Do you know how many times people have asked us, "What would be a great camping coffee maker for me to take on my next staycation?". Well... we can't think of a single time, but if they ever do then this is the article to read.
It's not just the staycationers, think about the potential for festival goers, or even for those who travel for work, having to make do with take-away or hotel coffee. Can we just take a moment and think about those poor, unfortunate souls.
Luckily for them we have a couple of solutions. Even luckier, one of them can be found in our online store (imagine that).
We're assuming that you don't just want to rough it with a zip-locked bag of instant you smuggled out of your cupboard. You are after a great coffee experience whilst away from it all. This means freshly roasted beans, and possibly freshly ground too.
The Grinder
- The Timemore Chestnut C2 Manual Coffee Grinder - an easily transportable, manual coffee grinder that gives great results and can be powered by 1 x human running on either excitement or desperation (personal choice). Capable of producing a range of grind sizes for a range of coffee brewing methods.
Camping Coffee Maker
- AeroPress Go Travel Coffee Press - like an AeroPress (because it is one), but with portability in mind. Everything packs down into the included travel cup. The AeroPress is an extremely versatile coffee brewer and can produce great results when paired with a great, fresh coffee.
- While you're camping, you could always use the setup in our featured image! Moka pot on camp stove. This is equally compact, brews an amazing coffee for those who like things a little stronger, and offers the potential for larger volumes if ever you find yourself entertaining guests. (They are available from 1 cup to 18 cup size!)
What? No Espresso?
This one really tested us. Trying to make espresso on the go is tricky. Trying to make a good espresso on the go is even trickier. The difficulty is finding a manual grinder that can grind fine enough, and a brewer that is portable and can still reach the pressures espresso needs.
These things come with a higher price tag, but we know how it is when you want your espresso fix and you're camping in the middle of a field dodging either the sun or the rain (only joking, we have NO idea what that's like - but we know about craving a superb coffee).
The Manual Espresso
- The Royal Grinder by Flair Espresso - Flair make manual espresso machines, so they know about human-powered coffee. They claim that their grinder will grind fine enough, and it certainly is compact enough to go travelling. But, their brewer is a little on the large side for the old backpack.
- That's where the PicoPresso has you covered. Honestly, we don't think it's possible to make a smaller espresso brewer. It uses a similar water delivery and portafilter basket system to a 'proper' espresso machine. Pressure is built up through manually pumping the unit once all your ingredients are inside.
With only so much space available in your bag, the smaller the equipment, the more beans you can take.
Difficulties
If you know how long you will be away from civilization, you can make more of a coffee travel plan. Perhaps you could survive with pre-grinding your beans before you head out? Hot water may also be a problem, so can you use a thermos flask with boiled water in it?
If camping, we presume you have a stove and the Moka pot setup seems ideal, but if you've just checked out of your hotel for another few hours on the road, pre-boiling and pre-grinding are seriously worth considering.
Being able to enjoy a wonderful coffee whilst camping, immersed in some awe-inspiring scenery sounds like a worthy pursuit. And we wish you all the best on your next adventure, whether you choose to take a camping coffee maker or not.
Written for Recent Beans by Jack Sheard, Freelance Writer - JACKEDCONTENT.COM
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