Boiling Coffee
Are all these coffee brewing gimmicks necessary?
Sure, they make brewing coffee fun and allow you to customize your brew, but since coffee existed there has been one method to brew it that’s the simplest road possible: boiling your coffee with water.
All you need to make coffee is water, heat, and ground coffee, so why complicate things?
If you find yourself without any form of coffee maker, you can put your mind at rest knowing that you can make a decent cup with the simplest of items.
We'll take a look at the two most popular methods of boiling coffee – Turkish style (which you should try) and the cowboy method (only used as a last resort).
Cowboy Coffee
It's the oldest known method of brewing coffee; it's oldfashioned, but it works, and you don’t need much to make it happen. Commonly used around campsites where nobody has bothered to pack any coffee making gear, all you’ll need is a flame and a saucepan.
In a nutshell: fill your pot with water, bring it to a boil, throw in your ground coffee, remove it from the heat and let it brew for a few minutes. Once the grounds settle to the bottom of the pot, you can pour your coffee into your mug, slowly and gently. Nothing fancy required.
What To Expect
Time: from Bean > Brew: Once your water has boiled, you’ll need 4-5 minutes to brew your coffee, a few more to let the grinds settle, and a few more to pour with a steady hand. You’re looking at 10 minutes plus, but nobody said it would be quick, did they?
Type of grind required: Medium – course is ideal, and anything larger. Just don’t add fine grounds or you’ll be drinking a silty, sludgy mess.
Resulting brew: It's very hit and miss depending on your timing, your grind and every other variable involved. That being said, it's still better than instant, but you wouldn’t find it served in coffee shops (or would you?)
Skill level required: Can you boil and egg? If so, you’ve already graduated from cowboy coffee brewing school.
BEST SUITED FOR YOU: If you lack the funds to invest in any form of coffee brewing apparatus.
NOT SO GREAT FOR YOU: It’s a messy brewing process, so if that scares you, double check that your single serve dripper is packed in your camping luggage.
PROS
- You don’t need any fancy accessories, so you can just about do it anywhere
- You’ll feel like Bear Grylls
CONS
- It’s nothing special
- There’s a very good chance you’ll burn your coffee, and yourself
Turkish Coffee
From 1299 The ottoman empire ruled Turkey for an impressively long stint, and strong Turkish coffee played a significant role in fueling their endurance. There’s a very good chance that I made up that last fact, however, you can be sure that (a) Turkish coffee packs a punch, and (b) It’s been enjoyed around the world for a very long time.
Brewing Turkish Coffee seems easy, but with like most brew methods, there’s skill in doing it right.
The most common way involves a Turkish coffee pot, water and very finely ground coffee beans.
You’ll simmer the brew a number of times (2-3 times) and end up with a brew that you’ll love or hate: strong but exceptionally tasting with a thick foam on top. Almost identical to Greek coffee (ask a Turk about Greek coffee or vice versa, and watch shit-storm ensue)
What To Expect
Time: from Bean > Brew: 3-4 minutes for one cup. It's quick.
Type of grind required: The finest grind you can get. Almost powder. You'll need a special grinder to achieve this.
Resulting brew: Very aromatic, quite sharp, and thick. If you like strong black coffee, you’ll love Turkish coffee.
Skill level required: Not much at all, it's fairly straightforward.
BEST SUITED FOR YOU: If you're a lover of black and strong tasting coffee. It’s a great way to get a brisk morning pick me up.
NOT SO GREAT FOR YOU: If you love that clean and clear taste that you get with most forms of pour-over or drip coffee.
PROS
- Quick and easy
- A unique, strong flavour and aroma
- Minimal equipment required
CONS
- Very easy to over boil and burn your coffee
- Will not work with induction stoves – only a flame
- The end of the brew is silty