So, I am coffee snob, no other way to put it. I order green coffee beans and roast them in a Behmor 1600 Roaster. I typically go thru a pound to a pound and a half of beans a week, one cup in the morning and another just after lunch.
With that said, I still typically carry Via in the back country, its fast and its easy, and yep tastes like chit. However, if you ever want to try proper coffee in the back country here are a few options and equipment that I have used that you might consider;
1) You can pre-grind your coffee and place it in a Ziploc bag or food saver. But this kind of defeats that purpose of a proper cup of brew. Instead maybe try carrying whole beans with a small hand grinder like a mini Porlex Hand Grinder found here: http://www.sweetmarias.com/sweetmarias/grinders/manual-grinders.html?source=grid
The teeth on this grinder are ceramic, the grind size is adjustable and it’s pretty easy to clean. I have used one for about a year and have not had any problems with it. It probably gets used once to twice a week on construction sites or in the backcountry.
2) Brewing methods. I have tried three different brewing methods so far and for me anyway have ruled out one of them. The three that I have tried are a Aeropress, a French Press, and a MSR Mugmate. The one that I have ruled out is the MSR Mugmate. For me anyway this thing is a PITA. I do not like how it sits on top of the cup, and also do not like how slow you have to pour water into it. If it had a sealed top, at least then you could just drop it into hot water for a period of time. I do like the Aeropress found here:http://www.amazon.com/AeroPress-Cof...183443&sr=8-1&keywords=aeropress+coffe+maker]
and I also like the French Press found here: http://www.snowpeak.com/cookware/coffee/titanium-french-press-cs-111.html
However, each of these systems has pros and cons to each of them. The Aeropress requires paper filters and separate cups, and the French Press is a PITA to clean and also requires a separate cup. The Snowpeak French Press can double up as a cup, but the diameter is only 3 inches, so it’s rather “narrow”.
If I want a cup of full bodied coffee that is a bit like mud, then I prefer the French press. If I want a clean cup of coffee that is smooth then I prefer the Aeropress.
3) Stove. Really all you need is to get water to the proper temperature. The best temperatures for coffee are between 195 and 205 F. Water boils at approximately 212 F, but this also depends on altitude. For instance the boiling point of water in Denver is close to 200 F. Also, the boiling point of water drops about 1.8F with each increase of 1000 feet. So, usually if you bring it to a boil you are going to get close, unless you are hunting at sea level.
With all that said, I still find myself throwing Via in the pack more often than not, why well because it’s less weight, faster, easier, blah, blah, blah, but also tastes like…yep you guessed it CHIT.
If there are any other coffee snobs on this forum that have any good methods, please share.
With that said, I still typically carry Via in the back country, its fast and its easy, and yep tastes like chit. However, if you ever want to try proper coffee in the back country here are a few options and equipment that I have used that you might consider;
1) You can pre-grind your coffee and place it in a Ziploc bag or food saver. But this kind of defeats that purpose of a proper cup of brew. Instead maybe try carrying whole beans with a small hand grinder like a mini Porlex Hand Grinder found here: http://www.sweetmarias.com/sweetmarias/grinders/manual-grinders.html?source=grid
The teeth on this grinder are ceramic, the grind size is adjustable and it’s pretty easy to clean. I have used one for about a year and have not had any problems with it. It probably gets used once to twice a week on construction sites or in the backcountry.
2) Brewing methods. I have tried three different brewing methods so far and for me anyway have ruled out one of them. The three that I have tried are a Aeropress, a French Press, and a MSR Mugmate. The one that I have ruled out is the MSR Mugmate. For me anyway this thing is a PITA. I do not like how it sits on top of the cup, and also do not like how slow you have to pour water into it. If it had a sealed top, at least then you could just drop it into hot water for a period of time. I do like the Aeropress found here:http://www.amazon.com/AeroPress-Cof...183443&sr=8-1&keywords=aeropress+coffe+maker]
and I also like the French Press found here: http://www.snowpeak.com/cookware/coffee/titanium-french-press-cs-111.html
However, each of these systems has pros and cons to each of them. The Aeropress requires paper filters and separate cups, and the French Press is a PITA to clean and also requires a separate cup. The Snowpeak French Press can double up as a cup, but the diameter is only 3 inches, so it’s rather “narrow”.
If I want a cup of full bodied coffee that is a bit like mud, then I prefer the French press. If I want a clean cup of coffee that is smooth then I prefer the Aeropress.
3) Stove. Really all you need is to get water to the proper temperature. The best temperatures for coffee are between 195 and 205 F. Water boils at approximately 212 F, but this also depends on altitude. For instance the boiling point of water in Denver is close to 200 F. Also, the boiling point of water drops about 1.8F with each increase of 1000 feet. So, usually if you bring it to a boil you are going to get close, unless you are hunting at sea level.
With all that said, I still find myself throwing Via in the pack more often than not, why well because it’s less weight, faster, easier, blah, blah, blah, but also tastes like…yep you guessed it CHIT.
If there are any other coffee snobs on this forum that have any good methods, please share.