7 Ways to Have The Perfect Travel Coffee Experience
by Bewild Produce
Sipping freshly brewed Bewild coffee near a stream at the Poomaale Estate, Coorg, Karnataka.
Whether you're a coffee geek, sustainability advocate, or just a lover of unique coffee varieties and wish to make the travel bug in you happy, this blog is for you! From packing the right tools to exploring diverse coffee cultures, below are 7 ways to work up an amazing coffee experience during your travels.
Your dream vacation meets the rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee. So, pack your bags and let the coffee adventures begin!
1. Carry the Right Equipment
Grind, brew and enjoy your coffee on the go with a manual coffee grinder.
When you’re about to hit the road, travel light, but travel with valuable luggage. If you’re a coffee drinker who loves to make their own brews at home, in coffee shops, or even in the heart of the wilderness; by all means, carry your favourite brewing tools and take your coffee experience in the wild to the next level.
Here’s a handy list for you to carry:
Your favourite coffee
- Your favourite beans along with your manual coffee grinder for the perfect daily grind.
- Ground coffee, if you wish to travel without your hand grinder.
Brewing equipment
Our picks for the most travel-friendly equipment are
- Aeropress (for a cup on the go, suitable for medium fine ground coffee with sweet, floral and fruity tasting notes)
- V60 (to enjoy the meditative view while your coffee brews)
- French press (for a cup of coffee on the go, suitable for coarse grind coffee)
- Minipresso (Manual espresso brewer for the espresso lovers)
Storing equipment
- Keep your coffee beans or grounds in an airtight container to preserve freshness.
- Use travel-friendly containers, like mugs or tumblers with sealed lids, for convenience and to avoid spills.
- Carry vacuum flasks to store hot water.
For more in-depth tips on brewing your coffee on the go and missing nothing on your travels, read 6 Portable Must-haves For Speciality Coffee on The Go.
2. Explore Coffee Shops in Your Destination
Big Cup Cafe - a crowd-favourite coffee shop in Coorg and Bewild Coffee’s partner roaster.
Keep yourself open to trying coffee on the go, in popular (even the underrated) coffee shops around your destination; you may just find a treasure! Moreover, different locations offer a nuanced creation of coffee, as coffee flavours heavily depend on the terrain. Local cafes are also more likely to provide great single-origin coffees from regional coffee estates, focusing on coffee sustainability. With regenerative agriculture and speciality coffee culture on the rise, you could stumble upon something more than just organic coffee - coffees that benefit the well-being of communities and landscapes. So look out for speciality coffee varieties in places you visit during your travels, let the explorer in you take charge, and be ready for a feast!
(Did you know that single-origin coffees are one of the major coffee experience trends of 2024? Read our blog to learn about the Top 5 Coffee Trends of 2024)
3. Try Wild Pairings
Betel leaf clever brew, a recipe by Geetu Mohnani and team for the World Coffee Conference 2024 - inspired by native ingredients, loved by all!
When in the wild, you may not find your preferred accompaniment for the coffee in hand. Treat this as an opportunity to pair your coffee with novel, native ingredients you may find along the road. Imagine a kokum-infused beverage when you’re in Goa, or maybe a tamarind infusion in the nowhere of Telangana & Andhra Pradesh? Sounds intriguing, right? You may also wonder if it would turn out completely different from how you imagined it. But such wild coffee pairings are worth the try!
Popular coffee varieties like robusta coffee and arabica coffee have distinct flavour notes and varying caffeine contents. Keeping the coffee variety in mind, you can add another layer of innovation. While robusta coffee has naturally strong, earthy flavours and more caffeine content, arabica is known for its floral and fruity flavours - both great options to try a spectrum of coffee pairings. It all lies in the balance!
If you truly wish to go wild with your pairings, add an inventor’s touch and make your travel coffee experiences more exciting, try our Bewild Speciality Robusta Coffee Variants!
4. Experiment With Cold Brews
Ginger lemon cold brew made with Bewild Canephora Coffee Naturals, served as a part of the coffee estate stay experience at the Blyton Bungalow in the Poomaale Estate, Coorg.
If you’re looking for a quick coffee fix without compromising on the flavour and perhaps adding some fizz to your coffee experience, cold brews are the way to go!
Cold brew coffee is ideal for travelers due to its simplicity, longevity, and adaptability. You can prepare it with minimal equipment, even without regular coffee-brewing tools. You can also refrigerate the brews overnight and carry them in your temperature-control flasks on your journeys. What’s more? You can customize your cold brews with water, milk, tonic, soda or other flavourings to accommodate diverse preferences. Lastly, it is a cool, refreshing option, particularly suited for warm-weather destinations.
Thinking of a trip to India? Keep your cold brews handy!
5. Coffee Cocktails? Why Not!
Chili-lime Bewild coffee cocktail - spontaneous brews prepared at Poomaale Estate’s Blyton Bungalow, Coorg, adding speciality to your moments.
Coffee and alcohol are a match made on earth, but heavenly nonetheless!
Coffee cocktails are magical blends of your love for coffee and the adventure of discovering new flavours. Picture sipping on a Spanish espresso martini in Barcelona or relishing Irish coffee on the rocks – it's an instant passport to local coffee culture.
Coffee cocktails are a great medium to bring an interesting twist to your daily coffee ritual. With a delightful fusion of the familiar and the unexpected, they can introduce you to new experiences, unique flavours, regional ingredients, and creative brewing methods.
Wish to make your coffee travel even more exciting? Try brewing a coffee cocktail yourself from the local favourites. It could be a conversation starter, a taste bud tickler, and a unique way to create lasting memories. Give it a shot – or maybe a sip?
6. Indulge in Local Coffee Culture
South Indian Filter coffee made with Bewild Canephora Coffee Naturals, grown in the Poomaale Estate, Coorg.
While a hot cup of filter coffee is a peaceful morning ritual for Southern Indians, Americans like their coffee on the go. An essential welcome drink in Brazil, but an after-dinner treat in Ireland, coffee communicates the place’s culture. Trying brews the local way means experiencing the soul of a place in a cup.
Imagine waking up to a steaming hot filter coffee in the lesser-known villages of Tamil Nadu or learning the art of brewing Bella Kaapi in Coorg’s enchanting hills and maybe trying the famous egg coffee when in Vietnam, coffee drinking can be a cultural hug - a way of connecting with the community through a shared love for coffee. Each cup tells a story, revealing the traditions and history of the region. If you are a people person, indulging in local coffee culture opens doors to conversations with locals, making your travel experience richer and more authentic.
7. Visit a Coffee Destination
Blyton Bungalow - a wilderness homestay nestled in the 128-acre Poomaale Estate in Coorg.
Picture your dream vacation but with the rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee in the air. That's the magic of coffee destinations, where your love for coffee meets the thrill of travel. Coffee tourism is on the rise, and it’s your time to rise and shine! Imagine strolling through the lush coffee estates of Coorg or going for a coffee-tasting session in Chikmagalur! These destinations aren't just about coffee; they're an immersion into coffee-making. You could also dive deep into coffee sustainability practices such as organic coffee farming and regenerative agriculture. Witness the journey from bean to cup, understand the intricacies of roasting, and savour unique blends crafted by local experts. It's a sensory delight!
In addition, coffee tourism has carved a niche for itself worldwide, offering a personalised experience and connecting you with passionate coffee growers, roasters and baristas who share their craft with genuine warmth.
So, why settle for a regular vacation when you can have a travel experience brewed with the essence of your favourite bean? Time to pack your bags and let the coffee adventures begin!
Thinking about making your next trip a coffee-filled one?
Check out the Blyton Bungalow Experience at the 128-acre Poomaale Estate in Coorg - a biodiverse estate and home of Bewild Coffee, where you can experience the best of coffee and nature!
Remember, the key to great travel coffee experiences is adaptability. Experiment with different methods, be open to local options and enjoy the journey with your coffee.