Aloha fellow coffee lovers! If you’re like me — VERY particular about your coffee — then you’ll go to great lengths to wake up to a robust, masterfully-brewed cup of coffee no matter where you are in the world.
Today, I’m excited to share this guide on brewing the perfect cup of coffee using a few lightweight, travel-friendly items. Plus, I’ll share my personal experience on finding alternatives to half and half.
Prepare your brewing setup
One of the finest methods of brewing great coffee is using a pour-over method. While the pour over setups you may see in nice cafes look fancy and bulky, all you really need to pull this off like a pro are the following:
GSI Outdoors Ultralight Java Drip Coffee Maker (REI, $10.95)
Hario V60 Paper Coffee Filters, Size 02 (Amazon, $13.50 for 200 filters)
1+lb. of your favorite coffee, fresh-ground to medium grind for pour-over
Tomiba 500g Small Scale (Amazon, $15.98, optional unless you’re a true coffee nerd)
The GSI Outdoors Ultralight Java Drip Coffee Maker is a super lightweight, portable coffee maker designed for coffee lovers who also love to travel. It’s compact, easy to use, and doesn’t require electricity. This lo-tech gadget is worth its weight in gold!
Here are the steps to brew your own magnificent coffee
- Clip the Ultralight Java Drip onto your mug.
- Insert a paper #2 filter into the drip cone.
- Weigh your pre-ground coffee beans using your handheld digital scale (I recommend 20 grams per 8-ounce cup).
- Add the ground coffee to the filter.
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Heat your water (if possible, to 205°F)
- Slowly pour hot water over the coffee grounds in “waves,” allowing it to drip through the filter and into your mug.
- Enjoy!
Now, let’s talk half and half
Except for some ultra rare exceptions in Mexico, half and half is strictly an American thing. Don’t even try and ask, either — you’ll get blank stares when you ask because half and half is non-existent.
No half and half in your coffee takes some getting used to, but ultimately you don’t have to worry – there are some simple — albeit not perfect — workarounds:
- Whipping cream: you can find small containers of pure whipping cream in most markets. Watch out though because full cream is pretty dense.
- Full cream milk: this is a popular choice in many countries and available everywhere. It adds richness and creaminess to your coffee without overpowering its flavor, but it’s not quite the same.
- Evaporated milk: this canned milk product has a thicker consistency and slightly sweet taste, and it’s pretty easy to find.
- Sweetened condensed milk: excellent if you like Thai or Vietnamese-style coffee, but it’s really sweet so you also have to like sugar.
- Non-dairy creamers: good stuff if you’re lactose intolerant or prefer plant-based options, but not always readily available.
With this low cost simple coffee brewing setup and these tips, you’ll be brewing up insanely awesome cups of coffee wherever go you. Aloha and happy brewing!
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Need a hand with your next Maui vacation? Please contact the Sunny Maui Vacations team at info@sunnymauivacations.com or call 808-240-1311, ext. 21. We’ll find you the best vacation rental condo or rental home in South Maui and help you with any and all recommendations and activities across Maui.
Need a hand with your next Maui vacation? Please contact the Sunny Maui Vacations team at info@sunnymauivacations.com or call 808-240-1311, ext. 21. We’ll find you the best vacation rental condo or rental home in South Maui and help you with any and all recommendations and activities across Maui.
