How to Make Great Camp Coffee
Waking up to the aroma of freshly brewed coffee is always a pleasure, but it’s a special treat when you’re surrounded by the bird song and gentle morning breezes of a morning in the great outdoors. Sure, you could just make instant coffee while you’re out camping, but knowing how to make great camp coffee using a stovetop coffee maker, such as a percolator or moka pot, can add a lot more flavor to your morning cuppa. Whichever style of coffee maker you use, here are three things you’ll need to get right to brew up some great camp coffee.
The right grind
A stove top coffee maker brews coffee in a different manner from an electric automatic drip coffee maker. If you’re using a typical percolator, the brewing technology requires a somewhat coarser grind of coffee than what you’ll find at the grocery store. The best option is to grind your own beans a little bit less fine than the store-bought grinds and sift out the smaller particles before you leave home. On the other hand, for Italian coffee makers and moka pots, you’ll want a relatively fine grind.
The right amount
The next decision you’ll need to make about brewing camp coffee is how much coffee to put into the filter. Given the brewing technology being used, you won’t need to add as much as you would with an electric coffee maker. Just two or three scoops (a scoop is about two tablespoons) per quart of water will give you plenty of flavor. Any more than that and you’re risking making bitter coffee. Just don’t expect to get that deep dark color when you’re out camping. Great camp coffee is usually a relatively light in color.
The right timing
One of the important differences between a stovetop coffee maker and an electronic one is the temperature each reaches. The temperature of the water and steam in a percolator or moka pot rises fast and the water quickly reaches a rapid boil. This higher temperature makes for thorough extraction of robust flavors, but brings its own problems. First of all, over-boiling can result in grounds spilling over into the pot. A few grounds aren’t really a problem, but overheating definitely can be. Avoid brewing the coffee for more than 10 minutes or you’ll get an over-cooked pot that’s burnt and bitter. Don’t wait for those gurgling noises before you take the pot off the heat.
A cup of quality coffee makes morning outdoors just that much more enjoyable. When you know how to make great camp coffee, you can leave the tasteless instant coffee at home and brew up a flavorful, aromatic pot of your favorite blend right on your camp stove.
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