We are in a beautiful campground on the beach in So. Ca. but no hookups and no generator until 10 so I need to get some way to make coffee on the stovetop I presume.  Any suggestions?  Thank you

We keep a stove top percolator which we have had for years for just such occasions, we find ourselves in National Forest Camp Grounds a lot so really comes in handy.

Seconding the percolator.

We have one we purchased at a camping/back packing store. Works great when there is no juice to spare.

Mike

Folgers makes coffee bags.  They are just like tea bags and taste better than instant, just add hot water.

Another suggestion. Just put some coffee and water in a pot, boil it a few minutes and pour it through a strainer into your cup.

Fred

Assuming that you normally choose some type of drip coffee maker there are three issues to overcome.  First is the overheating of the coffee grounds themselves during the percolating at boiling temperatures, second the metallic taste of an aluminum coffee maker, and finally the added metallic taste of keeping the coffee warm after it is made.

Our solution is always pour up the coffee into a thermos or caraffe as soon as it is finished perking.  It will stay hot for hours in a good container without acquiring the coffee pot taste.

Use a ceramic percolator (corning if possible), a stainless percolator if you don't want to risk the breakage issue, and a aluminum light weight percolator if you must.

You still have a metal basket to deal with and although you can't get rid of it you can use the short drip coffee filters in the basket by punching a small slit in the center and isolating the coffee grounds from the basket.  Don't fill the pot up to the bottom of the basket.  If you pour it up as soon as the perking time is over it works pretty good.

Actually we use the light aluminum pot with a plastic basket, filters, and a thermos caraffe.  It usually takes about twelve minutes to start perking and is usually just like I like it after perking for 5 minutes.

It is obvious to me that after writing this I have thought about this way too much.

Larry and Jacki

How far is it to the nearest Starbucks??  Actually, we were in the same situation not too long ago, at South Carlsbad State Beach, what a beautiful place!  We used our stovetop percolator to make coffee, once I had coffee grounds.  The first morning, we thought we'd be smart and try our inverter -- we have a coffee pot that has a built-in grinder.  We got the coffee ground but popped the fuse on the inverter.  Once we could use the generator, I ground up enough beans to last a few days and we just used the stainless steel percolator.  It was "good enough" since I could be watching the ocean while drinking it.  I didn't care so much about whether it was the best coffee.

Enjoy!

I really appreciate all of your comments. What a great place to be able to find lots of answers to life's little problems.  I never realized there were so many ways to make coffee !!!!! Thank you !

What about the French Press coffee pot.  We brought one with us for use when boondocking, but haven't used it yet.   You put your coffee in the pot, pour in boiling water and after a few minutes you "press" the grounds to the bottom and pour your coffee.  Takes very little time to get the hang of it.
Donna

When Kristi & I hit the road, we will probably take our French Press. Light weight plastic ones are readily available. No filters, coffee grounds into the pot, bring water to temp and fill the press. Wait 3 minutes and press the plunger. Another option is cold brewing. I have used the Filtron system in the past. It makes a coffee concentrate which you add to hot water. Very, very low power usage. Peter

Yum, The Toddy sounds good! We brought along a Melitta cone with paper filters that drips into an insulated carafe. It makes great coffee.

Well, how timely. I was looking through a book about the history of different areas in Kansas and they were discussing how coffee was made on the trail of this certain area, place your coffee in a clean sock and place it in the boiling water. We actually have an old time like drip coffee maker we ordered from Lehman's (stainless steel) and a Thermos french press but we have as yet tried the "sock" method and, frankly I hope I am never addicted enough to caffeine........... I think that "cowboy" coffee, if I remember correctly, is just the grounds boiled and the grounds will settle to the bottom, more or less, but you don't want to gulp it.

Dale's favorite is the Chemex, purchased at World Market or order via Amazon for a better selection. Makes wonderful coffee on the stovetop!!

we just bought the Coleman one to use in our camper but in the trailer we just boil a pot of water and pour it in the same receptacle you would if you were pouring in cold water. Drips through and makes good coffee.
we keep it warm by putting the carafe on low heat.
Sue

The "sock" method brings back memories of the best tasting coffee. You may still find the "sock" in Hispanic marketplaces, it's a cloth bag on a wire hoop with a handle. Put the grounds in the bag and boil in water until the coffee is brewed to whatever strength you want. I'm used to very strong coffee mixed with hot milk and a little sugar - heavenly... Mr. Coffee and Mr. Keurig make dishwater if you compare it to stove top brews.

I remember from my childhood: Adding broken eggshells to the pot keeps the grounds to the bottom and takes away the bitterness.

French press all the way. Great taste without bitterness and so easy. You can grab a great one for about $15.00.

Our view on the topic is similar to several who have posted. We used to use French presses all the time, but they kept breaking on us (and I cut my hand rather badly once, too). Percolators can produce some pretty bitter coffee because of the multiple times the water passes through the grounds (and the aluminum that most of them are made of gives it a bad taste and is not healthy). My dad used to make "cowboy coffee" when camping: boil the grounds in the water and then filter through a clean handkerchief or bandanna (he grew up in the Southwest during the depression). The go-to backup method we have settled on is pretty simple. We use our regular drip coffee maker (a small Mr. Coffee), boil the water in a stainless steel pot on the stove, and just pour it slowly over the grounds in the top of the coffee maker. The water only goes through the grounds once and ends up filtered in the regular carafe for use. Tastes just like the way we normally make it - and we don't have to carry anything extra to do it.

Rob

I had a cheapie percolator and hated it which I recently replaced with a beautiful one from Cabella's. If you are a coffee drinker a little investment in this area is so worth it. We use the propane stove in the morning and can quickly reheat throughout the day on the stove if needed.