Coffee

[5thGenTexan]

Need to know how to make coffee.  I don't drink it, but other adults do.  Honestly, I take a Coke or something for breakfast.  Don't judge me.

 

I have a couple of different percolators.  I need to know how much water.  How much coffee.  What kind?  How long do I let it do its thing?  How do I know when its finished?

This isn't a backpacking discussion.  For the purposes here, assume we have what we need with no weight considerations

 

 

[SiouxRanger]

Change your name.  Plastic surgery. Dye your hair.  Change your fingerprints. Learn a foreign language (with the appropriate accent). Change continents of residence-Antarctica is recommended.

NEVER make coffee for anyone.

Other than that, you are doomed.

(Oh, and why aren't the coffee lovers making their own coffee?)

(Sorry to someone so long ago who criticized me for frivolous comments, but the topic of COFFEE is an exception.)

[T2Eagle]

17 minutes ago, SiouxRanger said:

NEVER make coffee for anyone.

(Oh, and why aren't the coffee lovers making their own coffee?)

 

Yeah, if you don't drink coffee don't try to make it for anyone who does, it just won't end well.

Had a fellow adult volunteer to do the shopping for the adults for a campout.  Mind you, this person was a connoisseur of beer, only drank the finest, could tell you all the differences between different types, etc.  Anyway, come Saturday morning we pull out the coffee they bought, it was the absolute cheapest, no name generic stuff on the GFS shelf, just awful.  When they were confronted, I asked them, "If I offered to buy you beer, would you expect me to buy the lowest, cheapest, yellow colored water I could find, or would you expect I'd have the sense to at least go to the middle of the shelf and get something someone had heard of before?"

To be a little helpful in case you don't take the good advice offered, one tablespoon good quality ground coffee to every eight ounces of water.

[T2Eagle]

27 minutes ago, SiouxRanger said:

(Sorry to someone so long ago who criticized me for frivolous comments, but the topic of COFFEE is an exception.)

I object to the idea that coffee is a frivolous topic, but I'll refrain from moderating you just this once.

[RememberSchiff]

1 hour ago, 5thGenTexan said:

Need to know how to make coffee.  I don't drink it, but other adults do.

Agree with others. Delegate to someone who knows.

IMHO, just heat water for whatever - tea, hot chocolate, coffee,... For summer camp, I bring a pour over brew cone, filter cone, and my own ground.  Otherwise, I bring Folgers coffee crystals.

[SiouxRanger]

So, seriously:

1.  Just boil water and have a bottle of some brand of "coffee flakes or crystals."  Folks can add as little or as much as their taste demands boldness. There are a number of brands of coffee flakes or crystals and they have different tastes.  Take two or three different brands.  Let the coffee drinkers choose the one they prefer best.  (Or just ask them, and buy what they want, or tell them to bring their own.)

2.  There are "coffee packets" similar to tea bags. Perhaps multiple brands. Get a selection. Any adult not satisfied should consider a career in the French Foreign Legion .  (My apologies for relapse.)

3.  So, for the coffee lovers who insist that amateur (our poster) make THEIR coffee by actually brewing it.

A.  There is the "French Press" method.  Check the internet for directions and the equipment needed. (ADD 10% to their camp fee for the specialty equipment needed and language training.)

B. There is the "Percolator Pot Method" which involves a metal coffee pot, a lid with a glass bulb, a metal stem, and a metal basket for the coffee grounds.  Dump about a scoop of grounds for each two (2) cups of coffee into the basket.  (Do the math:  A cup of coffee is 8 oz.  A pot that can make 8 cups only need 4 scoops of coffee.  A little stronger, add a scoop, less caffeine, substitute decaf as desired.  Heat until there are "poops" of water passing through the glass bulb. When the "poops" are dark enough to suit taste, remove from heat and pour.

C.  There is the "Cowboy Pot Method" practiced by Joe Davis, Philmont Camp Director so long ago who personally taught me this method at the Hunting Lodge one night at a conference of senior Ranger Staff in 1972 or 1973.   He dumped a scoop of grounds into a coffee pot of water for every cup of coffee to be produced, and a scoop of grounds 'for the pot.'" When he thought it was ready, he added another cup of water "to settle the grounds" (to the bottom of the pot, presumably) and after a bit poured out a strong coffee being careful not to disturb the grounds which had settled to the bottom of the pot.

So, just to check notes:  Becoming a Scout does not mean you suspend your judgment or the scientific method.  Headed to a campout and need to make coffee? Get the equipment to do so and do some test brews in your kitchen and have the coffee drinkers be present to evaluate  your efforts. Adjust your formula.  Folks who do not show up to assist? They can drink swill.

Perhaps just as important as the coffee, or even more so to many, are the creamers folks prefer.  Powdered creamers are all over the ballpark all being offensive to my palate.

There are all manner of liquid creamers, various (millions) flavors.  ABSOLUTEY require your unit coffee drinkers to bring their own as there are just too many variations to accommodate your unit's coffee drinkers. And budget.

I drink black coffee.  Simplifies everything.  And, I only need to scrape out residue once a year. All so as to accommodate more black coffee.  A little known aspect of the Philmont Ranger Mentality, being just another aspect of the "Philmont Ranger Mile."

Gee, half way through this post, already replies.

Headed to the woods to dig a foxhole and await the blast...

[SiouxRanger]

35 minutes ago, T2Eagle said:

I object to the idea that coffee is a frivolous topic, but I'll refrain from moderating you just this once.

Sorry for any confusion, some have raised issues that my TONE was frivolous on other matters, so many posts ago.
 

 

[5thGenTexan]

 ok

[qwazse]

It’s not a bad idea to master a skill in something you don’t like. I loath Kuerigs, etc … but I learned the order of operations of the beast that flagrantly defiles our counter top so that I could serve Mrs. Q her swill with scant milk and a dash of her God-awful vanilla flavored preference in creamer on days when I’m not making my espresso with (one of) my moka pot(s).

Things we do for love.

The truth is, if you’re doing it out of love, you need to ask the folks you’re doing it for how they’d like it. Otherwise, telling them you got your technique from strangers on the internet will just cheapen their experience.

[SSScout]

My Turkish college house mate taught us this (if you have the time):::

In a Big Pot::  One heaping TABLESPOON  rough ground coffee per cup desired, plus one.

One BIG cup water plus one 

One TEASPOON sugar (or honey, preferred) per cup, plus one. 

If desired, one TABLESPOON whole milk per cup.

Stir around some to mix. 

Uncovered, Bring to roiling boil,  immediately take off fire/heat,  pour into cups. You will have sludge in bottom of cups,  let settle for a minute.  Enjoy with friends.  

If you are "American", you are allowed to pour thru a "tea" strainer. 

Edited March 13, 2022 by SSScout

[69RoadRunner]

For car camping with the troop, I have a Jetboil with the largest pot and the French press accessory. I pour the coffee into a Thermos to keep it hot.

About 8 tablespoons of course ground coffee for a 1 liter Jetboil.

Boil the water. Stir in the 8 tablespoons of coffee. Let the coffee sit for about 5 minutes.

Slowly push the press down to the bottom.

Pour the coffee into the Thermos.

I've never mastered the percolator.

For backpacking, instant is the only thing that makes sense to me. I don't want to deal with the grounds, which LNT says you should pack out, despite what many people incorrectly say.

[MattR]

6 hours ago, 69RoadRunner said:

I've never mastered the percolator

From my experience, nobody has.

[Oldscout448]

35 minutes ago, MattR said:

From my experience, nobody has.

challenge  accepted my friend. 

 

[Eagle1993]

For camping I use StarBucks via packets.  They are easy to use and just require hot water.  I know others who look like they are doing science experiments when creating coffee ... yes, it does taste a bit better but the vias are good enough and much easier.

[malraux]

For someone who wants the most ludicrously over the top weird method of making coffee, I present the Bripe: https://briping.com