Anyone who travels and is on the go often encounters the harsh reality of poor-tasting coffee. Undrinkable coffee on vacation and in the most beautiful places should be on the list of things we'd rather avoid. That's why we want to help with this guide.
We give you essential tips on how to prepare really good coffee on the go. The recommended brewing methods and recipes work just as well on a hike as on multi-day bike tours or kayak routes. Tips for coffee in a motorhome are also included.
But coffee brewing methods and recipes are only one side of the coin. The right water, fresh grinding and heating the water are the real challenges for anyone who wants to make coffee on the go.
This test, like all our tests, is independent and not sponsored. We buy our test equipment. Where we discuss items from our shop, we make that clear.
The author of the article was a German coffee sensory master and Swiss filter coffee master. Yes, such championships exist. He has been working with coffee for 15 years and founded Kaffeemacher out of passion for the subject of coffee.
Table of contents of the article.
We recommend three brewing methods:
- the perfect French press for on the go by Bestargot
- the Aeropress, already almost a classic
- the Miir Pourigami filter
Other topics that will be covered:
- How can you filter clean water on the go?
- Tips on water hardness and water sources
- Boiling water without electricity
- What water temperature for what coffee?
- Can you cook coffee in a pot?
- How much coffee for how much water?
- Fresh grinding with the hand mill
- Other outdoor and camping brewers
Three brewing methods for delicious coffee on the go
I recently completed a multi-day kayaking trip from Bern to the mouth of the Aare into the Rhine. During this trip, I wanted to test which brewing methods really make sense on the go, take up little space, and guarantee good coffee quality in an outdoor setting. My absolute favorite on the go is a small plunger pot (French press) by Bestargot made of titanium, followed by the classic Aeropress and the MiiR Pourigami dripper.
1. Bestargot Camping French Press
The Bestargot Camping plunger pot combines many things in one. At 216 grams, the small coffee press is super lightweight and yet feels relatively sturdy. I recommend a maximum coffee brewing volume of 550 ml, even though the plunger pot holds up to 730 ml to the top edge. However, since water and coffee need to go in, this maximum volume is not very practical. Different recipes can be used. In an article about the French press, we described the two best recipes for the plunger pot.
The strongest argument for the Bestargot French Press is that the water can be heated in the brewer itself. Whether on a gas stove, a spirit burner or over a fire - the folding handle of the French press conducts heat only minimally, even with boiling water. So the handle remains touchable with bare hands. Warning: if flames lick around the brewer, the handle will also heat up!
The plunger pot produces a strong, full-bodied coffee. The mesh allows no fine particles to pass through that could taste dusty, especially if the coffee press is completely filled or poured unevenly and quickly. It's always best to pour slowly. If you want to reduce the dusty, mealy texture, you'll find tips in our YouTube video about the plunger pot.
By conveniently boiling water in the plunger pot, we save ourselves an additional stove or pot with the Bestargot coffee press. A real argument on trekking trips when you really want to save on luggage and weight. On my kayaking trip, I also prepared my food in the plunger pot and did without all other pots. If you're traveling in a group, however, you'll find the French press too small in capacity.
The French press has markings inside for 500 and 300 ml, which help guide you when filling the desired amount of water. It is 11 cm high and has a diameter of 10 cm.
French Press recipe for up to 2 - 3 people
- Pour 500 ml of water into the brewer and bring to a boil. A 500 ml marking inside the coffee press helps with volume calculation.
- Grind 30 grams of coffee fresh with a hand mill. Choose the grind so that most of the coffee grounds fall in the particle size range of 700 to 1000 micrometers.
- Add the grounds to the brewer after it has stopped boiling for about two minutes. At that point, the brewing temperature is perfect for many lighter and roasted filter coffees.
- Stir once so that all the grounds come into contact with the water and now wait 4 minutes.
- After 4 minutes, gently press the plunger down and serve immediately.
Where can you get the Bestargot Camping French Press? Actually, we only found the coffee press by Bestargot on Amazon*. If you find other sources, for example from your local trekking or outdoor shops, please add them in the comments.
2. The Aeropress - a classic for outdoor coffee
The Aeropress is already almost a classic when it comes to brewing coffee while traveling or on the go. Whether on an airplane, on a train or at a coffee farm - we've made coffee with the Aeropress everywhere. The Aeropress even has national championships and an annually held world championship. The Aeropress also owes a large number of delicious brewing recipes to these championships.
In our outdoor coffee video, we recommend a simple recipe that takes 1:40 minutes to complete. What's needed for it? Hot water and ground coffee. Unlike the Bestargot Camping plunger pot, water for the Aeropress must be heated externally. This is one of two disadvantages of this versatile press. The second disadvantage is the volume. If you use the Aeropress in a classic brewing ratio of 6 grams per 100 ml, you'll get a maximum of 200 ml water and 12 grams of coffee. There's simply no room for more. However, with the Bypass Aeropress method, a higher brewing volume is possible.
In our recipe, we recommend 14 grams of coffee to 200 ml. The Aeropress is loaded so that the plunger still stands thumb-width in the Aeropress. With the opening facing up, it is now placed on the scale or a firm surface and the coffee is added. This is followed by 200 ml of water at around 95 degrees Celsius. We've written a chapter further down in this article on the subject of brewing ratio and water temperature.
Now the coffee-water mixture is stirred three times so that all the coffee is wetted with water. The filter holder is twisted on with a paper or metal filter (not included). The paper filter should always be rinsed beforehand to remove paper taste and to ensure that it sticks well in the filter holder.
The filter holder is fitted on, the funnel that comes with the Aeropress is pushed on, and the vessel it will be pressed into is also fitted on. At around 50 seconds, we flip the whole thing so that the filter holder and Aeropress come to rest on the vessel. The Aeropress is then pressed down without effort over the next 50 seconds, so that at approximately 1:40 total brewing time, it has forced all the liquid through. Two important notes: Never press on the scale! Don't push away the air pocket, just until the liquid has escaped.
The Aeropress is very shatter-resistant, at 380 grams it's light, and it invites you to experiment. I basically always have the Aeropress with me when traveling, and we've had it in our shop for a long time in Germany and Switzerland. I can heartily recommend it.
I never warmed up to the Aeropress Go, however. This smaller variant of the Aeropress comes with its own cup. It offers no added value, quite the opposite. The classic Aeropress is already at the tight limit for me in terms of brewing volume. And you can find a vessel to brew into pretty much everywhere. In Switzerland, for example, you can get it from Simons Kaffee, in Germany from Playground Coffee, and in Austria from kaffeefabrik.
3. Miir Pourigami Brewer
The Miir Pourigami filter takes up the least space of all the brewers. At 144 grams, it's also number one in terms of weight. And indeed, the coffee from the Miir dripper is exactly what I expect from a good filter brewer. Classic V60 filter paper works as a paper filter, which you can get in our shop (CH, DE), and nowadays is even on the shelf at Coop in Switzerland.
The Miir essentially consists of three stainless steel plates made of 18/8 stainless steel. In principle, the dripper is robust, although my model shows wear at the insertion points after several years of use and is also slightly bent.
Miir is a sympathetic company, certified as a B Corp and operates carbon-neutral.
I brewed the Miir dripper with 15 grams of coffee and 250 ml. I added coffee in three pours.
- 50 grams of coffee for the blooming pour lasting 25 seconds
- After 25 seconds: pour in a circular (triangular) motion to 120 ml
- After 60 seconds: pour to 180 ml
- After 80 - 90 seconds pour to 250 ml
- Brewing time: approximately 2:30 minutes
Again, the notes about roast level and corresponding water temperature apply here.
Disassembled, the dripper is 6.2 cm tall and 12.7 cm wide.
The availability of the Miir Pourigami Dripper is somewhat limited in the German-speaking region. Miir ships from the United States, on Amazon* there's only the variant with a cup, and in Switzerland the dripper is currently not available for order. Aromatico in Germany carries the Miir.
Water, grinding and weighing
What water is suitable for brewing coffee
Soft water is best for brewing coffee. On the go, however, the first priority is that the water is clean. Especially when only rivers and lakes are available as sources, filtration is the most important thing.
A few years ago, water ruined my tour plans. I was kayaking down the Rhine from Basel to Koblenz. Along the way, I ran out of water. It's hard to believe, but even the Rhine goes through quieter sections where there's no water nearby or you can't even land the kayak. I made the mistake of drinking water from the Rhine back then, and I paid a price for that...
On my tour this year, I was prepared with the water filter from Grayl. I took water directly from the Aare with the filter, filtered it, and used it to make coffee. And not only that. I consistently drank the water from the bottle throughout the entire trip. There were no consequences for digestion, etc.
According to the manufacturer, the filter removes 99.99% of all viruses and bacteria from the water, as well as protozoa, microplastic and sediment particles, chemicals and heavy metals. Pretty great. Maybe I should filter the coffee from the plunger pot through it as well. :)
What the filter can't do: it doesn't make brackish water taste good. So look at where you're getting your water from, because bad-tasting water won't taste good even after filtering.
You can get the filter directly from grayl, in Switzerland from bergzeit, in Germany and the EU from Amazon*.
Water hardness is a problem
The filter also has no effect on water hardness, at least the manufacturer doesn't make any claims about it. I'll check that myself in the next few days. Soft water makes noticeably and noticeably better coffee for everyone! On the road and on trips, compromises are sometimes necessary, but there are some tricks that can help you find soft water.
Water that stays mainly on the surface and hasn't been underground for years since it rained, via groundwater, is softer. This includes water from lakes and rivers. Especially if these rivers have a high proportion of meltwater. If the water has traveled past many stones as groundwater, it becomes increasingly enriched with salts. In particular, magnesium and calcium have, as hardness-forming agents, a major influence on the taste of coffee in relation to their alkalinity counterpart. So: use river or lake water! Two good alternatives are rainwater and snow. Both have a low pH and are suitable for brewing filter coffee. They can sometimes even be mixed with other water to avoid being too soft.
The ideal water hardness for filter coffee is around 3° German hardness total hardness and a corresponding alkalinity of 1 - 2° German hardness. More details are also in our detailed coffee water article.
How do I make coffee without electricity?
Hot water is the prerequisite for brewing coffee with proper temperature. However, electricity is not necessary for this, just the most convenient way to do it.
On trips, trekking tours or while camping, there are many nice ways to heat water. From fire to gas stove or spirit burner - heating water takes some time but is almost always manageable.
A great alternative is also a small camping stove that spreads flames less far than a fire. On the kayaking trip, we had a gas stove with us, and there are many small and practical models available in the trekking sector.
For day trips, one option is to bring hot water in a thermos flask. Good thermos flasks keep the brewing water above 90° Celsius for many hours, staying in the range of a good brewing temperature.
If you don't have a flint striker, gas stove, or lighter at hand, this might be the chance to try a cold brew. We have a basic recipe for "cold coffee" as well as many variations with other ingredients compiled here.
What water temperature for brewing coffee?
We've become accustomed to the phrase "brewing coffee" in the German language. However, the coffee should never boil. Boiling the brewing water is, however, a good indication of when the right water temperature has been reached. Additionally, boiling water for several minutes kills viruses, bacteria, and parasites in the water. For water from lakes or rivers, this is recommended if no water filter is used.
Starting from boiling, you should wait different lengths of time depending on the coffee used and roast level. Filter coffees from specialty coffee roasters are usually lighter roasted. These coffees are very complex, have little bitterness, and can easily be brewed even at very high temperatures. Temperatures of 94° to 98° Celsius work well. Such coffees are roasted by us, as well as by top-ranked roasters in the filter coffee competition Coffee Panel.
Coffees from the supermarket and from many traditional roasters are roasted darker. These coffees already bring pronounced bitterness with them. Since higher temperatures promote bitterness, high brewing temperatures should be avoided. Temperatures around 90° Celsius are the best choice here. After boiling the water, you should wait longer. Depending on the size and opening of the pot and the outside temperature, boiling water cools to approximately 90 degrees in 3 - 5 minutes.
To our Swiss shop. We ship to Germany and Austria and to the EU from this site.
Can you cook coffee in a pot?
Every holiday apartment and camping car has a pot. In colloquial speech, we also say that we brew coffee. So is a pot the right place to prepare it? Coffee should never be boiled in a pot. However, the pot can be used to make good coffee.
Coffee should not be exposed to boiling water for extended periods or be boiled, as this will strongly trigger the coffee's own bitterness and overpower the fine flavor notes of the coffee.
Instead, the pot should be used to boil the water. After that, the coffee can be poured into a cup or a pot. Use coffee in a ratio of 1:16.6 for this. This corresponds to 6 grams of coffee to 100 ml of water.
Now the coffee is placed in the cup and then the water is poured in. After 4 minutes, the crust should be broken with a spoon and then skimmed off. Some of the coffee now sits at the bottom of the cup. However, if you drink carefully, you'll have brewed a delicious, full-bodied coffee this way. Professional coffee tasters brew their coffee like this. However, they don't drink directly from the cup afterward, but instead scoop the coffee with the so-called cupping spoon without stirring up particles.
How much coffee for how much water?
60 grams of coffee to 1 liter of water is the golden recipe for all filter coffee methods. With this brewing ratio, we best achieve the perfect balance between coffee strength and coffee bean extraction.
In an article about filter coffee preparation, I go into this interplay in more detail. But how do you determine the correct ratios on the go? For this reason, I also liked the coffee maker from Bestargot. The quantity markings inside already ensure that the water amount is correct. So it's just a matter of weighing or measuring the coffee amount accordingly.
On my trip, I had a small scale with me. In the video, I use the Timemore Nano and the coffee scale from Edo.
For shorter trips, dosing coffee into durable and waterproof tubes* is an alternative. These tubes hold almost exactly 18 grams of coffee and are thus perfect for 300 ml of water. Since coffee in a bag gets damp quickly on trips anyway, pouring it into tubes is not the worst solution.
Coffee scales in our shop:
- EDO Coffee Scale: DE and EU, Switzerland
- Timemore Nano: DE and EU, Switzerland
Fresh grinding with the hand mill
The counterpart to good coffee, the right brewing ratio, proper water, and of course a good filter brewer, is the hand mill. With the hand mill, you extract the most important thing from the coffee: complex aromas, flavor diversity, and freshness.
Coffee protects itself (in part) as long as it remains unground in the bean. With grinding, the surface of the coffee is enlarged by the multitude of coffee particles. These now all react individually with oxygen and light, accelerating the aging and oxidation of the coffee. The volatile aromas of the coffee quickly dissipate. Just 30 minutes after grinding, we were able to significantly detect flavor changes in the coffee in a panel with untrained consumers.
That's why fresh grinding of coffee is an important prerequisite to get everything out of the coffee bean that's in there. At the same time, a hand mill fits very well in a travel bag. There are numerous good hand mills on the market. In our video, we used the new Comandante x25 Trailmaster, which wasn't even really on the market at the time the video was released. It was specifically designed by Comandante for outdoor use and is even briefly waterproof. Comandante is a German company and with its high-priced mills, it's always a good choice in terms of quality.
We looked at cheaper hand mills in a comparison test of 14 hand mills under 100 euros (though it could use an update, as some of these mills are no longer on the market at all.)
Also compact and travel-ready: the classic espresso maker (Moka pot). It only needs a heat source – whether gas stove, spirit burner, or camping fire. With 12 grams of coffee to about 120 ml of water, it delivers a strong, dense coffee that's hardly any extra effort for on the go. Only downside: the aluminum construction is more sensitive than titanium brewers like the Bestargot. But for basecamp use and motorhome trips, it's a tried-and-true choice.
Other outdoor and camping brewers
There are very many good coffee brewers that can also be used while traveling, camping, on trekking tours, or while bushcrafting. The following brewers are also mentioned in the video:
- Cafflano Go-Brew bottle: for example at Enjoy your Bike, Öko-Kapseln.de, Handcraft Coffee
- Sea to Summit X-Brew Coffee Dripper: Transa (CH), Sea to Summit, Berg-Freund.ch, Amazon*, naturzeit
- Coffee Dribbler: currently not found anywhere.
- Flair pro: To the Flair test, Flair, Amazon*
- Yellow Campo Libre cup: Amazon*
Also compact and travel-ready: the classic espresso maker (Moka pot). It only needs a heat source – whether gas stove, spirit burner, or camping fire. With 12 grams of coffee to about 120 ml of water, it delivers a strong, dense coffee that's hardly any extra effort for on the go. Only downside: the aluminum construction is more sensitive than titanium brewers like the Bestargot. But for basecamp use and motorhome trips, it's a tried-and-true choice.
* Links marked with an asterisk are affiliate links. If you order through this link, it doesn't cost you any more, but we receive a small commission. This is how we get new equipment to test.
