For the last 11 weeks, I’ve had the opportunity to share some amazing coffee and conversations with some even more amazing people. My family and I were on vacation last week, and I didn’t have the opportunity to get the usual coffee ride in, but I didn’t want to break my routine of putting out a post per week.
I thought this might be a great time to answer one of the most frequent questions I’ve received since starting this blog, “What gear are you packing to use on the coffee rides?” Let me preface this with I really enjoy the opportunity to try out new coffee brewing techniques and coffees. That was one of my favorite things about my previous office space, I was always experimenting with a new brewing technique and always had someone to share that experience with. The coffee ride has kind of rekindled that affection for exploring new coffees and I’m looking forward to expanding my coffee ride arsenal.
So, like every other week, kick back, grab your favorite cup of coffee, and if you’ve ever considered a coffee ride of your own, I hope you find this blog useful.
First up, the VSSL JAVA Hand Grinder.
Some of my favorite features about the VSSL Java are its aesthetic design, it’s proven to be very durable in the occasional tumble, and the fact that it’s pretty compact. Something that I think is kind of fun is the handle flips in becoming a carabiner. I thought it was kind of just a novelty, but then put it to the test and found it can hold a considerable amount of weight. I’m not sure what you’d ever need that for in real life, but let’s just say, if you weighed around 150lbs, you could secure it to an object of your choice overhead, and it’ll hold your body weight.
The Java has 50 grind settings and has been a piece of cake to dial in for both pour-over and french press. If you plan on making a press for more than yourself, you’ll need to grind a couple of batches but doesn’t really take much time at all. I’ve found for 22 grams of beans, it takes about 36 seconds to grind for a pour-over, and a few seconds less than that to grind for a press. It’s equipped with stainless steel burrs and radial ball bearings for a smooth and uniform grind.
Next up, the Snow Peak Backpacking Coffee Set.
The backpacking coffee set is made up of three different pieces, the Trek 700 Titanium pitcher for boiling water, the Collapsible Coffee Dripper, and the Ti-Double 450 mug for keeping your coffee nice and warm without burning your hands.
This set is awesome and makes a fantastic cup of coffee. At first, I was a little worried that you wouldn’t be able to control the flow of water from the pitcher but have found with a little practice, it’s super simple to use and as easy to regulate as any pitcher you’d find in your local coffee shop. I stash the mug inside the pitcher, my Bic lighter and heating element inside the mug, pop the lid on and you’re ready to go. The coffee dripper folds up nice and compact and you can use your standard V60 filters. I’m stoked enough with this set, that I’m looking forward to purchasing the two other brewing sets that Snow Peak offers.
And now to heat things up, the MSR Pocket Rocket 2 Stove and MSR IsoPro Fuel can.
This is the first stove that I’ve ever owned, and I freaking love it. It’s small, lightweight, folds and unfolds with ease, and reminds me of a jet engine off Top Gun. For the coffee rides, I carry two 20oz bottles of water, one bottle for my guest, and one for myself. The Pocket Rocket on calm Oklahoma day (winds 20mph or less), and temps ranging from the 50’s to the 70’s, heats the coffee just below boiling in about 1.5 minutes. I like to pull my pitcher off the flame just as the bubbles are forming consistently on the bottom and starting to rise fairly quickly, but not what I would consider boiling…but drinkable.
The IsoPro Fuel cans are easily found at pretty much all sporting good stores and don’t take up too much room or weight in your pack. I’ve never found them to leak. I’m not sure what the exact number of boils you should get out of a canister, but I got a little over 30 boils out of my first canister and it probably has enough fuel for a couple more boils.
So, there you have it. That would be my current coffee ride setup. I’m stoked to pick up new pieces along the way and will be sure to share those with you.
The coffee I enjoyed: Treeline Coffee Roasters
Origin: Ethiopia
Notes: Orange blossom, green apple, cocoa powder
Brewing method: Pour-over
My thoughts: Honestly, this is one of my favorite cups of coffee I’ve had in a minute. It’s clean, crisp, and is still a fantastic cup of coffee as it cools. The green apple note becomes more apparent as the coffee cools, which is something I really enjoy. Hit me up if you’re around and would like to try a cup, I’d be happy to make one for you. If not, this will be my morning cup of choice for the next few days, and I’ll be grinning ear to ear in between sips.