There’s something special about enjoying a good coffee in the great outdoors. Whether you’re waking up in a tent, watching the sunrise from your campervan or taking a break on a weekend getaway, that first cup of coffee can make the experience even better.
But if you’ve ever looked into making pour-over coffee with a V60, you’ll know that the traditional setup can involve a fair bit of gear. Scales, a timer, a gooseneck kettle, a hand grinder and freshly roasted coffee beans are all part of the process for those looking to get the most out of every brew.
And while we love that level of precision when we're brewing at home or in the roastery, do you really need all that equipment when you're camping?
We reckon you can simplify things quite a bit.
A simpler way to brew coffee while camping
For this setup, we’ve stripped things back to the essentials: a Hario V60 dripper and measuring scoop, paper filters, hot water, a travel cup and some great coffee.
Rather than bringing a set of scales, a timer and a gooseneck kettle, we’re keeping things simple. You can measure your coffee with the included measured scoop, use whatever kettle you have available and pour at a comfortable pace.
Is it going to give you the same level of control as a precision pour-over setup? Probably not. But that’s not really the point.
We wanted a compact, affordable and fuss-free way to make a genuinely enjoyable cup of coffee without filling the camping gear cupboard with brewing equipment.
What about grinding your coffee fresh?
Freshly grinding your beans immediately before brewing is one of the best ways to maximise aroma and flavour. In a traditional V60 setup, we’d generally recommend grinding fresh for every brew.
For this camping setup, however, we’ve taken a different approach.
We pre-ground our coffee before heading out and stored it in a vacuum-sealed container to help protect it from oxygen and preserve as much of its freshness as possible.
Grinding coffee in advance does mean some of its aromatic compounds will gradually fade, so it won't be quite the same as grinding immediately before brewing. However, for a camping trip where convenience matters, it's a trade-off we're happy to make.
Want to take things up a notch? Add a simple hand grinder to your kit. It takes up relatively little space and lets you grind your beans just before brewing, giving you a noticeable upgrade in freshness without needing to bring your entire home coffee setup.
For this particular setup, though, we wanted to keep things as straightforward as possible.
Choosing the right coffee for your camping brew
The equipment is only half the story. Choosing the right coffee makes a big difference, too.
For our brew, we used a filter-roasted Ethiopian coffee. Ethiopian coffees are often known for their vibrant fruit characteristics, floral aromas and natural sweetness, making them a great option for pour-over brewing.
By roasting specifically for filter brewing, we aim to highlight the coffee's more delicate characteristics rather than simply chasing a bold, dark flavour.
Our Ethiopian Sidamo Natural coffee has a natural fruity sweetness that really shines when enjoyed black. There's no need to pack the milk or worry about carrying extra ingredients when the coffee itself has so much flavour to offer.
Just hot water, coffee and a few minutes to enjoy the process.
How to make a simple V60 coffee at the campsite
You don't need to follow a complicated brewing recipe to get started. Here's how we approached our simplified setup.
What you'll need:
-
A V60 dripper (Size 01) and included measuring scoop
-
V60 paper filters (Size 01)
-
Pre-ground specialty coffee
-
A vacuum-sealed container for storing your coffee
-
Hot water from your camping kettle
-
A cup or mug
The process:
-
Place a paper filter inside your V60 dripper and rinse it with hot water if convenient.
-
Add your pre-ground coffee. As a starting point, try around 15–18 grams of coffee for 250–300 ml of water. Use the included measuring scoop to dose your coffee grounds.
-
You don't need a gooseneck kettle to make a decent brew; just pour carefully with the kettle you have. Slowly pour hot water over the grounds, making sure they're evenly wet and allow the coffee grounds to bloom for approximately 20 seconds.
-
Then fusing a circular pouring motion, fill the V60 till the water is approximately 1cm from the top. Allow the water to drain through the coffee and into your cup. Repeat this three times and this should give you approximately 250mL yield.
-
Enjoy!
The beauty of this method is that you can adjust it to suit your taste without worrying about hitting exact measurements every time.
Camping is about simplicity
When you go camping, you generally accept that you're leaving a few creature comforts behind. You might cook over a fire instead of using your kitchen, wash up with a limited water supply and sleep on a mattress that's not quite as comfortable as the one at home.
So why should your coffee setup be any different?
You can absolutely bring the scales, the precision kettle and the grinder if that's part of the fun for you. There's nothing wrong with wanting to perfect your brew, even when you're away from home.
But if your goal is simply to enjoy a delicious coffee while taking in the fresh air, you don't need to overcomplicate it.
A simple V60, some good coffee and hot water can be all you need.
And let's be honest: a decent coffee enjoyed outside, with nowhere in particular to be, tastes pretty good regardless of whether you've timed your pour to the second.
Watch the video:
Ready to take better coffee on your next adventure?
At Little House Coffee Co, we're all about making great specialty coffee accessible, whether you're brewing at home, at work or out in the bush.
Explore our range of freshly roasted coffees, along with V60 brewers and paper filters, and put together a setup that suits your next adventure.
Because great coffee doesn't have to be complicated.
Little House Coffee Co
Small-batch specialty coffee, roasted in Jamisontown, NSW.