I’m a bit of a coffee snob. I like mine local, organic, Fair Trade, dark roasted but smooth. Every morning, like clockwork, I stumble out of bed and make my way to the coffee pot. At our house we have no lack of coffee-related products: multiple coffee machines, a French press, a grinder, and a cabinet full of coffee beans.
During the spring and summer, we go camping a ton. We love the great outdoors and will spend almost every weekend in our tent if the weather is good. There’s nothing better than making s’mores by the fire and looking up at the stars. However, access to a great cup of coffee can be very tricky. In the past we’ve brought our propane stove to boil water in the morning and French press. Cleaning out the press is a pain in the ass at the house, but cleaning it at a camp site with no access to running water is that much more terrible. All those little grounds caught everywhere. It wastes water and time.
The solution to this camping dilemma? The Cold Brew Coffee Filter by BRUW— done simply by steeping freshly ground coffee in water in a standard Mason jar container overnight. You don’t have to sacrifice space for the sake of great-tasting coffee. The beauty about the BRUW filter is that you don’t need to strain your coffee through cheesecloth or a smaller strainer. It’s an all in one system. Just put everything together the night before, and BOOM, coffee is ready when you are in the morning. Simple.
One of the other things I love about cold-brewed coffee is that is has lower acidity and less bitterness than the heat-brewed coffee. This allows for flavor nuances in the beans to come through. Without a need for expensive equipment, nor use of any energy, it’s a very green way to make coffee too. I drink cold brew coffee all the time in the summer using BRUW.
Before I go camping, I pick out my best beans and medium grind them a day before the trip. I’ll pack enough in glass jars, small Tupperware containers or plastic zip bags to save space. It’s super easy to make. Stir coffee grounds together in the Mason jar, cover with fresh water and let the mixture steep overnight. It will look like a muddy mess — it’s impossible not to when mixing ground coffee and water. Just filter with another Mason jar in the morning and you're good to go!
You may wind up with a sort of coffee concentrate depending on the grounds to water ratio you use. This concentrate is good because it saves space and a little goes a long way when you’re camping. I like my mine really strong, so sometimes I only put the concentrate over ice. You can also add some cool water, milk for an iced coffee, or pour it straight with a little cream for an iced latte. After a long day of hiking, I like a little pick-me-up cold brew and Irish Cream!
I don’t think there is anything better in this world than waking up out in nature. I love to grab my coffee, listen to the birds, and watch nature unfold.
Until next time, happy trails and stay caffeinated, my friends!
-Krista B.
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