How to Make Pour-Over Coffee at Your Campsite

A quiet campground, a favorite mug, and fresh coffee—sometimes that’s all a morning needs.

At Mountain Trail Coffee Company, I want good coffee to fit naturally into your outdoor adventures. This week, I’m sharing a simple pour-over recipe you can use beside your tent, outside the RV, or at home while planning your next trip.

In my last post, I covered choosing the right coffee grind. Now it’s time to put that medium grind to work.

Why Take a Pour-Over Brewer Camping?

A manual pour-over brewer is compact, easy to pack, and doesn’t need electricity. It’s especially convenient when you’re making one cup at a time.

A paper filter catches most of the fine coffee particles and oils, giving the cup a lighter texture than a French press. If you enjoy a clean cup with little sediment, this is a method worth trying.

What You’ll Need

• Your favorite Mountain Trail coffee

• A pour-over dripper and matching paper filter

• A sturdy mug

• A kettle and a way to heat water

• Clean drinking water

• A small scale and timer, if available

A narrow-spout kettle makes pouring easier to control, but an ordinary camping kettle can work. Pour slowly and keep the stream manageable.

Set everything on a stable, level surface before you begin.

A Simple One-Mug Recipe

Start with 20 grams of medium-ground coffee and 320 milliliters of water—about 11 fluid ounces before the grounds absorb some water.

That’s a coffee-to-water ratio of 1:16. Treat it as a starting point, then adjust to your taste.

1. Prepare the Filter

Place the filter in your dripper and set it securely over your mug.

Rinse the filter with hot water to warm the brewer and mug. Carefully discard that rinse water before adding your coffee.

2. Add the Grounds

Add your measured coffee and gently shake the dripper to level the surface.

A medium grind is a useful starting point. Check your brewer’s instructions if it calls for something different.

3. Wet the Coffee

Bring your water to a boil, then let it settle briefly.

Pour about 40–60 grams of water over the grounds, making sure they’re evenly wet. Wait around 30–45 seconds before continuing.

You may see the coffee swell and bubble as trapped gas escapes. This first wetting stage is often called the bloom.

4. Pour Slowly

Add the remaining water in two or three gentle pours.

Work in small circles over the coffee bed, avoiding pouring directly along the paper’s edge. Let the water level fall a little between pours without allowing the grounds to dry out completely.

Aim for a total brewing time of roughly three to four minutes, though your brewer and grind will affect that.

5. Enjoy Your Cup

Once the water has drained, remove the dripper and give your coffee a gentle stir.

Let it cool slightly before drinking. Notice how the flavor changes as the temperature drops—you may find you enjoy it even more after the first few minutes.

Fine-Tune the Next Brew

If the water drains very slowly and the coffee tastes bitter or drying, try a slightly coarser grind.

If it rushes through and tastes sour or underdeveloped, try a slightly finer grind.

Keep your coffee and water amounts consistent while changing one thing at a time. That makes it easier to find a recipe you’ll want to repeat.

Keep Cleanup Simple

Let the filter and grounds cool, then dispose of them according to your campground’s rules. Keep grounds out of your RV sink and follow local guidance for wastewater.

Rinse your brewer, let it dry, and your kit is ready for tomorrow.

Make Time for the Morning

Pour-over coffee asks for a few minutes of attention. At a campsite, that can be part of the pleasure: listening to the trees, watching the light change, and taking your time before the day gets moving.

Explore our coffees at mountaintrailcoffee.com and choose a favorite for your next campsite brew.

Where would you like to enjoy your next morning cup?