Coffee on board...
 

I don't know about you but having a fresh brewed cup of coffee on board while you are fishing is up there with "the better things in life", at least it is to me, anyway. So this winter I was determined to find a good way to do this.
They make a lot of 12 volt coffee pots, and some really suck though. I have heard stories of it taking over an hour to brew a small pot. I guess some work well but I don't have a lot of space. But when I saw the Keurig mini brewing machine...I thought, hmmmm, not 12 volt but I wonder if this will work off my inverter??? I like these kcups for the boat... no grinding, no filters and no reservoirs filled with water to leak or spill if tipped, the mini does one cup at a time and then I can put in away in a drawer. So for 99 bucks I figured, even if it doesn't work I will use it or give it to my kid for school. I just came off the boat...flipped on the inverter, plugged in the pot, poured in a cupfull of water and within a minute or so I had a steaming cup of Joe.... My inverter can handle up to 2500watts and the DC meter drew about 100 amps DC for about 40 seconds then dropped to 50 for about 30 more seconds but it worked. I think the line is fused for 200+ amps so I think it should work out. Lets see if it holds up offshore this season.:gu:

One of those luxuries us small cc boat owners (at least me) don't even think about, Thermos anyone?

Lexan unbreakable french press. Nothing can compete. Just find a way to heat the water.

Phillips makes a euro version thats not cups but just basically bags.
Worked awesome offshore.

edit: Phillips Senseo

More compact than the k-cup ones.
takes little bags.
imo made a great cup of coffee.

Best tasting cups of coffee. I'm with you 100%

I'd do the thermos thing for me though. It stays hot enough and I'm not out long enough to make me jones for a second thermos full.

Sandman, good call! The K cup deal might be the way to go especially because it's easy to store, you don't have to deal with a pot, and keeping the coffee fresh etc.... I was thinking of getting something even for making a cup while I prep before leaving the dock. I'll have to pick one up before spring.

A good thermos will keep coffee good and drinkable hot wise for 5 hours. Usually that is long enough for the mornings on day trips. Though if your overnighting someplace it won't cut it.

When I was a kid growing up on the sailboat tasters choice instant was the deal. I haven't touched that stuff in 20 years but looking back it wasn't too bad.....really. It is at least easy.

Do the K cups at home and boy they are good. Extra bold stuff for me.

Makai talked me into buying a Nissan Thermos. I keep hot water in mine. I can fill it with boiling water the night before and it will still be scalding hot the next afternoon.

Amazon.com: Thermos Nissan 34-Ounce Stainless-Steel Bottle with Folding Handle: Kitchen & Dining

Nothing like a great cup of coffee when fishing...I agree completely! Sounds like you got a great system!!!:gu:

Thats why I get one just like the big lug above this post before I start every day. The Keurig is a great deal. You can order the small single serving containers on-line through W.B. Mason also. Maybe even order direct from Green Mountain coffee in Vermont.

And they have hot cocoa and good hot tea Kcups too so you can easily keep a bagful of sealed kcups on board all the time ready to go... I wish they made a 12 volt system but this works thru the inverter.

I go fishing from time to time with a friend who likes to cook hot meals while fishing...I'll tell you when he hands you a hot Panini 60 miles offshore it tastes reallllly good. He has actually roasted a whole chicken in the oven and the smell was killer. It is hard to fish and not think about food!

Why does hot food taste so much better when you are on a boat?

SM, do a stint on a big comm boat with a good cook.
You've never eaten so well in your life.

Goosefish can back me up on this. :hihi:

Don't laugh, but I bought the NewWave oven for weekends in Cutty, or OB. Up way to late one night and the infomercial got me. It actually cooks a whole chicken really well. Between that, the microwave and the rod holder grill I pretty much cook anything. That stuff is only on the boat for when entertaining with the family, not regular fishing.

FF taught me a trick if do the thermos thing.
1st, boil water as hot as you can get, fill thermos with that boiling water and let sit for a while so the thermos pre-heats.
Brew coffee, drain the water and fill with coffee.
I imaging some thermos are better than others also.

I have a 25 year old stanley, same thing. Amazing when you all the part numbers stamped on it, you know its going to be around for a while

I'm a big fan of the French press. If you have a stove on board, simply boil water and gonfir the press. There are travel mugs that have the press built in. Yummy.
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I have an old school glass percalator I just boil it on the stove
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Glass?
On the boat?
Yuppy. :hihi:

Take tin percolator.
Throw out guts.
Bring water to a boil then back off.
Dump grinds in.
Simmer for 5 minutes.
Drop slug of cold water on top.
Consume best coffee ever.

just take a scoop and chew it.

Jim:
we run a water boiler off an inverter. Use the microground instant (i.e. Starbucks Via) works great, and they dissolve in cold water for afternoon ice coffee

Nothing beats that hot cup while setting the spread for the BigEye patrol

This is the trick for sure. Went Ice fishing Sunday, made a Nissan full of coffee at 5 AM and was hot, not warm, hot, at 2:30 for my afternoon cup. BTW it was simply sitting in the sled and I'd say it was 30 or so ouside.

I boiled water in the microwave, poured it in, sealed it and dumped once the coffee brewed. I also heated the milk so it didnt cool the coffe at all. Makes a huge difference, for an extra 2 minutes of work.

The hot water on board is also good for instant soup and coco for those wussys who don't drink coffee
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How did this keurig mini/ inverter Combo make it thru the season? My 4 cup coffee pot got smashed and I was just shopping for 1. An inverter & 2. A keurig mini.
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It worked great! I used it a lot. The only issue is it is a one cup at a time brewer. It works pretty fast and is tasty but just one at a time and the taller mugs don't fit completely under it. Under way when it is rough I put it in the sink and it works fine. Funny you mention this because I mentioned to my wife yesterday I want to get a low profile wide base cup that fits under there and also fits in the cup holders. I have to look around. If I can't find one I will get a dedicated cup to brew into then pour from there into the taller insulated lidded coffee mugs I use.
It draws some amps (like 50)for about 40 seconds or so but my batteries handle it fine. If you have a generator I would go electric.

If you are really serious about a permanent mounted coffee station they make one that is great. I think the sell it at defender. (cant recall the brand). Full electric (110 volt) and stainless, flush mounted in a cabinet.

What is nice when it is done I can put in a drawer in a few seconds.

I had a lot of positive comments about it. But most of raving came when someone asked "whats for desert?" and I pulled out a Häagen-Dazs Ice cream pop from the freezer one day when we were offshore, the guy said..." is this great or what?"

makes all the difference

Cant live with out it....the thermous and coffee that is..

best thermos have glass inside

i don't open it until after i catch a fish

then it's double the reward

Was looking to get the mini as I've dealt with coffee grounds all over the place. The little 4 cup pot is nice but if you want just one cup it's a pain. Plus you make 4 cups and most of it goes to waste. Was thinking the mini hooked upto an inverter while underway or trolling and plugged in to the generator while anchored.
You said you have a 2000w inverter do you feel 2000 is enough? The coffe maker and maybe a cell phone charger is about all I would use it for.
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I have a 2500watt inverter. It has no problem running it while underway or at anchor with motor off. (but I don't have much else running off it when I use it) If you have a generator I would not think twice about running 110 volt appliances. There are certain things 12 volt just can not do well. Make toast and coffee are two of them. My friend has a portable Coleman propane pot and that makes a full pot of hot coffee OK but I don't like having a fire in the cockpit while underway. Besides I think it will corrode out in no time.

The one cup thing is great in that if it is just me and and a friend but if you have a crew on board you need to assign someone to make coffee for everyone. Personally I like the one cup deal because when it is finished I pick it up and stow it. The Kcups are not cheap but are perfect for boats! No mess nothing loose that ends up on the floor. The unit is small so as I said the tall lidded cups will not fit under there. I thought about building a wall mount for it and cutting off the bottom so they would fit but have not pursued that yet. I took it off the boat for the winter and have it in the kitchen now next to the regular coffee pot. It gets used occasionally. You can also make hot cocoa and chi tea with it. I have a zip loc bag with a few doz kcups on board as well as some half and half in the fridge.
Overall it is not the perfect solution but it is better than anything else I have used for the boat and makes a decent up of coffee.

if you can boil water, try a french press.