My Method for Brewing Coffee in the Backcountry
I happily admit to being a coffee fanatic and make no bones about enjoying 2 cups of coffee each morning for the safety and well-being of those in my immediate vicinity. If I don’t start the day with a bit of quiet time accompanied with a cup of joe, well…I’m probably going to be difficult to deal with. That being said, feed me coffee and and we’ll most likely end up being best friends with fishing trips to boot and tall tales told around the morning campfire.
Coffee has complexities of flavor and quality so you’ll want to search out what flavor/roast you like best. My preference is to always go with a strong dark roast, for me it seems to have the most flavor. The next component is the grind, meaning how fine will your coffee grounds be after putting them through a grinder. Grinding fresh coffee beans each time will result in the best tasting results.
My preferred brewing method is to use the Aeropress Hand Coffee Maker. It’s simple to use, simple to clean, and makes an incredible cup of coffee every time. Here’s the recipe I prefer…
Supplies:
- 17 grams of your favorite coffee beans
- 300 grams of water
- Paper or metal filter for the Aeropress (it comes with paper filters, the metal filter is sold separate).
Prep:
Hand grind 17 grams of your favorite coffee beans
Boil 300 grams of water (you’ll use about 270 grams of water)
Flush the paper filter with a little bit of water and then add your freshly ground coffee to the Aeropress.
The Brew Process:
Once you bring your water to a boil, turn off your stove and let the water cool for 45 seconds.
Quickly pour 270g of hot water into the Aeropress cylinder. If your beans are fresh, they may release gas as it mixes with hot water. Stir to avoid excess build up of gases.
Place the plunger into the cylinder and create an airtight seal for brewing to take place.
At the 50 second mark, remove the plunger and stir your coffee for 5 seconds. Place the plunger back into the cylinder and once again create the air tight seal.
** at this point you will have some excess water/coffee in your cup that came through the filter in the first 50 seconds. Dump this water/coffee mix as it’s very bitter**
At the 1 minute 50 second mark, once again remove the plunger from the cylinder and stir for 5 seconds. After 5 seconds of stirring, place the plunger back into the cylinder and push down with fairly good pressure. It will take about 10-15 seconds to completely press all the coffee out of the cylinder.
Enjoy your fresh handmade cup of coffee!
My Top 3 Dark Roasts from the American West…
DOMA Coffee Roasting Company, Idaho Falls, ID https://domacoffee.com - Delicious dark roast which I tasted for the first time at The Love Muffin Cafe in Moab, Utah.
Mirage Coffee Roasters , Moffat, CO https://miragetradingco.com. Small Batch Ethiopian Dark Roast. Moffat isn’t anything special but this Roaster is the reason I visit every time I’m in the area. INCREDIBLE small batch roasts!
Salto Coffee Works - Nederland, CO https://www.saltocoffeeworks.com. Small Batch Ethiopian Dark Roast. Great coffee house with killer food. If you are in the Nederland area then be sure to stop by and enjoy their delicious coffee, incredible food, and warm atmosphere!