How Do You Make Coffee While Camping?

For some, coffee is a daily ritual they’d not want to go without.

For others it’s the first thing they need when they get out of bed in the morning.

When I was at the store trying to make a decision on what my next coffee bag would be (I still haven’t found ‘the one’ yet), I wondered how you could make coffee while camping.

So, I did some research to find out the different methods of wilderness coffee making.

So how do you make coffee while camping? The easiest method of brewing coffee while camping is to use store-bought coffee bags. Simply boil water, place a coffee bag in the boiling water, steep for 1-3 minutes, remove the coffee bag and enjoy!

You’ll notice that I mentioned the ‘easiest’ method.

There are in fact more ways than one to make coffee while camping.

And the best way for you really depends on what your situation is and how important the taste of coffee is to you.

Some of the ways mentioned below will work better for you than bringing coffee bags.

Let’s dig in!

Different Methods Of Camping Coffee Making

Using Coffee Bags

I mentioned this up in the beginning, but I wanted to discuss a little more of the upsides and downsides of this method.

Brewing with coffee bags is easy, and it’s the exact same process as brewing with tea bags.

The bags can be purchased or made at home, and just popped into boiling water for a quick cup of coffee.

For quick reference, to make coffee with coffee bags, you:

1. Boil water
2. Place coffee bag in boiling water
3. Steep 1-3 minutes (your preference)
4. Remove coffee bag
5. Enjoy!

The downsides to this method are that the coffee doesn’t always taste so great (still better than instant), and you’ll need a way to carry the used bags if you’re out hiking on the trails.

But, if you don’t mind having a stale cup of coffee and have an easy (or tolerable) disposable method, coffee bags are the easiest and quickest way to brew coffee while camping.

The Cowboy Coffee Method

This method will show you how to make coffee just like in the old western movies.

Cowboy coffee is dark with a thick texture when brewed correctly.

Some cowboy coffee brewers use an egg shell to capture the coffee grounds and bring them to the bottom.

If you don’t have an egg (or don’t want to use one), you can still use this method.

Just be aware that the coffee grounds won’t dissolve like instant coffee!

Items Needed

• Metal pot
• Ground coffee (roughly 2 tablespoons for every 8 ounces of water)
• Water (enough to boil and have some cold water left over)

Brewing Instructions

1. Pour water into pot and bring water to a boil (save some cold water for step 4).
2. Dump your coffee grounds into the water and remove the pot from the heat source.
3. Stir the mixture and let it steep for roughly 4 minutes.
4. Pour some cold water onto the coffee grounds to help them sink to the bottom.
5. Slowly pour your coffee into another container, trying to avoid pouring the grounds.
6. Enjoy!

Try to pour your coffee almost immediately after it’s done.

Coffee that sits too long with the grounds in it will start to become bitter.

Instant Coffee

I would’ve put this as the first as it’s obviously less work than coffee bags and it won’t have grounds in it like cowboy coffee.

But I’d also say instant coffee can taste very bad in my opinion.

So I’ve put it third (even though this list is in no particular order so who cares?).

If you’re okay with the taste, instant coffee is actually extremely easy to make.

Items Needed

• Metal pot
• Instant coffee grounds
• Water

Brewing Instructions

1. Pour water into pot and bring water to a boil.
2. Pour instant coffee into your drinking cup.
3. Pour hot water over instant coffee grounds.
4. Stir.
5. Hopefully enjoy!

Instant coffee removes the need to have coffee bags or filters.

This means less space taken in your pack (nearly negligible), but also less trash to carry with you.

If you find an instant coffee you like, this is the best option to bring with you!

Using A French Press

Brewing with a french press can yield a coffee with a much more full bodied flavor.

The problem is that normal french presses are usually made with fragile glass.

However, with the Javapress, GSI’s solution to fragile presses, you can brew knowing you won’t break anything.

And just like a regular french press, you won’t need any paper filters; just coffee.

In fact, you use it EXACTLY like you would a regular french press, it’s just more durable!

This option is still bulky compared with the others, but if you are okay with the extra baggage then here’s how to brew:

Items Needed

• French press
• Pot
• Water
• Coffee grounds

Brewing Instructions

1. Bring water to a boil.
2. Pour hot water into your french press.
3. Add a scoop of your coffee grounds into the press and stir.
4. Place the lid on the french press (don’t push down on the plunger yet).
5. Let the coffee steep for 4 minutes.
6. Slowly press down on the plunger to separate coffee grounds from your coffee.
7. Pour your coffee and enjoy!

Keep in mind that for best results, you’ll want to remove your coffee from the french press quickly after it’s brewed.

Leaving extra coffee in the press for too long will cause the coffee to have a chalky texture.

Pour Over Drip Coffee

Drip coffee makers will allow you to have a great tasting, quality cup of coffee while out on the trails.

And they don’t take up a ton of space in your pack either.

You will have to bring and dispose of paper filters however, but the taste of the coffee often outweighs the extra hassle.

When using drip coffee, you’ll want to have finely ground coffee for best results and the most flavor.

You can get drippers in pretty much any material you like, at quite a few price ranges.

The choice is yours!

Here’s how to brew:

Items Needed

• Coffee dripper
• Finely ground coffee
• Paper filters
• Pot
• Water
• Mug to brew coffee on/in

Brewing Instructions

1. Boil water.
2. Add paper filter to dripper.
3. Wet the filter (discard water after. Don’t wet it over your mug).
4. Place dripper on the top of your mug.
5. Add grounds to the filter.
6. Pour ¼ of your boiling water on the coffee grounds slowly.
7. Wait 30 seconds.
8. Slowly pour the remaining water over the coffee grounds. Try to pour the water in a circular motion to cover all of the coffee grounds. Make sure you don’t overflow your coffee mug.
9. Enjoy!

Using A Camping Percolator

Percolating coffee is actually a pretty cool process.

Essentially water boils up into a basket filled with coffee grounds and extracts the desired aromas and flavors, creating an amazing cup of coffee for you.

And it’s one that can be brought with you camping if you’d like.

The downside is that percolators are pretty bulky since they’re meant for making multiple cups of coffee.

This is perfect if you have a large group with you though!

Here’s how to use it:

Items Needed

• Percolator
• Coffee
• Water
• Stable heat source (fire, stove, etc.)

Brewing Instructions

1. Assemble the percolator.
2. Pour water into the percolator, stopping just before the basket.
3. Add your coffee to the basket (about 1 heaping tablespoon of grounds per cup of water).
4. Bring the water to a low boil.
5. Either lower the heat on the stove or move the percolator around in the fire so that the water reduces from a boil to a simmer.
6. Simmer for 5-10 minutes.
7. Remove from heat once the coffee is at the desired color (pale will be weak coffee, dark will be strong).
8. Enjoy!

Making coffee with a percolator takes a bit of practice.

And there are a few variables you’ll need to keep watch on to get a good brew.

But it can be very rewarding and will also make coffee for everyone if done right!

A Coffee Maker

Yes, I put this on the list.

Depending on what type of camping you’re doing (at a campgrounds or car camping will probably be best), you may have access to power.

And if you do, why not bring a coffee maker?

After all, they are the most used way to make coffee.

If you’re going to be missing the amazing coffee you brew at home, why not bring it with you?

All you need is to find a power source and brew like normal!

Choosing The Best Method For Your Situation

As I mentioned above in the ‘Coffee Maker’ section, the best method will all depend on you.

Here are some questions to ask yourself:

1. What type of camping are you doing?
2. Will power be available or will you need something that doesn’t require electricity?
3. How much room in your pack do you want to dedicate to your coffee making method?
4. Do you prefer to sacrifice taste for convenience or do you need a great cup of coffee?

The answers to these questions will likely narrow down your choices quite a bit.

From there it’s just a matter of grabbing the materials and getting to it.

And if it’s something that requires a little more skill (percolating or making drip coffee for example), go ahead and practice the method at home.

And if it were me, I’d remove instant coffee as a candidate altogether!

Camping Coffee Hacks

Reusable Coffee Filters

Don’t want to pack a bunch of paper filters that you’ll have to dispose of?

Bring a reusable coffee filter!

They’re super durable and still don’t take up much room in your pack.

Powdered Creamer Fits Into Tight Spaces

Powdered food items of any kind are beneficial to bring in place of their full-bodied counterparts.

Why?

Because they don’t take up as much space!

Rather than bringing a container of creamer for your coffee, you could pack a Ziploc bag full of powdered creamer and stuff it pretty much anywhere.

Since it’s powder it can be moved around to fit in tight spaces.

Creamer That Doesn’t Need Refrigeration

Be careful what you bring for creamer while out camping.

Things like milk will need to be refrigerated and I don’t know about you but I don’t bring a fridge camping with me!

If you won’t have a cooler to keep things from spoiling then skip the refrigerated items altogether.

Use A Travel Shampoo Bottle For Your Creamer

If you found a way to keep your creamer cold, you may be wondering if there’s a better way to pack it then in the giant container it comes in.

Well, there is!

Just pour your creamer into a travel-sized shampoo bottle and pour a little at a time.

This will last you as long as you want it to, and it’ll be much easier to fit multiple small containers in your pack than one big container.

Related Questions

How do you boil water while camping? You can boil water on a fire while you’re out camping. Simply fill up a pot of water and put it on top of the fire. Bringing a metal grill will help you to prop the pot up above the wood so that it doesn’t spill or get ash inside of the pot, or having a lid will allow you to put the pot directly in the fire. Alternatively, you can bring a camping stove to heat your water up.

How do you percolate coffee on a camp stove? Percolating coffee on a camp stove is a bit easier to do than on a fire because you can control the temperature. To percolate your coffee on a camp stove, you:

1. Pour water into the percolator, stopping just before the basket.
2. Add your coffee to the basket (about 1 heaping tablespoon of grounds per cup of water).
3. Bring the water to a low boil.
4. Lower the heat on the stove so that the water reduces from a boil to a simmer.
5. Simmer for 5-10 minutes.
6. Remove from heat once the coffee is at the desired color (pale will be weak coffee, dark will be strong).
7. Enjoy!

How long do you percolate coffee on a campfire? Percolating coffee on a fire is pretty much the same process as on a stove, except you’ll control the heat by moving the percolator further away from the fire. You’ll want to bring the water to a boil and then reduce to a simmer for 5-10 minutes. How long depends on how strong you want your coffee.

How do you store coffee while backpacking? There are many ways you can store coffee while backpacking. These methods include bringing along individual coffee bags (similar to tea bags), Ziploc bags with coffee grounds inside, bringing the original coffee bag itself, or individual instant coffee packs. Try to keep the coffee grounds in a cool, dry place to ensure good flavor.

How do I make my own coffee bags for camping? If you don’t want to purchase coffee bags from the store and wish to use your own type of coffee, you’ll need to grab:

• Empty basket coffee filters
• Ground coffee
• Butchers twine

To make your own coffee bags, simply:

1. Fill a basket coffee filter with the coffee you wish to use.
2. Tie the filter closed with butcher’s twine, leaving a little room above the coffee. Leaving a little room for the grounds to move will help the water to steep better.
3. Cut the end of the butcher’s twine so that there is enough left to hold (roughly 6 inches).
4. Use as a normal coffee bag.
5. Enjoy!