5 Best ways to make coffee while traveling

We all get excited about traveling - camping, hiking, overseas travel, road trips - as a form of getaway from the day-to-day’s, there are always the ‘non-negotiable’ items that we HAVE TO bring no matter where we go.

This list is for people who are simply in love with coffee and see it as a must-have even in the most off-the-grid places.

 ⛺ 🌲 🥾 🪵 🧺 🛫 🎒

 

1. Pour-Over

A classic way to make coffee when you are traveling, pour-over is flexible and easy to bring it whenever you go. Its simplicity, minimalistic equipment requirements, and manual control make it a portable and versatile option for those on the move. If you want to try out both dark and light-roasted coffee beans at different times, it gives you the freedom to decide how much coffee you want to brew. 

What you need:

• Hand coffee grinder
• Pour-over cone (drippper)
• paper filter
• Hot water (kettle is optional)
• Mug or carafe

Steps:

1. Rrinse your pour-over dripper with hot water to eliminate any paper taste and preheat the brewing apparatus and your mug.
2. Hand-grind 1-2 tablespoons coffee beans
3. Start the brewing process by slowly pouring hot water onto coffee grounds - usually in a circular motion - and let it bloom for 30sec before pouring hot water again. This step ensure coffee grounds get all the flavours out from extraction
4. Pour in stages, allowing the water to filter through the coffee bed. Keep the water level consistent, avoiding overflow or dry spots.
5. Adjust your pouring speed to control the brewing time. A typical pour-over process takes around 2 to 4 minutes, but this can vary based on your grind size and preferences.

Pro:

• Customisable based on your preference, choice of drippers, grind size, water ratio, etc.
• Flexible with volume - able to share with others or just want to enjoy by youself
• Able to accommodate coffee beans of various roasting level

Con:

• Can take practice to master the water-pouring
• May require particular grind size per coffee beans - you don’t want to let the water flow too quickly or too slowly

2. Cold Brew

Cold brew is one of the few ways that you can prepare beforehand you virtually carry no equipment for your travel. The extended steeping time allows for a smooth, less acidic, and highly concentrated coffee concentrate that can be diluted to taste. Since it is served over ice, cold brew provides a cooling and energizing pick-me-up, making it particularly appealing in Spring-Summer time.

What you need:

• A bottle of Cold Brew ready to drink

Steps:

1. On the day before, pour room-temperature, boiled water into either a French Press or a Cold Brew Pot
2. Grind coffee either using a grinder machine or hand grinder at home
3. Stir evenly and gently to ensure all coffee grounds are saturated
4. Place the Cold Brew in fridge and sleep for 8-16 hours
5. Take Cold Brew out before you’re about to leave
6. Ready to drink in a bottle

Pro:

• Virtually no equipment needed - you can prepare in advance
• Only need cold brew pot and water to brew during travel
• Unique coffee flavour vs. other brewing methods

Con:

• Long sleep time
• Served best in cold
• Carry a filled cold brew bottle means more weights vs. other brewing methods

3. Drip Coffee Bags

Drip Coffee Bags are known for its convenience and easy-to-carry nature whilst maintaining great coffee taste. It has gained more popularity in the recent few years amongst camping, hiking and traveling lovers for its quick-and-easy coffee fix - on the spot - without equipment, cleaning or any hassle. They are a great alternatives for camping or wherever you go

What you need:

• individually packed drip coffee bags
• Hot water
• Mug

Steps:

1. Take out coffee drip bags from the package
2. Place the ears onto two ends of the mug
3. Pour hot water into coffee grounds in the pouch
4. Repeat for 3-4 times

Pro:

• No equipments needed at all
• Ready in 1 minute
• Individually packed so you can bring whichever blend you like
• Consistent coffee quality with beans already grounded in each drip bag
• Long shelf life that can last for the whole trip
• Great for both sharing as well as for yourself only
• Carry no weight

Cons:

• Each drip bag is set for a certain volume of coffee
• Not suitable if you want a large pot of coffee (500ml +)

4. AeroPress

AeroPress is a great alternative for outdoor coffee-making - the ability to brew a rich and flavorful cup of coffee in a matter of minutes. The Aeropress provides a reliable and efficient option for those who appreciate the ritual of coffee-making even when away from the comforts of home. Here’s a guide to making AeroPress coffee when traveling or in the great outdoors.

What you need:

• AeroPress
• paper filters
• Hand coffee grinder
• Utensil for stirring
• Hot water

Steps:

1. Place a paper filter into the filter cap and attach it to the Aeropress chamber. Rinse the filter with hot water to remove any paper taste and preheat the device.
2. Grind coffee beans - 1-2 tablespoons of medium-fine coffee ground.
3. Place the Aeropress over your coffee cup, with the plunger at the bottom. Add the coffee grounds into the chamber.
4. Pour hot water over the coffee grounds, ensuring all the grounds are saturated.
5. Stir with utensil evenly for 10 secs for even saturation and extraction
6. Place the filter cap onto the Aeropress chamber and give it a gentle twist to secure it in place.
7. Allow 1-2 mins to sit, attach the plunger to the Aeropress and slowly press down, applying steady pressure until you hear a hissing sound. This indicates that all the liquid has been pressed out.

Pro:

• Light equipment, easy to carry
• Different tastes with different sit time, grind sizes and water ratio
• Ready in minutes

Con:

• Requires a few more equipment
• More steps involved vs. other methods
• Unable to make large volume at once

5. French Press

French Press, on the other hand, is a more straight-forward way to make coffee whilst hiking or camping - the immersion brewing process allows a full-bodied extraction that captures the essence of the coffee beans. French Press is great for bold, dark-medium roasted coffee beans if you are looking for a stronger coffee taste.

What you need:

• Hand coffee grinder
• French Press
• Utensil for stirring
• Hot water

Steps:

1. Grind coffee beans - 1-2 tablespoons of medium-fine coffee ground.
2. Rinse your french press with some hot water to remove potential dust & preheat the container
3. Add coffee grounds and water
4. Give it a gentle stir and let it sleep for 4 minutes
5. Press down the plunger to separate coffee from the grounds
6. Ready to enjoy

Pro:

• Requires much less equipments
• Fairy easy & straight-forward - anyone can do it
• Great for a larger group of people to share

Con:

• French Press is fairly big to carry - takes more space
• Glass French Press can be fragile
• Does not give you the same taste quality for light-roasted coffee beans - may recommend other brewing methods for such

🎁 Bonus - Voskos Espresso

You can now carry freshly made espresso to the wilderness where cafes are hard to find and you just need some coffee dose.

Voskos Espresso Bottles contains 200ml of espresso essence straight from professional espresso machine. They are a small bottle designed for easy-carry and people who wants some long-black or milk coffee during their camping or picnic. Each bottle has 10 servings that allows sharing amongst friends & families.

What you need:

• 1x Voskos Espresso Bottle
• Milk or water
• Pour 20ml of espresso and 200ml of water or milk into a mug
• It’s Ready!

Pro:

• Great when you’re in Regional where coffee choices are limited
• Espresso sealed in bottle means longer shelf time & uncompromised taste
• Flexible to be made into a variety of coffee
• Pour as much as or as little espresso as per your preference

Con:

• Hard to measure each serving (don’t worry, we’re working to make sorted! )
• No coffee ritual since it’s ready to serve

 

These are the five best ways to make great quality coffee no matter if you are camping amongst the trees, hiking on top of mountain ranges, or just having a great picnic at your local parks. Coffee is essential part of our outdoor lives and always remember to bring some whenever you go.

 

image sources: Unsplash, Voskos