You need not forego your morning cup of Joe because you are having a blast spending some time in the great outdoors and becoming one with nature. With just a cowboy coffee maker pot or a portable percolator in your gear, you and your friends or family can enjoy and brew delicious coffee anywhere, even without electricity. All you need is your cowboy pot with water, your coffee grounds, and a bonfire. However, you should consider some things before getting one.
What is Cowboy Coffee?
I know you are much curious as we are about what is “cowboy coffee”. Is this a coffee made by cowboys? Or for cowboys? Well, in general, it is just like simply a method of brewing coffee with the use of cowboy coffee pots over an open fire. And while its name may spark your imagination of adventures in the wild frontier, this method is actually widely used around the globe.
Cowboy coffee serves various purposes in various situations, from rustic camping to exploring something different with friends. It also can be a little tempting to consider this drink as a last-resort method, but the results might surprise you if done properly—a gourmet, great-tasting coffee that’s easy to make and easy to drink.
What to Consider in Getting a Cowboy Coffee Maker?
You have to consider these two things when getting a cowboy coffee maker—it’s durability and heat retention. If you have seen a cowboy pot, then you are very much aware that it is made of metal like aluminum or stainless steel. Aluminum may be cheaper and lighter, but it is not durable compared to stainless steel.
You will also want a cowboy pot that has heat retention and will heat up to a specific temperature and be able to hold it as long as possible. Stainless steel can hold heat much longer and better compared to aluminum ones, but the pot will be a little heavier, thicker, and much more expensive.
For heat retention, you want a pot that will heat up to a certain temperature and hold it as long as possible. Stainless steel holds heat much better compared to aluminum, but the coffee pot will be thicker, heavier, and more expensive.
What to Expect in a Cowboy Coffee Maker
Cowboy coffee is the oldest known method of brewing coffee. It is old-fashioned, but it works, and you won’t need much to make it happen.
In a nutshell:
- Fill your cowboy coffee pot with water.
- Bring it to a boil.
- Throw in the ground coffee.
- Remove the cowboy pot from the heat and let it brew for a few minutes.
Once the coffee grounds settle at the bottom of the cowboy coffee maker pot, you can then pour the coffee into the mug, slowly and gently. Nothing fancy required.
Time needed from bean to brew: Once the water has boiled, you will need around 4t o 5 minutes to brew the coffee, a little few more to let the grinds settle, and a few more again to pour with steady hands.
Type of grind needed: Medium – coarse is the ideal, and anything larger. Just don’t add the superfine grounds, or you might end up drinking a silty, sludgy mess.
The resulting brew is a hit and miss depending on the grind’s timing and every other variable. With that being said, it is still better than instant coffee, but you would not find it served in local coffee shops (or would you?)
Skill level required: Can you properly boil an egg? If so, you are now ready to enter the cowboy coffee brewing school.
Best suited for: If you want a coffee maker, but your wallet tells you otherwise, this is one option. If you lack the budget to invest in any coffee brewing apparatus, the coffee cowboy maker might be the answer.
Not so great for: This is a messy brewing process, so if you’re not into the whole cowboy coffee thing, or this scares you, check out other coffee makers that you can pack in your camping luggage.
Pros
- You don’t need to bring any fancy accessories.
- You can just go and make your coffee anywhere, as long as there is fire.
Cons
- It’s really nothing special.
- Plus, there is a very great chance that you will burn your coffee and yourself.
- The cowboy pot can also be very leaky.
- The handle tends to warp if heated too long.
Conclusion
A cowboy coffee maker is indeed a great coffee tool to bring outdoors, especially when there’s no electricity in your camping ground. It gives you a good reason to gather around the campfire and enjoy each other’s company while sipping a nice and steaming cup of cowboy coffee, which may be a new experience for some coffee lovers. While the method involves seems a little too easy, getting a cowboy coffee maker for your future outdoor adventures is still up to you. Know more about coffee makers.