Race season is now in full force ... Enduro World Series, DH World Cup, and then a host of local and regional enduro, DH, and cross country races. Whether you're a sponsored racer, privateer, or weekend shredder, many of you are now getting into race season mode as you dial in your routine. What to bring? How much? Sleeping arrangements. Food. Travel. Oh, and then there's your bike ... are you racing / riding solo? Do you have a mechanic? Lots of questions as you tweak things from race to race and weekend to weekend.
How's your coffee game?
Is coffee a forethought or afterthought in your planning?
There are a myriad of details to sort through and checklists to go over, but when it comes to coffee what you need is simple and efficient (that doesn't mean instant coffee or gas station coffee). The good news is that there are many manual brew methods available to you that will deliver an amazing cup of coffee. Listed below are an assortment of brew methods that we feature on our website. While this list is not exhaustive, it is a good starting point to ensure you're drinking a quality cup of coffee first thing in the morning on race day.
To get started, all that you need is a coffee brewing "contraption / device" (see below), a heat source (burner, fire, etc), water, hand grinder, and Loam Coffee. Ready?
Aeropress
This is a very popular way to make an amazing cup of coffee whether you're at a cafe, home, or around the morning campfire. Pound-for-pound this makes incredible coffee. It is light weight and you can pick up a hand grinder that actually finds inside the Aeropress for easy transport. It is as easy as adding hand ground coffee, hot water, and pushing (thus the press in Aeropess) the water through the coffee and through the filter.
Pourover
There are a variety of contraptions out there to make pourovers ranging from the GSI Ultralight Java Drip to the Snow Peak Collapsible Pourover Coffee Drip among others. They all basically work the same ... take the pourover device, place it on your mug, add your filter (or not since you don't need one for the the GSI Java Drip), add your Loam Coffee (of course), pour with near boiling water (202-205 degree), and you're set. That's as basic as it gets, but there are a few details to make life (and pouring) easier ... such as using some kind of easily pourable kettle. Sometimes pouring water from your cooking pot can be a bit messy.
Moka Pot
Old school but still amazing. This is a sure fire way to easily make great "thicker" coffee. Add water, your grounds, and put on a heat source. Bam, that easy. The result is coffee brewed at a higher pressure and temperature than the standard pot, making it more similar to espresso, and therefore with more visible crema. Again, all you need is a moka pot, hand grinder, water, and your favorite Loam Coffee (try our Trail Builders Blend).
Coffee (French) Press
There are many French press coffee fans out there (we see your IG pics). While a glass press may not be the best thing to lug around weekend after weekend there are many versions out there specifically designed for camping or backpacking which makes them compact, lightweight, and durable. On our website we've posted brewing instructions the Jetboil Coffee Press. Like the moka pot, this is a tried and true method that delivers a great cup of coffee.
These are a few basic brew methods to get you started. Behind every successful race season (or weekend shred with your friends) is not only a great bike (and team / crew / support) but a great cup of coffee (at least we think so).
Cheers!