How to make coffee while rafting in the Grand Canyon? Step-by-Step Guide
Just what it might need is good conditions, little stuff, and principles for leave-no-trace; drink it and enjoy your brew without harming a single speck of the surroundings around you. Below are some methods and tips on how to make great coffee while rafting at the Grand Canyon.
1. Design in Advance: Choosing Coffee Gear for the Grand Canyon
In order to achieve the mobility, ruggedness, lightness, and minimum waste of an ideal rafting coffee brew, some of the common brewing techniques used in making coffee are as follows:
1.1 French Press
This is one of the best brewing techniques intended for large quantities; however, the flavor is very intense. Use a strong, break-resistant press made of stainless steel or heavy plastic.
Pros
Easy to make several mugs Rich.
Cons
A mess to clean up, and it requires water to rinse
1.2 Pour Over Coffee
Pour over coffee brewers have a collapsible silicone or stainless steel filter. You just place the pourer over your mug, put the filter saturated with your coffee grounds inside, and pour in the hot water.
Pros
Take anywhere; cleanup will be easy
Cons
It requires filters as well as water for preparation
1.3 AeroPress coffee
For instance, the outdoorsman loves the AeroPress because it is compact and very solid yet will yield really good coffee in a very short period of time.
Pros
Light, easy to clean, punchy and smooth brew
Cons
requires filters and boiling water
1.4 Cowboy Coffee
If you’re familiar with cowboy coffee, then this is probably the most rustic way, which can be done without any of the following equipment except a pot. All you need to do is boil water, add your coffee grounds, let it steep, and slowly pour over into mugs.
Pros
No machine, old and rural.
Cons
Grounds may stain your glass, too strong for some customers.
1.5 Brewed Instant Coffee
The one would probably be the least obtrusive instant coffee. Brands such as Starbucks VIA or Mount Hagen offer quite a decent instant coffee, which is literally just a matter of pouring over hot water to activate.
Pros
No equipment needed, light weight, almost zero waste packaging.
Cons
Not as full bodied in flavor as freshly brewed coffee.
2. Brew Coffee in the Raft
2.1 Heat Water
To brew your coffee over the river, you’ll need something to heat the water. Your choices are
Camp Stove
The one thing easier to finish boiling the water is a portable propane or butane camp stove. More elaborate in cooking, and thus similar in coffee production for rafting.
Jet-boil
These nifty rapid boil systems give you a good excuse to go to the hassle of having hot water available quickly for coffee.
- Boil water on a camp stove or Jet-boil. The water needs to be right at but not quite a boil, that’s 200° F, or 93° C so you don’t burn your coffee.
- Tamp the coffee: Use 1-2 tablespoons of coffee grounds per 6 ounces of water. To your taste.
- Brew your coffee and enjoy.
French press
Place the coffee grounds in the French press. Add some hot water over it, stir, and let steep for 4 minutes. Pour off. Simply push the plunger down to serve.
Pour-Over
Position a filter into the pour-over. Then place your coffee grounds in that filter. Then, slowly pour hot water inside with circular motions.
AeroPress
Grind coffee. Place the coffee into the AeroPress. Then pour hot water over it. Stir for a minute, then press.
Cowboy Coffee
Add grounds to the boiling water. Let it sit there for a few minutes with heat source off. Add some iced water to it, and the grounds will sink to the bottom of the glass.
Instant Coffee
Stab instant coffee into a cup filled with hot water, stir up the mixture, and it’s ready to be drunk.
Pours
Pour over mugs with coffee, musing over the quality freshly brewed coffee you had for passing gazing through the majesty of the Grand Canyon.
3. Leave No Trace
Run the Grand Canyon and leave no trace at all. That is how you can have lesser impacts in this environment while brewing your coffee
Pack out used coffee grounds
Don’t leave your used coffee grounds in the river. Hike out with your used coffee grounds in a small pouch or resealable bag.
Reduce Your Litter
Use permanent filters, and look for brew-through equipment that employs as much as it can. Pack out those instant coffee packets.
Make sure to clean your equipment properly with the use of bio-degradable soap, in an appropriate place away from the river to ensure that unsafe water soaps don’t reach the river.
4. Wondering River Coffee Experience
Try measuring your coffee before so that by the time you’re set to brew it’s conveniently and easily within hand thus saving a whole lot of mess beforehand by having them packed into small, re-sealable bags or containers for instant use.
Bring Insulated Mugs
It really gets dam cold in the morning during early spring or fall at Grand Canyon. I know, an insulated mug would warm up a bit longer.
Try some Ratios
Ratio with the technique: Experiment and find what brews to taste.
Pack flavor enhancers
Just in case, pack sugar, powdered milk or a tiny bottle of cinnamon for minor variations.
Conclusion
And just as the brewing of coffee, even simplicity, joy, and respect for nature were often revealed at the rapids of the Grand Canyon. But whether he’s brewing with a French press, an Aeropress-or to me, a pour-over-or just making a pot of cowboy coffee-the one thing is to plan ahead with the right equipment, then enjoy the ritual of brewing your coffee in the setting beauty of canyon walls and then drink a hot cup of coffee in one of the wildest settings on earth.
