Podcast 021 | Backcountry Coffee
Stream
Subscribe
- Apple Podcasts | Google Play | Stitcher | Soundcloud | Youtube | RSS
Summary
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.
To shed some light on this issue, Andrew turned to two experts. The first is Emylene VanderVelden. Emylene is a longtime-author at Backpacking Light – she partnered with BPL publisher Ryan Jordan to write an article on coffee that we published recently – and she is a self-described caffeine enthusiast and former barista. Emylene is from Alberta, Canada, where she enjoys backpacking, cross country skiing, snowshoeing, canoeing, kayaking, and horseback riding.
Today’s other guest is Jono Ramey. Jono is the owner and head roaster at Savage Boys Coffee Roasters in Newnan, GA. Savage Boys only purchases fair-trade and direct trade beans and are committed to roasting organic beans whenever possible.
So brew yourself a cup and settle in – your backcountry coffee skills are about to level up.
Outline
- Guest introduction
- Bean origin
- Flavor profiles by region
- Roasting method
- Compensating for altitude (water temperature)
- Flow rate
- Oils!
- Pressure
- Crema
- How to avoid dead shots
- Backcountry Coffee Preparation Methods
- French Press
- Emylene uses the Jetboil Coffee Press
- The Snow Peak Titanium French Press is a standalone press at only 6.3 oz (94 g)
- Infusers
- Terrible coffee – good for Leave No Trace!
- Pour Over
- A nice, clean cup of coffee – Jono’s favorite way to prepare a cup
- Emylene likes the GSI Outdoors Ultralight Java Drip Coffee Maker
- She also uses a GSI Outdoors Coffee Rocket and Sea to Summit X-Brew Dripper – each is not without its downside.
- Instant
- Jono talks about how instant coffee is created – he’s not a fan.
- What accounts for the differences in flavor and price in instant coffee?
- Starbucks Via vs. Alpine Start
- Jono talks about how instant coffee is created – he’s not a fan.
- Mini-espresso makers
- The Wacaco Nanopresso is 11.9 oz (336 g)
- Both our guests think the AeroPress Coffee & Espresso Maker (8 oz / 227 g) makes a great cup of coffee (but not necessarily an espresso).
- Cold Brew
- Timing and benefits
- Might appeal to backpackers who are planning to cold-soak their food anyway.
- Cowboy Coffee
- Methods of removing grounds from the water
- Eggshells as a solution for a cowboy overbrew? Check this out.
- French Press
- Grinding your own coffee in the backcountry
- Does a fresh grind make a difference?
- Emylene has a pepper mill experiment going.
- The Snow Peak Field Barista Coffee Grinder (12 oz / 340 g) is a beautiful (but pricey) design.
- Chocolate covered espresso beans – and other direct methods!
- Final thoughts
Resources
- BPL’s recent coffee preparation article
- Emylene VanderVelden on Backpacking Light
- Savage Boys Coffee Roasters
Feedback, Questions, Tips?
- Submit them to [email protected] or Twitter and get featured on our next podcast!
Credits
- Backpacking Light – Executive Producer
- Ryan Jordan – Director and Host
- Andrew Marshall – Producer, Host, and Editor
- Look for Me in the Mountains – Music
- Written by: Chris Cunningham and Ryan Jordan
- Performed by: Chris Cunningham (acoustic guitar, lead and harmony vocals, harmonica), Chad Langford (upright bass), and Tom Murphy (mandolin).
- Produced by: Basecamp Studios in Bozeman, Montana
Sponsors: Help us Keep the Podcast ADVERTISING-FREE!
- This episode of the Backpacking Light Podcast is supported and kept advertising-free by Backpacking Light membership fees. Please consider becoming a member which helps support projects like this podcast, in addition to a whole slew of other benefits!
- This episode of the Backpacking Light podcast iis also brought to you by Douglas Fir trees. Douglas Firs: they make it smell like Christmas!
- In addition, some of the links on this page may be affiliate links that refer to our partner merchant retailers. If you follow a link and then make a purchase, we receive a small commission which goes a long way towards helping us pay for podcast production, hosting, and bandwidth fees! Thanks for supporting us in this way!
- This episode is
Contact
You can contact us at [email protected], or follow us on social media –
- Backpacking Light – Facebook | Instagram | Twitter
- Andrew Marshall – Instagram | Twitter | WWW
- Ryan Jordan – Instagram | Twitter | WWW
Disclosure
Updated November 7, 2019
- Product(s) discussed in this article may have been purchased by the author(s) from a retailer or direct from a manufacturer, or by Backpacking Light for the author. The purchase price may have been discounted as a result of our industry professional status with the seller. However, these discounts came with no obligation to provide media coverage or a product review. Backpacking Light does not accept compensation or donated/discounted products in exchange for guaranteed media placement or product review coverage.
- Some (but not all) of the links in this article may be “affiliate” links. If you click on one of these links and visit one of our affiliate partners (usually a retailer site), and subsequently place an order with that retailer, we receive a small commission. These commissions help us provide authors with honoraria, fund our editorial projects, podcasts, instructional webinars, and more, and we appreciate it a lot! Thank you for supporting Backpacking Light!
- Read about our approach to journalistic integrity, product reviews, and affiliate marketing here.
Home › Forums › Podcast 021 | Backcountry Coffee