The taste of a fresh brew sends a current through the body – which is probably what makes coffee all the more appealing and flavourful in the wild.
Putting thoughts into action, I decided to bring my pour-over set to the seaside. It was a familiar drill gone messy: the wind kept blowing away the filter paper; even turning on the gas stove proved a greater feat than I had expected. I probably should have brought a windshield.
I thought of a saying popular among light-gear hikers: camping is not the end of the world. I empathise with over-preparation, though; the idea of five lads crowding a tent for two – without even a mat, a pillow or a sleeping bag – becomes unthinkable as one gets older. Sleep is guaranteed only in the luxury and exhaustion of youth, combined with the summer breeze.
When it comes to camping gear, some prefer lightweight and others champion comfort. Either way, it’s a task of clever storage and tending to one’s needs in a limited space. My rule of thumb is function on the basis of lightweight. By that standard, the ALL-IN-ONE Titanium Dripper & Cooker Set by belmont, an outdoor brand founded in Tsubame Sanjo, is perfect.
A seeming cooker at first glance, ALL-IN-ONE is actually a dripper, a dripper stand and a double-walled mug packed away conveniently in a cooker. Each element in the compact pour-over system can function in its own right. Indeed, “all-in-one” is quite the solution to campers’ forgetfulness.
Armed with 21 years of experience in outdoor gear, belmont has strategically opted for the high temperature resistance and seamlessness of titanium over foldable drippers. The result is a complete pour-over system resistant to wear and tear, which is precisely how I imagine my ideal outdoor gear.
Every tool has its limitations. The affair of brewing coffee in the wild, too, is a pursuit of portability at the expense of accuracy. When you think about it though, nothing really matters when you’re in the wild. You can certainly live without scales and water bottles, but the aroma of fresh roast wafting through the air is something else. I chose beans over drip bags, favouring the “feeling” of the brewing process over its results. Peace of mind follows the familiar, meditative art of coffee making. The “result”, if you will, is an utterly delicious brew.
Delicious – because my senses have come to life in the sweet air of freedom.
