Tom Bihn Coffee Nerd Kit

[Katy]

Without a doubt. Want some beans? I can send some up.

Sure! We can send you one of our favorite treats too!!!

[jmcrist]

joledwards: Great idea! I too, am a traveling coffee nerd. I take my Aeropress, clever coffee dripper, Hario mini-mill coffee grinder, filters, and fresh beans on nearly every trip. It becomes quite the pain finding a way to pack it all. I like what you've done here, and at some point in the future I may give it a try.

Have you found a travel kettle that you like? How do you get your hot water?

As for the Aeropress, it's great. It makes a very smooth, subtly sweet cup of coffee. I own two of them, and have also given them as gifts to friends.

Have you tried the Clever Coffee Dripper? It's a single brew method, and it's really good. It's amazing how different a cup of the same coffee can turn out using these two different methods.

[ncb4]

Have you found a travel kettle that you like? How do you get your hot water?

Oh yes, if anyone has found a travel kettle, please share. I'm a tea drinker, and the absolute worst thing in the world is heating water in a hotel coffee pot to try and make a cup of tea. No offense to you coffee-lovers, but the coffee taste lingers in the water.

[WhiteStar]

I'm a tea drinker, and the absolute worst thing in the world is heating water in a hotel coffee pot to try and make a cup of tea. No offense to you coffee-lovers, but the coffee taste lingers in the water.

I've been looking for an immersion heater. Used to have one, can't remember where I bought it and now can't find one. (I prefer to buy local rather than on line if possible)

[WhiteStar]

You can also very easily cold brew some concentrate for yourself. This is what I do: Perfect Iced Coffee | The Pioneer Woman Cooks | Ree Drummond

Thank you Katy. Thankyouthankyouthankyou.

I am on my second pitcher of the Pioneer Woman's coffee concentrate. (I can' t believe she makes 8 quarts at a time! The biggest pitcher that will fit in my fridge is 2 quarts so I'm having to quarter the recipe.)

I have tried making iced coffee at home so many times and it always tastes like swill. The cold brewing makes all the difference in the world. (I am NOT a coffee drinker unless it's either candy-coffee or iced.)

[joiedwards]

I have used immersion heaters but they burn out quickly and unpredictably! I carry a mini thermos or insulated Klean Kanteen and usually stay at hotels that provide breakfast. They usually have the in-line Bunn coffee makers on all the time, the ones with the hot water spigot! I fill the thermos and it stays hot for at least 6 hours, plenty of time for my coffee or tea fix.

I plan on getting a Porlex mini steel grinder next. I have the Hario Skerton grinder but don't want to carry a glass jar ( which it comes with). So for now I carry a bit of fresh ground coffee. I will buy fresh ground coffee at local coffee shops on my trips. Gives me a change of pace!

The cleaver coffee dripper would be great for those who don't want to press theirs. I have a Chemex at home and found I have little patience for waiting. SMH!

[joiedwards]

I've been looking for an immersion heater. Used to have one, can't remember where I bought it and now can't find one. (I prefer to buy local rather than on line if possible)

This looks promising; Bodum Bistro 17-Oz. Mini Electric Water Kettle. I love Bodum French Presses! I may have to get one. Amazon has them.

[Badger]

This looks promising; Bodum Bistro 17-Oz. Mini Electric Water Kettle. I love Bodum French Presses! I may have to get one. Amazon has them.

I have one of these! The only problem with them is they tend to really, really boil the water, which can lead to overextracting the grounds. It's easy enough to let the water cool for one minute so that the water is at a more appropriate temperature.

[kmcg]

The coffee concentrate idea looks interesting - I'll have to try it. That link led to a product made for cold-brewing: Amazon.com: Toddy T2N Cold Brew System: Kitchen & Dining Has anyone tried the Toddy Maker?

[Moose]

jmcrist, I've never tried the Clever Coffee Dripper, I don't own a coffee maker either. I'm going to take a look at the Clever Dripper gizmo, looks interesting. I use one of these every day. Amazon.com: Melitta Ready Set Joe Single Cup Coffee Brewer: Kitchen & Dining

This is the one I travel with. GSI Outdoors Collapsible JavaDrip Slim Drip Coffee Maker - Free Shipping at REI.com

Take care,
Moose

[jmcrist]

...I use one of these every day. Amazon.com: Melitta Ready Set Joe Single Cup Coffee Brewer: Kitchen & Dining

This is the one I travel with. GSI Outdoors Collapsible JavaDrip Slim Drip Coffee Maker - Free Shipping at REI.com

Take care,
Moose

I used to have a Melitta also. The Clever Coffee Dripper is similar, except that the brew is full immersion and not pour over. I like that, because it's easier to make sure the coffee is extracted right, where it can be difficult with a pour over.

I really dig the design of the GSI Coffee Maker. I really wish they would make a Clever Coffee Dripper that traveled better.

Traveling and being a coffee snob is a tough mix!

[joiedwards]

The regular coffee club at work, which brews Costco house brand has started poaching our more upscale brews! Too funny!
Very happy to have gone back to the Aeropress. Great coffee in the privacy of my cubicle!

[Sera]

The coffee concentrate idea looks interesting - I'll have to try it. That link led to a product made for cold-brewing: Amazon.com: Toddy T2N Cold Brew System: Kitchen & Dining Has anyone tried the Toddy Maker?

I've got one and use it regularly. I LOVE IT. It makes very low acid coffee concentrate. Since I drink mine as iced milk-coffee, I don't even have to heat it in the microwave. The only flaw is that it takes 12 hours. If you run dry, you can't instantly make more concentrate. Also, do follow the set up instructions about layering grounds and water.

My coffee maker is now relegated to the garage.

[JLE]

Two comments:

Do US hotels not typically have kettles in the rooms? Every US hotel I have stayed in has had one. It would be unthinkable for an Australian hotel not to have a kettle in each room, eliminating the need to travel with your own. The better hotels also often have a small French press in each room, too. [Extremely parochial comment alert] However, that is no guarantee of great coffee anywhere outside Melbourne; yes, Sydney and Canberra, I'm looking at you! /[end extremely parochial comment alert]

In Melbourne we are fanatical about coffee (hence the failure of Starbucks here), and pretty wedded to espresso. So-called third wave coffee aficionados (clover, pour over etc) are challenging the dominance of espresso but it remains to be seen whether they will enter the mainstream. Warning, if your cafe latte is ever served to you in an Irish coffee glass in Australia (looking at you again, Canberra), leave the premises immediately!

[Mark1966]

... [Extremely parochial comment alert] However, that is no guarantee of great coffee anywhere outside Melbourne; yes, Sydney and Canberra, I'm looking at you! /[end extremely parochial comment alert]

In Melbourne we are fanatical about coffee (hence the failure of Starbucks here), and pretty wedded to espresso. So-called third wave coffee aficionados (clover, pour over etc) are challenging the dominance of espresso but it remains to be seen whether they will enter the mainstream. Warning, if your cafe latte is ever served to you in an Irish coffee glass in Australia (looking at you again, Canberra), leave the premises immediately!

Unfortunately I have to agree. Despite being Sydney born and bred and now living in Canberra Melbourne is the coffee capital of Australia. You CAN get good coffee elsewhere but you will struggle to get bad coffee in Melbourne.