In case you haven’t heard, International Coffee Day is September 29th. Those of us in the know have already scored a cup or two (or three) of “caffè gratuito” from our favorite vendor, and are off to a great start. If you’re reading this through half-open eyes, do a quick internet search for participating businesses, and get your fix for free. For those that just want to learn how to brew a delicious cup of certified organic Fairtrade coffee any time or place, read on.
Grower’s Cup® is among the most unique products we have tested. It meets all the criteria of our “must-have” products: It fulfills a need other products don’t. It’s socially and environmentally aware. At about $10 for a three pack, it’s affordable. It’s so simple to use that anyone can do it. And it’s really, really good. Each Coffeebrewer envelope contains about 26 grams of specialty coffee from some of the greatest coffee bean growing regions in the world – Bolivia, Honduras, Mexico, Ethiopia, and Nicaragua. The beans are purchased only from certified organic growers that meet the specific Fairtrade co-operative requirements, ensuring that the workers producing your coffee enjoy fair wages and healthy working conditions. Old-fashioned hand picking and sorting ensures that each cup is filled with a brew of only the best carefully selected beans.
So you’re probably wondering what to do with this envelope of coffee beans, right? Well, thanks to a lot of trial and error, each sealed envelope is actually the brewing vessel, hence the name “Coffeebrewer”. Forget about machines and filters and all that fuss. At the top of the envelope, you’ll find a red plastic ribbon. Pulling that creates a spout. Just open it up a bit, spread the bottom to create a stand, pour in sixteen ounces (.5 liters) of hot water, and give it 5-6 minutes to brew. The Coffeebrewer functions a bit like a French press, but without the press. Ground beans are suspended in a filter material a few inches above the base, and are brewed as the hot water works its way through the grounds into the base. After letting it brew, I carefully lifted the Coffeebrewer, tilting it to pour through the spout. (You’re supposed to use two hands and press open the spout, but I was the only one awake, so I poured with my right hand while snapping the photo with my left) This should allow you to serve up to three social-sized cups of coffee, or two “writer-sized” cups. The coffee is rich and flavorful, definitely more like a pressed cup rather than brewed. My only complaint would be that 16 ounces is a typical serving for me alone, but coffee this good deserves to be shared with other coffee lovers. I also recommend leaving the Coffeebrewer out after the coffee has been consumed, to continue enjoying the aroma for a bit.
Thanks to the small size and flat packaging, it’s easy enough to take several servings of Grower’s Cup with you on your next camping trip. But it’s not limited to camping. I plan on keeping a few in my desk at work, and several in our 72 hour kit too. It would be great for bicycle touring as well. As long as you have access to hot water, it’s easy enough to enjoy Grower’s Cup any time or place. And that’s really what it’s all about – creating that perfect cup, anywhere.
As a Danish company, distributors for Grower’s Cup are still somewhat limited in the US right now. It’s mostly outdoors & specialty stores (the kind we already visit), but you can check their website for the growing numbers of retailers and find one near you, or even buy online. growerscup.com
– Brian