Make Coffee Using a Percolating Coffee Pot over a Campfire

There’s no longer a need for the coffee lover to dodge camping trips. If you’re the kind of person that can’t function without your morning cup, you’ll be glad to know that there’s a way to brew up a pot of strong, steamy coffee as soon as you unzip your sleeping bag. All you need is a standard coffee percolator, a few ounces of your favorite roast and a hot bed of coals. In just a few minutes you’ll be able to enjoy a hot mug of joe and get your day started.

Steps

Preparing the Fire

1. Arrange your firewood. Gather the wood you’ll be using for the fire and stack or bundle it together. The simplest way to build a campfire is to use the "teepee" method, standing multiple smaller sticks upright and leaning them together so that they meet at the top. Scatter your tinder (fire-starting materials that are easily ignited, such as dry grass, bark or cotton balls) in the center of the teepee around the base. Leave a small space in the center for oxygen to flow through.
   • Dry wood chopped or broken into small sections will burn best.
   • It isn’t necessary to build a large fire. 3 or 4 decent sized logs (along with plenty of kindling) should be enough to heat the percolator.
2. Light the fire. Ignite the tinder at the base of the wood. Blow gently on the flame from the burning tinder until the larger sticks catch. Keep the flames stoked by adding bits of kindling (smaller twigs, leaves and other dry brush) periodically. As the fire grows hotter, you can begin piling on more wood.
   • Construct your fire somewhere with adequate coverage, protected from wind and precipitation. It may help to dig a shallow pit in which to place the firewood.
   • Avoid putting wet wood or fresh foliage into the fire. These things don't burn easily, and will often produce thick, choking smoke.
3. Let the wood burn down to coals. Allow the fire to die down until it’s reduced to glowing wood coals. Brewing coffee with a percolator will be easiest when the fire has died down a bit and the percolator can rest directly on the hot coals.
   • Coals put off a lot of heat without flames, and are therefore easier to cook with than an open fire.
   • If you don’t feel like waiting, you can use a fresh fire. Just set the percolator down low next to the base, or hang it directly over the flames if you’re able.
4. Start a coal fire. You can also build a small coal fire, which will provide constant, controlled heat to boil the water in the percolator. Dig a shallow pit, ring it with large stones and scatter a couple handfuls of coal inside. Light the coals and let the temperature build until they’re glowing.
   • Coal is convenient when it comes to this type of preparation, but may be less practical to pack and transport.
   • Cooking with bagged charcoal can be made easier with the use of a campfire cooking stove, dutch oven or similar implement.
5. Leave room on the fire. Make some space near the center of the coals to place the percolator as it brews. You can also set the percolator off to one side of the heat source if the flames are still raging or you’ve got other items cooking, though it may take a while for the percolator to get hot enough to brew the coffee with indirect heat. Rotating it partway through the heating process can help speed things along.
   • Be sure to construct the fire on level terrain so that the percolator has a flat surface to rest on.
   • Keep all other gear and supplies away from both the fire and percolator.

Assembling the Percolator

1. Fill the percolator with water. Open the percolator and remove the brewing basket. Fill the inner chamber with water. Use around 6-8 ounces for every cup of coffee you plan to make. If you’re brewing a full pot, stop filling the percolator just below the upper portion where the basket goes. On newer percolator models, this will usually be indicated inside with a line.
   • Overfilling can saturate the coffee grounds, or cause the percolator to leak or burst under the pressure of heat.
   • If you’re not camping near a clean water source, remember to bring along a few jugs so that you can have coffee in the morning.
2. Add the coffee to the basket. Scoop your coffee of choice into the brewing basket. Add about one heaping tablespoon per cup if you like it strong; use slightly less for milder coffee. If the basket of the percolator you’re using has a separate cover, put it on once have the desired amount of coffee inside.
   • The best consistency for coffee made over a campfire is a coarse grind (the bigger, rougher pieces makes it less likely that acids and other unappetizing compounds in the beans will begin to seep out once the temperature nears boiling). A finely ground coffee will also work, as long as you monitor its progress closely.
   • Never use instant coffee in a percolator.
3. Place the basket on top of the percolator. Insert the basket into the upper area of the percolator. Make sure it fits properly in place. The brewing basket should slide in around the inner tube construction of the percolator which circulates the heated water.
   • The bottom of the brewing basket is perforated to allow the hot water to cycle through the grounds.
4. Secure the lid. Put the lid on the percolator. Push, twist or latch it to make sure it won’t come loose—every model will be a little different. The coffee and water are now ready inside and the percolator is ready to be placed on the fire.
   • Ensuring that the lid is on snugly is important in case the percolator gets turned over.

Brewing the Coffee

1. Place the percolator on the fire. Lower the percolator onto the heat source. If the fire is burning low and there’s enough room, nestle it directly in the center. If the flames are still active, set the percolator close by near the base. Most coffee percolators are made from heavy duty steel, which means you can expose them to an open flame without having to worry about damaging them.
   • Be cautious when setting the percolator on the fire. Even old coals may be extremely hot.
   • Make sure the percolator is in a safe place for you to retrieve it when it’s finished brewing.
2. Allow the water to heat up. Leave the percolator to absorb the heat of the fire. As the temperature inside rises, the water will be pulled up through the center tube, splashing over the coffee in the brew basket and filtering back down into the lower chamber. Through this process, the water will extract the natural essences of the grounds and the result will be fresh, delicious coffee.
   • Don’t let the water in the percolator come to a boil, if you can help it. Most connoisseurs agree that boiling coffee strips it of its subtle tones and leaves it bitter and burnt-tasting.
   • Making coffee over the campfire can take anywhere from 5-10 minutes, depending on the temperature of the heat source and the quantity of coffee being brewed.
3. Keep an eye on the brewing process. Watch the percolator closely as it heats. Most percolators have a transparent dome window in the lid that will help you judge when the coffee is sufficiently brewed. The secret to making good campfire coffee is to keep the temperature steady and take the percolator off the fire when it’s reached its peak flavor.
   • Take note of the coffee’s color. If it is pale, it probably hasn’t had enough time to brew. If it’s nearly black, or looks thick and oozing, it may have become overheated. Aim for the color and consistency you ordinarily prefer your coffee to be.
   • For best results, remove the percolator from the heat source and let the coffee simmer for 5 minutes before pronouncing it done.
4. Remove the percolator from the fire and serve. When the coffee turns a rich dark color and begins to bubble against the dome, it’s ready to serve. Take the percolator off the fire very carefully using tongs or heat-resistant gloves. Let the coffee cool slightly before pouring. Fill your mug, stir in some cream or sugar (if you have it) and savor to the last drop!
   • Keep your gloves on while serving the coffee. Due to its predominately metal construction, the percolator will stay hot for a while, even after it’s been removed from the fire.

Tips

• Never pack your provisions without including your trusty percolator, some coarse ground coffee and a few jugs of water.
• The sooner you brew coffee beans after they've been roasted and ground, the better they'll taste.
• Rinse out the percolator between uses to keep the next batch of coffee from tasting stale.
• Always build fires a safe distance from the treeline, dry brush and other flammable objects and foliage.
• If you decide to build a fire using coals, be sure to extinguish and bury them after use.
• Douse the fire with water or dirt to safely extinguish it once you're done cooking.

Warnings

• Never walk off and leave a percolator on the fire. At best, it will ruin your coffee, turning it to thick sludge. At worst, it could explode, posing a risk for injury.
• Make sure you have a water supply nearby in case the fire gets out of hand.
• Because of the way the water continually cycles through the grounds, coffee made in a percolator will contain quite a bit more caffeine. Keep this in mind if you're sensitive to stimulants or you've got an early morning ahead of you.
• Always take the proper precautions when building or cooking with an open fire or hot coals.

Things You'll Need

• Open fire or coal pit
• Percolator coffee pot
• Fresh, coarse ground coffee
• Clean water
• Measuring scoop and cup
• Heat resistant gloves or fire tongs
• Mugs
• Cream, sugar and/or other condiments

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Sources and Citations

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• Make a Good Pot of Coffee
• Make Cowboy Coffee
• Make a Cup of Coffee Without a Pot
• Perk Coffee