I've heard that by adding a pinch of salt to the ground coffee grain you can diminish its bitterness.

Also, sometimes I add some powdered cinnamon before brewing. I love the resulting aroma and flavor.

Posted By CarlosPC on October 20, 2008, 7:11 PM

If you really like coffee, carry an Aeropress.

http://feedme.typepad.com/my_weblog/2007/07/coffee-contrapt.html

Posted By Moe Rubenzahl on October 20, 2008, 7:24 PM

I also grind and package my own coffee at home before getting to the hotel. They usually use the pre-packaged crap that has been sitting in a baggie for 6 months to a year before getting to my hotel room. Fresh ground is best, but baring that, grinding it a week in advance is much better than the drek the hotel offers.

Posted By James Wood on October 20, 2008, 7:34 PM

use bottled water and not tap water

Posted By marcos the traveler on October 20, 2008, 7:36 PM

LOL, I love the diagram! ;-)

Posted By Speedmaster on October 20, 2008, 7:50 PM

Bottled or tap water? It depends on which is better. Here in Finland the tap water has been proved to be better. Tap water is also more eco friendly :)

Posted By remaster on October 21, 2008, 1:52 AM

1. Small (1-2 cup) French press.
2. Plastic bag of freshly grown coffee
3. Put bag in press.
4. Put press in suitcase.
5. Arrive at hotel.
6. Reverse steps 3 & 4.

Posted By grover on October 21, 2008, 4:00 AM

Are drip coffee machines common in hotels in the US? I'm from the UK and have never seen a coffee machine in any hotel in Britain or the rest of Europe (kettle + instant coffee in Britain, often nothing elsewhere in Europe). Maybe I don't stay at the right hotels?

Posted By Neij on October 21, 2008, 4:52 AM

@James Wood,
You know they clean those hotel coffee makers out with the toilet wand right?

Posted By OMG ponies on October 21, 2008, 6:19 AM

I found the best way to brew a great cup of coffee on the road is to bring my own coffee maker. I use the Aeropress Coffee Maker.

It costs less than $30US and it makes a GREAT cup of coffee. I use either the microwave or water through the room coffee maker. It is made of plastic so it will not get broken in luggage.

One piece of advice, bring a mug with a wide enough opening to make your coffee. Not all hotels provide one or they only have paper cup which are not sturdy enough.

Posted By Rod on October 21, 2008, 7:11 AM

@remaster:
put suitcase in press, put press in bag?

How does this help?

Posted By Ed on October 21, 2008, 10:29 AM

195-200 degrees Fahrenheit is not the ideal brewing temperature, unless its Charbucks. I think it close to 175 degrees.

Posted By MenoRikey on October 21, 2008, 10:44 AM

I've found great improvements in coffee when using a regular drip maker by using only half the amount of water to brew, and then adding hot water to the pot afterward. This solves the brewing time issue, cutting down on the bitterness. It is based on my experience with the AeroPress, which I agree makes great coffee.

Posted By Joe Java on October 21, 2008, 12:03 PM

Neij - yes, these days even the cheapest hotels have coffee in the room. As it gets more expensive they may charge for what you use or sell extra bags of coffee grounds.

Posted By Iolaire McFadden on October 21, 2008, 12:39 PM

Or, you can just man up, swallow your coffee pride, and just drink the damn swill made on default mode.

When did coffee became an "experience" instead of a beverage?

Posted By Caffeine Fiend on October 21, 2008, 12:48 PM

Okay I can see this working, now if only we could do something about he tiny fridge that doesn't keep the food in the "safe zone"

Posted By Debo Hobo on October 21, 2008, 1:55 PM

my tip would be to bring along an AeroPress (http://www.aerobie.com/Products/aeropress.htm) and a bit of coffee from home.

Posted By twitter.com/cjw333 on October 21, 2008, 3:21 PM

/personal rant

Let me save you $30: the Aeropress has several major disadvantages. The governing idea behind it is that you express one shot of coffee and add water to create an Americano. Of course it's not a proper espresso with crema, you'd need a pump machine for that. Here's my beef:

1) Requires a lot of grinds to make not that much beverage. Same amount of grinds would make more using a french press.

2) People with arm mobility/strength issues will have difficulty pressing down.

3) The Aeropress requires repurchasing of their special filters.

4) There are 11 steps to using the Aeropress!!!
1. Prepare filter
2. Heat the water and measure temperature
3. Prepare cups with aeropress over it
4. Load coffee
5. Fill aeropress with water at 165 degrees, don't overspill or you'll get grinds in your coffee!
6. Mix the aeropress for 10 seconds.
7. Press down plunger, but STOP half way if you want two cups. N.B.! Careful when you press! The Aeropress doesn't always sit sturdily on your mug and can fly off spilling hot water and grounds everywhere!
8. Move plunger over for second cup, fill THAT cup which is never equal to the first cup
9. Pull UP plunger so it no drips come out, bring it to the trash and push out the "puck" of filter / grinds
10. Clean up all gear
11. Add the hot water (if you have any left, maybe you'll have to boil some more!) to your espresso for the larger cup of coffee

.......I'll stick with my moka pot at home and french press when travelling. Use a hotel microwave to heat water (if available). Cycling the water through the Auto-drip twice also does the trick.

Posted By Sarah on October 21, 2008, 7:36 PM

Vacations are becoming more and more a necessity in today's fast paced way of life. When you go on vacation you want to be waited on and pampered, you don't want to have to worry about anything, remember it's your vacation.

Posted By john-travel on October 23, 2008, 3:58 AM

I second using a travel French Press. That way you have your own favorite brew that you packed and can do the double brew method for heated water (noted above - pouring hot water into the tank and running it through again. One other important tip is to thoroughly wash out the pot before you heat the water. I never let water go through the coffee basket but rather let it drip right into the pot to avoid old oils from previous users.

Posted By Sheila on October 23, 2008, 2:23 PM

To brew a better, richer tasting pot of coffee every single time, place both the caffeinated and the decaffeinated bags of coffee, one atop the other, in the brew basket. Flip the switch and brew as usual. The taste difference will amaze you, and for those who worry about too much caffeine in the morning, the decaf portion won't impact on your nerves...only your taste buds.
Happy Sipping!

Posted By Jay Van Vechten on October 23, 2008, 2:24 PM

Grocery stores carry coffee bags, like tea bags, they work great, heat water in the microwave, note some hotel have tap water hot enough to make coffee.

Posted By Arlene Zang on October 23, 2008, 3:09 PM

Hallelujah! Jay Van Vechten you got it. Reading all these posts I couldn't wait to add my own and here you have already enlightened these silly folks. For North American travelers anyway. For years have been unable to enjoy hotel coffee, until the discovery of using TWO bags, one each of the leaded and unleaded types. Just strong enough to get you going, but second cup won't bounce you off the walls! Try it!

Posted By Travel-n-Lyn on October 24, 2008, 9:25 AM

If you drink regular, but get frustrated that hotels frequently leave just a single regular and single decaf packet for occupants, just throw them both in
and at least double your grinds - that along with some of the good above suggestions will go a long way.

Posted By Kevin on October 25, 2008, 5:10 PM

Why would you have to put the water through the coffee maker once and then brew? Wouldn't normal water VERRRY hot from the tap do the same thing?
RFreedman

Posted By Roberta on October 28, 2008, 1:58 PM

Always bring your own coffee. Even if hotel coffee makers work well the coffee they provide is always vile. I carry small sizes of good coffee and my own filters in the US.

Posted By Jacqui on October 30, 2008, 3:55 PM

I ALWAYS bring my own coffee - I also run a couple of carafes of water through the maker prior to use - and have my own travel mug to drink from. If local water is skanky, of course bottled water will help the process, otherwise use the local H2O. Bring a sharp pocket knife and/or multi-tool with a knife (packed in the checked bags of course), and simply slice open one end of hotel room coffee filter, dump hotel coffee contents, add you own coffee and Voila! Satisfactory results.

Posted By LE on November 3, 2008, 5:11 PM

I have a stainless steel french press that eliminates the worry about breaking a glass press. It takes a bit of room in a suitcase, but I can carry my own coffee inside. I found it in a Campmor catalog.

Posted By Ihlys on November 3, 2008, 7:10 PM

I am amazed and impressed with everyone, my biggest tip is getting everything ready the night before so that when you wakeup with that crick in your neck all you have to do is flip the switch and voila COFFEE. I also always ask if there is coffee served in the lobby. There is nothing worse than choking down a bad brew when is there good local coffee serve piping hotin the lobby.

Posted By Holly on November 7, 2008, 6:35 PM

Thank you ponie boy for that extra flavored comment. I wondered what that special, rich flavor was.
I can't imagine packing a coffee press of any kind. I like the idea of grinding out fresh at home and taking it on the road.Nothing makes me happier than all the helpful ways we coffee drinkers reach out to each other.

Posted By Linda Hix on November 8, 2008, 12:26 PM

I'm tired of fooling with my coffee maker at work. For one it's a bit of a walk and two, I'm responsible for cleaning it. I do have access to that hot water that comes out of the water cooler on the left side which is very close to me. Would the quality of my coffee suffer if I were to essentially fill a mug with that scalding hot water and then just "tea bag" it?

Posted By Bert on November 9, 2008, 1:29 PM

always use cold water thats the most important. If you don't it will taste bad regardless how expensive or exotic the coffee. In most hotels I've stayed at they have powdered coffee both decaf and regular and if you follow the brewing intructions it usually comes out pretty good.

Posted By ohagen on November 9, 2008, 10:32 PM

If you really want decent coffee the only thing to do is buy a Moka Express espresso machine (or one of the many copies) and either a Primus stove or one of those little French ones that runs off bottled camping gas.
This is probably safest if your room has a balcony - and I suppose it's best if you are travelling by car rather than flying, though there's nothing to stop you carrying a coffee machine in your check-in bag. And even if the compressed gas cylinders are forbidden, they'll never catch you.
Anyway: buy decent coffee, fill your machine, light your stove - don't forget matches - and you will be able to get decent, proper-strength coffee.
Just don't set light to the hotel at the same time.
Actually, if you pack a small frying pan you can also cook eggs and bacon in your room. It saves a pile of money and tastes better than most hotel continental breakfasts.

Posted By ian chandler on November 10, 2008, 8:59 PM

What I want is a really HOT cup of coffee. None of the coffeemakers I have tried meet that criteria. I think it should be at least 200 degrees F.

I WISH brand coffee makers would add the brew temperature to the details when describing their coffeemakers. That is a significant selling point to me.

Posted By kcd on November 13, 2008, 12:19 PM

check out minimus.biz for mini pouches of coffee .. add to whatever they have in room .. at least you get something to get you through the dressing part so you can go out and get a real cup

Posted By ndb on November 13, 2008, 2:15 PM

Using the two bags [leaded & unleaded] works best for those hotel coffee pots. Plus we have a reverse osmosis filter at home and usually bring at least a gallon with us to make the coffee instead of the usually 'skanky' tap water - it has made a big difference! Also, we carry a little coil water heater and folgers 'tea bags' in case there is no coffee pot. Gotta have that 1st cuppa in the am! Another also, instant coffee in Africa is much, much better than any American instant, but you need at least 4 spoonfuls [the spoon is very small and they look at you aghast!] to make a very decent cup.

Posted By AK on November 18, 2008, 1:05 PM

Whether you enjoy freshly brewed coffee first thing in the morning, as a refresher in the afternoon, or with a dessert after a meal, People are discovering they can brew coffee at home that’s higher in quality than most high-end coffee shops.

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Posted By Sujan P (Australia) on January 15, 2009, 3:24 AM