By Morgan Shannon | 4.4.2019

Percolator

Chances are if you come from a long line of campers, there’s a blue speckled, enamel coffee-brewing contraption (aka percolator) collecting dust in your parent’s attic. But before you pass judgment on this old-school coffee brewing apparatus, you should know that this tried and true coffee brewing method was once the “pour over” of its time. In fact, before the percolator hit the scene, people were just boiling coffee grounds in a pot with water.

Believe it or not, your dad was wise to keep his percolator carefully preserved – this timeless coffee-brewer is making a serious comeback in the camping community. And rightfully so – the percolator is simple, efficient, and produces a robust, delicious cup of coffee that requires little to no brewing ingenuity. Simply add water, insert coffee grounds, and set it on the open fire (or camp stove).

Percolators are easy to pack, carry, and clean. Several reputable outdoor brands have recently revamped and reinvented the percolator to make it the best that it can be. But if you’re looking for a dose of nostalgia, don't worry the classic enamel blue is still available.

Instant Coffee

Instant coffee generally gets a bad rap in the coffee community as being a subpar alternative to the real deal. But there’s simply no denying that this no-frills method of coffee “brewing” is perfect for campers, hikers, and backpackers that need a caffeine kick that is easy to pack, prepare, and enjoy.

Fortunately, an upscale instant coffee movement is making waves in the coffee community. Coffee roasters are recognizing that folks really appreciate the ease of instant coffee and have started concocting a variety of high-quality instant coffee options for on-the-go coffee drinkers.

So, if you’re yearning for a delicious, piping hot, quality pot of coffee, sans the pot, companies like Voila, Mount Hagen, and Stoked Roasters specialize in making premium instant coffee that won’t leave you feeling left out. That’s right - gone are the days of instant coffee being the last-ditch resort.

AeroPress

Have you ever heard of the Aeropress Championships? Yeah, it’s a real thing. The AeroPress isn’t just a niche, coffee-brewing camping gadget. In fact, despite weighing only 7 ounces and looking like a quirky rod-shaped science project, the AeroPress is a seriously impressive and popular coffee brewer both at home and outdoors.

The AeroPress checks every box for campers and backpackers - It’s lightweight, easy to store, durable, and functional. And for the self-proclaimed baristas of the backcountry, there’s also a plethora of AeroPress-specific coffee recipes to experiment with.  

If you like to keep things simple, the AeroPress functions a lot like a skinny French Press. Simply boil water, pour coffee grounds into the chamber, fill the AeroPress with water, let it steep, attach the cap, place it over a cup and push liquid gold into your mug.

Single-Serve Pour Over

At face-value, pour over appears to be the ideal off-the-grid coffee-brewing option. No swanky machines, flashing lights, or power chords to distract you from crafting the perfect cup of coffee. But anyone that has tried to cram a Chemex into a backpack for a weekend in the wild, will tell you that there just isn’t a convenient way to enjoy pour over on the go. That is, until now.

Somewhere between coffee snob and instant coffee lies an entirely new category of coffee brewing – single-serve pour over. Yep, you read that right. Over the last few years, a handful of premium coffee roasters like Kuju Coffee, have created high-quality single-serve pour over coffee packets to put the kibosh on lackluster instant coffee in the backcountry.

Single-serve pour over marries the ease of instant coffee with the superior quality of pour over, so you get an ultra-lightweight, convenient, and delicious backcountry brew every single time.

French Press

Did we leave the best for last? We’ll let you decide. Many coffee connoisseurs swear by the French Press, whether at home or in the backcountry. Coffee made with a French Press tends to retain more of its natural oils than filtered coffee, which makes it more flavorful and robust.

This method is also quick, easy, and involves minimal clean-up. Not to mention, unlike some of the other brewing methods on this list, a fresh pot can be shared with your camping buddies.

Recently, the once-lavish glass French Press has been given a rugged, outdoorsy makeover by several reputable outdoor brands, so it’s built to endure and outlast the elements. In fact, companies like GSI Outdoors have even created commuter coffee mugs that double as coffee makers, so all you really need to do is supply the heat, water, and beans.

Conclusion

There really isn’t a better way to wake up in the wilderness than to a fresh cup of coffee. Although we can’t exactly decide which coffee brewing method is right for you, we can confidently say that the next time you roll out of your tent, you don’t have to forgo a solid cup of joe.

By Morgan Shannon | 4.4.2019

Percolator

Chances are if you come from a long line of campers, there’s a blue speckled, enamel coffee-brewing contraption (aka percolator) collecting dust in your parent’s attic. But before you pass judgment on this old-school coffee brewing apparatus, you should know that this tried and true coffee brewing method was once the “pour over” of its time. In fact, before the percolator hit the scene, people were just boiling coffee grounds in a pot with water.

Believe it or not, your dad was wise to keep his percolator carefully preserved – this timeless coffee-brewer is making a serious comeback in the camping community. And rightfully so – the percolator is simple, efficient, and produces a robust, delicious cup of coffee that requires little to no brewing ingenuity. Simply add water, insert coffee grounds, and set it on the open fire (or camp stove).

Percolators are easy to pack, carry, and clean. Several reputable outdoor brands have recently revamped and reinvented the percolator to make it the best that it can be. But if you’re looking for a dose of nostalgia, don't worry the classic enamel blue is still available.

Instant Coffee

Instant coffee generally gets a bad rap in the coffee community as being a subpar alternative to the real deal. But there’s simply no denying that this no-frills method of coffee “brewing” is perfect for campers, hikers, and backpackers that need a caffeine kick that is easy to pack, prepare, and enjoy.

Fortunately, an upscale instant coffee movement is making waves in the coffee community. Coffee roasters are recognizing that folks really appreciate the ease of instant coffee and have started concocting a variety of high-quality instant coffee options for on-the-go coffee drinkers.

So, if you’re yearning for a delicious, piping hot, quality pot of coffee, sans the pot, companies like Voila, Mount Hagen, and Stoked Roasters specialize in making premium instant coffee that won’t leave you feeling left out. That’s right - gone are the days of instant coffee being the last-ditch resort.

AeroPress

Have you ever heard of the Aeropress Championships? Yeah, it’s a real thing. The AeroPress isn’t just a niche, coffee-brewing camping gadget. In fact, despite weighing only 7 ounces and looking like a quirky rod-shaped science project, the AeroPress is a seriously impressive and popular coffee brewer both at home and outdoors.

The AeroPress checks every box for campers and backpackers - It’s lightweight, easy to store, durable, and functional. And for the self-proclaimed baristas of the backcountry, there’s also a plethora of AeroPress-specific coffee recipes to experiment with.  

If you like to keep things simple, the AeroPress functions a lot like a skinny French Press. Simply boil water, pour coffee grounds into the chamber, fill the AeroPress with water, let it steep, attach the cap, place it over a cup and push liquid gold into your mug.

Single-Serve Pour Over

At face-value, pour over appears to be the ideal off-the-grid coffee-brewing option. No swanky machines, flashing lights, or power chords to distract you from crafting the perfect cup of coffee. But anyone that has tried to cram a Chemex into a backpack for a weekend in the wild, will tell you that there just isn’t a convenient way to enjoy pour over on the go. That is, until now.

Somewhere between coffee snob and instant coffee lies an entirely new category of coffee brewing – single-serve pour over. Yep, you read that right. Over the last few years, a handful of premium coffee roasters like Kuju Coffee, have created high-quality single-serve pour over coffee packets to put the kibosh on lackluster instant coffee in the backcountry.

Single-serve pour over marries the ease of instant coffee with the superior quality of pour over, so you get an ultra-lightweight, convenient, and delicious backcountry brew every single time.

French Press

Did we leave the best for last? We’ll let you decide. Many coffee connoisseurs swear by the French Press, whether at home or in the backcountry. Coffee made with a French Press tends to retain more of its natural oils than filtered coffee, which makes it more flavorful and robust.

This method is also quick, easy, and involves minimal clean-up. Not to mention, unlike some of the other brewing methods on this list, a fresh pot can be shared with your camping buddies.

Recently, the once-lavish glass French Press has been given a rugged, outdoorsy makeover by several reputable outdoor brands, so it’s built to endure and outlast the elements. In fact, companies like GSI Outdoors have even created commuter coffee mugs that double as coffee makers, so all you really need to do is supply the heat, water, and beans.

Conclusion

There really isn’t a better way to wake up in the wilderness than to a fresh cup of coffee. Although we can’t exactly decide which coffee brewing method is right for you, we can confidently say that the next time you roll out of your tent, you don’t have to forgo a solid cup of joe.