How to Make Coffee without a Fire While Camping: The Complete Guide

Camping is a lot of fun. You get to be at one with nature and explore what the wilderness has to offer. This doesn’t mean you have to go without some of your favorite things – like coffee. But what should you do if you don’t have supplies to make a fire? Can you make coffee without a fire while camping?

Of course, you can! If you want to make coffee without a fire while camping we recommend bringing either instant coffee powder you can add to water or enjoying cold brew coffee. You can also use a solar or electric water heater to heat up water if you want hot coffee.

The definition of a perfect cup of coffee varies from person to person. That’s why we’ve tried to cover a wide variety of methods, along with some of our top picks, you can use while camping.

So, let’s explore and learn more.

How to Make Coffee While Camping

What happens if you are not permitted to set fire to the nearby open camp due to environmental concerns, but you want to still make coffee? The last thing you will want to do is drive 5-6 miles to a convenience store for warm morning refreshment. Tough situation, right?

Worry not. We’ve got your back. We’ll share how we enjoy coffee without a fire while camping. It isn’t easy to heat water for brewing coffee beans without an open campfire. So, let’s fix the problem of boiling water at the beginning.

Author Note: There are many ways you can heat up water without fire. You can use a solar water heater or portable water heater to boil water. Keep your solar heater near the camp, and make sure you charge it when daylight is visible.

Alternatively, you can bring a portable propane cylinder gas stove or battery-driven cooker while camping.

Manual brewers work best with these heating sources. We recommend using an Aeropress, percolator, French press, or making espresso in a pan.

Instant Hot Coffee

Here’s how we prepare instant hot coffee without an open campfire.

1) First, collect properly ground coffee. Otherwise, you can also collect pre-ground coffee beans and grind your coffee beans to course or ground by applying a manual grinder.

2) Measure the ratio of coffee ground-based on light or dark coffee.

3) Boil water according to your need on a solar water heater or battery driven cooker.

4) Use a thermometer to check the temperature and ensure it has reached full boiling temperature.

5) Empty the warm water from the carafe and add your measure ground to the French-press.

6) Pour hot water into the French press and stir up.

7) Lock the lid of the manual coffee maker and wait for 5-6 minutes

8) Now pour and enjoy.

Cold Brew Coffee

Another option is that you can prepare cold brew coffee. Cold brew coffee doesn’t require a heat source, which makes it great for camping. Cold brew requires time to brew the coffee rather than temperature. It contains lower acidity that you may prefer if you’re planning a day of adventurous outdoors. Making cold brew takes more than 12-15 hours. There are many ways to make and enjoy it.

Method 1: Use a Manual Coffee Maker

You can use an aero press, French press as a manual coffee maker. Here’s how to make cold coffee using the French press.

1. Grind the beans coarse to medium
2. Place the coarse beans in the French press.
3. Pour fresh water into the coffee maker and stir up.
4. Leave the lid down and keep it for 12-14 hours.
5. Remove the lid and pour it into your jar used for camping.

Method 2: Strain with a Paper Coffee Filter

What if you don’t have a French press? Don’t worry. You can do an interesting thing. First, brew coarse coffee grinds and water mix on a mason jar same as a French press. Once the brew is complete, pour the solution into a paper coffee filter to strain. It’s coffee time!

What are the Best Ways to Enjoy Coffee While Camping?

Author Note: Every year, millions of people go camping in the mountains. While roughing it might be part of the appeal of backpacking, you shouldn’t have to go without a cup of coffee in the morning.

Let’s have a look at different ways to enjoy a coffee while camping.

Cowboy Coffee

Cowboy coffee is one of the simplest to make if you backpack for a week and carry minimal resources.

Here’s the process;

1. First, fill your kettle with water and boil it on a heat source.
2. Remove the kettle once the water is heated.
3. Let it cool for a few minutes. Now make a solution of coffee and water and stir up.
4. Little foam of coffee exposes over the coffee. Stir up again and keep in rest for 3 minutes
5. When the grounds are deposited to the bottom, pour the coffee into your container, and enjoy!

Single-serve Coffee

Steeped Coffee is a single-serve coffee bag for convenience. It can be served anytime and anywhere and looks like a teabag. To prepare steeped coffee, heat water on a container and leave your coffee bag in the box. Steep until the expected flavor is reached, then remove the finely extracted coffee bag.

Mocha Pot

Mocha pot is the built-in filter jug with 3 structures, including the bottom reservoir, filter in the middle, and the exit mouth of the pot.

Here’s how to use it;

1. Boil water from the heat source.
2. Pour the heated water into the bottom reservoir.
3. Place coffee grounds in the filter and attach it to the reservoir.
4. Please keep it to brew over exit mouth. Brewed coffee will be deposited on the carafe.
5. Pour it and enjoy.

Pour-over Coffee

Pour over stand is a popular and straightforward way to make coffee while camping. For this, you need to collect pour-over cones, coffee filters, ground coffee, and water.

Here’s a handy user guide for you;

1. Heat water on a pot over a solar stove
2. Leave the cone on your container and fix the filter folded over there.
3. Put your coffee grounds and gently pour boiled water.
4. Stir it up and enjoy the coffee

Aeropress

The Aeropress method is one of our favorite ways that combines the method of pour-over, pneumatic press, and French press. It delivers the creamy and smooth coffee compressing the coffee grounds into a small puck.

Here’s how we enjoy it;

1. At first, Take 1 rounded scoop of fine grind coffee and add water up to the coffee grounds.
2. Stir the mixture for 1 minute well.
3. Press gently
4. Add tap or iced water to the mix to make an 8 oz. mug of cold brew, or you can also use cold milk for making your cold brew more delicious.

Best Coffee Brands While Camping

You will get different coffee brands offering a variety of bitterness, flavor, fragrance, etc. Your affordability and convenience are the most important factors in choosing the perfect one for you.

Our top three picks as go-to instant coffee while camping are Starbucks VIA Pike Place Roast, Trader Joe’s Instant Coffee Packets, and Mount Hagen Organic Fairtrade Instant Coffee.

Best Coffee Makers while Camping

Are you thinking of adding a camping coffee maker to your outdoor kit? You should choose the one which is lightweight, backpacker-friendly, and easy to use. Consider both your affordability and expected taste and evaluate whether you are single or in a group camping.

Author Note: We prefer the Aero Press Coffee Maker, Coffee Sharve’s Custom Black Clever Coffee Dripper, and Planetary Design Table Top French Press because of their portability and sweet taste of the coffee.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How do you make instant coffee camping?

It would be best if you had instant coffee powder and hot water or milk. Firstly put the coffee powder on the mugs, add the hot water or milk and stir it properly. You may also use sugar to taste sweet.

How do you warm up milk when camping?

If you have electricity available, you can use an electric heater. Otherwise, you should use a camping stove or camping fire.

What is the difference between French press and espresso?

The main difference between the French press and Espresso is the cost. The French press is cheaper than Espresso. Besides, Brewing coffee by French press is easier while you need more time and practice to master the Espresso method. So French Press may be user friendly for you. But Espresso allows you to taste a versatile and rich flavor from your coffee.

How do you make espresso with a French press?

You require a French press, fresh coffee beans, and tablespoons. Firstly, grind your coffee grounds in the espresso setting and heat water in a tea kettle. Then add your grounds to press. After a few seconds, pour the remaining water over the grounds. Give a quick stir with the spoon. Then steep the coffee for 3-4 minutes until the coffee becomes dark. Finally, pour your brew and enjoy it.

Conclusion

We hope you found this article on how to make coffee without a fire while camping useful. We love both camping and coffee, and there’s no reason you shouldn’t be able to enjoy both at the same time.

Are you following any other unique methods of making coffee while camping? Don’t forget to let us know in the comment section below. We love to hear about new and innovative ways to make coffee while camping.

Stay caffeinated friends!