So, you’ve finally set up your dream coffee station in your kitchen. The wide wonderful world of home brewing is at your disposal. And you’re brewing the best cups of coffee you’ve ever made. But now that the summer is here, you’re asking yourself. “How can I keep the same great coffee I have at home on the go?”
I have good news for you! The capability for good coffee to be made anywhere is greater than it’s ever been. I don’t mean that just any automatic brewer from the supermarket now guarantees a high-quality cup. I mean that it is entirely possible, with the right tools, to brew a high-quality cup of coffee while you’re traveling.
No longer do you have to default to your hotel room Keurig or your parents’ old Mr. Coffee brewer! You thankfully don’t need to sacrifice the flavor or freshness you’re used to at home. In this article, I will recommend a few items you can use to make your own personal coffee travel kit. For any coffee fanatic looking to replicate the quality of home brewing when they’re on the go, you’ve come to the right place!
Hand Grinder
If you’re at all interested in home coffee brewing, then you’ve probably seen just how many options exist for home grinders. But, as we’ve already spoken about here at Raj’s Coffee, you shouldn’t overlook the hand grinder. These handy machines can produce just as consistent a particle distribution as nice home grinders. My personal go-to for travel is the 1ZPresso K-Ultra Hand Grinder.
Lots of hand grinders come with their own travel bags. Many also include a brush and blower to clean up stray grounds. One useful accessory here is a small water spritzer to negate any static buildup inside the grinder. That said, I recommend you use this lightly lest the burrs rust.
AeroPress or AeroPress Go
We’ve already sung the praises of the AeroPress here at Raj’s Coffee. (And I’m sure we’ll do it again!) But that’s because the AeroPress is still, 20 years after it first launched, one of the most versatile brewers on the market. It boasts a small size, and it’s made of pretty resilient materials. So it can easily be stowed for travel without fear of it breaking in your luggage.
The standard AeroPress design, which is what I use, is perfectly portable. However, you may want to consider the AeroPress Go, which was designed by the company specifically to act as a travel brewer. The Go model boasts an even smaller brewing chamber than the original. Granted, the original measures at 11.4 cm tall, while the Go model stands at 10.9 cm. Of course, that’s a small difference. But depending on how much room you have to pack, the Go could be worth the investment over the original.
If you want to go even fancier, the AeroPress Go Plus includes a travel tumbler with the brewer. Since the AeroPress is capable of making many kinds of cups, depending on your brewing method, it serves well as an all-purpose coffee maker for the road.
Scale
For those who are looking to bring the consistency of their home brews on the go, a kitchen scale is a must. Accurately measuring your coffee and water levels means you can produce the same brewing results over time. Most scales are small enough to be stowed, though undoubtedly the Acaia lineup boasts the smallest size. If you’re not up for paying this much for a scale, a more standard kitchen scale will work just fine.
Water
This one may sound a little unnecessary, but hear me out. Tap water is generally available when you’re traveling, provided you’re not, say, going camping. But the quality of tap water varies widely depending on where you are, at least here in the U.S. So unless you already know ahead of time that there will be fresh-tasting tap water where you’re going, you may want to pack some of your own.
Lots of retail options exist right now when it comes to water for coffee. In fact, chemist Chris Hendon and brewer Maxwell Colonna-Dashwood have a book out on this very subject. That said, packing a tumbler or bottle of filtered water should work well enough for on-the-go brewing. How much you pack is up to you of course, although I recommend bringing enough for a few servings on the AeroPress, just to be sure.
I have one big caveat here. I’ve yet to find a travel-sized means of safely heating water to a typical brewing temperature, meaning anywhere from 195-205 degrees Fahrenheit. You may still need to rely on using a kettle to get your water hot enough for brewing.
Drinking Vessel
Again, this one may not be necessary depending on where you’re going. But if you’re not sure you’ll have cups or mugs on your travels, or if you just have a very specific preference, be sure to pack a drinking vessel. I personally use a reusable ceramic cup designed by the folks at STTOKE. Anything insulated will keep temperature longer than something like an ordinary kitchen mug.
Coffee Beans
Last but certainly not least, don’t forget your coffee beans! Be sure to use resealable bags so as to keep your beans fresh. Thankfully, this has been the standard in the coffee industry for a long time, so it’s unlikely you’ll need to worry about this. Raj’s Coffee certainly comes in resealable bags. Check them out in our shop! And of course, I recommend keeping your beans whole until you’re ready to brew. Once you grind those beans, the precious flavor compounds that reside inside of coffee beans will begin dispersing into the air. If you want to maximize the flavor extraction of your brew, don’t grind the coffee beans until you’re ready to make yourself a cup.
As with all personalized coffee setups, yours will probably vary based on your needs and preferences. I’m a massive fan of the AeroPress, but if you find another small, compact brewing device that you’d like to use, use it! Likewise, there are endless options for drinking vessels, hand grinders, and, of course, coffee beans. Regardless of how you choose to go about your setup, it’s never been easier to mimic the home brewing experience on the go. I hope that this list has given you some guidance on how to keep your coffee fresh and tasty wherever and whenever you travel!