How to make amazing coffee on the road
Campervanning or camping doesn’t have to mean crap coffee. We spoke to three of Scotland’s coffee legends about recent adventures, and how they make sure their coffee is always top notch, no matter where they are.
Stuart Fraser:
St Mocha and Loch Lomond Coffee Co, Balmaha
Stuart Fraser started St Mocha with his brother David in 2014 with a café in Loch Lomond’s picturesque village of Balmaha. Three years later, they got to roasting their own beans, too, launching Loch Lomond Coffee Co in 2017. Today they dominate the local scene without ever dropping their attention to truly excellent, beautifully prepared coffee, with offshoots in Aberfoyle, Carbeth and across the loch at Luss. One of the nicest guys in coffee, Stuart gives us a rundown on his love of campervanning, and how he makes a decent brew on the road.
Tell us about an amazing camping or campervanning experience that you’ve had…
The best was taking the camper for a trip with my best mates, Robert and David, up north, and heading out into the surf at the wee beach at Durness when it was -6°C outside. We hit the water and got beasted by a hail storm! But it cleared and the sun came out, and I remember closing my eyes and facing the sun and the warmth from it felt amazing… until we got smashed by another wave and the brain freeze kicked back in!
Coming back out and being able to get a warm shower felt like an absolute luxury after spending years freezing our baws off getting changed in the back of/outside cars. That’s defo an amazing one stuck in my memory – amazing times with my two best mates.
How do you make the perfect campervan/camping coffee?
What we did miss on that trip was being able to get a decent coffee anywhere. So as fate would have it we have just purchased a Rocket Porta Via portable coffee machine for this very reason. We will never be stuck again for a decent brew. The first try was on the banks of Loch Lomond using our own roasted coffee (el Salvador Natural is my current favourite). We decided to make a latte, because we can, and we have a big mug so why not?! We hand-ground our coffee (18g dose) using a Feldgrind hand grinder, as we find the consistency is up there with our big, juicy Mahlkonig EK43 Allround Grinder. We used our local dairy farm’s milk (Muirhead’s Milk in the Vale of Leven valley) and served it up in one of our own cups – delicious.
Jamie Fletcher:
Caora Dhubh Coffee Company, Isle of Skye
Situated across the road from Talisker Distillery, with the chilly waters of Loch Harport on one side and the snowy Cuillin on the other, you’d be hard pushed to find a more delicious cup of coffee in the Hebrides than Caora Dhubh. Owner Jamie Fletcher takes us through how he takes his coffee mid-camp.
Tell us about an amazing camping or campervanning experience that you’ve had…
Camping and climbing at Polldubh Crags in Glen Nevis between lockdowns. We went with our friends John and Gilly and their daughter Frida, and our pals Jordan and Hayley. John is one of the owners of Skye Adventure so was excellent at setting up climbs for everyone so we could all have a great time. Polldubh is an amazing climbing location, and Glen Nevis is really beautiful. Jordan owns Skye Running Tours and is also a commercial photographer so he got some amazing photos while we were there. We climbed a lot, ate Marks and Spencer’s salad pots and Aeropressed a lot of coffee – it was pretty fancy!
How do you make the perfect campervan/camping coffee?
For my perfect camping coffee, I really like the Aeropress Go as it is convenient, packs away really well and is nice and easy. I also like to use a V60 as it is what I use at home – I enjoy a tiny bit of extra faff with my coffee wherever possible!
Todd Whiteford:
The Good Coffee Cartel, Glasgow
The Good Coffee Cartel in Glasgow’s Kinning Park is one of the best places to grab a coffee in the city. They roast the beans themselves and you get a sense that every single cup they make matters to these guys, because they follow ethical standards from bean to cup. They even run a reusable cup scheme, to reduce disposable cup waste, and their beans come in reusable, recyclable tins, too. Todd Whiteford runs the Cartel with Courtney Brennan. We asked him to tell us about his best camping coffee memories.
Tell us about an amazing camping or campervanning experience that you’ve had…
I’ve been lucky to have a few. One was a solo camping adventure I had hiking in the Grampian Mountains. Classic Scottish hillwalking weather – fairly cloudy, smirry rain, cold and windy… by the time I set up the tent I was miserable. I was hungry, tired, my feet were wet and I didn’t hold out much hope for a nice day to follow. But after some hot food and a good night’s sleep, I woke up the next morning to the sound of stags calling in the glen, a clear sky and the beginnings of a decent sunrise. A nice cup of coffee and I was set up for one of the nicest days I’ve ever had in the Highlands. Simple pleasures.
How do you make the perfect campervan/camping coffee?
The view has to be first! If you get the camping spot right, with an amazing view, then your morning brew will be memorable, no matter what. Practical stuff like having a brewer that is versatile and robust – an Aeropress would be a great example of that – and equally our reusable tins of coffee instead of bags can take a lot of punishment and are generally the less messy option for a camping trip. Take your time with it. Camping coffee is a lot more ritualistic than your normal coffee before work, so the whole process should be enjoyed. Take care to enjoy the moment, whether that’s a solo, reflective cup of coffee looking out over a misty glen in the morning, or a coffee to wake up with friends before an adventure.
Coffee story
Studio Vans Journal
By Freya Herring