Episode 21 | Backcountry Coffee

[Backpacking Light]

Companion forum thread to: Episode 21 | Backcountry Coffee

Coffee. What makes a good cup, what makes a bad cup, and what are the best ways to java yourself in the backcountry? All these questions and more are the subject of this episode of the Backpacking Light Podcast.

[James Marco]

Thanks, Guys! A good overview of coffee making.

[Eric Blumensaadt]

for high altitudes backpacking I’m not wanting the vasoconstriction, especially in my alveoli capillaries, that caffeine brings. That said I do enjoy a cup of Starbucks VIA Decaf at dinner time.

Via is easy to carry and “good enough” ’til I get home to my coffee grinder and drip coffee maker.

But food ia another matter. Like the French I “live to eat” and not the other way around. Thus I’ll make Pad Thai from supermarket noodles and retort pouch shrimp plus some chopped scallion greens and extra crushed peanuts that I brin in a snack bag. The taste and aroma is SO much better than freeze-dried Pad Thai.

[Todd P]

Hi There. Yes, I am sooooo late to the game joining you all. On my drive to my 3 night trip in the Ansel Adams Wilderness this last weekend I binged on your podcast, this being one of them. First, I am by NO means a coffee brewing expert. However, I love a good cup. I take the BSI ultra light and I cannot say enough good stuff about it.

One topic that you all missed, which I found interesting is the ratio of weight of grounds to weight of water. My neighbor is a huge coffee dude and has every coffee making device known to man or woman. He taught me pour overs and how to pull shoots. Ratio of weights was super important.

Now I get that we are not going to carry a scale into the back country and I for one am not going to get crazy and pre-weigh baggies of ground coffee (although I guess I could), but could you all speak and offer your thought on how to control this better in the back country.

Thanks and Happy Packing an Brewing,

Todd

[James Marco]

There are many ways to weigh stuff. You are not really looking at any standard, but need to weigh a ratio. A small balance beam can work, for example. Set it up at home to be able to replicate consistently on the trail. There are a thousand different ways to do that. I would suggest a simple stick with a couple strings attached to a couple “S” hooks (made from pieces of larger paper clips. A third string at the correct balance point to hold up the rig. Hook a small cup to one side to pour coffee into and clip your pot to the other with the desired amount of water…the actual amount won’t matter. I would suggest that when the top of your pot is even with the top of the little cup, a correct ratio will be made. Should work for anything between 1-4 cups accurately and repeatable.

Of course you need to determine the balance point, so notch the stick at that point when you hit the correct ratio, then the string will tend to lock in the same every time. Likely, you could do this with a chopstick and a pocket knife. Hmm, it should even work if gravity changes soo you could use it on Mars.

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