Wake Up With Bush Smarts Camp Coffee Kit

By Ann Binlot December 27, 2014

camp coffee kit — Image used with permission by copyright holder

We recently stumbled upon this website called Bush Smarts, which is basically full of really cool small-batch, hand-crafted gear for folks who like to do outdoorsy rugged stuff, like woodsman suspenders, pack axes, and bear stars . One handy item we discovered on their website recently is their Camp Coffee Kit, which has everything you need to start your day right when you’re out there in the wilderness sleeping with the bears and the trees underneath the stars.

That includes two Kuska cups, one BPA-free bottle, 12 ounces of coffee from Guatemala, and the secret weapon: “a feather light mesh filter that brews superb coffee without a bunch of bells and whistles or moving parts.” Cowboy brewing inspired the folks at Bush Smart, except instead of using a bandana like the cowboys do, you use that mesh filter. Simply heat your water, put the grinds in the water bottle, then pour that piping hot water into it, let it steep, then secure the mesh filter to the top. Once it’s steeped long enough, pour that freshly brewed coffee into the Kuska cups, and there you have it — coffee for two.

In case you’re wondering what a Kuska cup is, here’s Bush Smarts’s explanation: “It has the traditional shape of a wooden cup from the Scandinavian Arctic, but is made from eco-safe resin that is incredibly durable and lightweight and doesn’t absorb flavors. Another update is a hi-viz reflective cord for keeping track of your nightcap around camp.”

This handy vessel will surely get more use out of it than the coffee mugs we keep in our kitchen. So next time you plan on going camping, bring the Bush Smarts Camp Coffee Kit with you; so you can get up bright and early with that dose of caffeine that will give you the energy to hike, hunt or hang out with your friends.

Bush Smarts Camp Coffee Kit, $89 at bushsmarts.com.

Editors' Recommendations

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Ann Binlot is a New York-based freelance writer who contributes to publications like The Economist, Wallpaper*, Monocle…

Food & Drink

Cocktail classics: the Negroni and its millions of variations

Negroni

Of all the classic cocktails that are well-known in bars across the world, one stands out for being both complex fascinating to drink, but also incredibly easy to make: the negroni. This beloved cocktail from Italy consists of equal parts of gin, sweet vermouth, and Campari, and it doesn't even need to be shaken. Traditionally made in a mixing glass, where it is stirred with ice to add water, in practice you can even add the ingredients to a tumbler glass with a large ice cube and stir it in the glass. That isn't really the technically correct way to make the drink, but it works well enough and means that you can make this cocktail with practically no equipment whatsoever.
The negroni is popular for its intense, bitter flavors and its bright red color, both of which come from the Campari. But the addition of gin gives the drink that heavy, boozy note with plenty of spicy juniper, and the sweet vermouth adds a touch of sweetness and more herbal notes. The result is a drink which packs an incredible flavor punch, and which tends to be either loved or hated (mostly depending on how you feel about Campari).
Thanks to its simplicity, the negroni lends itself to endless variations. While in truth I think it's hard to beat the classic version of this cocktail, if you're a long-time negroni drinker and you're looking to try something new – or maybe even if you're not a fan of the classic negroni but are interested in finding a version which does work for you – then we've got suggestions on some of the many variations you can try.

Experimenting with gins

Food & Drink

Gose-style beers are perfect for spring, and these are our favorites

This salty, tart, sour beer is perfect for spring.

Gose beer

As we mentioned in an earlier post, the Gose style might be the best beer choice for spring and summer drinking. This wheat beer is top-fermented and gets a second fermentation with lactobacillus bacteria. This gives it a tart, sour flavor profile similar to your favorite sour ale. The addition of coriander and sea salt adds some spice and salinity to this very unique, refreshing beer.

On top of that, this tart, salty thirst-quencher is usually between 4-5% ABV. This results in a crushable, salty, crisp beer you won’t be able to put down even between horseshoe throws or cornhole turns.
A strange, salty history

Food & Drink

This is how to make a proper Moscow Mule

It's the classic cocktail in a copper mug, and we're going to show you how to make a Moscow Mule

Moscow Mule with a bowl of limes

You know you've made it as a cocktail when one of the most popular ready-to-drink options is made in your name. That's the case with the Moscow Mule cocktail, the classic mix of vodka and ginger beer, preferably in a copper mug.

Here are some pro tips to keep in mind. First, select a quality vodka. The flavor may be mostly buried in the rest of the drink, but you're still after smoothness. In terms of ginger, go with a proper ginger beer instead of ginger ale. The latter is far too sweet. If you're really feeling intrepid, do as Death & Co. does below and make your own ginger syrup to couple with club soda. You'll be amazed at how much more pronounced the ginger qualities are when going this route.