When you reach the summit and want to keep your glucose levels up and need a caffeine boost, you can swig a Coke or open a can of brew that smells of gummy bears. But these means to an end cannot compete with the experience when the smell of freshly brewed coffee hits your nose and shortly afterwards a steaming cup of this black elixir of life warms your hands.
And then the surprised, slightly confused and then extremely pleased look on the faces of others when you take the necessary utensils for this summit happiness out of your backpack. After all, it doesn't take much: a small, lightweight gas stove is easy to stow away, a small caffettiera weighs just a few hundred grams and you can even fit in a cup - provided, of course, that you're not the type of hiker who drills holes in their toothbrush to save weight. And then you have excellent coffee at the summit.
Which gas stove you use is of course completely irrelevant, there are plenty of good models. The world looks different when it comes to cups. Even if it doesn't make much difference in principle, double-walled metal espresso cups are the best choice. They are relatively robust, lightweight, easy to store and the coffee doesn't cool down so quickly in the peak wind. They are available at considerable prices in outdoor stores or from Clooney's coffee brand, but occasionally also from various discount stores.
Which caffettiera you prefer is also a matter of taste. After all, 80 years after its invention, the product can be regarded as mature and undoubtedly tried and tested. Unfortunately, otherwise a rarity in this category. The original espresso pots from the inventor's house of Bialetti, which have been in service since 1933 and go by the name of "Moka Express", are still good, inexpensive, robust, made of lightweight aluminum and have excellent spare parts availability. The "Moka 2" is ideal for the small summit espresso for 2-3 people, for larger groups or the more voluminous cup for Scandinavian consumption, the Moka 4 or 6 may also be used.
The most important thing, however, is the filling. Whether it is a matter of taste or not, for me there is no alternative to the "Crema e Gusto" coffee powder from Lavazza. No other coffee blend harmonizes so well with a Caffettiera.
If you stick to one coffee per tour, you can fill the powder into the moka pot. If you don't want to fill it with water from the drinking bottle at the summit, you can melt snow in the bottom of the pot. In this case, however, it may be worth taking a pot holder or handle for camping utensils with you to avoid burning your paws. And if you have forgotten the sugar: the Dextro from the first aid kit is also suitable for sweetening.
By the way: the summit panorama is also more beautiful when viewed through the haze of a steaming cup of coffee.
Manufacturer information on the "Bialetti Moka Express"
Manufacturer information on "Lavazza Crema e Gusto"
Photos of use in the blog of a well-known, outdoor coffee lover
