Most people drink coffee in the morning and some can’t even function without it, if you are a coffee drinker don’t think camping will prevent you from drinking your cup of coffee. In fact, there are a couple of ways to make coffee while camping. It will taste as good as any coffee you make at home or buy in-store.
Depending on the time and type of coffee you want to drink it will require you to bring some tools and have some preparation. There are plenty of ways to make coffee outdoors, it can be simple or complicated depending on your taste.
We will go over a couple of ways to make coffee while camping.
Cowboy Method
This method is the old-fashioned way of making coffee while camping. It’s ideal to have a campfire or camping stove to do this. You need a pot or kettle to pour in water and then use the campfire to make it boiling water.
Once the water in the kettle or pot is boiling you just need to add to your coffee grounds and stir. Let the mixture sit for a few minutes so that the coffee grounds can settle at the bottle of the kettle. You then slowly pour your coffee out into a cup.
This method is great for making multiple cups of coffee at once so that you can share it with your loved ones. If there are next-door campers and you want to make new friends, offering them a cup of coffee is a great way to begin a friendship.
Instant Coffee
This method is probably the easiest way to have your coffee in the morning while camping. You are trading flavors for convenience though because with instant coffee all you are doing is adding instant coffee ground into a cup and pouring hot water into the cup.
This method is great for camping, hiking, backpacking, and anywhere you don’t want to carry any separate tools for coffee.
French Press
When you are camping you don’t think that you can get a fancy french press coffee, but with the right tools, you can make a fancy french press coffee within 5 minutes.
The tool to make french press coffee is lightweight, very portable, and easy to use.
All you have to do is add your coffee grounds to the press, add hot until it reaches half the container. Let it sit for a minute so it can bloom. Then pour in hot water until the container is full and let it sit for 4 minutes so that the brew is stronger. Finally, you press the plunger down to filter out the coffee grounds and you pour the brew into a cup and enjoy.
Coffee Bags
The coffee bags are for people who just want to make coffee the fastest way possible without all the hassle of bringing a lot of equipment. Coffee bags are just like a teabag, they used to be low quality in terms of taste but there are few companies that provide great-tasting coffee bags that you should try out. Those companies source high-quality coffee in order to make those coffee bags taste great.
All you need is hot water and you place the bag inside your cup and let it sit for a couple of minutes and pull it up and down as you would do to a teabag.
The bags are biodegradable which means you can reduce your trash as you enjoy your outdoor adventure.
Pour Overs Coffee
The pour-over coffee is similar to the instant bag coffee but you will need a frame. The frame is put over and on top of your cup, you then place the pouch that is filled with your coffee grounds on top of your frame. You then pour your hot water onto the pouch and let it drip down into your cup.
Once you are done you can remove the pouch and trash it. This method is a bit more work than the instant coffee bag in terms of cleaning up since you have to clean the frame.
Moka Pot / Stovetop Coffee Makers
Moka pots and stovetop coffee makers are getting popular in the US because they produce rich and strong coffee. The taste is very close to the taste of espresso without having to use an espresso machine.
These methods originated from Europe. They are made with aluminum so that they can be used over a campfire, try not to get the one with plastic handles. Plastic handles would ruin quickly over time when using it over a campfire. You should get the one without the plastic handle so you can use it over the campfire.
To use the Moka pot you will have to unscrew the top and remove the coffee filter and add water to the bottom part until it reaches the bottom of the lip. Then you add the finely ground coffee to the filter, put the filter to the bottom chamber, and reassemble the Moka pot. Once it’s back together, place the Moka pot over the campfire, the heat should be medium to high and it should be at a consistent level.
Once it reaches the boiling point you will hear a popping sound, which means the coffee is brewing. As the sound dies down and over with, take the Moka pot off the campfire and serve it immediately to enjoy the nice hot cup of coffee.
Portable Espresso
Portable espresso makers are great for camping. If you are the type that likes espresso shots then this tool is perfect for you.
All you have to do is pack coffee grounds in one compartment and hot water in another compartment. Then wait a few minutes to let the pressure build and the steam will make the espresso.
Aeropress
The Aeropress gives you a rich, aromatic, and smooth-tasting coffee. It is lightweight and does not have a lot of parts to it. Aeropress is like a French press, pneumatic press, and classic pour-over all rolled into one machine.
It’s simple to clean when you are done making coffee. It’s great for backpacking, van life, and camping.
To use the Aeropress you need to put a filter on and place it over your cup. Add your coffee grounds into the base and pour hot water into the Aeropress. Fill it to the top with hot water and let it drip a little. Once it’s dripping a bit, add the plunger and slowly push down on the plunger so that the brew ends up in your cup.
To clean the Aeropress, you just need to remove the filter with the coffee grounds and rinse the Aeropress.
Percolator
If you are camping in a large group, coffee percolators are a great way to make coffee for the whole group at once. There are two different coffee percolators, an electric one and one that goes over the campfire which is the classic one.
The percolators can brew coffee for 8 to 12 cups, which means you can provide coffee to 8-12 people. This is great for camping only at one spot, it’s not suitable for backpacking or any other type of activity that requires constant movement.
It’s usually made of enamel, which means it’s very durable and it comes with a reusable filter.
To use the coffee percolator, open it up and fill it with cold water, and put the coffee grounds in the provided filter. Then put the filter into the percolator pot and put the lid back on. You can then put the whole coffee percolator over the campfire and wait until the water is boiling. Let it boil for around 6 minutes. Use some oven mitts to remove the percolators from the campfire and pour the coffee into some cups and enjoy.
Coffee Accessories You Need At Camp
If you are a coffee addict and really want the best coffee that you can possibly get while camping then you will need to have these accessories with you when you are making coffee while camping.
Coffee Grinder
In order to get the best coffee you can while camping you need to grind the coffee beans yourself right before you make your coffee. Because that is the only way to get the full taste and aromas for your coffee.
You should get coffee grinders that have a built-in measuring tool to make your life easier.
Coffee Mugs
You will need mugs that have a lid that can keep the temperature in so that the coffee doesn’t get cold fast. Plus it will help keep bugs and things from falling in and also help keep it from spilling.
Conclusion
Camping should not prevent you from having a good cup of coffee in the morning. Brewing coffee outdoors is really fun too, you get to use your campfire early in the morning. Smelling the great outdoors and your favorite brew of coffee in the morning is life.
You should try out every single way to brew coffee outdoors so that you learn which way is the best for you.