For ground coffee, Michael’s craft store sells a package of 5 cotton bags with draw strings that are a little larger than a tea bag. I spoon ground coffee in, tie the top shut and boil in a cup of water. I can discard grounds, rinse and reuse for coffee or tea. I do not have to pack out trash
Cafe Bustelo is the very best! I have decades of camping/hiking experience and have tried every coffee that is on the shelves and I always come backlot Cafe Bustelo. If you actually like coffee the Cafe Bustelo actually tastes better because Bustelo was making gourmet coffee before we invented the phrase gourmet coffee, they simply have always been a top quality coffee since they were launched in 1928 by Gregorio Bustelo who fell in love with the coffee in Puerto Rico, he then visited Cuba and continued hoo fasciation with the coffee in the Caribbean so he settled down in New York City and focused on making high quality coffee, what we would call gourmet coffee today. That is the first reason that Cafe Bustelo is still the better choice today,, because its still being made by people who really want you to have a good cup of coffee. The next reason is not well known. Cafe Bustelo in those tubes is actually Instant Espresso. there is a gigantic difference between Instant Coffee and Instant Espresso, they really should not be in the same category. Cafe Bustelo makes instant espresso by freeze drying their high quality roasted espresso beans then grinding them. Thats it. Its pure coffee bean. That means that you get all the nutrients that are in the outer parts of the bean that is normally thrown away as grounds. That is why people find that Cafe Bustelo is mellower, it does not give you that jittery/edgy sensation, its just a smooth hike awake feeling, that feels normal. Regular Instant Coffee is made by brewing coffee, throwing away the grounds, adding chemical s preservatives and flavor enhancers and then dehydrating the liquid that is left. That is why all "instant coffee" taste so bad. And that is why Cafe Bustelo taste so good, its pure, clean, and nothing but carefully selected high quality beans that are gently roasted so you get great flavor all the time. We like Cafe Bustelo so much that we even carry the tubes of their instant espresso in our emergency kits in our cars (and my wife's purse) for those unexpected emergencies when someone is trying to make you drink inferior coffee. LOL Yes, I prefer Cafe Bustelo instant espresso to the Starbucks and other chain coffee even if they make it fresh. Cafe Bustelo just always tastes and feels better. If you can't find the tubes of Cafe Bustelo Instant Espresso in your local store, then just get the jar of instant espresso and put enough into a sandwich zip lock bag for your trip (the bag weighs nothing so you will be fine). Thanks for the great video. PS Stevia (real 100% stevia not the blends, read the label please) weighs far less than sugar and weighs nothing compared to honey. Keep in mind that stevia is so powerful that you only use something like 1/16 of a teaspoon per cup of coffee (its a very tiny amount) so you can carry a tiny amount of stein that weighs nothing and trim the weight of your pack and still have a 100% natural sweetener for your coffee/tea (stevia if the ground up leaf of the stevia plant so its pure). If you ever run into anyone that says that stevia is bitter, its because they put way too much stevia in theor drink, they didn't read the directions. The container that I get has a micro-spoon inside of it, I highly recommend using that micro spoon (it weighs nothing) to measure the tiny amount of stevia that you need. Since stevia is a powder, you don't get sticky like honey makes you and you don't attract bugs nor bears like honey does. LOL I can honestly say that if you truly enjoy coffee don't do what "Perk" does, just carry the Cafe Bustelo Instant Espresso, you'll save weight, get your coffee instantly, wont have to clean an y gear and you'll still have an enjoyable cup of coffee.
My prefered method is what I call the Dollar Tree Method. You go into a Dollar tree, buy a pack of filters, the regular ground coffee, and a spool of dental floss. You can also get a coffee scoop there as well. Take a filter and set it on the table. Grab one scoop of your coffee (Doesn't have to be dollar tree brand) and put it in the middle of the filter. Wrap the filter around the coffee and twist it tight. Tie some of the Dental floss around it and presto, instant coffee bag. Just liek the Folgers bag but you can make it yourself and it ends up being cheaper.
I thought about doing this method if I ever get a chance to do a multi day hike. I might have to experiment with this method and using the french press method I have to figure out which one would be best for me.
Great idea! I got a pack of self-fill tea bags for loose leaf tea in the TJ Maxx clearance kitchen area and they are great for making "folgers singles" style bags, but I couldn't find them anywhere once I ran low. This is a good replacement hack.
I was thinking about trying this do you soak it for a little while then heat it or get your water hot and keep dipping it in like you would do with tea?
Cafe Bustelo or bust!! I love that stuff!! Nice rich coffee flavor. Not for the flippant or novice coffee drinker, as it actually tastes like coffee. Yum. Nice video on a VERY IMPORTANT subject. Thanks, Dixie.
New to backpacking, still assembling gear, but coffee on trail was one of the first things I researched and was the reason not to go stoveless! I can do cold food but cold coffee? No thanks.
I use a stainless steel tea leaf ball on a chain and use course ground coffee . heat water put it in anything off You go . I just make sure water does not boil .
i use this pour-over on my trips ua-cam.com/video/cRuew6hrDJY/v-deo.html my morning addiction for half-litter good hot black-coffee makes me carry the extra weight, it does take bit time with this filter (which is also mesh stainless steel like the tea leaf ball) but coffee stays hot bc of the insulated mug
Cowboy coffee, grounds in a pot on a fire, boil then let the grounds settle, drink away. the last cup gives you an extra kick if you take in of the grounds. You got some very good options.
Turkish and cowboy coffee aren't the same but their method is very similar. Example: Turkish coffee is extremely fine ground. Cowboy coffee is more medium ground. And yes I love both type. I do find you get a different flavor out of the more finely ground coffee.
When i hiked the AT, I used a coffee sock! Loved it- simple to use, made good "real coffee". After use, I would rinse well with water and hang on the back of my pack- it would dry in the sun and be ready for the next morning!
Ok hi Martin from Argentina let´s see... We not only have coffee and tea as infusions but we also have MATE, and that herb it is very sensible to be prepared...SO... let me tell you all a couple tips... 1- No need to bring a thermometer to prepare any infussion, just pay Attention to the water and as soon as small bubbles start forming at the bottom of the pot that means that the water it´s ready. 2- The most popular way to prepare coffee in my country it ts the pour over, only that the device is not like the one shown in the video, it is just a peace of white cotton cloth that it is sewed to a metal ring with a handle...so...in the hikking-camping situation I decided to make a filter that solves all the weight and functionality situations, as much as filtered sort of coffee or even thick grains of coffee ground in the moment. I just took 4 peaces of gauze or a peace of my shemagh and tie it up in the pot with a strip of paracord and so I filter the coffee ass I drink it and then I wash the cloth in running water. That allows me to drink all sort of coffees prepared in a cowboy style... And so I am happy
Since you prefer instant coffees I highly recommend some Asian brands like G7 (Vietnamese), Kanu, and Mocha Gold or White Gold (Korean). G7 comes in several varieties like black or with cream and sugar known as 3-in-1. Mocha Gold and White Gold also come with cream and sugar and in Korea (I'm Korean-American) they call it mixed coffee. Mocha Gold uses artificial creamer whereas White Gold uses dry milk. And finally Kanu only comes in black varieties such as Mild, Dark, and Decaff. G7 gets you the most bang for your buck and it's actually one of my favorites. I'm a black coffee drinker so I also like to drink Kanu mild. I think you can find all these on Amazon so I highly recommend them just to add a little variety to your instant coffee selections.
Dixie, you are amazing! I have never used an aeropress, but if it is like a French press, then it is a pain to clean thoroughly. Pour-over can produce a cup that challenges what you get at your favorite coffee roaster. You discuss flow rate, but once the water is heated - just under a boil, around 200F - it should only take about 4 minutes to brew a cup of pour-over. I don't think 4 minutes is too long for one of the most essential items of any day! Thanks for all your great, inspiring work, Dixie!
Cowboy coffee is the bomb. No extra pots or anything. Dump the coffee grounds in your cook pot and boil it. Once it has boiled, add a little cool water. That settles the grounds to the bottom and separates them from the brew.
Use the 'dregs" as a dip, as in Skoal. You'll be bouncing around the trail till lunch time. I've seen it, not man enough to do it. Just give me a cup of Folgers, I'm ready...
I have to second this method. I got my cowboy coffee recipe from David Pearson {reallybigmonkey1}. For 4 cups of coffee boil 3 cups water. Add 4 spoons of coffee grounds in when it starts to boil. Allow to boil one minute, then set off the fire. From about waist high, pour the 4th cup of water in. This will settle the grounds.
My Thai wife and I love our coffee. We bring back a wonderful instant coffee from Thailand. Yeah 3 in one, coffee, creamer and sugar in one foil bag. We use these bags especially when we travel beach or island locations in Asia. Just add hot water. Recently we found it at Asian Markets in Southern California. Good stuff. 😀😀
Great Video. For an epic coffee cup try one of the Starbucks reusable plastic ones. They are 1.6 oz and very durable, I've ran mine through the dishwasher 100x and its doing fine.The lids don't pop off if you drop them. Its not insulated but I prefer coffee that doesn't give me burns. The best part about it is people will give you weird looks when you are on the trail 20 miles from the closest Starbucks. "Oh yea, I got it just over that Mountain" and point in a random direction. If you go to a store the day after x-mas they discount the holiday theme cups to .99 cents. Cheers! PS you can use the GSI for cold brew. Mix your coffee in a plastic bottle, leave overnight, then filter in the morning.
Kev Ro, I carry on as well. Love it and I do think, because of the lid, it keeps bevs hotter longer than most backpack mugs. Great for draining pasta too
“Nectar of the Gods”. So very true. That was actually one of the first things I thought about when I was considering starting to hike and possibly do a thru hike. You’re videos are the most watched videos I’ve watched to prepare for my new life in the hiking world!! Thank you so much beautiful lady.
While in the Marine Corps on duty and patrol...fromthe MREs I would blend the Sugar, powdered creamer, and foldgers instant packets together (all dry) in the oversized creamer packet and resealed with tape. When getting up and short on time, I would dump the packet in my mouth and form it into a ball and tuck it into my lip like a pinch of dip. Lasted 20 mins and it didn't taste that bad.
Drewbs2002 Try Grinds pouches! They are coffee dips! My husband doesn’t smoke or anything, but he loves black coffee😂 They have a ton of different flavors, and he usually gets them at 7/11 :)
I use the aeropress-would recommend with caveats. Definitely practice at home. It took me a few weeks to dial it in. I use a hand grinder as well (I am 250#, might as well use that bulk to haul some luxury equipment!) Buy light roast coffee, slightly coarser ground than espresso if you can. Medium roast works ok, but less caffeine. Avoid dark roast (you think you like dark roast, but really you like strong coffee. More light roast >>> dark roast.) Another option if you like espresso (and are willing to haul the weight like Perk!) is a Bialetti moka. This is the coffee I make for my wife. This is one of the things I do to keep her from realizing that I am the lucky one in this marriage deal.
Im very passionate about this topic, lol! On the A.T. this year, I did Cowboy Coffee once someone showed me how, somewhere in N.C. You have to drink Cowboy coffe black, which isnt how I drink coffee at home, but I find the taste of real black coffee is more tasty and comforting than the taste of instant mixed with anything. Cowboy Coffee DEF helps ya make friends, and its super easy and easy to clean. Watching people do coffee the ways that Perk does it actually really secretly annoyed me, lol. bc it takes SO DANG LONG TO MAKE! Man, I could go on forever, but I will stop by just suggesting Cowboy Coffee....any brand, but starbucks seems to function best 😁☕
I agree with you about Cowboy Coffee. The original and still the best. But I disagree that with your assertion that you have to drink it black. Put what ever addition you like (sugar, honey, chocolate, instant dairy creamer, etc.) in your cup and pour the coffee out of the pot over it. If you have a one-pot method that eliminates the decanting step (and strain the coffee grounds with your mustache), just put your additives in the same pot once the coffee is ready.
yeah, you're right that you can do that...truth is, I just never was able to make it taste right whenever i tried it with cream/sugar (i even packed out actual half and half once, lol)...which was a bummer, since that's the only way I take it at home. But you're right, I shouldn't have said you "HAVE to drink it black", I just don't like the taste of it that way...plus it's a pain in the butt, lol. 😤
Finally, THE most important backpacking topic! I used to take a desert day hike about 5 mornings a week when I lived in Israel near Jericho. It was about a 2.5 hour loop and halfway was a very old monastery that had a couple of shade trees. When my wife went with me, we would stop and I’d make cowboy coffee under the shade trees. I took just enough ground coffee, a 500ml stainless steel cup with a long handle, my alcohol stove and foil windbreak. Of course I always carried at least 1.5 liters of water since it was usually over 95 degrees by 10am most of the year. Any way, I just added almost boiling water to the coffee grounds in the stainless cup, stir and wait a couple of minutes for the grounds to settle to the bottom of the cup. Then pour slowly into the small coffee cups we had brought. I made it really strong and it would definitely give you a kick. Of course all this would be too heavy for multi-day backpacking, but for day hikes and overnighters it works great. It got to the point that my wife wouldn’t go unless I made this coffee for her.
I’ve got yet another coffee suggestion for you guys If you want the kick of ground coffee and or percolated coffee without any contraptions just boil the water put a couple spoons of coffee grounds, stir let the grounds settle for 30-45 seconds and either drink it out of whatever you used to boil the water or pour into your favorite cup. With this method you get the added benefit that you can sit around and read the likelihood of a good or a bad day on the trail based on how the grounds look on the bottom of the cup. And it’s a delicious cup of coffee. Wish I could have this discussion with perc.
Dixie I use instant for one reason only, I can easily make my cup stronger or weaker depending on how I feel at that time. The biggest difference for me, I carry, at 12 oz,my insulated travel mug, it keeps my coffee hot for up to 10 -12 hours, will not spill if I close it and I can grab a quick hot sip during my hike without stopping. It's not for everyone but works for me. Luv your vids and hope for many more, slowly working through all that you have posted, hasn't been one I didn't like--amazing
I have watched a couple videos on this subject and I am surprised I haven't seen anyone mention the variety of travel french presses available. Basically a travel mug with a plunger built in.
Good video. Left out one form. I have an instant coffee in the morning, and then a mid-morning boost with caffeine powder. If you are familiar with the meal replacements Recpak, I make my own at home. I use Muscle Milk powder, add fructose, add fiber powder, and a 100mg coffee capsule, which I open and put the powder in the mix. On the trail, I simply add it to my smart water bottle, shake, and enjoy. I also do one in the afternoon, but instead of caffeine, I add my magnesium supplement. Each one is 3.4 ounces....but it serves as lunch. You can also do caffeine pills if you prefer.
I use Starbucks Via but everyone should make sure to pack out their trash. I am noticing a lot more micro trash, like the top of the instant coffee packets left at campsites.
Which is another reason our upcoming line of STIRZ premium coffees packed in zero waste pouches should be a hit for outdoor enthusiasts. No stick pack, no wrapper, no pour over leftovers, nothing. Drop our STIRZ pouch in your cup or mug and stir, that's it!
Rule #1. No Two piece trash! Tear, but.. leave the tops on everything! Rule #2. Police your campground!! If you don’t find any trash or anything left behind.. Police it again!!
I think for some coffee making is an important ritual, enough to bring a lightweight pour over, aeropress, or other doohickey, and the additional weight of coffee grounds vs freeze dried extract. For the rest of us that just want to enjoy coffee without the fuss of brewing on the trail, instant coffee has come a long way and you should try different varieties to find one that fits your flavor preferences. Keep in mind that because instant coffee is freeze dried, it is shelf stable for thirty years, so none of it will go to waste. If you don't like one brand, you can always give it to a friend.
Got to have that caffeine. I use instant while on trail, but prefer the percolator coffee the best. Thanks Dixie, so glad you continue to add content. I always enjoy it!
I'm a JetBoil fan. They have a French Press--works great. Love the resulting coffee, but I don't like the clean up, so I now use instant. But, if you really like a good cup of coffee, you can't go wrong with a French Press.
I use the coffee Buddy and take powdered creamer and sugar in zip lock baggies and use either a pop can alcohol stove or my MSR pocket rocket with an MSR soloist pot. I used to do instant but then found my coffee buddy and use it at home as well . Primula PCBR-0146 Coffee Brew Buddy
Hey Daisy - have you tried the Mount Hagen Fair Trade Organic instant packets, it’s fantastic instant coffee imo and is very affordable. I pay $7 for 25 individual servings/cups and they are extremely light and pack small. Tastes like an actual quality cup of coffee rather than crappy freeze dried cardboard. For reference I was a barista for 6 years and drink Peet’s Major Dicks from a French press and Blue Bottle 17ft Ceiling from a $1200 double boiler at work - good coffee is an essential part of life. I love how often you say you can’t live without it in your videos, I’m totally the same way. I can’t live without it. Mount Hagen is awesome, you should give it a try if you haven’t already. Love your videos so much, I literally watch 2-3 every day - keep up the great work and enjoy your future trips!! Thx for filling UA-cam with amazing content, it’s seriously wonderful
About five years ago I quit smoking after a nearly 20 year addiction. I realize that the health benefits are probably the most important reason to quit, but for me it was the feeling that I beat the cigarettes and they no longer control my life. Not to mention the expense of about $10 a day, when I quit (it's even more now). I see coffee as the same thing. I would never start drinking it. Maybe it wont kill you like smoking, but I wouldn't want yet another thing I can't go without. I know so many people that just must have their coffee in the morning/afternoon and I just wouldn't go back to that sort of addiction.
I prefer Maxim (Korean) brand instant coffee, whether I'm at home or not. :) I find it's not as excessively sweet or as bitter as American coffees tend to be.
When there are 2 or more of us I bring the Stanley french press... doubles as a pot at dinner time. When just me I bring the Aeropress (which I use a lot at home, too). And when I'm wanting to go lighter I use a Mugmate. Back when I carried instant (I found one that wasn't too horrible) I often used just-add-water hot chocolate powder as my whitener/sweetener/bad-taste-hider.
FlashGeiger finally, a fellow MugMate! I'm on my 3rd one. my first was bought in Germany in 1975. made by Braun, it was made of aluminum with stainless steel mesh basket. it fit perfectly in my G.I. cup, as do the MSR mugmates. park it next to the exhaust pipe of your tank for 2 minutes. only problem was EVERYBODY wanted some!
I use my own variant of Turkish coffee on the trail. The grind is so fine that it has the consistency of flour, mix with hot water and drink. The fines will settle to the bottom and you can drink them or not by swirling the cup. Not something you will find in a convince store, but any place that grinds coffee can do a Turkish grind. The best coffee ever!
Got tired of reading boring/stupid news with my morning coffee and I said to myself, let's hear some Dixie :) Like my coffee freshly ground and black (without any additives, including sugar). Nice sweater. It complements your eyes.
I boil my coffee the old fashioned cowboy way. Using a normal pot (which is the easiest to clean but can be tricky for leaving the grounds behind in yoour pot) boil your water, add coarsely ground coffee, wait five minutes (preferably in a pot cozy), pour it into your cup and drink.You may use a tea filter, handkerchief or something as a filter as you pour into your cup, but with a bit of care you can learn to leave most of the grounds in the pot. Tasty, and very light on your equipment.
I do a version of cowboy coffee. My addition is a linen bag to hold the grounds. Place the ground in the bag, toss it in the pot, and boil. The addition of the linen bag weighs about the same as the individual instant coffee packaging. It’s quick and you can enjoy your favorite coffee you drink at home.
Perk has a strong coffee game and that Aeropress looks cool. If you make cowboy coffee, you just have to add a bit of cold water to drive the grounds to the bottom of the pot. In the morning, there's usually not much time for anything but instant coffee if you want to put in the miles, but hot chocolate in coffee definitely makes choking down oatmeal in the morning easier to take. I usually just measure out the days of Maxwell House French Vanilla in a plastic bag, along with hot chocolate. I could see having a proper coffee supply of what you want being harder in places like the Appalachian Trail without filling your whole pack with coffee.
I have the same percolator that I use when I have my vehicle. First time backpacking I took a small single serve French press (6.6oz.) Now I have a coffee rocket (2.2oz) which works pretty great. Non of my options use filters and are all easy to clean/dry.
I love the Aero Press! I use at home when I’m not hiking because I have found it is my preferred method of brewing coffee over pour over and French press. Easy to clean and since the water does not sit in grounds for very long it has a non bitter taste. I have tried taking this camping and my mistake was I forgot to bring a thermometer. The water ended up being too cold so I would highly recommend doing what Perk did and bring a thermometer.
I like to pre-mix a pack of instant coffee (favorite is Alpine Start), two tablespoons of dehydrated whole milk (favorite is Peak), and a teaspoon of sugar, and create individual portions separated into tiny ziploc bags - one for each day. The ziplocs are easy to re-use or can nest inside each other as you use them up. I've found it tastes great, and is really easy. One important thing with this method is to allow the water cool down before you add the mixture - to just above comfortable drinking temperature works best - otherwise if it's too hot the dehydrated milk will transform into nasty goey clumps that don't dissolve.
Sea To Summit makes a coffee filter, which I love! It looks just like your mug but it has a metal screen at the bottom. If you stir with a spoon, it filters pretty fast. I don’t know the weight
As a hater of instant coffee (would rather go without and drink tea, instead), I use the AeroPress with a metal filter and a ti cup, just like Perk‘s next-to-last set-up. Cool that you mentioned his favorite brewing temperature of 185 degrees F (85 degrees Celcius), this detail being a „hotly“ contested point in AeroPress circles. ;-) Folks go on and on about how course the grounds should be, how long they should be allowed to „burp“, how long the water/coffee mix needs to sit before pressing, AND the perfect temperature. As it turns out, Perk hit my preferred temperature. 90 deg. is too hot and 80 deg. is too cold (based on home use). So Perk has convinced me to pack a small thermometer on my next adventure so the AeroPress will deliver maximum enjoyment. 😊
My sissified version of cowboy coffee... a fine mesh strainer that sits inside my mug pour in the hot water let steep. Lift out strainer and grounds. Enjoy! (I even do this at home, stick a coffee filter in the strainer to make clean-up easier than any thing else I've tried. )
At 2:48, you reminded me of how we used to mix the packets of instant coffee, hot chocolate, sugar, & coffee creamer from an MRE with cold(ish) water right in the bottle. Baristas we definitely were not, but it tasted really good! It was a kick, too.
Robert Timms Coffee Bags for the win... nothing else comes close for percolated rich taste, and all in the size of a teabag !.... different styles and strengths and even incudes decaf.
I know I’m late to the video but the French Press attachment for the jet boil is easy to clean and makes a great cup of coffee. If you are already carrying a jet boil it’s the lightest option.
I don’t intend to walk even a half mile! But, I really enjoy you talking about your adventures. Besides that you , my dear ,you are an absolute gorgeous young lady.
I've been using Tetra Drip by Munieq (Japan) for the last three years, replacing Aeropress that I always brought before during my hiking/backpacking. Tetra Drip is very compact, thin, lightweight and you can literally slip it in your pocket. Of course, down side is I have to use paper filter (V60/cone shaped) all the time but yes, coffee is necessity so I don't mind the extra grams in my backpack. Also, because I am more of a weekend hiker, I bring along my Porlex grinder, too. Oh, also the roasted coffee beans.
For me it’s Starbucks singles, boiling water and a 700 ml pot. Basically a large mug or small pot. No fuss on no mess. It’s light, it’s quick and it’s Black!!! No additives for me. Maybe some hot chocolate once and a while. Great topic!!!
I really like the sea to summit collapsing pour over. It holds heat really well and if you use a filter the clean up is is peasy. It nestles on a toaks pot in the bag perfectly. I feel like it even makes a little bumper for my cook kit.
I use a small single use French press on trail from IKEA. If you pack it just right you can fit the coffee grounds, cream and sugar into the glass. Definitely a luxury item.
Jet boil makes a plunger attachment for their mug that is just like a French press. It works wonderful but if you use it like a regular French press it makes a mess in the bottom of the mug. What me and my friend find out that works really well. Is to drop the plunger to the bottom bring the coffee to a boil and toss your coffee grounds in and let it steep for 5 minutes. Then pull the plunger out and it takes all the coffee grounds with it and makes less of a mess. But you get a delicious awesome cup of coffee!!!
Thanks for posting. Honeydust takes care of at least two or more trail issues. Honey and milk made me think of it... Kama Sutra does the best job I've seen with powdered honey. BTW, yes this episode's topic is one of the most significant of all three trails and other videos you've produced!!!
Of all your videos I've seen, this one is of highest importance. 😁 I'm glad to have help making the wisest choice for my daily fix(es). I can't take off 5-6 months to do it in entirety, but in 2019, I'll begin section hiking the AT. I've enjoyed your videos of hikes and tips very much. Thank you!
my most preferred coffee on trail is Hula Girl Kona Instant. 100% Kona coffee in instant form. Next to that is a combo of equal parts Cafe Bustelo Instant Espresso and Medaglia D'Oro Instant Espresso. yum. With honey. Been putting honey in my coffee for about 4 years now and can't do sugar anymore.
I started hiking with a mocha pot. Obviously it was to heavy. I love my coffee. So, I now have an austrailian expresso in the morning. One scoop of ground coffee. A few tbs of sugar in the raw. Boil on my BRS in about 1.5 cups of water. Let the grounds settle for a short time. I think I like it better than the espresso at Starbucks.
I use the Stanley 1L pot and French press. I love it bc it makes a lot and is very convenient as 2 100g iso fits inside 3.5”. Get some blue mountain course ground and your living large
I use the pour over method at home and on my adventures. I find the flow rate from my plastic cone with a paper filter to work fine. The drawback to this method is the amount of coffee needed for a great cup. I kayak/canoe so weight is not to big of an issue for me, but I think I would deal with it on trail because a quality cup of coffee in the morning is essential
I carry coffee grounds and the Primula single serve BrewBuddy. It works a lot like the GSI pourover kit you show, but it's smaller and more durable, and has a much faster flow rate. Plus, if you want the coffee stronger/darker, just pour a full cup and leave the Brewbuddy over the cup and let it steep a bit. It only weighs about an ounce and a half, lays totally flat in your pack (takes almost no space), flips inside out to make cleaning really easy, fits over most camping cups, and the used grounds are super easy to pack out in a ziplock or odor blocking bag. Gives you real brewed coffee every morning, and pretty much everywhere you resupply will have coffee grounds.
I have an aeropress at home. It's great. If it wasn't so big and heavy, I'd totally take it packing. It's a great car camping option though, or maybe for weekend packing trips.
Cant live without coffee... nice vid as always, Never did like instant, I carry med-fine grounds, and french press it.. Tastes great and I use the jetboil. boils water quickly. coffee is best made with temp between 185-195F, so let it boil, then set up, by the time you set up its about 200F take or add. Personally Bustelo is really good. Beats instant.. lol
Medaglia d'Oro instant espresso premixed with powdered heavy cream, powdered MCT oil and powdered vanilla flavored Stevie all in one bag with a small scoop. Taste test at home to get scoops right and packed volume. Excellent taste, quickly made and full of energy dense creamy fat! MCT oil is rocket fuel that compliments caffeine! You'll love it!
@@leanncollier9948 Now favorites LeAnn but don't spend a lot on these. Amazon has some options. The keto diet movement has new companies popping up daily that will sell these at a premium. You can get cheap ingredients and it will be just as good. Try this at home first to see if you like it: 2 espresso shots, 3-4 pumps vanilla syrup, 1 tsp coconut oil, 2 tsp mct oil, 2 tsp heavy whipping cream and 2/3 cup coconut-almond milk. Blend this mix with a stick blender for a creamy caffeinated fat bomb. You can play with the mix and flavors to your preferred taste and then translate it to trail mix. The high fat content will fill you up (twice the calories per gram compared to carbs). The mct component metabolized quickly and the cream will metabolize slower. Tasty trail science!
I use the pour over mesh thing from REI, I like it, I even use it at home. I don't worry about getting the coffee getting cold, I drink too fast. Thanks for the Folgers coffee bag tip. I was going to experiment making my own with paper filters and string.
15oz water, 2 Cafe Bustelo (singles found at Dollar Mart) with 1oz Jameson. Med-kit of the gods. I used to use Medaglia D'Oro Espresso (2oz = US$1.00), but it caked together.
I'm a fan of the teabag coffee singles on trail; Maxwell also makes them. I don't like instant, but don't want the extra weight and bulk of brewing equipment so I find that it's a good trade-off, and the trash is still rather minuscule (I squeeze the bag into my mug to get the water out to save weight, and it makes your coffee into rocket fuel :D). I boil water for freeze dried meals anyhow, so it's no biggie to boil some extra and steep the coffee bag in my stainless mug while my breakfast "cooks" in its pouch... *BAM*, breakfast! My "cooking" setup: Stanley Adventure 2 Cup Cook Set (I ditched those lame tiny green cups) Stainless $5 camp mug from Walmart (fits the outside of the Stanley pot) Arizona tea can windshield (between the mug and the Stanley pot) Small MSR canister, BRS-3000 stove, mini Bic, Toaks folding titanium spork, a piece of washcloth for cleanup, and a valve to refill the MSR canister from butane canisters (all fits inside the Stanley, with a little room to spare) Is it the lightest? No, it's around 23oz total with a fresh canister, but it's a fairly compact, cheap, effective, and durable (minus the BRS) setup that fills my needs. I can shave it down to 15.8oz total if I leave behind the Stanley pot but use its lid with the mug.
Great video! Two of my three favorite things - hiking & coffee!!! My other favorite thing is Jesus! Just awoke in my converted stealth car camper and having some coffee rite now. I cheated today... got fresh ground Ethiopian beans at a truck stop. Yea coffee!
I'm not a coffee drinker - only had 5 cups in my entire life. Still, this is good information. I'd take some along, together with some kind of powdered creamer and a sweetener, just in case I really needed a hot beverage to warm me (or someone else) up from the inside. I don't hate coffee - it's just not my cup of tea. Cheers.
A "12-inch impulse sealer" will let you seal poly bags to custom sizes. You can mix drink powders. Minimize weight & bulk. Add a "vacuum sealer" and before long you will be cramming more in a resupply.
Copper Cow coffee has some really good single use poor over bags if you don't mind packing out your trash, but more importantly they have sweetened condensed milk packets to use as creamer. So good!
I seriously enjoyed this video. I must start by saying I live vicariously through videos like this as I do not get to get put and hike like I once could. That being said I would either do aeropress, Instant or cowboy coffee.
I used a broccoli rubber band to suspend a # 2 paper cone coffee filter at the along the rim of my 17 oz. GSI insulated mug. I then pour over about 12 oz. of water using 20 gm of coffee grounds. While you have a wet filter and grounds to pack out, clean up is by far easier than an aeropress or a permanent filter; just fold up the filter and toss in your trash bag.
Oh my God, I so love the Bustelo. You are so correct. Seriously. Pretty random, but for some reason it just seems to be the best instant single-packet coffee I have tried.
Ultimately, for me, convenience wins the day and I go for instant. It doesn't taste anywhere as good as real coffee, but when roughing it, instant is good enough, less waste, less hassle, less weight. Powdered cow (coffee whitener) and / or sugar is a treat too.
I go with instant as well. Like you, one of my luxury items is a collapsible cup just for my coffee. Nothing like a hot brew on a cold morning. Great video Dixie! Enjoyed 🙌🏻
Don't know if it is available in the States, but Bodum make a plastic and mesh 1 cup filter unit that goes on the top of a mug, wash and reuse, you pull it apart, put in 1 dessert spoon of ground coffee, close it up and fill the top with hot water, let it drip through. weighs about 75 g, slightly less than 3 oz. Very robust, filters in about 30-40 seconds, easy to clean. Does need a mug of no more than 8cm/3" diameter. I have had mine for years and use it at home as well as when camping. I also use 1 cup coffee bags, very good for a thermos or insulated mug, will take too long to infuse allowing time for the drink to cool otherwise.
Perk is awesome. I love that guy. yeah, i'd find him or someone like him and be his best trail friend. Or just carry my own and see what trail friends it attracted.
My preference for instant is Nescafe sweet and creamy Contains sugar and whitener/milk. They do mocha as well which us good. My advise though.. two sachets for a mug. Light and convenient with a reasonable taste
Do like the infantry. A pinch of instant between your cheek and gum. I love Taster's Choice! It is in the MREs when I was in and my Sis sent me a box of them during DS/DS. I make coffee the #10 style.
I just use the same small steel one cup french press I use at home. Not light but small. In the UK they are obligatory, but seem less so in the states. However if I could find one made out of titanium that wasn't over priced I'd buy it. Easy to clean and simple to use.
Dixie, thanks for sharing coffee with us. I have an idea for a future video concept. You are a Triple Crown hiker and often you commented on trail maintenance and maintainers. Choose a trail and be a trail maintainer for a month or so and share your experience and stories with us.
Hi Dixie! Love your pull-over!! As for coffee, yah...going with Perc on this one, cause that's how I camp too. While I might have a time-frame for my hike / trip..et al, time away from work; I just prefer to slow down, make a really great cup in the environment, and enjoy it. Percolator gets my vote. Oh! And to your mention of going stoveless; my cousin and I went for 2 weeks (him no stove), me with an Esbit. After 4 days days out trying it his way, I made pasta, then coffee (yes, percolated). My cousin has never gone stoveless since. Guess I am a bad influence :)
Well, I learned two things from this video😎: Why Perks trailname is Perk and a new English word (percolator) which is almost the same in German (Perkolator)... I didn't know the English word and the German either... 🤔 even though I have one of these small espresso machines in my kitchen... a percolator, I guess! Ah, yes - I agree with you, Dixie and Perk: a good cup if coffee in the morning is the most important thing... 😁 not only when thruhiking! Cheers! ☕☕
For ground coffee, Michael’s craft store sells a package of 5 cotton bags with draw strings that are a little larger than a tea bag. I spoon ground coffee in, tie the top shut and boil in a cup of water. I can discard grounds, rinse and reuse for coffee or tea. I do not have to pack out trash
Cafe Bustelo is the very best! I have decades of camping/hiking experience and have tried every coffee that is on the shelves and I always come backlot Cafe Bustelo. If you actually like coffee the Cafe Bustelo actually tastes better because Bustelo was making gourmet coffee before we invented the phrase gourmet coffee, they simply have always been a top quality coffee since they were launched in 1928 by Gregorio Bustelo who fell in love with the coffee in Puerto Rico, he then visited Cuba and continued hoo fasciation with the coffee in the Caribbean so he settled down in New York City and focused on making high quality coffee, what we would call gourmet coffee today.
That is the first reason that Cafe Bustelo is still the better choice today,, because its still being made by people who really want you to have a good cup of coffee.
The next reason is not well known. Cafe Bustelo in those tubes is actually Instant Espresso. there is a gigantic difference between Instant Coffee and Instant Espresso, they really should not be in the same category.
Cafe Bustelo makes instant espresso by freeze drying their high quality roasted espresso beans then grinding them. Thats it. Its pure coffee bean. That means that you get all the nutrients that are in the outer parts of the bean that is normally thrown away as grounds. That is why people find that Cafe Bustelo is mellower, it does not give you that jittery/edgy sensation, its just a smooth hike awake feeling, that feels normal.
Regular Instant Coffee is made by brewing coffee, throwing away the grounds, adding chemical s preservatives and flavor enhancers and then dehydrating the liquid that is left. That is why all "instant coffee" taste so bad.
And that is why Cafe Bustelo taste so good, its pure, clean, and nothing but carefully selected high quality beans that are gently roasted so you get great flavor all the time.
We like Cafe Bustelo so much that we even carry the tubes of their instant espresso in our emergency kits in our cars (and my wife's purse) for those unexpected emergencies when someone is trying to make you drink inferior coffee. LOL
Yes, I prefer Cafe Bustelo instant espresso to the Starbucks and other chain coffee even if they make it fresh. Cafe Bustelo just always tastes and feels better.
If you can't find the tubes of Cafe Bustelo Instant Espresso in your local store, then just get the jar of instant espresso and put enough into a sandwich zip lock bag for your trip (the bag weighs nothing so you will be fine).
Thanks for the great video.
PS Stevia (real 100% stevia not the blends, read the label please) weighs far less than sugar and weighs nothing compared to honey. Keep in mind that stevia is so powerful that you only use something like 1/16 of a teaspoon per cup of coffee (its a very tiny amount) so you can carry a tiny amount of stein that weighs nothing and trim the weight of your pack and still have a 100% natural sweetener for your coffee/tea (stevia if the ground up leaf of the stevia plant so its pure). If you ever run into anyone that says that stevia is bitter, its because they put way too much stevia in theor drink, they didn't read the directions. The container that I get has a micro-spoon inside of it, I highly recommend using that micro spoon (it weighs nothing) to measure the tiny amount of stevia that you need. Since stevia is a powder, you don't get sticky like honey makes you and you don't attract bugs nor bears like honey does. LOL
I can honestly say that if you truly enjoy coffee don't do what "Perk" does, just carry the Cafe Bustelo Instant Espresso, you'll save weight, get your coffee instantly, wont have to clean an y gear and you'll still have an enjoyable cup of coffee.
My prefered method is what I call the Dollar Tree Method. You go into a Dollar tree, buy a pack of filters, the regular ground coffee, and a spool of dental floss. You can also get a coffee scoop there as well. Take a filter and set it on the table. Grab one scoop of your coffee (Doesn't have to be dollar tree brand) and put it in the middle of the filter. Wrap the filter around the coffee and twist it tight. Tie some of the Dental floss around it and presto, instant coffee bag. Just liek the Folgers bag but you can make it yourself and it ends up being cheaper.
silen
I thought about doing this method if I ever get a chance to do a multi day hike. I might have to experiment with this method and using the french press method I have to figure out which one would be best for me.
Great idea! I got a pack of self-fill tea bags for loose leaf tea in the TJ Maxx clearance kitchen area and they are great for making "folgers singles" style bags, but I couldn't find them anywhere once I ran low. This is a good replacement hack.
Legit
I was thinking about trying this do you soak it for a little while then heat it or get your water hot and keep dipping it in like you would do with tea?
Coffee is NOT an option, it's a necessity!
RIGHT?!
Mike Neri a true need.
Cafe Bustelo or bust!! I love that stuff!! Nice rich coffee flavor. Not for the flippant or novice coffee drinker, as it actually tastes like coffee. Yum. Nice video on a VERY IMPORTANT subject. Thanks, Dixie.
heck yea!
New to backpacking, still assembling gear, but coffee on trail was one of the first things I researched and was the reason not to go stoveless! I can do cold food but cold coffee? No thanks.
I use a stainless steel tea leaf ball on a chain and use course ground coffee . heat water put it in anything off You go . I just make sure water does not boil .
I do this too. Best idea! And less waste
You are a genius. I'm definitely using this idea.
i use this pour-over on my trips ua-cam.com/video/cRuew6hrDJY/v-deo.html my morning addiction for half-litter good hot black-coffee makes me carry the extra weight, it does take bit time with this filter (which is also mesh stainless steel like the tea leaf ball) but coffee stays hot bc of the insulated mug
Cowboy coffee, grounds in a pot on a fire, boil then let the grounds settle, drink away. the last cup gives you an extra kick if you take in of the grounds. You got some very good options.
Same here. We call it turkish coffee
It's Turkish coffee. Only Americans need filters for their coffee lol
Traveller i’ve had a lot of ‘cowboy’ coffee - it does a real job on my stomach because of the amount of acid in it - the same for percolated coffee.
Turkish and cowboy coffee aren't the same but their method is very similar. Example: Turkish coffee is extremely fine ground. Cowboy coffee is more medium ground. And yes I love both type. I do find you get a different flavor out of the more finely ground coffee.
Exactly! I do this when camping (I've never backpacked). And sometimes at home if I'm feeling lazy or want some extra strong coffee.
When i hiked the AT, I used a coffee sock! Loved it- simple to use, made good "real coffee". After use, I would rinse well with water and hang on the back of my pack- it would dry in the sun and be ready for the next morning!
What I've learned is that the best option is always invite Perk!!!!
LOL Good one.
He's the Perkolator! ☕☕☕👍
Ok hi Martin from Argentina let´s see... We not only have coffee and tea as infusions but we also have MATE, and that herb it is very sensible to be prepared...SO... let me tell you all a couple tips... 1- No need to bring a thermometer to prepare any infussion, just pay Attention to the water and as soon as small bubbles start forming at the bottom of the pot that means that the water it´s ready. 2- The most popular way to prepare coffee in my country it ts the pour over, only that the device is not like the one shown in the video, it is just a peace of white cotton cloth that it is sewed to a metal ring with a handle...so...in the hikking-camping situation I decided to make a filter that solves all the weight and functionality situations, as much as filtered sort of coffee or even thick grains of coffee ground in the moment. I just took 4 peaces of gauze or a peace of my shemagh and tie it up in the pot with a strip of paracord and so I filter the coffee ass I drink it and then I wash the cloth in running water. That allows me to drink all sort of coffees prepared in a cowboy style... And so I am happy
Ah la yerba mas buena andale pibe
O sea "cafe de calcetin." Así lo llamen los Mexicanos.
You should have got Perk on here for some “guest content”!
I like how you showed Perk from different trails with different stages of beard. That guy's got skills.
Since you prefer instant coffees I highly recommend some Asian brands like G7 (Vietnamese), Kanu, and Mocha Gold or White Gold (Korean). G7 comes in several varieties like black or with cream and sugar known as 3-in-1. Mocha Gold and White Gold also come with cream and sugar and in Korea (I'm Korean-American) they call it mixed coffee. Mocha Gold uses artificial creamer whereas White Gold uses dry milk. And finally Kanu only comes in black varieties such as Mild, Dark, and Decaff. G7 gets you the most bang for your buck and it's actually one of my favorites. I'm a black coffee drinker so I also like to drink Kanu mild. I think you can find all these on Amazon so I highly recommend them just to add a little variety to your instant coffee selections.
Korean French Cafe Instant tube (Amazon) are quite good.
Oh geez, you beat me to the punch by three years XD yes maxim is one of the best instant coffees out there imo
Dixie, you are amazing! I have never used an aeropress, but if it is like a French press, then it is a pain to clean thoroughly. Pour-over can produce a cup that challenges what you get at your favorite coffee roaster. You discuss flow rate, but once the water is heated - just under a boil, around 200F - it should only take about 4 minutes to brew a cup of pour-over. I don't think 4 minutes is too long for one of the most essential items of any day! Thanks for all your great, inspiring work, Dixie!
Cowboy coffee is the bomb. No extra pots or anything. Dump the coffee grounds in your cook pot and boil it.
Once it has boiled, add a little cool water. That settles the grounds to the bottom and separates them from the brew.
Use the 'dregs" as a dip, as in Skoal. You'll be bouncing around the trail till lunch time. I've seen it, not man enough to do it. Just give me a cup of Folgers, I'm ready...
@@davidtennyson4908 😂😂😂😂
How do you deal with the grounds?
Grounds will sink. Just be patient and stop stirring. Skip the last drop. We call it turkish coffee
I have to second this method. I got my cowboy coffee recipe from David Pearson {reallybigmonkey1}. For 4 cups of coffee boil 3 cups water. Add 4 spoons of coffee grounds in when it starts to boil. Allow to boil one minute, then set off the fire. From about waist high, pour the 4th cup of water in. This will settle the grounds.
Cafe Bustello is my favorite with a paper filter and cone, trail or at home! Seasons Greetings from Alabama!
My Thai wife and I love our coffee. We bring back a wonderful instant coffee from Thailand. Yeah 3 in one, coffee, creamer and sugar in one foil bag. We use these bags especially when we travel beach or island locations in Asia. Just add hot water. Recently we found it at Asian Markets in
Southern California. Good stuff. 😀😀
Great Video. For an epic coffee cup try one of the Starbucks reusable plastic ones. They are 1.6 oz and very durable, I've ran mine through the dishwasher 100x and its doing fine.The lids don't pop off if you drop them. Its not insulated but I prefer coffee that doesn't give me burns. The best part about it is people will give you weird looks when you are on the trail 20 miles from the closest Starbucks. "Oh yea, I got it just over that Mountain" and point in a random direction. If you go to a store the day after x-mas they discount the holiday theme cups to .99 cents. Cheers! PS you can use the GSI for cold brew. Mix your coffee in a plastic bottle, leave overnight, then filter in the morning.
Kev Ro, I carry on as well. Love it and I do think, because of the lid, it keeps bevs hotter longer than most backpack mugs. Great for draining pasta too
“Nectar of the Gods”. So very true. That was actually one of the first things I thought about when I was considering starting to hike and possibly do a thru hike. You’re videos are the most watched videos I’ve watched to prepare for my new life in the hiking world!! Thank you so much beautiful lady.
While in the Marine Corps on duty and patrol...fromthe MREs I would blend the Sugar, powdered creamer, and foldgers instant packets together (all dry) in the oversized creamer packet and resealed with tape. When getting up and short on time, I would dump the packet in my mouth and form it into a ball and tuck it into my lip like a pinch of dip. Lasted 20 mins and it didn't taste that bad.
Drewbs2002 Try Grinds pouches! They are coffee dips! My husband doesn’t smoke or anything, but he loves black coffee😂 They have a ton of different flavors, and he usually gets them at 7/11 :)
@@sarahcampbell3310 😮😮😮
When did Marines stop using yesterday's socks for filters?
I use the aeropress-would recommend with caveats. Definitely practice at home. It took me a few weeks to dial it in. I use a hand grinder as well (I am 250#, might as well use that bulk to haul some luxury equipment!) Buy light roast coffee, slightly coarser ground than espresso if you can. Medium roast works ok, but less caffeine. Avoid dark roast (you think you like dark roast, but really you like strong coffee. More light roast >>> dark roast.)
Another option if you like espresso (and are willing to haul the weight like Perk!) is a Bialetti moka. This is the coffee I make for my wife. This is one of the things I do to keep her from realizing that I am the lucky one in this marriage deal.
Im very passionate about this topic, lol! On the A.T. this year, I did Cowboy Coffee once someone showed me how, somewhere in N.C. You have to drink Cowboy coffe black, which isnt how I drink coffee at home, but I find the taste of real black coffee is more tasty and comforting than the taste of instant mixed with anything. Cowboy Coffee DEF helps ya make friends, and its super easy and easy to clean. Watching people do coffee the ways that Perk does it actually really secretly annoyed me, lol. bc it takes SO DANG LONG TO MAKE! Man, I could go on forever, but I will stop by just suggesting Cowboy Coffee....any brand, but starbucks seems to function best 😁☕
I agree with you about Cowboy Coffee. The original and still the best. But I disagree that with your assertion that you have to drink it black. Put what ever addition you like (sugar, honey, chocolate, instant dairy creamer, etc.) in your cup and pour the coffee out of the pot over it. If you have a one-pot method that eliminates the decanting step (and strain the coffee grounds with your mustache), just put your additives in the same pot once the coffee is ready.
yeah, you're right that you can do that...truth is, I just never was able to make it taste right whenever i tried it with cream/sugar (i even packed out actual half and half once, lol)...which was a bummer, since that's the only way I take it at home. But you're right, I shouldn't have said you "HAVE to drink it black", I just don't like the taste of it that way...plus it's a pain in the butt, lol. 😤
Perk is the best. Love that he carried a thermometer 🌡
Very useful info! I especially love Perc’s dedication to the coffee making methods ☕️🖤
Finally, THE most important backpacking topic! I used to take a desert day hike about 5 mornings a week when I lived in Israel near Jericho. It was about a 2.5 hour loop and halfway was a very old monastery that had a couple of shade trees. When my wife went with me, we would stop and I’d make cowboy coffee under the shade trees. I took just enough ground coffee, a 500ml stainless steel cup with a long handle, my alcohol stove and foil windbreak. Of course I always carried at least 1.5 liters of water since it was usually over 95 degrees by 10am most of the year. Any way, I just added almost boiling water to the coffee grounds in the stainless cup, stir and wait a couple of minutes for the grounds to settle to the bottom of the cup. Then pour slowly into the small coffee cups we had brought. I made it really strong and it would definitely give you a kick. Of course all this would be too heavy for multi-day backpacking, but for day hikes and overnighters it works great. It got to the point that my wife wouldn’t go unless I made this coffee for her.
I’ve got yet another coffee suggestion for you guys
If you want the kick of ground coffee and or percolated coffee without any contraptions just boil the water put a couple spoons of coffee grounds, stir let the grounds settle for 30-45 seconds and either drink it out of whatever you used to boil the water or pour into your favorite cup.
With this method you get the added benefit that you can sit around and read the likelihood of a good or a bad day on the trail based on how the grounds look on the bottom of the cup.
And it’s a delicious cup of coffee.
Wish I could have this discussion with perc.
Dixie I use instant for one reason only, I can easily make my cup stronger or weaker depending on how I feel at that time. The biggest difference for me, I carry, at 12 oz,my insulated travel mug, it keeps my coffee hot for up to 10 -12 hours, will not spill if I close it and I can grab a quick hot sip during my hike without stopping. It's not for everyone but works for me. Luv your vids and hope for many more, slowly working through all that you have posted, hasn't been one I didn't like--amazing
I have watched a couple videos on this subject and I am surprised I haven't seen anyone mention the variety of travel french presses available. Basically a travel mug with a plunger built in.
This
My GSI French press coffee tumbler is my luxury item, I store other things in when packing. Cannot live with out my good coffee!
Medaglia D’Oro instant expresso. From a zippy bag to my sea to summit cup with my water at 183F.
Someone else has been watching Shug Emery vids too!
Good video. Left out one form. I have an instant coffee in the morning, and then a mid-morning boost with caffeine powder. If you are familiar with the meal replacements Recpak, I make my own at home. I use Muscle Milk powder, add fructose, add fiber powder, and a 100mg coffee capsule, which I open and put the powder in the mix. On the trail, I simply add it to my smart water bottle, shake, and enjoy. I also do one in the afternoon, but instead of caffeine, I add my magnesium supplement. Each one is 3.4 ounces....but it serves as lunch. You can also do caffeine pills if you prefer.
I use Starbucks Via but everyone should make sure to pack out their trash. I am noticing a lot more micro trash, like the top of the instant coffee packets left at campsites.
Right? How hard is it to just have a ziplock for trash. I always have a gallon zip with me since i carry food packs in it as well...
Which is another reason our upcoming line of STIRZ premium coffees packed in zero waste pouches should be a hit for outdoor enthusiasts.
No stick pack, no wrapper, no pour over leftovers, nothing. Drop our STIRZ pouch in your cup or mug and stir, that's it!
Rule #1. No Two piece trash! Tear, but.. leave the tops on everything!
Rule #2. Police your campground!! If you don’t find any trash or anything left behind.. Police it again!!
I think for some coffee making is an important ritual, enough to bring a lightweight pour over, aeropress, or other doohickey, and the additional weight of coffee grounds vs freeze dried extract. For the rest of us that just want to enjoy coffee without the fuss of brewing on the trail, instant coffee has come a long way and you should try different varieties to find one that fits your flavor preferences. Keep in mind that because instant coffee is freeze dried, it is shelf stable for thirty years, so none of it will go to waste. If you don't like one brand, you can always give it to a friend.
Got to have that caffeine. I use instant while on trail, but prefer the percolator coffee the best.
Thanks Dixie, so glad you continue to add content. I always enjoy it!
Thermometer to check coffee temp🤔
As a coffee lover, I like his sincerity 👍👍 Love you Perk 🍵🍵☺️
I'm a JetBoil fan. They have a French Press--works great. Love the resulting coffee, but I don't like the clean up, so I now use instant. But, if you really like a good cup of coffee, you can't go wrong with a French Press.
I use the coffee Buddy and take powdered creamer and sugar in zip lock baggies and use either a pop can alcohol stove or my MSR pocket rocket with an MSR soloist pot. I used to do instant but then found my coffee buddy and use it at home as well . Primula PCBR-0146 Coffee Brew Buddy
Thank you, thank you!!! I went and found this on Amazon, great tip!!!
You had me at Coffee . Glad to see You .Merry Christmas .God Bless .Stay Well and Happy
Hey Daisy - have you tried the Mount Hagen Fair Trade Organic instant packets, it’s fantastic instant coffee imo and is very affordable. I pay $7 for 25 individual servings/cups and they are extremely light and pack small. Tastes like an actual quality cup of coffee rather than crappy freeze dried cardboard. For reference I was a barista for 6 years and drink Peet’s Major Dicks from a French press and Blue Bottle 17ft Ceiling from a $1200 double boiler at work - good coffee is an essential part of life. I love how often you say you can’t live without it in your videos, I’m totally the same way. I can’t live without it. Mount Hagen is awesome, you should give it a try if you haven’t already. Love your videos so much, I literally watch 2-3 every day - keep up the great work and enjoy your future trips!! Thx for filling UA-cam with amazing content, it’s seriously wonderful
About five years ago I quit smoking after a nearly 20 year addiction. I realize that the health benefits are probably the most important reason to quit, but for me it was the feeling that I beat the cigarettes and they no longer control my life. Not to mention the expense of about $10 a day, when I quit (it's even more now).
I see coffee as the same thing. I would never start drinking it. Maybe it wont kill you like smoking, but I wouldn't want yet another thing I can't go without. I know so many people that just must have their coffee in the morning/afternoon and I just wouldn't go back to that sort of addiction.
herranton1979 That is why I switched to decaf.
Perk is gold! A thermometer for the coffee? That is so amazing! True coffee love!
Perk for president!
NO BALD GAY DUDES BRO!!!!!!
I prefer Maxim (Korean) brand instant coffee, whether I'm at home or not. :) I find it's not as excessively sweet or as bitter as American coffees tend to be.
When there are 2 or more of us I bring the Stanley french press... doubles as a pot at dinner time. When just me I bring the Aeropress (which I use a lot at home, too). And when I'm wanting to go lighter I use a Mugmate. Back when I carried instant (I found one that wasn't too horrible) I often used just-add-water hot chocolate powder as my whitener/sweetener/bad-taste-hider.
Yep, the Aeropress is great for short trips. Luxury item and not THAT heavy.
FlashGeiger finally, a fellow MugMate! I'm on my 3rd one. my first was bought in Germany in 1975. made by Braun, it was made of aluminum with stainless steel mesh basket. it fit perfectly in my G.I. cup, as do the MSR mugmates. park it next to the exhaust pipe of your tank for 2 minutes. only problem was EVERYBODY wanted some!
I use my own variant of Turkish coffee on the trail. The grind is so fine that it has the consistency of flour, mix with hot water and drink. The fines will settle to the bottom and you can drink them or not by swirling the cup. Not something you will find in a convince store, but any place that grinds coffee can do a Turkish grind. The best coffee ever!
For car camping, the Jetboil French press is great. For backpacking, the simplicity of instant is the way for me.
Got tired of reading boring/stupid news with my morning coffee and I said to myself, let's hear some Dixie :)
Like my coffee freshly ground and black (without any additives, including sugar).
Nice sweater. It complements your eyes.
I have 8-10 of the old aluminium coffee pots for bushcrafting. I used a 4 cup one when I first started hiking.
I boil my coffee the old fashioned cowboy way. Using a normal pot (which is the easiest to clean but can be tricky for leaving the grounds behind in yoour pot) boil your water, add coarsely ground coffee, wait five minutes (preferably in a pot cozy), pour it into your cup and drink.You may use a tea filter, handkerchief or something as a filter as you pour into your cup, but with a bit of care you can learn to leave most of the grounds in the pot.
Tasty, and very light on your equipment.
I do a version of cowboy coffee. My addition is a linen bag to hold the grounds. Place the ground in the bag, toss it in the pot, and boil. The addition of the linen bag weighs about the same as the individual instant coffee packaging. It’s quick and you can enjoy your favorite coffee you drink at home.
Perk has a strong coffee game and that Aeropress looks cool. If you make cowboy coffee, you just have to add a bit of cold water to drive the grounds to the bottom of the pot.
In the morning, there's usually not much time for anything but instant coffee if you want to put in the miles, but hot chocolate in coffee definitely makes choking down oatmeal in the morning easier to take. I usually just measure out the days of Maxwell House French Vanilla in a plastic bag, along with hot chocolate. I could see having a proper coffee supply of what you want being harder in places like the Appalachian Trail without filling your whole pack with coffee.
I have the same percolator that I use when I have my vehicle. First time backpacking I took a small single serve French press (6.6oz.) Now I have a coffee rocket (2.2oz) which works pretty great. Non of my options use filters and are all easy to clean/dry.
I love the Aero Press! I use at home when I’m not hiking because I have found it is my preferred method of brewing coffee over pour over and French press. Easy to clean and since the water does not sit in grounds for very long it has a non bitter taste. I have tried taking this camping and my mistake was I forgot to bring a thermometer. The water ended up being too cold so I would highly recommend doing what Perk did and bring a thermometer.
You can put boiling water into the aeropress. Your coffee will not get a burnt taste because the brewing apparatus always absorbs some of the heat.
I like to pre-mix a pack of instant coffee (favorite is Alpine Start), two tablespoons of dehydrated whole milk (favorite is Peak), and a teaspoon of sugar, and create individual portions separated into tiny ziploc bags - one for each day. The ziplocs are easy to re-use or can nest inside each other as you use them up. I've found it tastes great, and is really easy. One important thing with this method is to allow the water cool down before you add the mixture - to just above comfortable drinking temperature works best - otherwise if it's too hot the dehydrated milk will transform into nasty goey clumps that don't dissolve.
Where do you get your tiny zip lock bags, and what size? I've heard Hobby Lobby sells them for crafting but haven't found any.
Sea To Summit makes a coffee filter, which I love! It looks just like your mug but it has a metal screen at the bottom. If you stir with a spoon, it filters pretty fast. I don’t know the weight
As a hater of instant coffee (would rather go without and drink tea, instead), I use the AeroPress with a metal filter and a ti cup, just like Perk‘s next-to-last set-up. Cool that you mentioned his favorite brewing temperature of 185 degrees F (85 degrees Celcius), this detail being a „hotly“ contested point in AeroPress circles. ;-) Folks go on and on about how course the grounds should be, how long they should be allowed to „burp“, how long the water/coffee mix needs to sit before pressing, AND the perfect temperature. As it turns out, Perk hit my preferred temperature. 90 deg. is too hot and 80 deg. is too cold (based on home use). So Perk has convinced me to pack a small thermometer on my next adventure so the AeroPress will deliver maximum enjoyment. 😊
My sissified version of cowboy coffee... a fine mesh strainer that sits inside my mug pour in the hot water let steep. Lift out strainer and grounds. Enjoy! (I even do this at home, stick a coffee filter in the strainer to make clean-up easier than any thing else I've tried. )
At 2:48, you reminded me of how we used to mix the packets of instant coffee, hot chocolate, sugar, & coffee creamer from an MRE with cold(ish) water right in the bottle. Baristas we definitely were not, but it tasted really good! It was a kick, too.
Robert Timms Coffee Bags for the win... nothing else comes close for percolated rich taste, and all in the size of a teabag !.... different styles and strengths and even incudes decaf.
I know I’m late to the video but the French Press attachment for the jet boil is easy to clean and makes a great cup of coffee. If you are already carrying a jet boil it’s the lightest option.
I don’t intend to walk even a half mile! But, I really enjoy you talking about your adventures. Besides that you , my dear ,you are an absolute gorgeous young lady.
I've been using Tetra Drip by Munieq (Japan) for the last three years, replacing Aeropress that I always brought before during my hiking/backpacking. Tetra Drip is very compact, thin, lightweight and you can literally slip it in your pocket. Of course, down side is I have to use paper filter (V60/cone shaped) all the time but yes, coffee is necessity so I don't mind the extra grams in my backpack. Also, because I am more of a weekend hiker, I bring along my Porlex grinder, too. Oh, also the roasted coffee beans.
Gevalia, Lavazza, or Death Wish, cowboy style and filtered through a small Finum mesh strainer. Strainer weighs like 2 ounces.
Thank you!!! Great idea 💡
For me it’s Starbucks singles, boiling water and a 700 ml pot. Basically a large mug or small pot. No fuss on no mess. It’s light, it’s quick and it’s Black!!! No additives for me. Maybe some hot chocolate once and a while. Great topic!!!
I really like the sea to summit collapsing pour over. It holds heat really well and if you use a filter the clean up is is peasy. It nestles on a toaks pot in the bag perfectly. I feel like it even makes a little bumper for my cook kit.
I use a small single use French press on trail from IKEA. If you pack it just right you can fit the coffee grounds, cream and sugar into the glass. Definitely a luxury item.
Jet boil makes a plunger attachment for their mug that is just like a French press. It works wonderful but if you use it like a regular French press it makes a mess in the bottom of the mug. What me and my friend find out that works really well. Is to drop the plunger to the bottom bring the coffee to a boil and toss your coffee grounds in and let it steep for 5 minutes. Then pull the plunger out and it takes all the coffee grounds with it and makes less of a mess. But you get a delicious awesome cup of coffee!!!
Thanks for posting. Honeydust takes care of at least two or more trail issues. Honey and milk made me think of it... Kama Sutra does the best job I've seen with powdered honey. BTW, yes this episode's topic is one of the most significant of all three trails and other videos you've produced!!!
Powdered honey?? WHAT?!?!?!
Of all your videos I've seen, this one is of highest importance. 😁 I'm glad to have help making the wisest choice for my daily fix(es). I can't take off 5-6 months to do it in entirety, but in 2019, I'll begin section hiking the AT. I've enjoyed your videos of hikes and tips very much. Thank you!
my most preferred coffee on trail is Hula Girl Kona Instant. 100% Kona coffee in instant form. Next to that is a combo of equal parts Cafe Bustelo Instant Espresso and Medaglia D'Oro Instant Espresso. yum. With honey. Been putting honey in my coffee for about 4 years now and can't do sugar anymore.
I started hiking with a mocha pot. Obviously it was to heavy. I love my coffee. So, I now have an austrailian expresso in the morning. One scoop of ground coffee. A few tbs of sugar in the raw. Boil on my BRS in about 1.5 cups of water. Let the grounds settle for a short time. I think I like it better than the espresso at Starbucks.
I use the Stanley 1L pot and French press. I love it bc it makes a lot and is very convenient as 2 100g iso fits inside 3.5”. Get some blue mountain course ground and your living large
I use the pour over method at home and on my adventures. I find the flow rate from my plastic cone with a paper filter to work fine. The drawback to this method is the amount of coffee needed for a great cup. I kayak/canoe so weight is not to big of an issue for me, but I think I would deal with it on trail because a quality cup of coffee in the morning is essential
I've worked all over the world and don't travel anywhere without my aeropress. It makes a great cup as long as the beans are fresh.
I carry coffee grounds and the Primula single serve BrewBuddy. It works a lot like the GSI pourover kit you show, but it's smaller and more durable, and has a much faster flow rate. Plus, if you want the coffee stronger/darker, just pour a full cup and leave the Brewbuddy over the cup and let it steep a bit. It only weighs about an ounce and a half, lays totally flat in your pack (takes almost no space), flips inside out to make cleaning really easy, fits over most camping cups, and the used grounds are super easy to pack out in a ziplock or odor blocking bag. Gives you real brewed coffee every morning, and pretty much everywhere you resupply will have coffee grounds.
I have an aeropress at home. It's great. If it wasn't so big and heavy, I'd totally take it packing. It's a great car camping option though, or maybe for weekend packing trips.
Cant live without coffee... nice vid as always, Never did like instant, I carry med-fine grounds, and french press it.. Tastes great and I use the jetboil. boils water quickly. coffee is best made with temp between 185-195F, so let it boil, then set up, by the time you set up its about 200F take or add. Personally Bustelo is really good. Beats instant.. lol
Thanks for sending out a new video. I'm starved to talk about hiking with people and your videos help.
Medaglia d'Oro instant espresso premixed with powdered heavy cream, powdered MCT oil and powdered vanilla flavored Stevie all in one bag with a small scoop. Taste test at home to get scoops right and packed volume. Excellent taste, quickly made and full of energy dense creamy fat! MCT oil is rocket fuel that compliments caffeine! You'll love it!
what brand of powdered heavy cream & MCTs do you prefer?
@@leanncollier9948 Now favorites LeAnn but don't spend a lot on these. Amazon has some options. The keto diet movement has new companies popping up daily that will sell these at a premium. You can get cheap ingredients and it will be just as good. Try this at home first to see if you like it:
2 espresso shots, 3-4 pumps vanilla syrup, 1 tsp coconut oil, 2 tsp mct oil, 2 tsp heavy whipping cream and 2/3 cup coconut-almond milk. Blend this mix with a stick blender for a creamy caffeinated fat bomb. You can play with the mix and flavors to your preferred taste and then translate it to trail mix. The high fat content will fill you up (twice the calories per gram compared to carbs). The mct component metabolized quickly and the cream will metabolize slower. Tasty trail science!
Yes, "liquid motivation"! Hot, pressed, filtered and black. Coffee modulates brain activity. As do your videos. Many thanks, as always!
I use the pour over mesh thing from REI, I like it, I even use it at home. I don't worry about getting the coffee getting cold, I drink too fast. Thanks for the Folgers coffee bag tip. I was going to experiment making my own with paper filters and string.
Ditto! I got one as a gift a couple of years ago and I make coffee with it every day. I still do instant coffee on the trail though.
15oz water, 2 Cafe Bustelo (singles found at Dollar Mart) with 1oz Jameson. Med-kit of the gods.
I used to use Medaglia D'Oro Espresso (2oz = US$1.00), but it caked together.
I'm a fan of the teabag coffee singles on trail; Maxwell also makes them. I don't like instant, but don't want the extra weight and bulk of brewing equipment so I find that it's a good trade-off, and the trash is still rather minuscule (I squeeze the bag into my mug to get the water out to save weight, and it makes your coffee into rocket fuel :D). I boil water for freeze dried meals anyhow, so it's no biggie to boil some extra and steep the coffee bag in my stainless mug while my breakfast "cooks" in its pouch... *BAM*, breakfast!
My "cooking" setup:
Stanley Adventure 2 Cup Cook Set (I ditched those lame tiny green cups)
Stainless $5 camp mug from Walmart (fits the outside of the Stanley pot)
Arizona tea can windshield (between the mug and the Stanley pot)
Small MSR canister, BRS-3000 stove, mini Bic, Toaks folding titanium spork, a piece of washcloth for cleanup, and a valve to refill the MSR canister from butane canisters (all fits inside the Stanley, with a little room to spare)
Is it the lightest? No, it's around 23oz total with a fresh canister, but it's a fairly compact, cheap, effective, and durable (minus the BRS) setup that fills my needs. I can shave it down to 15.8oz total if I leave behind the Stanley pot but use its lid with the mug.
Great video! Two of my three favorite things - hiking & coffee!!! My other favorite thing is Jesus! Just awoke in my converted stealth car camper and having some coffee rite now. I cheated today... got fresh ground Ethiopian beans at a truck stop. Yea coffee!
Amen bro!
I'm not a coffee drinker - only had 5 cups in my entire life. Still, this is good information. I'd take some along, together with some kind of powdered creamer and a sweetener, just in case I really needed a hot beverage to warm me (or someone else) up from the inside. I don't hate coffee - it's just not my cup of tea. Cheers.
You can get brands of coffee that have creamer in them.
A "12-inch impulse sealer" will let you seal poly bags to custom sizes. You can mix drink powders. Minimize weight & bulk. Add a "vacuum sealer" and before long you will be cramming more in a resupply.
Copper Cow coffee has some really good single use poor over bags if you don't mind packing out your trash, but more importantly they have sweetened condensed milk packets to use as creamer. So good!
I seriously enjoyed this video. I must start by saying I live vicariously through videos like this as I do not get to get put and hike like I once could. That being said I would either do aeropress, Instant or cowboy coffee.
I used a broccoli rubber band to suspend a # 2 paper cone coffee filter at the along the rim of my 17 oz. GSI insulated mug. I then pour over about 12 oz. of water using 20 gm of coffee grounds. While you have a wet filter and grounds to pack out, clean up is by far easier than an aeropress or a permanent filter; just fold up the filter and toss in your trash bag.
Oh my God, I so love the Bustelo. You are so correct. Seriously. Pretty random, but for some reason it just seems to be the best instant single-packet coffee I have tried.
And I love the beautiful colors and pattern of that poncho/sweater you had on! Suits you perfectly thanks to the blues in there.
Ultimately, for me, convenience wins the day and I go for instant. It doesn't taste anywhere as good as real coffee, but when roughing it, instant is good enough, less waste, less hassle, less weight. Powdered cow (coffee whitener) and / or sugar is a treat too.
I used to rubber band a coffee filter with grounds over a cup! Yeehaw
I go with instant as well. Like you, one of my luxury items is a collapsible cup just for my coffee. Nothing like a hot brew on a cold morning. Great video Dixie! Enjoyed 🙌🏻
Don't know if it is available in the States, but Bodum make a plastic and mesh 1 cup filter unit that goes on the top of a mug, wash and reuse, you pull it apart, put in 1 dessert spoon of ground coffee, close it up and fill the top with hot water, let it drip through. weighs about 75 g, slightly less than 3 oz. Very robust, filters in about 30-40 seconds, easy to clean. Does need a mug of no more than 8cm/3" diameter. I have had mine for years and use it at home as well as when camping. I also use 1 cup coffee bags, very good for a thermos or insulated mug, will take too long to infuse allowing time for the drink to cool otherwise.
Perk is awesome. I love that guy. yeah, i'd find him or someone like him and be his best trail friend. Or just carry my own and see what trail friends it attracted.
My preference for instant is Nescafe sweet and creamy Contains sugar and whitener/milk. They do mocha as well which us good. My advise though.. two sachets for a mug. Light and convenient with a reasonable taste
Do like the infantry. A pinch of instant between your cheek and gum. I love Taster's Choice! It is in the MREs when I was in and my Sis sent me a box of them during DS/DS. I make coffee the #10 style.
I just use the same small steel one cup french press I use at home. Not light but small. In the UK they are obligatory, but seem less so in the states. However if I could find one made out of titanium that wasn't over priced I'd buy it. Easy to clean and simple to use.
Dixie, thanks for sharing coffee with us. I have an idea for a future video concept. You are a Triple Crown hiker and often you commented on trail maintenance and maintainers. Choose a trail and be a trail maintainer for a month or so and share your experience and stories with us.
Hi Dixie! Love your pull-over!! As for coffee, yah...going with Perc on this one, cause that's how I camp too.
While I might have a time-frame for my hike / trip..et al, time away from work; I just prefer to slow down, make a really great cup in the environment, and enjoy it. Percolator gets my vote.
Oh! And to your mention of going stoveless; my cousin and I went for 2 weeks (him no stove), me with an Esbit. After 4 days days out trying it his way, I made pasta, then coffee (yes, percolated). My cousin has never gone stoveless since. Guess I am a bad influence :)
Most people will disagree with this, but my favorite coffee is community coffee. Me being from the north, I found it in Louisiana and loved it.
Well, I learned two things from this video😎: Why Perks trailname is Perk and a new English word (percolator) which is almost the same in German (Perkolator)... I didn't know the English word and the German either... 🤔 even though I have one of these small espresso machines in my kitchen... a percolator, I guess! Ah, yes - I agree with you, Dixie and Perk: a good cup if coffee in the morning is the most important thing... 😁 not only when thruhiking! Cheers! ☕☕