We all know that feeling of waking up in an unfamiliar bed, looking around at blank walls, and hearing the sounds of a foreign city. It’s exciting and gives us an opportunity at wild growth as people, but there are discomforts as well. You may not speak the local language. Your luggage may not arrive on time. But nothing compares to this common ultimate travel tragedy: the absence of great coffee. Taking coffee gear on your journeys may seem extravagant, but having that moment to brew and appreciate something familiar and comforting can make a major difference in your mood while you’re on the road.

It’s Not As Hard As It Sounds

Don’t panic - you don’t have to lug around a giant coffee maker and pay extra airline fees for an additional bag. In reality, all you need can fit in a very small space within whatever bags you are already packing. Here are the only items you will need. Coffee Beans Obviously, you will need some great coffee beans. If you want to skip just about every other step for travel brewing and go the ultimate convenience route, check out these Drip Bags from Hook Coffee. They’re super portable and don’t compromise flavor quality. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1DCQxfTWp8 If you like what you see, you can stop here. You don’t need a brewer or a grinder with the Drip Bags. If you would rather take a more hands-on approach to coffee on the road, read on. A Brewer The best coffee brewers for travel are ones that are small, durable, and require few or no additional materials. The Aeropress will become your best friend on the road. It’s light, will never break, and brews a killer cup of coffee. You can add portability points with a reusable stainless steel filter to avoid paper waste and excess materials. Other options include stainless steel pour over cones that are their own filters, the Impress brewer, or the Handpresso espresso maker (for those of you who live life on the edge). For the vast majority of us, the Aeropress will do the job very well with ease. A Grinder To take those whole beans to a brewable size, you need a coffee grinder, preferably a very small one. Travel-friendly grinders require the use of some elbow grease, but the extra effort is beyond worth it. Some of our favorite manual grinders include the Hario Mini Mill and Porlex JP-30. Do You Need More? Scales, kettles and other brewing tools may not be necessary on the road. You only have so much room, so it’s up to you to decide what sacrifices you would like to make for the sake of lighter travel. Some of these items may be available at your destination already.

Practical Brewing In New Places

Brewing a delicious, familiar mug of coffee on the road can be daunting, especially since you’re already not following your normal routine, but it’s not any more complicated than normal. Coffee. Water. Mix those. Here’s a great recipe for the Aeropress while on the road:

1. You’ll need 16 grams of coffee (approx. 2 Aeropress scoops) and enough water to fill the Aeropress inverted style.

    

2. Grind the coffee beans at a medium setting and place them into the brewing chamber.

    

3. Take water just off the boil and fill the Aeropress halfway and give the whole thing a quick swirl to saturate all the grounds. Let it sit for thirty seconds.

4. Fill the Aeropress to the very top of the chamber and attach the stainless steel filter, then wait for another thirty seconds.

5. Take a mug, bowl, or some other vessel and set it upside down on top of the Aeropress. Use those fine motor skills and carefully flip both the vessel and the Aeropress over.

6. Press down on the plunger for thirty seconds until all the liquid has been expelled from the chamber into the vessel.

You may now enjoy your delicious coffee.

Anyone Can Do It

Travel brewing is just like any other type of brewing. Not only is coffee just as delicious while on the road, but it can offer a moment of peace and familiarity to those of us who need that sort of thing while traveling. The Aeropress is a powerful tool for providing travel coffee, but it won’t be quite as convenient as the Hook Coffee Drip Bags. Choose your method according to your needs. Go out and brew.