The percolator is the grandfather of camp coffee. Before French presses and Aeropress and pour-over kits, there was the percolator — a simple, durable, stovetop or campfire brewer that's been making bold coffee in the field for over a century. It fell out of fashion. It shouldn't have.
Here's how to use one correctly — because most people overcook it.
Use medium-coarse grind. Finer than French press but not as fine as drip. The percolator cycles water through the grounds repeatedly, so too fine a grind will over-extract fast.
Fill the bottom with cold water. Don't overfill — stay below the basket. About 6 oz per cup you want to brew.
Fill the basket loosely. About 1 tablespoon per cup. Don't pack it.
Heat slowly. Medium heat. You want a slow, steady percolation — not a violent boil. If it's bubbling aggressively, turn it down.
Watch the color. Most percolators have a glass knob on top. When the coffee cycling through turns a rich amber-brown, you're close. Pull it at 7–10 minutes total.
Pull it before it's done. The biggest mistake with percolators is letting them go too long. Pull early, let it rest for a minute, pour.
Bold, hot, and made on a campfire. There's nothing wrong with that.
Foxhole Dark Roast was built for the percolator. → foxholecoffeeco.com