Can I brew coffee without a coffee maker?

[mommy111]

There has to be some way of doing this, right? Can I just boil it in boiling water? For a few minutes?
Our coffee maker broke and of course coffee makers where I am currently overseas are really hard to find. I coud drive to Dunkin Donuts at the gas station, but so much cheaper to just use the pounds and pounds of coffee that I have at home.....I figured some smart person on this board would know.

[MontrealMum]

That's the way both Bodum and a reusable Melita filter cones (fits directly on your mug) work - but, they are basically both filter systems that filter the grains away from the brewed part of the coffee. I guess you could dump the boiled water on the ground coffee, wait a few minutes and filter it with cheesecloth or something? Though that might be messy...

[egoldber]

Do you have access to somewhere that sells French Press coffee makers?

[MontrealMum]

Here is a picture of the Melitta filter cone, to get an idea: http://www.amazon.com/Perfect-Brew-Cone-Filter-Pack/dp/B0000CFLCQ Ours doesn't take a paper filter like this one, but is mesh on the sides so it's truly reusable. We use it for camping, which is a time when we don't like a lot of waste to pack out. Also, I spelled it wrong, it's two t's: Melitta.

ETA: here's the Bodum International map of stores: http://www.bodum.com/pages/stores/stores.asp?rid=2081&rtit=stores&dom=1032 , though I don't know if that helps you or not. They are Swiss, Melitta is German. Maybe you could order from a European site/store?

[TwinFoxes]

I think boiling it will make the coffee bitter. The filter cone doesn't boil the coffee, it just runs hot water over the grounds, so that would be a good solution. But I think a French Press will be the easiest gadget to find, they're pretty common around the world. Or, whatever country you're in may have it's own version of a low-tech coffee maker. In Costa Rica, they use these:

http://www.runnerduck.com/images/coffee_maker_thmb.jpg

[wellyes]

Boiled coffee is nasty, if you can get a french press it's worth every penny.

[ThreeofUs]

I don't know how your coffee maker is broken, but if it's a drip model, all you have to do is throw the grounds in a filter (or a 1-ply paper towel, in a pinch) as usual and pour boiling water through it slowly.

We always made cowboy coffee when we were camping. Here's the recipe we used:

1-2 quarts fresh water (depending on how concentrated a flavor you like)
¾ cup coffee grounds
1 eggshell

In an enamel or metal saucepan or coffeepot, pour in the water, set it over the flame and set to boil. When the water is boiling, add the grounds and eggshell directly into the water and return to a boil, then remove the pan or pot from the heat and set it down on dirt. (I guess a towel on the counter would do the same thing, you just want the heat to slowly dissipate.)

Cover and allow the grounds to sink to the bottom, 3-4 minutes.

Toss about 1/3-1/2 cup of cold water into the pot to settle the grounds.

Serve.

NOTE: When at very high elevations, add more coffee grounds to compensate for the lower-than-boiling temperature that occurs at such altitudes.

[michellerw]

Do you have a fine mesh strainer? Put your filter (or some paper towels) in there. Put the coffee grounds in the strainer. Put that over top a container like a coffee pot, cup, etc. Then pour boiling water in slowly.

[brittone2]

French press. DH uses one at work sometimes.

[infomama]

Another vote for french press. Smooth coffee....yum.

[amm40]

you can also google egg coffee for instructions, somehow mixing a raw egg into the water helps bind the grounds and clarifies the coffee. I think it's an old norwegian trick.

[MMMommy]

DH swears this makes the perfect cup of coffee b/c the coffee never burns. He has several high tech coffeemakers, and this non high tech stovetop apparatus is his only way to make coffee at home now. It is one of these types:

http://www.amazon.com/Bodum-Santos-Stovetop-Vacuum-34-Ounce/dp/B00005NCX5/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1257708114&sr=1-8

http://www.amazon.com/Yama-Cup-Vac-Pot-Vacuum-Siphon/dp/B00269OQEE/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=kitchen&qid=1257707876&sr=1-3

[gobadgers]

I've been using a "mokka-maker" at home, on the stovetop (actually, I've been using this since I broke my carafe a couple months ago, and I like it so much better I'm not going back!). I first saw them overseas, so its possible you might find one where you are. The aluminum ones are dirt cheap.

It looks like this:

http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?order_num=-1&SKU=10182115

water goes in the bottom, coffee goes in the middle. The water boils up through the coffee grounds and collects in the top. It makes good, strong coffee. YUM, now I need to make another cup.

[m448]

if you still have filters and your filter basket you can make coffee concentrate. It's brewed cold so no bitterness and I find it tastes much better. Bonus is you don't have to make coffee everyday:


http://smittenkitchen.com/2008/08/cold-brewed-iced-coffee/

[connor_mommy]

if you still have filters and your filter basket you can make coffee concentrate. It's brewed cold so no bitterness and I find it tastes much better. Bonus is you don't have to make coffee everyday:


http://smittenkitchen.com/2008/08/cold-brewed-iced-coffee/


I love the cold-brewed method, especially in the summer! If you want it warm, just nuke it the microwave.

[mommy111]

Wow, you guys are awesome. Now I have to try all these methods and sample the different flavors!!!
No French Press here (although now I know what to get myself for Christmas :)) but I still have the filters, so I will try the filter in a mesh strainer and pour hot water very slowly method. And the cold brewing. I also love the iea of a French press or cheesecloth, it sounds so much more environmentally friendly than the filter papers. Once the filter papers are done, I think we're going to try the cheesecloth and cold coffee, keep it in the fridge for a few days and save myself from brewing so often.
Thank you all. As always. If you have any other favorite coffee brewing methods that don't involve coffeemakers, please share!

[mommy111]

DH swears this makes the perfect cup of coffee b/c the coffee never burns. He has several high tech coffeemakers, and this non high tech stovetop apparatus is his only way to make coffee at home now. It is one of these types:

http://www.amazon.com/Bodum-Santos-Stovetop-Vacuum-34-Ounce/dp/B00005NCX5/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1257708114&sr=1-8

http://www.amazon.com/Yama-Cup-Vac-Pot-Vacuum-Siphon/dp/B00269OQEE/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=kitchen&qid=1257707876&sr=1-3
Wow, that device is really cool looking!

[hellokitty]

Get a french press! I got sick of having a coffee maker take up counter space, plus DH and I only drink coffee in the morning, not all day, so it's a waste to have an appliance like that sit out all of the time. Anyway, you can find them at TJMaxx/Marshalls/Homegoods for less than $20 each. Totally worth the $. The coffee tastes great and I like how I can put it away and it does not need to be plugged in!

[wendmatt]

Do you not like instant coffee? That's all DH drinks now as it's easier than brewing a pot just for himself.

[mommy111]

Do you not like instant coffee? That's all DH drinks now as it's easier than brewing a pot just for himself.
I like brewed better, but would totally use instant for convenience esp for short periods of time, except right now I have pounds and pounds of ground coffee and that I would hate to waste.

[bubbaray]

If you like Starbucks coffee, the new Starbucks instant coffee is very very close to Starbucks brewed coffee.

I use a single-size Melita filter like this one https://shop.melitta.com/itemdy00.asp?T1=64+008&Cat= with number 2 filters. I prefer it to French press/Bodum coffee, but that's a personal thing.

[MontrealMum]

I am not sure if this will help the OP because I don't know if Reusable bags ships to China or not, but I noticed that this is on sale right now: http://www.reusablebags.com/store/swissgold-reusable-coffee-filter-universal-p-2069.html - that's for a coffee maker, and this: http://www.reusablebags.com/store/swissgold-reusable-coffee-filters-universal-p-1999.html is for single-cup coffee.

[DrSally]

Do you have access to somewhere that sells French Press coffee makers?

:yeahthat: That was my thought.