My quest for grid down coffee brewing didn’t start with an interest in securing java WTSHTF, it started with a need for coffee when at deer camp, freezing temps outside, scratching my ass at 4:00 in the morning, looking for a pick-me-up when the closest source of electricity is some 30 miles away. I’ve been using an 8 cup percolator the past 5 years for such situations, but this year I wanted to try something else. The problem with the percolator is that I’ve never had great luck brewing coffee with it over a camp stove. For this reason, I recently tried an 8 cup coffee press pot. Now then . . .
On the left hand side, with stainless steel frame, glass container and stainless plunger stands – the coffee press! *cheers and jeers*
On the right hand side, with stainless container and wooden handle stands – the percolator! *jeers and cheers*
I have now used both of these, put them head-to-head in a coffee boxing tournament, and let me tell you how it unfolds in the hopes that it might spare you from buying the wrong one. First up – The Percolator:
Advantages:
- the name, of course – “percolator” – just has a nice ring to it
- the bubbling action that happens at the top is equally cool
- easy to keep hot, just turn the stove off and leave it on the burner
Disadvantages:
- I almost always make a mess with this thing, if I fill it to the full 8 cups it’s almost guaranteed to bubble too violently and spill grounds all over the place – maybe this is just clumsy me, though
- time – you gotta bring it to a boil first (which can take a while if you’re using hot coals from a camp fire) and THEN you have to keep it hot to let it percolate
- when you reach for it, it’s hotter than July Florida pavement on bare feet
Next up – The Coffee Pot Press:
Disadvantages:
- ummmm . . . . . . hmmmm . . . . okay, it’s probably clear which one will win, huh?
- Oh wait – it’s harder to keep warm. It cools down fast, so put it in that insulated coffee mug – pronto! That or just suck the shit down like I do.
Advantages:
- TASTE – holy friggin’ crap – I’ve started using this thing instead of the plug-in drip coffee maker sitting next to my kitchen sink! Now I know why coffee aficionados prefer the coffee press. It’s a full body taste – no doubt!
- Speed – all you gotta do is boil water, pour it over course ground coffee, wait a few minutes – and press! This means java enters your gullet faster, and less fuel is required to make it happen.
- Less mess – at least that’s what I’ve found, compared to the percolator.
- Cool to the touch – pour your boiling water in, and the coffee press handle is . . . easy to handle.
Whichever one you choose, there are a few advantages over the drip coffee maker. They don’t require electrical juice, they don’t need coffee filters, and both have a better taste. Yes, I’ve failed miserably at the percolator, but I have seen someone successfully make decent coffee in one – better than drip.
A few more things on the coffee press: 1) I had coffee beans ground “course” at the local supermarket, but word on Coffee Street is that the ideal situation is to grind it RIGHT before your brew it – only makes sense, 2) buying a coffee grinder is good, but if you’re rich (unlike me), a high end coffee grinder is supposed to be even better. Apparently the high-end versions give you a more consistent course grind . . . . whatever.
- Ranger Man
BTW: Some of you that leave comments fill in phony e-mail addresses and such when you want to leave anonymous comments. Know that they’re not required, you don’t need to type in anything other than your comment if you want to leave something. I could give two – no THREE – frigs who you are. Of course, if you want to fill that action in and promote your own site – that’s fine, too. I could give three – no FOUR – frigs.
Also, check this action – Maine gets rare tropical storm warning!
Woo-hoo! Button down the hatches!
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{ 23 comments }
Cooking, including the brewing of coffee, on a wood stove takes a little getting used to and requires a different technique. If all you ever used was a wood stove – which growing up that’s all we had – then going over to electric takes some adjustment also. With experience anyone can do it.
The great thing about wood burning stoves is that they always work and you can always find something to burn. I’ve got a three year supply of firewood outside my window as I type this. 3 years of heat and cooking fuel come SHTF and even if the grid is down the stove will still work. It’s a beautiful thing!
Ranger Man,
Welcome to the club with tropical storms/hurricane warnings! From your friends in Florida!!! Hang in there!
did I miss it or did you mention the cost of the two units? I have noticed that even the perculators are about $20.00 and I don’t know what the Yuppie model costs.
I also have multiple years of wood accumilated. We are on Propane here and the dealers has new rules. Minimum fillup is 200 gallons and at $2.30 a gallon that is $460 at a crack. I don’t know if payment is COD or not yet, but I can see it coming.
rats !
now i have to go buy a coffee press :-)
bought a peculator for “just in case” and if i ever do some serious camping again.
interesting press. like the glass setup , but will it hold up to being knocked around ?
now if they could only find a cream substitute that didn’t taste like glue :-)
Man, Betty’s got her zombie face on. What’s up with that?
The French Press is awesome for more then just coffee. It will also do wonders with tea.
I’ve heard nothing but good stuff about the french press. It seems like the percolator has a slight edge in that you can make the coffee and set it on the edge of the fire and have it stay warm all day. For a grab and go hunting scenario that isn’t too important but for a lazy sunday morning it would be nice.
We have a cheap wal mart grinder but it makes a world of difference over folgers.
try this http://www.survivalperk.com/
I bought one, and it seems to work. I couldn’t remember the name but your post rang a bell. I like to use it on cold overnight sailing trips. Quick, won’t burn your hands, decent quantity, no moving parts. just hot water.
You can get metal thermal coffee presses. Only have a link for the uk so you’ll have to have a look around for over there.
http://www.scottsofstow.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product1_17055_-1_18529_10551
I’m keeping it simple. Boil water. Put grounds in gold-tone metal coffee basket on top of thermos. Pour boiling water over grounds. Once thermos is full, pour 1st cup, then close thermos and drink the rest over the course of the day/half day/whatever. Wash thermos when empty.
I suppose I might try a french press if I see one at a garage sale, or on Freecycle, but it’s a unitasker, and I don’t see the need for items that only do one task. The metal coffee strainer basket works to drain yogurt when making yogurt cheese and other such things, the thermos keeps many things warm (or cold), the pot that boils the water boils lots of things.
I am not a coffey nut, so i’ll be pouring a cup of hot water and stirring in a spoon of instant and adding milk, if i can find coffey when shtf
Yuppies! all of you!!!!!
I make my coffee in my two quart sauce pan( the same one I cook my rice and beanns in). Add the grounds and once heated, pour through on of those little screen filter spoons I got from miricle mart for 2.00. Some times a little grounds make it through, oh well I sure theirs some caffine in there that didn’t get leeched out, don’t waste it. Chuck in VT
do feel a little girly using something called the french press. why couldn’t they call this thing the atom bomb or something :-)
Still liking our cone-shaped coffee thingy that my sailor sis-in-law gave us (put on top of cup, pour hot water through…works like an auto-drip). Works great for camping and takes up less space than other coffee needs. However, Chuck in VT’s idea would probably work great for those who like the stronger stuff.
Just curious if anyone has tried one of Coleman’s coffee makers?
The stove top drip….
http://www.coleman.com/coleman/colemancom/detail.asp?product_id=2000000719&categoryid=5180
Their French Press……
http://www.coleman.com/coleman/colemancom/detail.asp?product_id=805-713T&categoryid=5180
You mean there won’t be Quick Checks post SHTF? Gasp!
You mean there won’t be Quick Checks post SHTF? Gasp!
Rangerman – Back in the day, (my camping out on my ‘mountain top’ in WVA), I used the percolator and here is how – at night I filled the pot with water only, then let it sit on the fire until it got just short of boiling. I took it off the fire and set it aside, and then put the coffee basket into the now heated water. I let it steep all night while I slept. In the a.m. I would take the basket out and just reheat the coffee to a nice warm temperature. What a great taste. Needless to say, one can chainsaw quite a bit of wood after drinking a full pot of coffee, along with some bacon & eggs. Greg
Google ‘cold-brew coffee’.. You don’t need to buy the special pot. Put a cup or so of fresh-ground (or canned, whatever) coffee in any pot, add a quart or so of room-temp water, let sit overnight. In the morning, strain out the grounds. If you want, run the result through a coffee filter. It’s REALLY strong, a concentrate actually. Fill your cup halfway with this stuff, add boiling water – done! Plenty caffeine, no acid!
I have heard that during the civil war they used roasted acorns for coffee grounds, anyone know the reciepe for this brew?????
I have a GSI french press I use for camping.
http://www.gsioutdoors.com/list.aspx?c=5&sc2=4
I bought it at Cabelas. I also like their H2JO for a Nalgene water bottle. It would be better for backpacking and I will have one eventually.
Oh, and in a pinch you can roast chicory or burdock root and grind to make coffee, but I’ve never tried either.
I liked the idea of the stainless steel thermal French press — so I fired up Google. Amazon.com has the Nissan stainless thermal French press for practially the same price as the Coleman non-thermal stainless press. They also have a herd of Belgian, Swiss, and authentically French French presses for the up-scale . . .
Check it out: http://tinyurl.com/4cutxe