4 Ways to Brew Coffee While Traveling

If you were ever to ask a coffee enthusiast what they fear the most, then the probably answer would be not having a cup of coffee. While traveling, we often compromise on our desires for overall convenience, and if you are a person whose day doesn’t start without a cup of coffee, this could become a real problem. With the various brewing techniques available today and with specially curated coffee beans delivered fresh to you on demand, you can make yourself a delightful cup of coffee wherever you are.  

Before we start, make sure you have all the essentials – coffee beans, a brewing device (like any of the below), a measuring scale, water kettle and a coffee grinder (if you buy whole beans which we highly recommend). Let’s get started.

Aeropress (Inverted Method)

Do you want to travel light but, at the same time not compromise on the great taste of coffee? Then the Aeropress is an excellent choice for you!

This light and durable coffee maker can brew a fantastic cup of coffee instantly to remedy your traveling withdrawals. The easy-to-use gadget is ideal for car camping, RVing, trekking, etc. You also get a travel-friendly version called the Aeropress Go!

How To Make Coffee 

Step 1: Set the water in your kettle to heat to 90℃. If you do not have a thermometer or a kettle with temperature control, boil the water and let it stand for 70 – 100 seconds. Never use boiling water to brew as this burns your coffee grounds and will bring bitter elements into your cup.

Step 2: Tune your grinder to its medium setting and grind 18 grams of coffee. This grind setting is similar to what you would use for the V60 pourover. If you prefer a stronger cup, you can grind a little finer than this. You can skip this step if you purchased ground coffee instead of whole beans.

Step 3: Insert a filter paper (or Aeropress metal filter) into the Aeropress’s detachable plastic cap. Wet the filter paper with hot water so it sticks firmly onto the cap.

Step 4: Assemble the Aeropress and invert it onto a weighing scale. Drop the ground coffee into the Aeropress chamber and tare the scale.

Step 5: Start the timer and pour water into the chamber until the scale reads 50g. Make sure that all the grounds are wet. Let the coffee bloom for 30 – 35 seconds.

Step 6: Now pour the remaining water into the chamber in a slightly circular motion until the scale reads 220g.

Step 7: When your timer reads 1:05, use the Aeropress stirring paddle to stir the mix for a good 4 – 6 seconds. Screw the plastic cap on and press down the outer top edges of the chamber until the brew reaches the cap and eliminates the air gap.

Step 8: When the timer reads 1:15, quickly flip your Aeropress onto your serving vessel or coffee mug and begin pressing (make sure the collecting vessel has a volume of at least 240ml). You should feel a considerable amount of resistive pressure as you push down. If the pressure is too low, your grind size might be too coarse. If the pressure is too high, your grind size might be too fine. Your coffee is fully brewed once you have pushed down fully and you hear a hissing sound.

Step 9: Allow your coffee to breathe for 30 seconds. As it cools, you can unscrew the plastic cap and pop out the filter and puck of coffee grounds by pushing the contraption’s interior section by another inch.

Step 10: Your coffee is ready to serve! Enjoy!

Tip: When in doubt, you can try any of our filter roasts from the Poetry of Coffee Collection to experience a great cup of Aeropress coffee.  

The French press 

The French Press coffee maker is like the Aeropress in its function. The major difference is in batch size as a French Press can make large batches of coffee. The French Press also yields full-bodied coffees and uses a metal filter as opposed to the paper filter which is typically used in the Aeropress (metal filters can also be used in the Aeropress). This quick, reliable, and convenient brewer is extremely simple to use and produces flavourful coffee; a go-to brewing device for many travelers.

How to Make French Press Coffee

Step 1: Set the water in your kettle to heat to 95℃. If you do not have a thermometer or a kettle with temperature control, boil the water and let it stand for 60 – 90 seconds. Never use boiling water to brew as this burns your coffee grounds and will bring bitter elements into your cup.

Step 2: Tune your grinder to its coarse setting and grind 28 grams of coffee. Drop the coffee grinds into the chamber.

Step 3: Place the setup on a weigh scale and tare it.

Step 4: Start the timer and bloom the coffee by pouring the hot water into the chamber until the scale reads 60g. Make sure all grounds our wet. You can give the grounds a gentle stir with a paddle.

Step 5: When the timer reads 30 – 35 seconds, pour the remaining water until the scale reads 350g. Place the lid on top of the French Press and set it aside for exactly 4 minutes.

Step 6: When the timer reaches around 5:00, you can remove the French Press from the scale, place it on a flat surface and begin plunging. If it’s hard to plunge, your grind size is probably too fine. If it’s too easy to plunge, your grind size is probably too coarse.

Step 7: Once you’ve finished pressing, pour the coffee out into a server or mug immediately. Letting it sit will result in over-extraction.

Step 8: Your coffee is ready to serve! Enjoy!

Moka Pot

Moka pot is undoubtedly every traveling coffee enthusiast’s favourite coffee maker. This compact and affordable brewer is a straightforward way to experience a rich brew while on the road. The only extra thing you will need in this case is a heat source. The Moka pot produces a viscous Italian-style brew like an espresso in taste and richness. Our Monsoon Malabar AA, Attikan White Mist as well as any of the Natural-processed lots are suitable for brewing in a Moka Pot. 

How to make coffee

• Add 200g of water to the bottom chamber of the coffee maker without touching it to the valve.
• Fill the filter basket with 20g of medium-fine ground coffee (can be adjusted according to your strength preferences). 
• Set the contraption on a heat source to boil the water.
• The pressure created in the chamber below will force the water to begin extracting the ground coffee and create hissing sounds.
• The thick, extracted coffee liqour will ooze out of the channel into the top chamber of the Moka Pot.
• Make sure you don’t leave the pot on the heat source for too long as this will burn your coffee. Once the water has moved through the coffee bed and condensed in the above chamber, remove the pot from the heat source and serve immediately.
• You can enjoy your coffee strong – espresso style – or add in some hot water to lighten your brew. You can also add milk if that’s how you like it.
• Enjoy!

Now, you have these fantastic brewing ideas and recipes to satisfy your caffeine urges while traveling. You can make your perfect cup of coffee with craft coffee beans from Naivo. Coffees at Naivo are sourced from the best-producers are processed using a diverse range of techniques to bring out experiences tailored for every type of coffee lover.

Stay tuned to our blog for more exciting tips, tricks and news from the craft coffee universe.