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SGT Rock
10-06-2002, 16:08
I love my coffee. I know it isn't the best thing in the world for me. But getting up and having a nice hot mug of coffee while shaking the sleep out and doing the camp chores is a pleasure...

But the pleasure could be better. In the old days, it was instant coffee which was always lacking, but it worked. Then along came the coffee single which makes a little more trash, but the flavor is closer to real coffee. There are some contraptions out there that allow you to bring real coffee and brew it in your cup or pot, but honestly I have never heard anything good about them.

So, is there what could be termed a good coffee single out there, or another instant? Or maybe you have found a good product to make field coffee better.

Trail Yeti
10-06-2002, 16:49
I too, am a coffee snob. I am not so bad that I can't do without it, but I detest instant coffee, I like the expensive stuff brewed in my coffee maker at home. I tried out a lexan coffee press for my trail journey...it makes a decent cup of coffee, but isn't that practical for a long hike...its a mess to clean, etc, etc.
Would definately use it for car camping, base camping etc.
On the trail this year I found a really good morning pick me up.
I mixed an instant cappucino (sp?) packet (I think mine were general mills) w/carnation instant breakfast. The cappucino makes the carnation taste good, its nice and hot, and the carnation gives you a nice little jolt to start your day with. I still ate something w/it if I could, but also went w/just the drink. Try it...you might like it.
Yeti

The Weasel
10-06-2002, 17:44
Lexan coffee press, from Campmor or REI (among others) is as good as coffee at home.

The Weasel

chris
10-06-2002, 18:50
I,too, like coffee quite a bit. What comes out of coffee singles isn't really coffee to me, so I just avoid it and bring tea along instead. A friend of mine has a GSI espresso maker and, while adding weight, produces coffee that I would actually drink in my regular, day-to-day life.

Redbeard
02-10-2003, 10:55
Agreement, I'd rather have a good cup of black tea than a bad cup of coffee. I'll use the coffee singles anyway, palate masochism.

MOWGLI
02-10-2003, 11:04
I had visions of brewing coffee daily on the trail as I'm a coffee junkie. Turns out I tired of making a hot breakfast every morning once the weather turned warmer. A bigger priority was hittin the trail before the temps got up in the 80's or 90's.

That approach made town visits all the more fun, as I looked forward to a good cup of "real" coffee or three whenever I reached civilization.

BTW, there is a nice coffee shop "Appalachian Coffee House" in Vernon, NJ about a 3 minute walk from the Vernon Church Hostel. Don't be lured by the Dunkin Donuts that lies between the church and the coffee house. The coffee house has nice comfy couchs, used paperbacks, chess & checkers games, and its locally owned.

Blue Jay
02-10-2003, 16:16
Thankyouthankyouthankyou. I had forgotten that wonderful place in Vernon. I'm not even a "Coffee" person and I lved that place.

LBJ
02-18-2003, 15:32
Sgt. Rock,
I have to have my coffee in the morning. I put up with the mess and carry a Melitta one-cup filter holder and #2 paper filters to fit. I buy 1.25 ounce bags of coffee at WalMart that make about 8 cups of coffee. I like the taste of this(always fresh brewed) so much that I fix my coffee at home like this now also.

Sparky!
02-18-2003, 15:50
I take the coffee that comes in the tea bags with me. The trick is not to boil your water then put the bags in.... What I do is put in 16 ounces of water in my pot, 2) then I put in three of those bags 3) THEN I bring the water to a boil 4) let it sit for a minute or two with the bags in it 5) remove the bags but squeeze out that sweet nectur from the bags... Not bad that way and the coffee is strong, just the way I like it!

Sparky!

pobbie
02-18-2003, 17:39
you could try making a wire hoop, that fit your cup with some kind of handle to push down on, and stretch noseeum mesh over it for a light coffee press. Although I don't know how the mesh would hold up. I was doing "cowboy coffee" but the bottom cup was, quite literally, mud, so I have also been trying to figure out some way to get decent coffee.:-?

Sparky!
02-18-2003, 21:26
MMMMMMM, Camp coffee ( aka cowboy coffee ). When I do camp coffee just reverse the filter process. Boil the coffee then put the filter over your cup and filter out the grounds... works great.

SGT Rock
02-18-2003, 22:15
You are bringing filters, and you are bringing real, good coffee, let me tell you a secret way.

1. Take a filter and put the grounds in it. USe something like a piece of string to tie it in a bundle.

2. Put a pot of cold water on a stove.

3. Put the coffee bag you made in the top of the pot.

4. Start the stove.

5. The filter will sink as the water boils, then float to the top. Usually when it gets back to the top again it is done.

Save the string, bury the grounds and filter.

Drink the coffee.

ATN2N
02-18-2003, 22:28
ALL - remember it takes three things to make good coffee: hot, black and tastes good. Also rember, it only takes two to work. I started using the singles coffee/tea bags.

Virginian
02-18-2003, 22:34
I had a stainless cup. I would fill with water and one tablespoon of real coffee. Bring it to a rolling boil for about 2 mins. Take it from the heat and give it just a shot of cold water. Wait about 20 seconds and then sit back and have a great cup of coffee. The cold water will make all the grounds settle to the bottom. You can drink all but the very last drop. Simple and easy. Experiment with varying measures of coffee versus boiling time to get the strenght as you like it. Less grounds in the cup means more boiling time. More grounds in the cup means less boiling time.

Virginian
02-18-2003, 22:37
Trail Yeti, I thought every good Marine knew that one!!

LBJ
02-19-2003, 08:25
Sgt Rock,
Your way won't work for me. The only thing that goes into my Ti cookpot is water. I bring one of those light throw-away Glad bowls to eat out of. The only thing I have to do to clean up after making coffee is swish out the filter holder and coffee mug with water. I doubt the filter holder weighs more that an ounce if that.

Groucho
02-20-2003, 01:30
I use a small funnel, about 3/4 oz. Fold a standard basket filter in quarters and stick in funnel. Put coffee in filter and pour hot water in. Lift gently on 3-fold part after a few seconds to speed process. When nearly through, lift filter, clinch top and squeeze last bit out. Only takes a couple of minutes. One filer will last a few days in a pinch.

Cheaper funnels weigh less generally.

IdahoDavid
02-24-2003, 21:18
SGYT Rock:

A lightweight solution for coffee making. Carry No. 2 size cone-style coffee filters and a heavy-duty rubber band. Add sufficient coffee to taste and roll the top of the filter down over the edge of your cup and hold in place with the rubber band. Pour boiling water over coffee until water rises in filterm and let stand for five minutes. Remove filter and let it drip out over cup. Unbleached filters give best results.

IdahoDavid