Four Types of Camp Coffee

Brewing the perfect cup of coffee doesn’t require expensive equipment nor the perfect beans. All you need is a campfire or camp stove and one of these four camp coffee makers.  

Boiling Water has Never Been Easier

Available at Coastal, the Jetboil Camping Stove Cooking System can easily heat up your meals, including the water for your coffee. Plus, it’s a lot safer than a campfire. We used the Jetboil Camping Stove to heat up our water when making today’s camp coffee.

French Press

While it’s not exactly sturdy enough for every camping adventure, a French press makes some amazing coffee without the need for filters. All you need is water, heat, and coffee.   

1. Boil water in a kettle.
2. Pull the strainer out of the French press.
3. Add 2 tablespoons of coffee per cup of water that you plan to add to the French Press.
4. Pour the water into the French Press and stir.
5. Allow it to steep (sit) for four minutes.
6. Put the strainer back into the French press and slowly push the grounds to the bottom.

Cowboy Coffee

Don’t let the name fool you. Cowboy coffee is one of the smoothest, non-acidic cups of coffee you’ll ever drink. Some say, if you ever have cowboy coffee, you won’t want to go back to your espresso and milk ever again. To make cowboy coffee, you need a large enamel coffee pot with a spout. Almost anything will do. When choosing your ground coffee, the cheaper the better. Most cowboys and cowgirls prefer something inexpensive that comes in a large can.

1. Fill your coffee pot with water just to the bottom of the spout.
2. Put your pot over high heat and let it get warm.
3. Take it off the heat to add your coffee.
4. Add 1/3 cup of coffee grounds for each quart of water.
5. Put the coffee pot back on the fire or stove. Let it come to a rolling boil.
6. Let it boil for 3 minutes.
7. Remove from the heat and pour 1/3 cup cold water down the spout and into the pot. This will settle the grounds to the bottom.
8. Pour carefully and enjoy.

Camping Percolator

Looking for a tried-and-true method of making camp coffee? This is it! You can pick up a camp percolator at your Northwest owned and operated Coastal. Then all you’ll need are water, heat, and coffee. The filters are optional.

1. Remove the lid and basket from the coffee pot.
2. Add water to the pot a mug at a time. There is no exact science here, so simply make as many mugs of coffee as you need.
3. Add coffee to the basket. 2 tablespoons per mug of water is a good estimate. You can use filters if you have them. Or just put the coffee grounds right into the basket.
4. Put the basket and lid back on the coffee pot.
5. Heat the percolator until the indicator on the lid indicates that water is getting into the coffee. Allow it to boil for upwards of 15 minutes.
6. You can remove the lid and basket or just leave them in and pour yourself a cup of well-deserved coffee.

Pour Over Coffee Maker

Some call it a camp drip coffee maker. Whatever you call it, it’s one of the simplest ways to make coffee at your campsite. All you’ll need are ground coffee, cone filters, and the plastic drip coffee maker, which looks like a funnel.

1. Boil some water.
2. Put a filter into the funnel.
3. Add 2 tablespoons of coffee per cup of water you plan to use.
4. Place the drip coffee maker over your mug.
5. Slowly pour the coffee into the funnel. Add more water until the mug below is full.

Bonus: Remove the first mug and add a second, new mug to make more coffee. The second cup will be weaker.

Your Camping Adventure Starts at Coastal

Get all the gear you need for a fun and uneventful camping trip at your Northwest owned and operated Coastal. That includes kitchen essentials, tarps, tents, fishing gear, hunting equipment, chairs, and all the clothing to stay comfortable in any weather.