Touring - Getting your coffee fix on tour

My name is John, and I am addicted to coffee. :D

I am also planning a long tour this summer from Illinois, west on the Northern Tier, and then back to Illinos via the Trans America route. I've been wondering about what to do for coffee. Well, not really. The coffee part is easy. Just bring some coffee, a backpacking stove, and a cup. What I've really been wondering about is the creamer part. I know many of you hardcore coffee drinkers will just say to drink it black. I have tried and I just don't like it black. I always drink my coffee with coffeemate hazelnut flavored creamer. So, maybe I am just addicted to creamer. Anyone else addicted to coffee with flavored creamer? I did a search, and came up with this. (http://www.instaoffice.com/Nestle-Liquid-Flavored-Coffee-Mate-Creamer--Hazelnut--50box--38-oz.NES35180.0.7.htm?trackcode=OFFFROONES35180) There are 50 individual creamers and the shipping weight is only 1.5 lbs. They do not need to be refrigerated. I may buy a couple of these boxes to have on reserve in case I can't kick my coffee habit before leaving.

I have settled on carrying a two day supply of instant coffee in a babyfood jar. I personally cannot stand any flavorings such as hazelnut etc. I can drink it hot or cold.

I remember a few occasions where Army instant coffee was enjoyed sans water. It was supposed to have had vitamin C in it if I recall.

Are you making your own non-instant coffee? If so have you tryed hazelnut flavored coffee beans? Maybe this with a powered creamer will suffice for you. It would probably be cheaper & lighter.

There was a site mentioned a long while back with products combining coffee & cycling, unfortunatly I didn't bookmark it. Possibly another reader can help with it.

You can't be serious about putting that white powder stuff in your coffee and still think that it is drinkable??

I use coffee cream/cremo, what ever you want to call it (10% cream). You can carry cream for a least 1 day in average temperatures with out it going bad, several days if it's cool out. In Europe, small little caps of UHT cream (don't need refridgeration for 6 mo.) are available, but I've never seen them here in NA. I've contacted dairy companies about selling cream like this (a business opportunity?) but they didn't have a clue what I was talking about. (This is an industry that needs some global competition to get rid of the dead wood, at least in Canada.)

I've also tried powdered whole milk, but it tastes weird.

When having real cream in my morning expresso is not on the menu, eg long solo trips in the backcounty, remoter bike trips, etc. I use instant Hot Chocolate with instant coffee added, it satisfies the addition, but not the craving.

Your post cracked me up! Lots of addicts out there, me included. Tea just isn't the same. I would try to kick the creamer habit, and enjoy the juice of the black bean unaltered. Nothing better in the am than a fresh cup of joe made from fine ground beans. I grind up the beans before I leave, keep in an airtight container, and use one of the little single-cup cone filters.

I like coffee a lot. I'm far from a health food type. On tour I just don't seem to crave it. Never missed it. It's not positive, really, since it dehydrates. My body just seems to crave what it actually needs on tour.

I am looking forward to trying out this latest piece of kit on my trip to Scotland:

MSR Mug Mate Coffee/Tea filter from MEC (http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_detail.jsp;jsessionid=DnbRmvv2CFMvy1xTQn5JDGp1hV38Ln2Tsn0F9L4NB11zY70wfRhv!1590009436?PRODUC T%3C%3Eprd_id=845524442410595&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302696295&bmUID=1139710801405)

What about a cup? I have a stainless travel mug with a plastic lid. It weighs at least a pound. A bit heavy, but I am tempted to bring it. What do you guys use? I was thinking I could make porridge in it, if worse came to worst.

Do you like mocha? I often take both hot chocolate and coffee either instant or the new single coffee filters. Brewed together they are a treat and a fix all in one. Just a thought.

I love coffee and drink lots, even when touring. I drag one of those one-cup melitta units if I'm alone, and brew into a Brookstone steel insulated cup. I also recommend the hazelnut beans. One reason is that Coffee-Mate is primarily partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, a trans-fat that is implicated in bad LDL levels and faulty arterial walls.
Aneurysms are very inconvenient while touring. I like the looks of the Mug-Mate, it is sort of the bare minimum version of bodum coffee technique.

Sorry folks, another vote for black coffee here -- the real stuff, not instant. If I wanted flavored coffee I'd buy coffee and hazlenut ice cream and mix them.

What about a cup? I have a stainless travel mug with a plastic lid. It weighs at least a pound. A bit heavy, but I am tempted to bring it. What do you guys use? I was thinking I could make porridge in it, if worse came to worst.

If you are really being weight conscious make the coffee in your water bottle. If it cools off too quickly, use an insulated water bottle or wrap something like bubble wrap or that silver-coloured insulation around it (that's what I do).

ya, coffee in one of your water bottles. I like a standard 1/2liter nalgene water bottle, they fit right in a bottle cage, if you want to brew one up 'for the road.'

i don't know about the flavorings, but usually I'm making some instant milk for cereal, mueslix, or oatmeal, and make enough extra for the coffee creamer. If you shake instant milk vigorously in said nalgene before adding coffee, it's foamy enough I call them "backwoods cappucino."

maybe you could pack a bottle of hazlenut syrup. Bet that's messy!

The way you make coffee is up to you, but I also recommend developing a taste for instant coffee made in cold water.

It hardly even resembles coffee, but has all the kick!

International Delight also makes those little single use creamers in different flavors, yum....

B'Dog

I did a search, and came up with this. (http://www.instaoffice.com/Nestle-Liquid-Flavored-Coffee-Mate-Creamer--Hazelnut--50box--38-oz.NES35180.0.7.htm?trackcode=OFFFROONES35180) There are 50 individual creamers and the shipping weight is only 1.5 lbs. They do not need to be refrigerated. I may buy a couple of these boxes to have on reserve in case I can't kick my coffee habit before leaving.
I think you've got your answer right there. Those little individual servings don't weigh much and should work great.

I don't drink coffee because I've never liked the taste of it, but I bought one of these (http://www.rei.com/online/store/ProductDisplay?storeId=8000&catalogId=40000008000&productId=203977&parent_category_rn=4500495&vcat=REI_SEARCH) for my wife's Christmas stocking to use on our tours or when we are backpacking. We haven't used it yet, but it looks like it would work well with a cup of hot water.

If you are really being weight conscious make the coffee in your water bottle. If it cools off too quickly, use an insulated water bottle or wrap something like bubble wrap or that silver-coloured insulation around it (that's what I do).

Ah yes! good idea! That reminds me -- I have a convertible thermos thing, with a regular cup & lid, plus a "water bottle" type drinking spout. Will have to see if the Mug Mate fits inside the spout of the thermos.

ya, coffee in one of your water bottles. I like a standard 1/2liter nalgene water bottle, they fit right in a bottle cage, if you want to brew one up 'for the road.'

i don't know about the flavorings, but usually I'm making some instant milk for cereal, mueslix, or oatmeal, and make enough extra for the coffee creamer. If you shake instant milk vigorously in said nalgene before adding coffee, it's foamy enough I call them "backwoods cappucino."

lol Beck! a new take on "cowboy coffee"

The Mug Mate can be pushed into the Nalgene All-Terrain bottle. It's a tight fit, but it would work to brew coffee! Whee!

I love great strong expresso style coffee with a little H/H and many years ago, I used a coffee grinder to get fresh coffee. Now a days I rarely drink it. Luckily for me, I don't need caffeine to get me going in the morning and I am too lazy to make it "fresh". Instant just ain't good enough.

You can't be serious about putting that white powder stuff in your coffee and still think that it is drinkable??


Drinkable? Not by me. Flamable, yes! Just take a pack of the stuff and carefully sprinkle it above a flame (at least 12 inches), you'll see!

The instant Hot Chocolate is good creamer & sweetener idea.

I too suffer this addiction.

On a recent 2 month tour, I saw it as a good opportunity to go cold turkey and see how my body survived without caffeine, and once I had got over the headache for the first couple of days I was fine, and didn't have the hassle of trying to find coffee always.

This was made much easier by the fact that it was impossible (in my experience) to get a decent strong latte or cappucino anywhere in the US anyway that didn't taste like a scalding hot coffee milkshake. I amback with a vengenace though now that I am back home and appreciate it even more.

I take some coffie bags along. i buy them in a pack of 24 it makes ok coffie for in the morning then once ont he road I stop and get a real coffie. i also like the flavor creams but while touring i just drink it black..
catfish

It's not so much the flavor of the cream that I'm addicted to. I think I just really like having coffee that is about as creamy as a capucccino. The more I think about it though, I would probably just be better off if I quit drinking coffee altogether. That will lighten my load and make room for something else to take with me. Besides, if I wait until I'm on tour and then something happens where I am prevented from getting my coffee fix, well, that would not be good.

King Arthur Flour (http://www.kingarthurflour.com/) from Vermont carries dried whole milk in bulk. Makes a pretty darned good latte IMO.

Note that you can't reconstitute the whole milk powder with cold water, not very well anyways.

I take a Bialetti stove top esppresso maker on tour. I'm not sure how the rubber gasket will hold up over 6 months+ of rough use on my next tour. I'll see if I can't dredge some spares up.

mmmm coffeeee..........

mmmmm coffeee!

ultra-pasteurized milk and cream does not need to be refirgerated until it's opened. When I lived in germany, people stored their milk in the cabinet until they opened a carton (they call it ultra hocherhitzt.) The trick would be to find single serving containers of ultra-pasteurized milk or cream. Most regular whipping cream is ultra-pasteurized, but that's probably a little heavy.

Also - I personally hate that flavored stuff - it's all sugar and vegetable oil and flavoring - gag. I take my coffee black, but when I do have cream, it's cream, not oil and flavoring.
[edit] I am not certain if there is a difference, but it's the U.H.T milk you want for non-refrigerated storage. http://www.gossner.com/milk/ I still can't find any single serving sizes, though.

The Tassimo system apparently uses single serve "T-Discs" - ultra-pasteurized, real cream coffe creamers. You may have to buy them along with the coffee discs though, which is a waste.

As a backup, I'd use the dried whole milk posted by Camel. Even if dehydrated, at least it's real milk.

Bingo!
http://www.yourgrocer.com/prod.asp?prodid=4553&catid=68
Land O' Lakes, Ultra-pasteurized, UHT individual creamers, no refirgeration necessary
No oil, no flavoring, just half cream, half milk. Sweeeeetness. BCCycleguy will be pleased!

Try one of these

http://www.fieldandtrek.com/product-GSI-Outdoors-Mini-Espresso-Maker-22098.htm

I have settled on carrying a two day supply of instant coffee in a babyfood jar. I personally cannot stand any flavorings such as hazelnut etc. I can drink it hot or cold.

I remember a few occasions where Army instant coffee was enjoyed sans water. It was supposed to have had vitamin C in it if I recall.

:D You probably have hair growing from the back of your neck down to between your shoulder blades.

I just swipe the creamer packets at the restaraunts and save 'em up. :eek:

Try one of these

http://www.fieldandtrek.com/product-GSI-Outdoors-Mini-Espresso-Maker-22098.htm

How's it make milk though? ;)

There was a site mentioned a long while back with products combining coffee & cycling, unfortunatly I didn't bookmark it. Possibly another reader can help with it.

Sorry to drag up such an old tread but I finally found this http://bicyclecoffeesystems.com/ .

I just purchased a cheap french press mug from REI. I originally posted this thread about the individual creamers, but I am currently in the process of transforming my coffee habit from flavored cream to straight black.

I feel you pain - check this system out!

Titanium Press and Creamer (http://www.snowpeak.com/gears/cs101.htm)

My name is John, and I am addicted to coffee. :D

I am also planning a long tour this summer from Illinois, west on the Northern Tier, and then back to Illinos via the Trans America route. I've been wondering about what to do for coffee. Well, not really. The coffee part is easy. Just bring some coffee, a backpacking stove, and a cup. What I've really been wondering about is the creamer part. I know many of you hardcore coffee drinkers will just say to drink it black. I have tried and I just don't like it black. I always drink my coffee with coffeemate hazelnut flavored creamer. So, maybe I am just addicted to creamer. Anyone else addicted to coffee with flavored creamer? I did a search, and came up with this. (http://www.instaoffice.com/Nestle-Liquid-Flavored-Coffee-Mate-Creamer--Hazelnut--50box--38-oz.NES35180.0.7.htm?trackcode=OFFFROONES35180) There are 50 individual creamers and the shipping weight is only 1.5 lbs. They do not need to be refrigerated. I may buy a couple of these boxes to have on reserve in case I can't kick my coffee habit before leaving.
I carry a powdered Irish Cream Creamer I get at any Grocery Store. I can't do without my coffee! :eek:

The MSR Coffee Mate made its debut on a kayaking trip this weekend. Works great. The coffee I had was a bit too finely ground for this system, I think, and I had a bit of sludge in the bottom of my cup. Other than that, very good flavour, just not to the last drop! Next time, a coarser grind. :)

The little liquid single-serves have been mentioned before. They don't require refrigeration. You can get them (sometimes) at Costco and at Restaurant supply stores ("Smart And Final Iris" in these local parts). Personally, I like the taste of the plain ones. You will need a non-crushable container to put them in, unless you want Irish Cream underwear.

I just saw these folding cups (http://tinyurl.com/lrf36) in the REI catalog. They have dishes and plates too. Anyone have experience with these?