Are you and your friends planning an outdoor trip that entails camping and building your own bonfires? As you outdoorsy people already know, camping is a great way to reconnect with nature and enjoy the simple joys of life. Not only does camping give you useful outdoor skills, but it also helps you be as resourceful as possible in cooking food and preparing your camp.
One of the activities that you may be planning on trying out while camping is to brew batches of coffee in your best camping coffee mugs – since being outdoors isn’t an excuse to skip your daily coffee dose! While you may think that brewing a cup of coffee while camping might be a challenge, there are actually specialized coffee brewing tools now, from the best camping coffee mugs to camping coffee pots, that are designed specifically for the outdoor enthusiasts. In this article, we’ve compiled the best coffee equipment you can get and a few tips and recommendations to help you brew the perfect cup while out camping.
10 Must-Have Coffee Brewing Tools for Outdoorsmen
Spending time outdoors doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ll have to stick to using coffee crystals and instant coffee for convenience. There are now coffee equipment and tools specifically designed for their ease of use and compact builds, which makes them perfect for camping and other outdoor activities. Here are ten of the best coffee brewing tools that every outdoor enthusiast and coffee lover should have:
1. AeroPress Coffee Maker
Small, portable, and easy to use, these are the three words that can easily describe the Aeropress Coffee Maker. Designed to be as convenient as possible, this coffee maker allows you to brew great-tasting coffee in as fast as three minutes. With complete accessories and filters, all you need to do is a flat surface where you can assemble the Aeropress with your best camping coffee mug, and you’re golden. You can sip on hot, delicious coffee in the morning while enjoying the cool morning breeze at your campsite with the help of this portable espresso coffee maker.
2. Wacaco Nanopresso
If you’re a true coffee enthusiast, you’re probably aware that espresso shots require precision and high pressure to get the distinct layers, from its body to the crema. While espresso shots are most commonly pulled through the big and complicated systems of professional espresso machines, Wacaco has devised a compact tool that allows you to get espresso shots with a handheld device: the Nanopresso.
What’s great about the Nanopresso is that it’s easy to bring along with you and extremely light, so you won’t have to bring along a big espresso machine just to enjoy an Americano or a latte.
3. Cafflano All-in-One Coffee Maker
When it comes to designing compact and light coffee tools and brewers, Cafflano may be one of the forerunners in the coffee industry. With a specific focus on providing easy-to-use equipment with patented hydraulics systems, Cafflano has found a way for outdoor enthusiasts to bring along coffee makers without adding too much weight to their backpacks.
One of these devices is the Cafflano All-in-One Coffee Maker, which incorporates all the tools that you need to brew a hot cup of coffee, including a coffee bean grinder, a drip kettle, and the best insulated camping coffee mug. If you’re looking for other compact and outdoor-ready coffee equipment, you can check out the complete list of Cafflano coffee equipment.
4. Collapsible Pour-Over Drip Coffee Maker
Are you a fan of pour-over coffee? If so, you’re probably already aware that coffee drippers typically come in fragile and hefty packages, making it a bit of a hassle if you’re planning on bringing them along with you on a hike or on a camping trip. Because of this, coffee lovers have devised alternative brewing tools that use similar technology. But instead of one solid pour-over coffee maker, they use a collapsible brewer that they can flatten and easily stash in their backpacks together with their best camping coffee mug.
5. Cafflano Kompresso Espresso Maker
Another great portable espresso maker that you can add to your camping gear is the Cafflano Kompresso, a handheld espresso maker that uses patented technology to extract espresso shots through consistent 9-bar pressure. What’s great about this espresso maker though is that it needs no filters, is easy to use and clean, and is as portable and light as any espresso maker can be, only coming in at about 200 grams. So if you’re looking for a portable coffee maker, you can opt for the Cafflano Kompresso Espresso Maker.
6. Insulated French Press
Want to brew a batch of fresh, hot coffee without worrying about it getting cold too fast? An insulated french press would be a great coffee partner for you since the insulation system can keep your coffee hot for up to almost an hour. Say goodbye to forgotten batches of brewed coffee, because these specialized designs will keep your coffee fresh and hot for longer periods of time.
7. Vacuum Insulated Travel Mugs
When you’re out in the woods or on the camping grounds, you’d want your drinks and food to stay cold or hot for as long as you want. With some of the best camping coffee mugs being designed with vacuum insulation technology, this is becoming less of a problem for campers and outdoor enthusiasts. If you’re planning on going on a camping trip or any outdoor trip, consider investing in a high-quality vacuum insulated travel mug and travel food containers that can reliably keep all your things cool or warm.
8. Stovetop Percolator
If you’re planning on brewing coffee in large batches, that also means that you need a bigger brewer to save some precious time. You don’t want to be brewing coffee the whole morning with a handheld device, so might as well invest in a stovetop percolator. A stovetop percolator allows you to brew coffee for bigger groups of people - all you need is a stovetop or a bonfire, coffee beans, and water.
9. Mini Manual Coffee Grinder
One of the most important tools in brewing, both indoors and outdoors, is a reliable coffee grinder. A coffee grinder allows you to have full control of the size of the coffee particles so that you can extract the best flavors from your coffee beans. While automatic coffee grinders help speed up the process, this obviously doesn’t fly if you’re in the middle of the campsite, so a manual coffee grinder will do.
Fortunately for you, there are hundreds of choices for a manual coffee grinder out there. All you need to do is find one that’s compact, easy to use, and reliable enough not to break down while you’re in the middle of a camping trip. One of the best handheld coffee grinders you can get your hands on is the Hario Slim Ceramic Coffee Grinder. Not only is this grinder durable, but it’s also designed to be easy on the hands, giving you maximum grip every time you need to grind a fresh batch of coffee beans.
10. Single-Serve Pour-Over Coffee
Lastly, if you want a hassle-free coffee experience while you’re out camping, there’s also the option of going for single-serve pour-over drip coffee packets that you can easily use with your travel mugs. All you need is hot water and a mug, and you’ll be able to brew a fresh batch of coffee in your best camping coffee mug.
The Secret to Brewing a Fresh Cup of Coffee While Camping
Now, if you’re currently packing for a camping trip and you won’t be able to get your hands on some of these coffee equipment, there’s also a more traditional (yet harder) way to brew coffee without any fancy tools. Also known as cowboy coffee, this brewing method entails a manual technique of extracting coffee flavor from your beans. You just need a reliable camping coffee pot, a bonfire or a stovetop, water, coffee beans, and your best camping coffee mugs for serving. To help you, here’s a secret guide to brewing the perfect batch of coffee outdoors:
- Bring clean water up to a boil using a clean camping pot and a source of fire - either a bonfire or a traditional stovetop.
- Once the water is boiling, remove the camping coffee pot from the source of heat and let it sit for about 30 seconds.
- For every cup of boiling water in the pot, at 2 tablespoons of ground coffee beans. Stir the grounds into the water and let it steep for about 4 minutes while stirring periodically.
- After steeping, sprinkle a little bit of cold water to make the coffee grounds sink to the bottom of the coffee pot.
- Once the coffee grounds are already settled, slowly and carefully pour the hot coffee into your best camping coffee mugs. Make sure you don’t stir the coffee at this point since it’ll disturb the grounds again and make for gritty and sandy coffee.
Enjoy Nature With a Cup of Fresh Hot Coffee in Hand
When you’re out camping, you’d expect a certain disconnect from your city life. It’s a perfect excuse to temporarily fall off the grid and just enjoy nature in its purest form. Together with this, you also get to limit your technology use to just the basics. And for the coffee lovers out there, it also means you won’t have your usual access to large espresso machines and traditional electric coffee makers. Fortunately, there are now hundreds of manual coffee makers out there that you can use so you won’t need to skip your daily caffeine dose while you’re outdoors. From espresso makers to pour-overs, you can easily enjoy a fresh hot cup of coffee with your best camping coffee mug and the cold fresh breeze.
