm sipping coffee and eating hot beef stew on top of a 4,000 foot ridge overlooking the White River valley near Mt Rainier. It just couldn't get any better than that. :huh:

Edited by TotemLake
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The new Starbucks Via instant coffee is well beyond passable. I was surprised at how good it is for instant coffee, actually much better than many places brewed coffee. It is part of my hiking gear now.

 

I gotta second this post. A year or so ago I was in Seattle (where they ran the test market on Via) and picked some up for a taste test. It was more than passable as evidenced by the scores of people who couldn't tell the difference between Via and fresh brewed when Sbux when nationwide. I've tried just about every gizmo mentioned in this forum but it comes down to weight and convenience and Starbuck's Via wins on both counts.

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The new Starbucks Via instant coffee is well beyond passable. I was surprised at how good it is for instant coffee, actually much better than many places brewed coffee. It is part of my hiking gear now.

 

I gotta second this post. A year or so ago I was in Seattle (where they ran the test market on Via) and picked some up for a taste test. It was more than passable as evidenced by the scores of people who couldn't tell the difference between Via and fresh brewed when Sbux when nationwide. I've tried just about every gizmo mentioned in this forum but it comes down to weight and convenience and Starbuck's Via wins on both counts.

I'm going to second this second. I just whipped out two cups today on a snowshoe hike on Mt Baker with as little trouble as it takes to boil water in a JetBoil.

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I take my moka pot, but I car camp.

 

As for coffee, I buy a local brand (Trager Bros) with a rich, velvety espresso roast. Now, I'm not so hardcore into my coffee that I carry a ceramic grinder, so I grind the beans before I leave, but I'm thinking that a nice, hand-held ceramic grinder might be in order on longer trips.

 

I'm out of my preferred bean at home right now and haven't felt up to braving the snow to go out and replenish my supply, so I've been coarsely grinding a different roast (kept on hand for company, nice in a french press) and using it in a filter and funnel. Not perfect, but drinkable with cream.

 

If I were backpacking, I'd probably pack tea, instead. And cocoa nibs & espresso beans for munching. :ph34r: No point going through withdrawal for a weekend in the woods.

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After 23 years in the Army, coffee is, well coffee. I'm not very particular as to what type I drink, I have made stuff reallllllly thick and strong for those nights you just know will turn into a day and you still have a lot of work to do. I have also drank some rather weak stuff that would have a hard time passing the color test. When camping (or packing) I generally take instant. If I have a base camp then I bring grounds and percolate it.

 

One thing I never do is add JD Single Barrel, that is a waste of perfectly good sippin' whiskey. Old #7 however does add a rather nice flavor.

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I tried the Starbucks, both types: The Italian Roast and the Columbian.

 

It's made a believer out of me. Good stuff.

 

I agree wholeheartedly! :D

 

On TotemLake's last HOTM he gave me a packet of Starbuck's instant. I have tossed my other stuff and will now carry Starbucks instead. I rarely stop at one of their shops but will now to get the packets of instant.

 

Now I want to go on a overnight hike so I can have some for breakfast as I watch the sun rise.

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Well I gotta Add my .02 I guess. I too am an avid coffee drinker, but i do have to say with the type of backpacking i do taste isn't everything. I am an ultra light back packer, so i will cut weight in any way i can. in the coffee instance at home i like to drink it with alittle of that flavored creamer and thats it. but when back packing i cant carry that stuff, i dont even carry sugar. The coffee is more of a strong kick me in the butt, caffeine enriched, bitter tasting, brush your teeth after, super strong kinda thing. HAHA like some i will sacrifice taste for weight. So i carry the dreaded Nescafe singles. easy pack in pack out, especially on a 5 day hike, trash builds up fast..

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Well I gotta Add my .02 I guess. I too am an avid coffee drinker, but i do have to say with the type of backpacking i do taste isn't everything. I am an ultra light back packer, so i will cut weight in any way i can. in the coffee instance at home i like to drink it with alittle of that flavored creamer and thats it. but when back packing i cant carry that stuff, i dont even carry sugar. The coffee is more of a strong kick me in the butt, caffeine enriched, bitter tasting, brush your teeth after, super strong kinda thing. HAHA like some i will sacrifice taste for weight. So i carry the dreaded Nescafe singles. easy pack in pack out, especially on a 5 day hike, trash builds up fast..

 

I've had the Nescafe and the Tasters Choice. If you ever try the Starbucks singles you may not try the others again. Same size packets so no more trash than Nescafe, but better taste!!

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Well I gotta Add my .02 I guess. I too am an avid coffee drinker, but i do have to say with the type of backpacking i do taste isn't everything. I am an ultra light back packer, so i will cut weight in any way i can. in the coffee instance at home i like to drink it with alittle of that flavored creamer and thats it. but when back packing i cant carry that stuff, i dont even carry sugar. The coffee is more of a strong kick me in the butt, caffeine enriched, bitter tasting, brush your teeth after, super strong kinda thing. HAHA like some i will sacrifice taste for weight. So i carry the dreaded Nescafe singles. easy pack in pack out, especially on a 5 day hike, trash builds up fast..

 

I've had the Nescafe and the Tasters Choice. If you ever try the Starbucks singles you may not try the others again. Same size packets so no more trash than Nescafe, but better taste!!

 

yah i was told about this stuff, the other main reason i use the nescafe singles is also price. the starbucks is expensive! im thinking of packing tea next time, im going to have to play with making it at home first to see what results i can get first.

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Well I gotta Add my .02 I guess. I too am an avid coffee drinker, but i do have to say with the type of backpacking i do taste isn't everything. I am an ultra light back packer, so i will cut weight in any way i can. in the coffee instance at home i like to drink it with alittle of that flavored creamer and thats it. but when back packing i cant carry that stuff, i dont even carry sugar. The coffee is more of a strong kick me in the butt, caffeine enriched, bitter tasting, brush your teeth after, super strong kinda thing. HAHA like some i will sacrifice taste for weight. So i carry the dreaded Nescafe singles. easy pack in pack out, especially on a 5 day hike, trash builds up fast..

 

I've had the Nescafe and the Tasters Choice. If you ever try the Starbucks singles you may not try the others again. Same size packets so no more trash than Nescafe, but better taste!!

 

yah i was told about this stuff, the other main reason i use the nescafe singles is also price. the starbucks is expensive! im thinking of packing tea next time, im going to have to play with making it at home first to see what results i can get first.

I'm a firm believer you get what you pay for. The Starbucks packets are not just freeze-dried ilk. They also have micro-ground beans for added flavor and robustness. You don't get that with Nescafe and Tasters Choice. But to each their own. I enjoy a good cup of coffee and I'm willing to pay for it to have it. It's one of my creature pleasures when I'm camping. The other is a good sleeping pad, but that's another thread.

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I bought one of these while I was deployed to Iraq.

 

http://www.rei.com/product/761283

 

Although I have absolutely no problem drinking (or chewing) week old and cold motor oil Army coffee (whatever it takes to stay awake on a 20 hour patrol!), sometimes I did enjoy buying beans from the local market and making it myself. All I had to do was set out out a bottle of water on top of a Humvee until it was almost boiling, then put it in the cup with the grounds and wait a few minutes before I pressed it right there in the mug. I've taken it backpacking too, it takes up little room and makes a great cup of mud.

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Starbucks VIA is the way to go; small packets that make a strong cup of coffee, which is just what I want after a night of camping. You can purchase them at Starbucks or retailers like Target, and they are far superior to anything else out there that is this quick, easy & portable. No worrying about what to do with the grounds too :laughing:

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The one thing I need in the morning is a decent cup of coffee... Folgers ain't gonna cut it. Drank Peet's Costa Rican for a while and then started roasting my own green beans (bread machine base w/ pots from Goodwill and my old heat gun) - google corretto roasting snobs if interested...

 

somegeek_coffee_roasting_13.jpg

 

Can't knock $4/lb for fresh roasted brazilian beans taken to a vienna/french roast. :)

 

somegeek

Edited by somegeek
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