Coffee maker...

[J Clark H356]

I use Folgers coffee that is the tea bag type. I heat a cup of water with the coffee bag in the microwave for 2-1/2 minutes. Strength is based on how long you let it seep after it is in the hot water. Makes a really good cup of coffee. Very little mess, just throw away the bag. Single bag per serving. For those who don't have the electrical capacity, you could heat the water in a teapot on your stove. Either way, it is pretty good coffee and quick.

At home we use an electric Faberware percolator and Keurig. It's better, but not that much different.


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[captain58sailin]

I'm with Zee, easy to use, one cup or a thermos full, easy cleanup. No burnt coffee.

[rognvald]

For those who take drinking coffee as seriously as the Zen tea ritual, there is only one way that produces the perfect cup of coffee and it is the one recommended by Zee and Cheech (sounds like a comedy show in Las Vegas). However, there is a precise method:

1: the grind(coarse or fine) determines the strength and rate of flow
through the filter.
2. Initially, preheat the freshly ground coffee with a small amount of
water. This will cause the coffee grounds to swell which releases the
critical flavors of the bean.
3. Then, slowly add small increments of water, a little at a time, until
you have used all the water required.
4. Drink the coffee immediately since as it cools the flavor noticeably
changes.
5. Finally, for those among us who disdain political correctness and obsessive health neurosis, a hand rolled Dominican, Honduran or Nicaraguan cigar--maduro wrapper, a Gordo or Churchill(in size)carefully lit
and smoked with respect. Now that's a cup of coffee. Did I mention Segovia playing Bach? http://youtu.be/kHBj-I83pRw Good luck and good coffee.

[MBWhite]

I have 2 coffee makers that I use when travelling whether I'm going by car, boat, or plane. If I have the room and it will be for several days I'll take both.

First is an espresso pot, the one I have is stainless and looks like this one except the handle on mine is stainless too, durability is an important item with me:

To be honest, unless you need a bunch of hot liquid and caffeine in you I prefer an espresso over any other method. However, for those other times I have this stainless french press from Coleman, which even though not perfect is by far the best travel pot I have come across:


What makes this one handy is that it is single wall stainless, so you just fill the pot with water, heat, then put the coffee in. It is not insulated but you can always reheat the pot if you want to.

The main issue is that it is narrow, which can make it easy to boil over. It also makes it tippy so have a place to set it that holds it up and also have a way to secure it on a burner. Since it makes a liter at a time, when using it on a boat that is getting jarred the best thing to do is just make a half pot at a time and all spillage concerns are basically zero.

My the base to the espresso maker is also somewhat slender. At some point I'll replace it with an aluminum version that has a wide base but that is more of a "nice to do" priority and not a "need to do" one.

Also, when actually sailing at night I prefer to drink tea for some reason. I haven't figured out if that is my English heritage showing proper etiquette or is it my Scots genetics being too cheap while underway.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by Suijin

....

The big downsides to the french press are that a) it requires you to grind your own beans if you can't find a store that has an adjustable grinder and b) is not the most pleasant thing to clean and requires water to clean.

Ours works OK with a "normal" grind, but a fine expresso grind will cause problems. We do have a grinder aboard and grind a bit course when grinding our own.

A few have noted the cleaning issue, but Ive never found that to be an inconveience. Aboard I just dunk in seawater and dump it out then give it a spritz of freshwater. The SS on the Nissan/Thermos model is high grade...Ive been doing this for years with zero corrossion. At home I just shoot some water in it and dump in the compost bin. Easy.

We also have a double walled SS carafe and a stainless thermos for long watches. With guests aboard we fill the carafe and make another batch.

Ive also found, since the extraction process is not 100% efficiennt, that I can just add a couple of scoops of coffee on top of the used grounds and make another batch with no detectable difference in quuality to the coffee. With just us aboard that gets us thru morning coffee before cleaning the press.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

I was going to mention this as well, although I've always called it camp coffee. Boil water, toss in coffee, boil more, when the grounds settle to the bottom it's ready. Can make it as strong or as weak as desired. Easy.

Oh boy, Cowboy Coffee...coffee and breakfast in a single cup! ;-)

[StuM]

Same one I post every time this question comes up:
Zyliss Cafetiere Hot Mug, Red: Amazon.co.uk: Kitchen & Home

[socaldmax]

Originally Posted by Mycroft

I love french presses, but hated cleaning up the grounds. Found the Aeropress and will never go back! Makes a great cup of coffee and the grounds pop out into the trash like a hockey puck.

Amazon.com: Aeropress Coffee and Espresso Maker: French Presses: Kitchen & Dining

That's what I use as well, I got the tip from someone online. I read the instructions and I think part of the smoothness is that you're not using boiling water, so you're not leaching out the bitterness from the beans, just that rich smooth flavor like how fresh coffee grounds smell.

I always tell people, no matter what coffee beans you use, this will improve the flavor.

[socaldmax]

Originally Posted by goat

I like my coffee like my women; Black, strong, bitter and extra large.

Um, yeah, other than that I tend to agree with Zee. Melitta cone drip, #2 bamboo filter. Simple, clean, indestructible, cheap. I have two spares, 'cause you never know.

goat

Yuck!


I like mine blonde, sweet and petite! If we're talking women, throw in wealthy nymphomaniac, too.

[socaldmax]

Originally Posted by nwdiver

I don't like the french presses that leave the coffee in the bottom for hours........ so a thermal coffee press is out for me, a press into a thermos works but still prefer the stove top espresso maker........

Try the Aeropress. It uses paper filters and you control how fast it goes through the filter. Very inexpensive, but well thought out and well built.

[Suijin]

Originally Posted by J Clark H356

I use Folgers coffee that is the tea bag type... Makes a really good cup of coffee.

I beg to differ, vehemently. Did an ocean crossing with those evil things as the only source of coffee. We tried everything in the book to try and make a good cup of coffee with them, to no avail, and almost keel hauled the provisioner. I guess everything is relative.

[Pelagic]

I think there is quite a difference in what a good cup of coffee tastes like in N America vs Europe where they like it strong and bold.

French Press/French Roast for me

[onestepcsy37]

We used, and still have, a french press. But cleaning them uses too much water.

So we're with the Mellita drip cone crowd. Heres a one pot breakfast for you.

Boil a couple of eggs, hard or soft, your choice. Then use some of the water to make your oatmeal - use "quick" oatmeal, not "instant" - adding raisins and cinammon if you like. Use the rest for coffee with the Mellita cone.

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by Suijin

I beg to differ, vehemently. Did an ocean crossing with those evil things as the only source of coffee. We tried everything in the book to try and make a good cup of coffee with them, to no avail, and almost keel hauled the provisioner. I guess everything is relative.

Read the label, those things are instant coffee, with just a little "real" coffee in the bag, but mostly instant.

I just ordered an Aerobee press, hope you guys are right, finally got fed up with the percolator, My preference is espresso, but they take a lot of power and room, so no espresso machine on the boat.

[Reefmagnet]

This is one area where us Aussies have the advantage. Many of us don't mind the taste of instant coffee and we have many brands and types to choose from in the supermarket. All that stuff takes is a tea spoon to prepare.