Boondocking Coffee in the 400

TerryV6

Jaxie, over the years, we’ve tried just about every way to make coffee known to man.  Thinking about that statement....  Well...we’ve never done the big old pot over a fire like cowboys used to do, and boil the heck out of it.  Also, brother-in-law has a grind and brew maker... never had one of those...
We have pour overs and presses. But a cleverdripper?  That looks like a hybrid between the other two.  I showed your post to my wife, but didn’t say anything...Annnnd since I have powers beyond those of mortal man...  I now know what I’m getting for Christmas...along with a hand grinder.  I’ll have to act surprised.  I’ll let you know my thoughts...

Travelin3D

Hmm, hope she doesn't check the Forum regularly....

TerryV6

She is on the forums on FB.

pthomas745

And, a sale on the classic stovetop percolator for you percolator fans:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B078HSBGSD?tag=thewire06-20&linkCode=xm2&ascsubtag=edtest

Homebodyatheart

Thanks @pthomas745. It has been eons since I've had perc coffee. While I love the flavor of my french press coffee, I'm about done with the sludge in the mug. Clean up would be easier, too!

Jaxie985

@TerryV6. Wow! Hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

Me_and_My_Dog

Don't shoot me, but . . . Cafe Bustelo Instant Espresso. Yum!

Ratkity

I went to Argentina in 1993 (work-related). All coffee was from a Moka pot. Big ones. Non-diluted. I just bought a 6-cup Moka pot (it's relatively small). It's been awhile since I've had such smooth coffee that is strong. I have to be careful how much I drink. I usually drink the pot (fills 12-14 oz?). It goes soooooo well with Dulce de Leche on a couple crackers. 

I still have my little bitty trusty Keurig. It's fun to experiment with the old perc's and the Moka. I confess I use a higher end instant brand during camping and just manage to boil water on the stove. ROFL. Seriously, those burners have never been used to cook food.

DougH

@Me_and_My_Dog As instant / robusta bean coffees go that sure is one of the best tasting.

T@Balong

When camping, I usually heat up water in an electric teapot or on a one burner propane stove.  Then I pour it over ground coffee in a manual drip 10 cup pot.  Coffee of choice when camping is Seattle's Best #5, now called Post Alley.  When home I usually roast my own green coffee beans and use an automatic drip pot.  Dark roasted beans, then serve with a bit of evaporated milk and raw sugar.

ontheroad

And once you boil your water...put it in a pump thermos....keeps it boiling hot till the next day....or another pot?....

T@Balong

When camping........after the drip pot is finished, we always put the coffee in a good quality thermos, keeps it nice and hot.

jgram2

I think I’ve created a “tiny url” link to a darned interesting article about the Moka pot: https://tinyurl.com/yalmc37g

N7SHG_Ham

@ScottG I don't roast my own, but my brother has a commercial small batch roasting operation in the Seattle area, I can get "almost" fresh roasted beans within a day or two, close enough for me and certainly fresher than almost any you can buy short of roasting your own.

Michigan_Mike

Wow!  Yawl have taken the coffee process to a new level!    
If I want fancy coffee I just stop off at a Starbucks or the Human Bean outlet along the trail.  And @ericnliz I watched a squirrel up in Traverse City State Park take liberties with a bag of mint Oreos.  The squirrel opened a new bag, sat there and ate one on the table and then started taking them out, running up a tree and storing them for a later snack!  

I like Ike the chipmunk coffee bean story too and have a squirrel 🐿 out in the barn who’s taken up residence there, and dropping his used walnut husks around the 400 that I’d love to give an overdose of caffeine to in order to rocket him off the roof into the galaxies!  

pthomas745

@N7SHG_Ham I'm lucky enough to live near several coffee shops that roast their own beans and can usually buy them on the same day they were roasted, sometimes still warm in the bag. 

@j@jgram2 thanks for the Moka pot story.  I hope that other readers clicked through to the picture of the Moka pot burial urn Mr. Bialetti used:

https://edition.cnn.com/2016/02/18/europe/italy-bialetti-moka-urn/index.html

ChanW

Thanks for the moka pot story, @jgram2! Great to know it's recognized for its beautiful design!

jgram2

@N7SHG_Ham and @ChanW You’re welcome! Loved the funeral photo. Made me curious about the private thoughts of the priest as he performed the service. I hope the Moka pot survives in our Starbucks world.

Ratkity

jgram2 said:

I think I’ve created a “tiny url” link to a darned interesting article about the Moka pot: https://tinyurl.com/yalmc37g

This article was GREAT! I have perfected my technique for my "6-cup" Moka pot. The flame height on the stove, the timer and my amount of creamer. I'm hooked! I also have an old 3-cup Moka pot I bought while in Argentina. I was there in 1990's and fell in love with their coffee. I now have a new 3-cup pot and a nice new 6-cup pot. I found the 3-cup to not be enough for me. 

I use the side-arm HandGround coffee grinder and find that 3.5 size grounds are a good size for the Moka pot. The top-arm grinders mess with my disability and are hard for me to use. Any espresso grind, I have to measure out grounds out in grams (about 14g per 6-cup). If I don't measure it, it'll cause the pot to leak because it clogs the filter holes. The 3.5# grind is great in that I can fill the grounds to the top of the filter like it should be. 

Thank you again @jgram2!!

jgram2

Ya, you betcha @Ratkity

Homebodyatheart

@Ratkity you’ve got me researching and almost ready to pull the trigger on a 6 cup moka pot. Almost. Right now I’m using three 7gr scoops and three cups boiling water in my french press. What would a similar ratio be for the moka pot and what grind size is best? I’m the one in the coffee aisle in the grocery store either grinding it there or buying a bag of ground coffee. I store it in canning jars in the freezer. And yes, half and half is a must! Thanks!

ChanW

@Ratkity, not sure what size grind I use, but I've found that it makes a big difference in the coffee flavor if I tamp the coffee down into the filter cup a little, by tapping the cup on a hard surface. The packed coffee makes the brewing process a little more 'violent', more hissing and spewing inside the pot from the higher pressure, but it seems to make a richer cuppa. 

It's a fine line though, between tamping it just enough, and tamping it too much. Too much tamping makes the safety release valve start to whistle - probably not a good sign!

Now it's time to refine your technique, and figure out just how much Bailey's you need to add for perfection!

Ratkity

@Homebodyatheart, my grind size to fill the filter is 3.0-3.5 (1 = espresso). French press grind is 6.5.  If you use espresso grind, do NOT fill the Moka filter to the top. Take 2 *loose* 7g scoops that are level. Don't tamp. Tamping the 3.0-3.5 number grind very carefully like @ChanW does is an art. Work on that later. I have some amazing espresso coffee and if I use 20g, I have to have two silicone seals between the bottom and top of the pot LOL. If I don't use 2 seals, it'll leak out of the sides. Note: if you look in the bottom of the Moka pot, there's a line. It's where you fill the water. Do not fill above the pressure valve. On my GE gas stove, medium burner, it's on #6 flame. Yup, that low.

You don't have to keep the top lid down. You need to watch it slowly trickle out at around 9-11 min. If you get the volcano or it spews, the heat is too high. The lower the heat, the best. It takes about 9-11 min. Slower the better. Right at the end you'll see many bubbles. Take it off the heat! Steaming your grinds is cooking them. You'll get a bitter taste. SET A TIMER! I'll sit down and forget how fast 10 min goes when I'm reading.

Ok, I tried it on my jetboil camping stove. ROFL The heat can't be lowered on the 6 cup pot to not have it spew. I can put a spoon over it and take it off the heat and the aluminum continues to heat and push the water through the grinds. It still works! My next experiment is to use the jetboil container and fill it with a little water and put my 3-cup Moka in it. It fits perfectly and the handle is outside (away from heat). Wish me luck!!!!! This is for motorcycle camping, btw. I use the tiny keurig when in the camper. LOL. I'm versatile! When I have time, I should take the HandGround grinder and my New Mexican Pinion Coffee (no nuts, just roasted with them.. smooooooooooth). Then test how high the flame needs to be for the 6 cup. Of course, in a pinch, I can eat 6-8 choc covered roasted Kona beans and that's about the amount of coffee in a 6-cup Moka pot!!! 

Ratkity

Note: Do not store coffee in the freezer or frig. It separates the oils. An air-tight container at room temp is best.  

DougH

You've touched upon the most controversial topic on the planet...  to freeze or not to freeze.  

https://www.huladaddy.com/articles/freeze-your-beans.htm

At least in the espresso community.

Many award winning small batch espresso roasters state their espresso beans taste best 6-12 days after the roast date, and advise if buying a larger bag (more economical) instead of a 12 oz portion, the beans should be packaged in smaller air tight batches and frozen.  The taste is slightly degraded, but not significantly so.

Other roasters react to the very idea of frozen beans with shock and horror as if the beans are ruined forever and such a consumer has committed a cardinal sin and should be banned from the world of coffee for life.

Only one's taste buds can dictate which camp you fall in.

But ordering in larger quantities can save a ton on shipping.  And frequently there's only a small window of availability for some offerings, so if you don't get a 2lb or 5lb bag when some new roast comes out that everyone's raving about, you just get a brief taste if you're lucky to get in an order before it runs out... and then it's gone forever. 

But ethically, if it's a specialty SO in high demand, maybe it's best to only order a single 12 oz bag so more folks can enjoy the flavor while it's still around.  Or is it more ethical to limit transportation side effects and just be greedy and order the 2lb package?  Such a moral conundrum. 

P.S.  This morning's espresso:  Temple Volcan Azul SO with strawberry, hazelnut, key lime pie notes (according to the roaster).  Pretty setting in a state park surrounded by a ton of mature mesquite trees.

ChanW

I think the answer to the moral conundrum @DougH, is to order a large quantity, and then invite all your friends over for a cuppa! 

Looks like a gorgeous site. Be right over!

pthomas745

Still time for Prime delivery:  a coffee maker powered by a Makita power tool battery!

https://www.amazon.com/Makita-DCM500Z-Lithium-Ion-Cordless-Coffee/dp/B010FZDG82/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1545324519&sr=8-1&keywords=makita+coffee+maker+battery+powered

And an impressive Japanese domestic model that uses some sort of coffee bag or pod:

https://www.amazon.com/Rechargeable-CM501DZ-Domestic-genuine-products】/dp/B07B3LZQJ9/ref=pd_sim_469_6?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B07B3LZQJ9&pd_rd_r=29ddc5af-0477-11e9-b34a-211282c114f8&pd_rd_w=nl57o&pd_rd_wg=b31p3&pf_rd_p=18bb0b78-4200-49b9-ac91-f141d61a1780&pf_rd_r=9HWYPYBKE5AQKAH2FZAP&psc=1&refRID=9HWYPYBKE5AQKAH2FZAP

ChanW

Makita huh?
I guess I'll have to get rid of all my DeWalt tools now, and change back to Makita again!

Ratkity

@DougH, I ended up in the middle of an argument between two campers about the frozen vs room temp vs time from roast vs best grinder. My head hurt afterwards. 

In the meantime, I keep my favorite beans in an airtight container at room temp and hand grind them right before using (because the grinder is small and I use a Moka pot - my kitchen is tiny). That makes the best flavor for my coffee for me. I guess my taste buds aren't good enough to tell if the beans have been stored in an airtight package in the frig (never tried freezer, too full). I haven't been storing anything in the frig in a long time because the small roaster company is now a medium to big one and I can just get 2 lbs without fear that I'll never see those type roasted beans again!

Ratkity

ChanW said:

Makita huh?
I guess I'll have to get rid of all my DeWalt tools now, and change back to Makita again!

Unfortunately, I like the red one. The shipping on that would be almost the cost of the coffee maker! Still. A cup in 3 min? I can get a Moka 6-cup pot finished in 9-11 minutes. The coffee maker isn't as slow as the Coleman one. I wonder if Coleman improved it. There were lots of complaints that it took a century to get coffee out of it. The hot water over grinds with filter (sorry can't rem the name of the system) over a pot works faster.