How to Make Cafe-Style Coffee in the Outdoors (Even When Hiking)

Sure, it’s just caffeine. But out on the trail, coffee becomes more than that:

• Warm-up when you're cold, tired, and groggy first thing in the morning.

• Motivation when you’ve got a big day of hiking ahead of you.

• A moment of calm while the bush wakes up around you.

• A little luxury that makes 'roughing it' for a few days a bit more bearable.

After hundreds of nights in huts, tents, and bivvies, I’ve learned this: a proper coffee makes a massive difference to your morning morale. And with today’s packable brewing gear, it’s easier than ever.

You don't have to be a barista to make a great cup of joe in the middle of nowhere. These are the best coffee-brewing methods for the outdoors we've come across that have the right balance of taste, caffeination, and minimalism for keeping your pack as light as possible. We're always open to new methods so if you reckon you've onto something better, let us know and we'll add it to the article.

The Plunger Flat White with The Bushbuck Tomahawk Plunger

If you want cafe-grade coffee in the wild without lugging around a barista’s toolkit, the Bushbuck Tomahawk Cooker and Coffee Plunger Flat White is the standout option.

It's delicious, super simple to make, and has that extra hit of caffeine to get your though a hard day in the hills.

The Bushbuck Tomahawk Cooker with coffee plunger attachment is a legit hiking hack as it's:

• Lightweight

• Durable

• Dual-purpose (cook pot + coffee plunger)

• Compact (fits easily in your pack)

• Designed for the outdoors

The genius is that your coffee maker is also your cooking pot. No extra weight. No wasted space. Just boil water, add coffee grounds, and plunge.

How to Brew Coffee With the Tomahawk

From countless mornings perched on cold rocks, here’s the method that consistently produces a smooth, cafe-quality brew every time.

1. Boil your water in the Tomahawk Saves fuel, saves gear, saves faff.

2. Add medium-coarse ground coffee Freshly ground if you’re keen (a mini hand grinder weighs very little and makes a big difference). Otherwise a regular plunger blend will do the truck.

3. Stir gently and steep for 3–4 minutes

4. Attach the plunger and press slowly The slower the better. This avoids bitterness and gives you that velvety French-press mouthfeel.

5. If you like your coffee black, you're ready to go. But if you're after that true cafe-style coffee, continue reading...

The Ultimate Hack: Turn It Into a Flat White

Here’s where things get fun.

Bushbuck fans have discovered that if you add an Avalanche Café-Style Flat White Sachet (or any other brand) to your freshly plunged coffee, you end up with an extra-caffeinated, surprisingly creamy, cafe-style flat white –and it’s arguably better than some cafes.

• Plunger coffee = strong flavour and caffeine hit

• Avalanche sachet = creamy kick + extra caffeine

• The combo = trail-side luxury without carrying milk or frothers

This is my personal go-to for cold mornings when morale needs a bump.

Other Great Ways to Make Coffee in the Outdoors

Here are a few other methods for brewing good-quality coffee when camping or hiking.

1. AeroPress (Compact, Clean, Excellent Coffee)

The AeroPress has long been the darling of long-distance hikers. It’s lightweight, bombproof, and brews a clean, strong cup.

The AeroPress is known for:

• Smooth, strong, consistent flavour

• Easy cleanup

• Great for single servings

• Very compact

It can be a bit tricky to get the coffee grind just right. Espresso grind is a bit too fine and plunger grind is a bit too coarse. But it's still a great option for throwing in your hiking pack. And you can always add a flat white sachet to make it frothy.

2. Coffee Bags (Just Like Tea)

These have improved massively in recent years. They’re essentially tea bags filled with ground coffee.

Coffee bags are great because they're:

• Ultralight

• Super simple to brew

• Taste pretty good

But the overall flavour isn't as good as AeroPress or plunger coffee.

3. Instant Coffee (Making a Comeback)

Instant has been around forever, and some options are genuinely decent. Toss it in your cook pot, stir, and call it a morning.

The pros of instant coffee:

• Lightest option here

• Quick and easy to brew

• Does the job

It might not be "cafe-style", but again... throw in some milk powder and a flat white sachet and – viola – you're barely know the difference, especially on the third or fourth day of a hike when everything tastes better than it usually would.

Master the Backcountry Brew

Good coffee shouldn’t stop where the road ends. With a smart setup and a bit of technique, you can make cafe-quality coffee anywhere.

So next time you’re packing for a hike, throw in your coffee kit. Trust us... Your future self on that cold morning in the hut or tent will thank you.

Get the Bushbuck Tomahawk and Coffee Plunger combo