This is another post on Coffee Talking that I had no intention of writing this morning! But I'm sipping my coffee, hear of a new product coming out regarding coffee (which I'm not going to mention yet because it's only being tested in 4 states and not available on the market yet) so I popped over to Amazon just to SEE if anyone was offering this yet unnamed product... (they aren't) but then I saw these individual soft pods and realized I never mentioned these on Coffee Talking yet! 
Here is the deal... they are individual soft pods to work in single serve brewers that do NOT use little plastic k-cups - like the Hamilton Beach Personal Cup One Cup Pod Brewer
(you've probably seen these in hotel rooms at some point). You pull the little 'drawer' out, pop in a soft pod of ground coffee, push it back in, and pour a cup of water into the machine and it brews one cup of coffee. The soft pod can be thrown away and since there is no plastic (like in k-cups) it's better for the environment too.(You can currently get the Hamilton Beach single brewer for about $15 - $25 too, which makes it awesome for a personal brewer at your desk or in the office as well as for traveling if you want to bring your own brewer with you to your rental or hotel) but that's not actually what today's post is about.)
These pods work great for camping and backpacking.
- Self contained
- No plastic
- Can be thrown on the campfire after use
- Lightweight
- Can be used to brew in your cup or cut open to use the grounds inside
- Perfectly measured for individual serving
I bring my coffee all different ways when I go camping depending on what kind of camping we are doing, how I'm going to brew it, how many nights am I camping, and how many people are with me. This is just one of many ways to bring coffee with you - but it might be just the thing you are looking for.
The first time I used soft pods I didn't brew them individually. I used them in a percolator style coffee maker. (Coleman 9 Cup Aluminum Coffee Pot). Because the pods are lightweight and have no rigid plastic parts like k-cups, you remove the stem and basket from your coffee pot. Insert a bunch of pods into the empty pot, leaving space in the center of course so you can insert the stem and basket back in, pop the top on and put it into your camping bin or backpack. When you want to make your coffee, remove all the pods and only use as many as you wish. You can either slice or rip them open to remove the coffee grounds to pour into the basket of your percolator or you can squish the pods around the basket. (Remember to use the percolator you just fill the bottom with water, place the stem and basket into the coffee pot. Fill the basket with some coffee grounds, put the top on and put it over your source of heat. As the water comes to a boil you will see the color in the clear glass top of the pot turn from pure water to light colored tan to brown as the water filters through the coffee grounds. When it's a nice dark 'coffee' color you know your coffee is ready to pour and drink.
The other way to use the pods is individual cups of coffee.
Place one whole, intact pod into your cup or mug. Heat your water over the fire or your source of heat. Pour the boiling or very hot water over the soft pod in your mug/cup. Wait and let it brew about 3-4 minutes. Remove the soft pod, throw it into the fire and enjoy your freshly brewed coffee.
Usually the pods come in packs of 18 and are available in a few different brands from affordable to 'high end'. I grabbed a couple links off Amazon to share - like the Folger's Colombian Coffee Pods (Pack of 18) and Melitta but it's just a launching point. You can use any kind of 'soft pod' on the market this way. They take up little space, can be stored inside your coffee mug or a small camp coffee pot, can be thrown into the fire when you are finished so there is no garbage to pack out and it gives you a freshly brewed cup of coffee - which for me is really one of the highlights of camping. That first morning cup of coffee when the sun is coming up and the air is still chilled.
Related products available through Amazon;
Melitta Dark Roast Soft Pod Pack 18 Count
Folgers Gourmet Selection Colombian Coffee Pods (Pack of 18) - Net WT 6.3oz
Folgers Gourmet Selection Hazelnut Coffee Pods (Pack of 18)
Folgers Gourmet Selection Colombian Decaffeinated Coffee Pods (Pack of 18)
Hamilton Beach Personal Cup One Cup Pod Brewer and Melitta Coffee Pods, Colombian (Pack of 6) bundle
