Mmmm….Coffee….

[J]

How many of us could make a decent cup without power? I personaly love my coffee, and it is a great morale booster for me. One trick I have learned is to make “whole bean” coffee; that is, use whole beans without grinding them. They keep better and you can use virtually any container. It also eliminates strainng grounds through your teeth.

When I go camping, I use an old enamel coffeepot and cover the bottom of it with whole beans. Shove it into the edge of the fire and let it simmer. Pour off about the first half pot and add more water unless you like your coffee like rocket fuel or add a bit of water to your cup. As long as you keep the water level above the beans, they will not burn and you can get several pots out of one pot of beans. If the coffee starts getting weak, add a small handful of beans and let it simmer.

Who else has tricks for a good cup o’ Joe in the field?

[Echo5Charlie]

Instant is all I have done in the field and I’m also disqualified to add anything because you said “decent” cup…

[J]

Brother in law is a retired Seabee….he passed that nugget of information on to me. He said he sould get a pack of coffee beans and stuff them in his ruck when they went out. It works a lot better than the old filter packs i used to make up. I personally hate grounds in my coffee.

[Echo5Charlie]

It’s a great idea, I add water anyways to cool it down some. So one pot could go along way for me.

Adding coffee beans to the pantry!

[J]

I know that coffee isnt for everyone, am betting Clarity Jane prefers a good brew 🙂

For me, though, it is one of those comfort drinks. As long as I can make a halfway decent cup of coffee, the world hasnt completely come to an end.

[Clarity Jane]

I don’t actually! At least not the usual ‘red’ tea with milk and sugar. (Also known as “a cuppa” or “cha” or “chai”.) I only like green tea or the delicately flavoured varieties. You can get about a million different types in your average British supermarket. But it’s not just us you know…

We are friends with a family whose eldest members moved here from Morocco. When they go back for a visit Mr A. LOVES to go to the market and haggle. His daughter told my mum, “Honestly, they were only a cheap pair of slippers, about £4 to us, but no, he HAD to haggle. So, out came the tea!” This of course would mean sitting around a silver tray with the tea poured into little glass cups from a great height. You see tea isn’t just a drink – it’s a way of life!

I don’t like coffee either unless the word cake/chocolate/ice cream or similar is involved.

By the way, Mr A got the market trader down to £3.50. Success!!

[Clarity Jane]

I meant ‘black’ tea, not ‘red’ tea of course. I’m sure most of you noticed my mistake.

[PJ]

I wonder if whole beans would work in a percolator?

[J]

PJ.

Not so much. Whole b eans work best if they are in hot water over a period of time. I dont think a percolater would be designed to get the most out of them. However, you could boiil your coffee beans in a soup pan if you didnt have a coffeepot that would work.

[The Maj]

Ah, one of my favorite subjects. Unfortunately, in the BoB it is either going to be “instant” or ground beans with a “clenched teeth” filter. Of course, I have strained the coffee through cheese cloth, which works well to get the grinds out. I do have a manual grinder, percolator, and a portable French press that I keep at the house for those power outage moments but I have not gotten to the point that I will sacrifice the space in the BoB for all of it.

One trick, if you have fresh eggs is to boil the coffee and put egg shells in the pot. Something about the shells makes the grounds settle to the bottom of the pot, allowing you to ladle pretty well ground free coffee out. Of course, you will have to be raising chickens for this little trick.

[Echo5Charlie]

I was starting to worry about you sir, nice to see you around again.

I love coffee, but I’m not sure about throwing chickens in my Bob.

[PJ]

This past weekend I had the most delicious coffee ever. I have a friend who roasts his own beans, grinds them and then uses a press to make coffee. No cream or sugar necessary, no electricity either. It was…delicious.

[Capt. Mac.]

This works bugging in or out. As easy as instant (I dislike, read HATE instant)

Coffee ground. Coffee filters. Rubber bands.

Make a pouch with the filter and add as much coffee as you like. Secure the top.
Boil / heat as required. After it gets hot squeeze the pouch a few times to get the concentrate out. This can be done in a simple pot over an open fire. I start it strong then add more water after the first cup or two. Keep squeezing the pouch as it cooks. To make a second pot don’t throw away the used pouch. Just add another one to the same pot.

At home my coffee pot is one of those 110V hot pots. It can boil water faster than a microwave. Good strong brew. Easy clean up and no grounds in my cup.

[Author]

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