Well balanced, good, rich mouthfeel, great body, nice, rich taste and smell… just some of the words that pro baristas regularly use to define the multitude of coffee varieties and flavours out there on the market. For me, i’m less interested in the developing my barista vocab than I am making sure it’s the first thing I do in the morning. Without a coffee in the morning I’m useless for hours. It doesn’t matter where I am in the world – be that a friends house, hotel room or a tent – my preparation for every trip includes some serious consideration to where my first coffee of the day will come from.
Recently we were sent three different ways to brew coffee from Barista & Co. So I decided to put each of them to the test in the context of bike camping. For comparison and to maximise my caffeine intake I used my go to outdoor brewing device, the Aeropress.
Check out the video review here (and hang on for the outtakes at the end)
Fun fact. The Aeropress was invented by Alan Adler, the CEO of Aerobie. You know? That company that makes the frisbie ring toy that goes for miles.
Brew It Stick
- from Barrista & Co
- Price: £12.99
- Buy from: Whittard of Chelsea for £12
Twist Press
- From Barrista & Co
- Price: £29.99
- Buy from: House of Fraser for £24
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One Brew
- From Barrista & Co
- Price: £21.99
- Buy from: Cafepod.com for £21.99
Aeropress
- From Aeropress.co.uk
- Price: £30
- Buy from: Whittard of Chelsea for £30
Recently, as a staff we discussed the plan for returning to work in the office. I mentioned that the staff kitchen coffee machine will need to stay out of action as it’s a potential contamination risk. The first response to that from the staff collective was, “Then what’s the point of returning to work?”.
The plan was changed.
Bonus Bike Packing Tip (members only)
While we are talking about coffee..
Did you know we roast our own blend?
Comments (8)
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If you want to make proper espresso out on the trail, a Wacaco Nanopresso is the way to go. Produces enough pressure to extract crema, and you have the choice of grounds or pods for extra trailside convenience.
Mark, you have got me convinced. For cycle camping I shall stick with tea.
Standby David,
We have a tea video coming just for you 🙂
Rickon, we had something called a Handpresso a year or two back that looked like a shock pump. You put coffee in and hot water, pump it up to 12 bar and then push the button – out comes a little espresso. Also worked with the teabag style pods too. Results are actually good but it’s a bit fiddly and messy. I’m not sure it would be bike camp ideal. I’ll dig it out and maybe post an update for those that MUST have an espresso come what may 🙂
If there ever was an article where you could take peak STW-essence, grind it into a fine powder, tamp it down and lovingly pass hot water through it to brew the STW-goodness, this was it. Loved it!
For what it is worth, my portable coffee solution is to wrap my small glass cafetiere in my grots! For when it breaks, I’ve got my eye on a cheap (9 quid) and cheerful Zylis cafetiere mug from eBay.
I really need a coffee now!
For storing coffee in the aero press you can use a small plastic bag inside the hollow plunger bit and some inside the cylinder for your first brew. Works for me.
hope the ride home was safe after all that caffeine 🙂
It was a short ride back down the garden 🙂
Aeropress Go or the old Soto Helix for me
Don’t need funky contraptions!