Favorite cruising beverages

[jssailem]

really strong, black coffee that the spoon will stand up in

Mom taught me to fill a pot 2/3 with water. Dump coffee grounds on top along with some egg shells and a dash of salt. Heat to boiling, stir and let the grounds sink to the bottom of the pot. Dip a cup in or pour carefully. Sip... Ahhhhhhh.

If you let the pot sit for an hour or so before you get your cup, a spoon will stand up in your mug (never a cup).

 

[Will Gilmore]

If I can find that Cafe Du Monde locally, I'll try it out.

We get ours from Amazon. Lots of 3, in 1 to 2 days.

-Will (Dragonfly)

 

[TomY]

As long as we're on coffee, I found my favorite boat coffee maker this season.

Our son lived in Rome while going to school and we were able to visit him a few times. While in Italy, I fell in love with Espresso and the way Italians drink coffee. Mainly, stronger and less of it than I'm used to here.

My son gave me a Bialetti coffee maker, known in the EU as a Moka Pot. The 2 most misunderstood things about a Moka pot here in the state are:

1-It's an Espresso maker. Wrong. It works on a similar process, but one much lower pressure than a true Espresso machine.

2- It's a percolator. That's wrong too. Unlike a percolater, water boils in the bottom chamber, is forced through a tube and through the ground coffee, under a little pressure, then the brewed coffee collects in the upper chamber.

It takes a little knack but once you're familiar with it, it's fast and simple. It's strong coffee, stronger than coffee brewed other ways, which I like.

I've used this SS Bialetti for a couple years now, at home. But I found it's perfect on the boat: lower center of gravity, easy in a seaway, mostly rinse between uses.

It's small and makes 2 small cups (about Lungo sized) or one medium mug. I'm the only coffee drinker onboard so that's perfect. Larger are available but this is fast enough we made back to back cups easily with company.

All you do is fill the bottom chamber with water and the perforated coffee chamber with finely ground coffee. Screw it together, and put it on a small burner turned very low. Everything you need.

It's fast and efficient using very little gas. The pressure in the bottom chamber begins to build in a few minutes. Then hot steaming water is forced up a tube, around and through the coffee, which stays put thanks to very fine perforations.

When you hear it hiss, take it off the burner. Done.

 

[kappykaplan]

All you do is fill the bottom chamber with water and the perforated coffee chamber with finely ground coffee. Screw it together, and put it on a small burner turned very low. Everything you need.

Tom, when I was teaching in Annapolis and doing the off-shore sailing thing in the summer, the Sail Master put me on to such a coffee maker. Still have a couple around even though I only get to do decaffeinated coffee nowadays. It's so easy to use!

 

[Jackdaw]

I've probably tried every coffee generation scheme (coffee + device) know to man that would work on a boat. While taste is important, so is ease of generation. Here's what I've settled on. Easy, tastes pretty great. Really. Although an instant, it's not freeze dried, and does not have the chemically taste. Forms a nice creama on top as well. Medaglia D'Oro Instant Espresso Coffee.

 

[Captain Larry-DH]

My favorite coffee is from the Aeropress coffee maker. I use an espresso grind (very fine) dark roast bean, ground in the burr grinder. I don't follow the Aeropress instructions, but prefer the inverted method: The Aeropress is extended open, and turned upside down on the counter. Then it is filled with 2 coffee measures of ground coffee (about 4 tablespoons total) and then I pour in the hot water, stir gently to mix the grounds and hot water, and then attach the perforated cap (with filter). I then flip it upright and place it on the mug without waiting, and press slowly until the water has all been pushed through the filter (the push takes about 30 seconds). Then I remove the Aeropress from the mug and fill it with more hot water to desired height.
This makes one mug of VERY strong, smooth and rich brew, with less acid than other methods. It's also a bit thick but without grounds.
The whole process sounds a bit involved but is simple once you've done it once or twice and takes about 2 minutes per mug, once the water has been boiled.
https://www.amazon.com/AeroPress-Coffee-and-Espresso-Maker/dp/B0047BIWSK/

edit: I ignore the instructions that say 1-3 cups per pressing: I use the recommended qty of coffee for 3 cups in one mug... so for me it's 1 mug per pressing.
I also use it to make iced coffee -- I press with hot water as if making hot coffee, but (instead of using a mug) press it into a tall glass filled with ice cubes, then fill the remainder of the glass with cold water. It's strong and smooth with awesome rich flavor (not as dilute as other iced coffee).

 

[plenny7]

My favorite coffee is from the Aeropress coffee maker. I use an espresso grind (very fine) dark roast bean, ground in the burr grinder. I don't follow the Aeropress instructions, but prefer the inverted method: The Aeropress is extended open, and turned upside down on the counter. Then it is filled with 2 coffee measures of ground coffee (about 4 tablespoons total) and then I pour in the hot water, stir gently to mix the grounds and hot water, and then attach the perforated cap (with filter). I then flip it upright and place it on the mug without waiting, and press slowly until the water has all been pushed through the filter (the push takes about 30 seconds). Then I remove the Aeropress from the mug and fill it with more hot water to desired height.
This makes one mug of VERY strong, smooth and rich brew, with less acid than other methods. It's also a bit thick but without grounds.
The whole process sounds a bit involved but is simple once you've done it once or twice and takes about 2 minutes per mug, once the water has been boiled.
https://www.amazon.com/AeroPress-Coffee-and-Espresso-Maker/dp/B0047BIWSK/

edit: I ignore the instructions that say 1-3 cups per pressing: I use the recommended qty of coffee for 3 cups in one mug... so for me it's 1 mug per pressing.
I also use it to make iced coffee -- I press with hot water as if making hot coffee, but (instead of using a mug) press it into a tall glass filled with ice cubes, then fill the remainder of the glass with cold water. It's strong and smooth with awesome rich flavor (not as dilute as other iced coffee).

The way I make my coffee, and my iced coffee as well, matches your method exactly except for one small detail. I let my grounds sit several minutes in the Aeropress rather than press immediately. Next time I make it I'll make it your way, and my way, and see which I like better, or if I can even notice a difference. I guess another difference is my use of Bustelo on the boat, rather than fresh grind. Which burr grinder do you use?

I love my Aeropress. I have three of them...one for home, one for the boat, and one in my camping gear.

 

[Will Gilmore]

Ahhhhhhh.

I'm trying that! I got eggshells.

We were touring Ecuador and had a meal at a hacienda where we spent a few nights. Normally, they pour coffee into your mug, then they come around with a pitcher of heated milk to add, if you want such. This time, I held out my mug for coffee and out of their pot drools this thick black tar. I mean, mollasis has nothing on this stuff for thickness. My brother and I are left sitting there staring into our mugs thinking, "Am I suppose to drink this or does one eat it with a spoon?" Finally, they come around with another carafe and I'm thinking, "a little hot milk will definitely help."
My brother and I hold out our mugs and they pour hot water into the mug. AhHH! Now it looks like coffee. Add milk and sugar and it was one of the best tasting coffees we'd both had.
Later at home, I tried to findout what method of coffee making that was. I joined an online coffee forum and asked. No one knew, but the moderator said he'd research it for me. In the mean time, I tried to reproduce it by making 2 pots of French roast as strong as I could. Next I put it in a pan on the stove and cooked it down on medium heat until I got about 3/4 of a mug of black liquid. Still not sludge but I stopped there. To make coffee, I'd heat up milk and add about a Tbls of my concentrate with sugar.
It was rich, almost chocolatey. And I was so full of energy for the whole day. It lasted almost a week, one mug a day.
Does anyone here know why you don't give chocolate to dogs? It's because chocolate has an ingredient in it that affects dogs the way caffeine affects people only more so. Too much chocolate will race their hearts until it kills them. I thought this stuff was the BOMB!
The coffee guy got back to me and we decided it was a South American brand of instant coffee. I guess I'm not the coffee snob I thought I was.

-Will (Dragonfly)

 

[jssailem]

A friend made a cup of coffee for me, telling me it was how they make it in Brazil. They take a pot of water, put a few heaping table spoons of sugar in, heat and stir. Then take a pot with a filter into which they put a similar number of heaping table spoons of coffee. They then pour the boiling sugar water over the grounds and let them steep and drip into the the pot.
You get a 2-3oz cup into which they pour the "coffee". It was potent and overly sweet for my taste.

 

[All U Get]

My favorite drink is the one you just bought me, hint, hint.

 

[Captain Larry-DH]

I'm trying that! I got eggshells.

We were touring Ecuador and had a meal at a hacienda where we spent a few nights. Normally, they pour coffee into your mug, then they come around with a pitcher of heated milk to add, if you want such. This time, I held out my mug for coffee and out of their pot drools this thick black tar. I mean, mollasis has nothing on this stuff for thickness. My brother and I are left sitting there staring into our mugs thinking, "Am I suppose to drink this or does one eat it with a spoon?" Finally, they come around with another carafe and I'm thinking, "a little hot milk will definitely help."
My brother and I hold out our mugs and they pour hot water into the mug. AhHH! Now it looks like coffee. Add milk and sugar and it was one of the best tasting coffees we'd both had.
Later at home, I tried to findout what method of coffee making that was. I joined an online coffee forum and asked. No one knew, but the moderator said he'd research it for me. In the mean time, I tried to reproduce it by making 2 pots of French roast as strong as I could. Next I put it in a pan on the stove and cooked it down on medium heat until I got about 3/4 of a mug of black liquid. Still not sludge but I stopped there. To make coffee, I'd heat up milk and add about a Tbls of my concentrate with sugar.
It was rich, almost chocolatey. And I was so full of energy for the whole day. It lasted almost a week, one mug a day.
Does anyone here know why you don't give chocolate to dogs? It's because chocolate has an ingredient in it that affects dogs the way caffeine affects people only more so. Too much chocolate will race their hearts until it kills them. I thought this stuff was the BOMB!
The coffee guy got back to me and we decided it was a South American brand of instant coffee. I guess I'm not the coffee snob I thought I was.

-Will (Dragonfly)

Good story, only you’re wrong about coffee and dogs. Basically, they can’t metabolize it and it shuts down their organs. It’s toxic to them. You can google the details.

 

[Ron20324]

My favorite drink is the one you just bought me, hint, hint.

I'M GLAD YOU ENJOYED IT. Hurry back-there is more where that came from.

 

[Jackdaw]

My favorite coffee is from the Aeropress coffee maker. I use an espresso grind (very fine) dark roast bean, ground in the burr grinder. I don't follow the Aeropress instructions, but prefer the inverted method: The Aeropress is extended open, and turned upside down on the counter. Then it is filled with 2 coffee measures of ground coffee (about 4 tablespoons total) and then I pour in the hot water, stir gently to mix the grounds and hot water, and then attach the perforated cap (with filter). I then flip it upright and place it on the mug without waiting, and press slowly until the water has all been pushed through the filter (the push takes about 30 seconds). Then I remove the Aeropress from the mug and fill it with more hot water to desired height.
This makes one mug of VERY strong, smooth and rich brew, with less acid than other methods. It's also a bit thick but without grounds.
The whole process sounds a bit involved but is simple once you've done it once or twice and takes about 2 minutes per mug, once the water has been boiled.
https://www.amazon.com/AeroPress-Coffee-and-Espresso-Maker/dp/B0047BIWSK/

edit: I ignore the instructions that say 1-3 cups per pressing: I use the recommended qty of coffee for 3 cups in one mug... so for me it's 1 mug per pressing.
I also use it to make iced coffee -- I press with hot water as if making hot coffee, but (instead of using a mug) press it into a tall glass filled with ice cubes, then fill the remainder of the glass with cold water. It's strong and smooth with awesome rich flavor (not as dilute as other iced coffee).

No doubt, I love the Aeropress.

 

[LeslieTroyer]

• Rogue Dead Guy

Double Dead Guy is much better.

 

[jssailem]

Double Dead Guy is much better.

Yes but if your drink to many you will have a tendency to Double over.

 

[agprice22]

LeinenKugel’s Summer Shandy! PERFECT.

 

[LeslieTroyer]

LeinenKugel’s Summer Shandy! PERFECT.

@jssailem just drank the last of mine

 

[jssailem]

Oh my... It was tasty...

 

[agprice22]

Oh my... It was tasty...

See? They are the perfect Summer beverage!

 

[Will Gilmore]

only you’re wrong about coffee and dogs. Basically, they can’t metabolize it and it shuts down their organs. It’s toxic to them. You can google the details.

This is what my vet told me. She told me the name of the chemical that is in chocolate and that it makes dog's heart race. I may be misinformed, but most likely, I'm misremembering.

Methylxanthines are stimulants that inhibit the activity of the enzyme phosphodiesterase. This enzyme is responsible for breaking down the substance cyclic adenosine monophosphate, which regulates a variety of metabolic processes. At low levels, chocolate intoxication will cause vomiting, diarrhea and hyper-excitability. Higher doses can result in nervous system dysfunction (e.g., seizures), irregular heart rhythms and even death."

Thanks, I'm now better informed.

-Will (Dragonfly)