Perking coffee -- how long?

[Tvov]

I am sure this has been posted, but...

When using a stove top percolator, how long do you let the coffee perk?

I am big on timing everything... Years ago I decided trying 10 minutes for our 14 cup percolator (a relatively large pot). After the pot begins to perk, I turn the heat way down and let it perk for 10 minutes. Makes great coffee for me.

A friend of mine takes the pot off heat the moment he notices the water turning brown. To my taste, makes very weak coffee.

So, how long do you let your percolator perk?

[romore]

I love perc coffee, missus doesn't, so I don't have it very often. I found 5-6 minutes then turning off for three to let the grounds settle makes a fine cup. I drink it straight off the pot, no cream or sugar, but do like a shot of rum in it on a cool morning at the camp site if I'm not driving.

[shum02]

12 minutes. Add a couple shots of Baileys........perfect camp coffee 🙂

Genny to make coffee? Really?!

[paulcardoza]

Obviously, an impossible question to answer for someone else. The perk time depends on:

1. How strong you like it
2. How much coffee grinds you use.

[DwayneN]

If no electricity we boil water and use a Melitta filter into an insulated pot.

[Ductape]

5 minutes once she's perking. Let sit for a few and then we pour through a filter into a thermos to hold the temp.

[Quality_Johnson]

8 minutes of gentle perc time, followed by 3 minutes of settling, then pour into serving cups. Any not served immediately goes in a thermos. In fact, I'll often perc a pot last thing at night, and it will sit in the thermos overnight. Then the first one up has hot coffee, no waiting, and no bothering ones still asleep. (Me.)

[PA12DRVR]

Gonzo42 wrote:
I like mine too thick to swim in and too thin to plow. ...and lots of it.

As my father used to say, "I like it strong enough to float a horseshoe on it, with the horse still attached."

I perk coffee at the cabin (no electricity, just propane) in an enameled steel pot that is circa 20 cups (???). When we make coffee at the cabin, we do it like we mean it.....perk long enough to where it is just barely flavored enough, then keep drinking and perking (low burner) until the pot is gone. Then start another one.

[Gonzo42]

On a Navy ship the coffee can get a bit strong. Especially when they build their own kludge. This thing is loaded with beans and then live steam is passed thru it, turning the beans almost white.

Strong enough to take some skin off one's tongue.

[dewey02]

As you can see by the responses, the flavor and strength of coffee is a highly personal thing.
My suggestion to anyone who hasn't settled on a perk time: On a week long camping trip, keep varying the time of the perk until you get what you like. Some like it weak, some like it strong, some like it to top off their battery cells.

[noteven]

We use the new fangled gas cook top to brew up the morning kaffe. It's quiet.

[Tvov]

Hmmm.... maybe I'll let my friend off the hook a little bit about how quick he perks his coffee.

Oh, and definitely, when sitting on the porch of a hunting cabin in Vermont, EVERYTHING tastes better! (same with sitting under the awning of our camper)

[wtmtnhiker]

I let mine perk for 10 minutes. Doesn't seem to get any stronger after that to my eye and taste.

[Pepperoni]

2oldman wrote:

Geno92308 wrote:
I'm confused on the logic by those who get an inverter to run a pot of coffee in the morning.

Would it be more logical to run a generator?

It would be easier and cheaper to use a 12v coffee pot, or use the stovetop.

Most appliances can be had in 12v

[Gonzo42]

I like mine too thick to swim in and too thin to plow. ...and lots of it.

As my father used to say, "I like it strong enough to float a horseshoe on it, with the horse still attached."

[rexlion]

The consensus seems to be, 'perk to taste'. Everybody likes it different. Personally I don't drink coffee very often, but when I do drink it I use an Aeropress. Recommended method with the Aeropress calls for more ground coffee than one would expect, but with a shorter infusion time of about 30 seconds. My stomach tells me it prefers this method over others, so maybe the short time results in less acidity of the drink, or something.