The most frequent question I get regarding the coffee outside routine is “what gear are your using?”. While getting my kit ready for tomorrow I took a few minutes to make some pictures and prepare some notes.
The contents of the kit reflect my preference for pour over style of brewing. I have tried everything from cowboy coffee to a small french press, and for me, the best results have been pour over. My usual stove and cook pot for boiling water has been the Caldera Keg Kit. The kit is super light, compact and has everything I need to boil water quickly. I brew the coffee into a 600ml titanium mug that replaces one end of the keg kit’s container. I support the paper coffee filters with a William Bounds Sili coffee cone. after testing out a few options I find it hits a sweet spot for function, weight and portability. The kit is rounded out with a bandanna, lighter, grinder and occasional breakfast snack
The latest addition to my kit has been the Porlex portable grinder. It adds a bit of weight to the whole package, but the quality of the brew jumps way up with beans ground at the time of brew.
This was an awesome birthday gift this year from my wife and her parents, and has seen daily use for a few weeks now. The bur grinding mechanism is robust, easily adjustable, and provides an incredibly uniform grind. It holds the perfect amount of beans for my large mug. Thus the increase in brew quality and ability to carry the fresh beans justify the added load.
All spread out it looks like a bunch of gear
but most of the components nest into the stove caddy and it is travels quite compact in the handlebar bag. I was pleasantly suppressed to even fit the grinder on the inside of the kit.
Over all weight is still respectable as well considering how much utility is crammed into that little space.
It is that simple, under two pounds and you have all the tools needed to brew a better cup of coffee than most people will at home, and you can do it just about any where you would like. True coffee/bike nerd stuff.
Have you seen the Poler Stuff / Stumptown Coffee kit? How long until the debut of the Ocean Air Cycles cycling coffee kit!? 🙂
Yes, I saw that, and evened took the time to find the source on those mugs. I have a couple of possible kit plans, still stuck in the drawing board phase, but moving forward soon. The hardest part has been sourcing all the components on a wholesale basis. Or I should clarify, sourcing without a full fledged retail brick and mortar presence. As the retail landscape is changing, it is getting harder to get the bits and pieces I want without a flagship store. Like everything, a chicken and egg dilemma. That said, there will be kits, hopefully in time for the Holidays.
Have you considered a coffee toddy? I made one at home this week and am thinking my next outdoor coffee I’ll do that instead, just for fun. (Heck, might even do iced! Klean Kanteen’s rule!)
every now and then I think about it, then forget to grind a batch of beans coarse and just get it done. Thanks for the reminder.