Brewing on Board or on the Go

Compact Coffee-making Solutions from GSI Outdoor

Who doesn’t love a fresh cup of coffee or three? Brew on board or have Joe on the go… these handy and compact coffee-making systems travel well and stow equally neatly on board with limited space. Savvy Sailing Girl loves the collapsible drip coffee funnel and reusable filter. She’s traveled with these for years. Most hotels and Airbnb places have some way to heat water in the room, but not always a coffee maker. With these little items along, you don’t need to venture out too early (or late) or order in and wait for delivery. They are built exceptionally well and take up next to no space. SSG also is amazed and delighted with the great little burr-grinder for beans received as a gift last year. If you fancy grinding your own, this little number is the way to go. No electricity needed, just a bit of elbow grease – you get a little workout as a side benefit (keep those bat wings at bay, lol!)

The only downside to the collapsible funnel is that it just sits on top of your cup or thermos, so trying to use it under way when the boat is rocking can be cumbersome, requiring a hand to hold it or something to keep it in place. SSG just noticed, however, that GSI has a new solution, the Java Drip, which looks like the funnel is fixed to the thermal base, a better system for on passage, though the funnel isn’t collapsible.

That said, SSG normally doesn’t drink much coffee while on passage anyway and when she does, it’s usually (gasp!) instant. As a side note, Nescafe has a “Special” variety of their instant coffee in caffeinated and decaf versions (available internationally, but haven’t seen in the US), that actually tastes very good. It’s almost twice the price of their normal “Classic”, but well worth it for those times that brewing isn’t happening.