Travel has been enhanced by coffee since it was first served 16th century Bedouin tents. In our more recent history the pot of coffee on the campfire has been a staple of warmth and satisfaction, a punctuation mark in a day, at beginning and end.
When I travel, it is often the first amenity I seek once I learn where I am working and where I am sleeping. When I can't find good coffee I get cranky. And since my coffee interest has been piqued, good coffee has become the goal.
Once in a while we are lucky enough to stay near cutting edge coffee shops, like at the Ace Hotel, with a Stumptown attached. Perfect. Often we are not even near a Starbucks, and believe me, I am in no mood to drive out to get my first cup. I want it before I dress for the day, and once I dress for the day, I am going to work. And if I go to work without coffee, I am not happy. And no, hotel coffee is not acceptable.
So at the urging and inspiration of my coffee pusher, @CoffeePedaler, I put together a kit. Bulky it is. But brew it does. I suspect the biggest gain for the gram is the grinder. Grinding any bean fresh makes better coffee.
The Smart Dripper is light, as are the filters. It has a clever system to hold the water in place till it is rested on the rim of a cup. This enables you to control the time the coffee and grounds are together. The idea is that you get the benefits of a French Press and pour over together.
Morning one. It took a bit of organizing to get a workflow established. Grinding was satisfying with the Hario. Water heated in the microwave. forgot to wash the filter. Pout hot water, stir up from bottom, and wait. Set the Smart Dripper on the cups, 2, and ration the coffee between them. The little scale I have is a bit fussy and needs attention next time. Four minutes is a bit too long, as the process of letting the last half of the beverage go through the filter takes some time. Next time I will set it at 3:30.
The result, rich, round, delicious coffee. Definitely worth it all.
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