Coffee Technology on The Tour

[Mr. Coffee]

Here are three different approaches to brewing up on tour (all of these obviously require a fuel canister for the stove):

Clockwise from top left: BRS-100 stove, boy scout mug, snow peak cookpot and lid, plastic spork, gold one cup coffee maker. I've had that coffee maker since the late 1980's and it makes excellent coffee. The downside is that it is a little bit bulky and requires extra effort to clean.

Clockwise from top left: Coglan's one cup coffee filter, mug from Stanley cookset, snow peak cookpot and lid, plastic spork, snow peak stove, and one of the filters and the little plastic handle for the filters (don't lose it!). This is lighter and less bulky than the gold filter, but the coffee it makes is considerably less impressive.

Clockwise from top left: Starbuck's Via Instant coffee packet, Yeti insulated mug, snow peak cookpot and lid, plastic spork, snow peak stove, and full package of Starbuck's instant coffee. The coffee is oily and heavy and burnt-tasting, but this is the fastest and lightest and easiest cleanup of any caffeine delivery system described here. Also, the Yeti mug is both obnoxiously expensive and insanely heavy.

You can make even better coffee if you just make cowboy coffee, but the cleanup is a bear and getting the grounds out of the coffee when you pour is a challenge for the inexperienced.

 

[theemartymac]

I'm a massive fan of coffee filter packs for the road (Bike or Motorcycle), and just use them tea bag style in whatever container I'm boiling in. On the motorcycle, it's the larger camp kettle where everything packs inside for the road, but the standard cooking pot works fine too straight on the MSR stove. Packs wonderfully (in a zip lock), and cleans up so well.

Maxwell House Original Medium Roast Ground Coffee Filter Packs, 10 Count (Pack of 4) : Amazon.ca: Grocery & Gourmet Food

Maxwell House Original Medium Roast Ground Coffee Filter Packs, 10 Count (Pack of 4) : Amazon.ca: Grocery & Gourmet Food

www.amazon.ca

And hot tip for those like me who need cream and sugar. The greatest double-double coffee in the camp world comes from this:

Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk

Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk is found in a can or a resealable pouch and is only made from milk and sugar.

www.eaglebrand.com

It requires no refrigeration until opened, and is very tolerant of several days unrefrigerated after opening (keep sealed of course). Makes a perfect coffee with a big spoonful - again, no mess - and a dessert treat too!

I agree that the Starbucks "Gets the job done" in a pinch for time, but the quality of a morning coffee sets the entire tone for the day. It can't be undervalued!!!

 

[Dallant]

 

[theemartymac]

A whole lotta NOPE! lol

That thing is HUGE for a one-trick appliance. A camping French Press is half the size and will make a nicer cup.

I bet you could make something similar with a large syringe though if you were crafty. The gears turn...

3 Pcs 150ml Large Syringes, Sterile and Individual Sealed, Easy to Use and Clean, Plastic Garden Syringe for Liquid, Lip Gloss, Paint, Epoxy Resin, Oil, Watering Plants, Refilling…: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific

3 Pcs 150ml Large Syringes, Sterile and Individual Sealed, Easy to Use and Clean, Plastic Garden Syringe for Liquid, Lip Gloss, Paint, Epoxy Resin, Oil, Watering Plants, Refilling…: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific

www.amazon.com

 

[Dallant]

A whole lotta NOPE! lol

That thing is HUGE for a one-trick appliance. A camping French Press is half the size and will make a nicer cup.

I bet you could make something similar with a large syringe though if you were crafty. The gears turn...

3 Pcs 150ml Large Syringes, Sterile and Individual Sealed, Easy to Use and Clean, Plastic Garden Syringe for Liquid, Lip Gloss, Paint, Epoxy Resin, Oil, Watering Plants, Refilling…: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific

3 Pcs 150ml Large Syringes, Sterile and Individual Sealed, Easy to Use and Clean, Plastic Garden Syringe for Liquid, Lip Gloss, Paint, Epoxy Resin, Oil, Watering Plants, Refilling…: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific

www.amazon.com

Nah...syringe is a big no. Another kind of coffee press would work if you want to carry loose coffee.

 

[Mr. Coffee]

Nah...syringe is a big no. Another kind of coffee press would work if you want to carry loose coffee.

"Loose coffee".

The world shudders.

Pro tip: stay at any hotel/motel and there probably have a coffeemaker in the room. Take all the little packets of coffee in the room (and the sugar and creamer if you like too, but skip the decaf) and you are good for coffee for a couple of breakfasts.

 

[Dallant]

"Loose coffee".

The world shudders.

Pro tip: stay at any hotel/motel and there probably have a coffeemaker in the room. Take all the little packets of coffee in the room (and the sugar and creamer if you like too, but skip the decaf) and you are good for coffee for a couple of breakfasts.

You are from a demented part of the North Cascades!

 

[theemartymac]

"Loose coffee".

The world shudders.

Pro tip: stay at any hotel/motel and there probably have a coffeemaker in the room. Take all the little packets of coffee in the room (and the sugar and creamer if you like too, but skip the decaf) and you are good for coffee for a couple of breakfasts.

The only time loose coffee is good is if you have a big camp coffee pot and are making cowboy coffee. If you can remember to do the cold drop before your controlled pour, it's really quite good.

There are better/easier options though...

And BTW - Powdered Creamer is a sin upon the coffee world!

 

[Mr. Coffee]

You are from a demented part of the North Cascades!

Two other fairly unnatural things I sometimes do with coffee:

1. Put a spoonful of butter in your cup. This is pretty amazing and glorious on a cold morning. I recently found out that this is an actual thing, but I've been doing it for decades.
2. Put unsweetened chocolate in your coffee. Easiest in powder form.
3. Mix hot cocoa mix into your coffee.

All of these are somewhere between bizarre and horrifying to do in civilized surroundings, but all of them can hit the spot on a cold November morning.

 

[theemartymac]

1. Put a spoonful of butter in your cup. This is pretty amazing and glorious on a cold morning. I recently found out that this is an actual thing, but I've been doing it for decades

Plain unsweetened Butter is truly just highly condensed milk, so it makes total sense.

 

[Dallant]

Just like a pinch of salt in the very old days.

 

[Haystacks]

The butter thing is called "Bulletproof coffee", it allows you to take a massive caffeine dose that gets ingested slowly so you don't get a huge caffeine hit, the fats in the butter bind with the caffeine and absorb slower.

Another thing...... the only way to make coffee is with a moka pot, anything less is an insult, especially the 'filter' stuff Americans make, eww. Probably the most versatile way too, from stove top to a camp fire, no faff, just perfect coffee.

Sorry, i'm one of those people, i've brewed coffee in every possible manner, even to the extent of buying green beans and roasting them myself.

So my recommendations :-

Bialetti Moka pot

And a special coffee to go in it would be "Mexican Finca Muxbal" a single origin bean only grown in one place has a beautiful caramelly butteryness to it, i use a full 6 cup pot to 1 large latte

 

[Art Deco]

A kettle for the sag wagon or car camper. Folds down to 1 1/2 inch or so for storage. Works with propane, electric, or campfire coals. Boils about 6 cups.

 

[Art Deco]

Folding bucket to carry water. Holds 4 or 5 gallons.

 

[ActionJackson]

Around here you just stop at a convenience store:

 

[BrianK]

Although I’d never use one for bike touring, I took one of these with me when I drove from Maine to California and back two years ago. I drove 12,500 miles over 9 weeks and camped in national and state parks, and stealth camped at many Cracker Barrels, Lowe’s, Walmart’s, truck stops etc. I had 200w solar panel on the roof and a solar generator inside to run a small electric kettle and this manual k cup press worked fine.

I continued to use it daily til two months ago when I tried an AeroPress Go, which would be much more amenable to bike touring.

AeroPress Coffee Maker - Go

The AeroPress Go travel & camping coffee maker is engineered to fuel an active lifestyle. It gives coffee lovers everything they need to conveniently brew superb single serve coffee anywhere. Like the AeroPress Original, the AeroPress Go portable coffee maker provides the same great taste and...

aeropress.com

I have both a k cup adapter as well as a Fellow Prismo attachment and I’m impressed with both, though the whole set up with these accessories is a little pricey.

 

[BrianK]

A kettle for the sag wagon or car camper. Folds down to 1 1/2 inch or so for storage. Works with propane, electric, or campfire coals. Boils about 6 cups. View attachment 99149View attachment 99150

That’s awesome. Link?

 

[Art Deco]

That’s awesome. Link?

Not sure but amazon shows somerhing similar here

https://www.amazon.com/Evaliana-Foldable-Silicone-Collapsible-Outdoor/dp/B089M7PFMT/ref=mp_s_a_1_59?dchild=1&keywords=collapsible+tea+kettle&qid=1630950513&sr=8-59

 

[Art Deco]

Although I’d never use one for bike touring, I took one of these with me when I drove from Maine to California and back two years ago. I drove 12,500 miles over 9 weeks and camped in national and state parks, and stealth camped at many Cracker Barrels, Lowe’s, Walmart’s, truck stops etc. I had 200w solar panel on the roof and a solar generator inside to run a small electric kettle and this manual k cup press worked fine.

I continued to use it daily til two months ago when I tried an AeroPress Go, which would be much more amenable to bike touring.

AeroPress Coffee Maker - Go

The AeroPress Go travel & camping coffee maker is engineered to fuel an active lifestyle. It gives coffee lovers everything they need to conveniently brew superb single serve coffee anywhere. Like the AeroPress Original, the AeroPress Go portable coffee maker provides the same great taste and...

aeropress.com

I have both a k cup adapter as well as a Fellow Prismo attachment and I’m impressed with both, though the whole set up with these accessories is a little pricey.

All these accessories are expensive, unless you compare them to buying prepared coffee and food on the road. Then they seem pretty reasonable.

 

[BrianK]

All these accessories are expensive, unless you compare them to buying prepared coffee and food on the road. Then they seem pretty reasonable.

Yeah, I wanted to get away from the waste and comparative cost of using k cups, as well as the mess of using refillable k cup inserts. The AeroPress fills that role admirably, though I wasn’t impressed with the taste of just using the round paper filters that come with the AeroPress, which allow the hot water to pass through the press too quickly. The Fellow Prismo adapter solved that problem as it uses a very fine metal filter and a pressure valve that allows the coffee to steep in the press as long as desired.