For coffee addicts that like to walk early

[Damien Reynolds]

So at home I don’t even drink coffee. I also rarely rise early… but on the Camino, well, it’s different.

I look forward to the myriad of better suggestions surely/maybe to follow.

So back in 2005 my mother introduced me to Cafe con Leche. It’s now a Camino staple for me. I look forward to the temporary addiction available at every bar/cafe you will ever go to. It’s also a social thing… everyone almost always wants their coffee and when you sit together and get some, it’s fun.

But what if you like to wake up early to walk? Like I’m talking about before the sun comes up. I met some friends last year on the Camino who loved to get out before dawn.

See the thing is, nothing is open. No early morning coffee before a hike, which to some I imagine sounds kinda crazy. Remember, this is people who like to wear headlamps and walk early in the morning, before the rest of the world wakes up

So what do you do to get that fix?

Well, last year I learned about the instant packs of coffee available at most mercados, even the little ones. I believe they are manufactured by Nestle, think Nescafé. Some of these even come with sugar and cream…

So if you carry a few of these around, in the am, before the sun comes up, you can get your coffee before you bail. With some caveats.

Let’s hope wherever u are staying has a microwave and mugs. Not always the case.

But for sure they will have hot water coming out of the tap… yes, desperate people sometimes require desperate measures.

Also, sometimes the stores only carry the decaf versions! Gasp. So I have substituted instant cappuccino instead.

 

[J Willhaus]

@Damien Reynolds I am really not a nice person until I have had my coffee in the morning and I like to get up and walk early. My husband always walks about 50 paces behind me on these mornings until we find a place that has cafe con leche. I don't speak civilly until I have had my coffee con leche. One Camino day I had to walk 9 km to find an open bar with cafe con leche (somewhere on the meseta). I have tried instant coffee in my water bottle and it was no substitute. Frankly just being a grouch is the only option some days. I doubt if this response helps your cafe con leche quest, however, it may offer some explanation if you encounter a 60 year old woman with a blue backpack, white overshirt, and suncap with a neck drape cover who is sullen and unfriendly between the hours of 6 and 9 a.m. on the Camino.

 

[Damien Reynolds]

@Damien Reynolds I am really not a nice person until I have had my coffee in the morning and I like to get up and walk early. My husband always walks about 50 paces behind me on these mornings until we find a place that has cafe con leche. I don't speak civilly until I have had my coffee con leche. One Camino day I had to walk 9 km to find an open bar with cafe con leche (somewhere on the meseta). I have tried instant coffee in my water bottle and it was no substitute. Frankly just being a grouch is the only option some days. I doubt if this response helps your cafe con leche quest, however, it may offer some explanation if you encounter a 60 year old woman with a blue backpack, white overshirt, and suncap with a neck drape cover who she is sullen and unfriendly between the hours of 6 and 9 a.m. on the Camino.

Yah, that’s the thing. IMO a temporary / less than standard fix cures the grouch for at least a little bit.

 

[trecile]

What do you do to get that fix? Walk a couple of hours then get your café con leche.

 

[Damien Reynolds]

What do you do to get that fix? Walk a couple of hours then get your café con leche.

Sure if you are a glutton for punishment. I fully endorse getting that real cafe a few hours later too.

 

[davebugg]

Since I intensely dislike coffee, if I feel the need to get a boost to early morning energy, I take a caffeine tablet. I go by the motto: "It's the caffeine I need, it's the coffee I can do without".

 

[Camino Chrissy]

I dislike black coffee and only drink one cup of coffee in the morning at home, and absolutely need it "laced" with half & half cream, turning it into a lovely caramel color, and a scant teaspoon of sugar.
I LOVE cafe con leche, and prefer to keep walking until I find a bar open. It's not a "fix" I need, I just enjoy the smooth, milky texture and flavor. I never have a caffeine headache, so no problem waiting for the real thing.

 

[dougfitz]

I have collected a suitable quantity of instant coffee sachets, and I am contemplating adding a small immersion heater to my packing list, as well as coffee whitener. I can hear the howls from the coffee aficionados already, but I would rather have a coffee (and a couple of pieces of fruit) before I start walking if there isn't anything available when I start.

Some time after an hour of walking, I will be looking for an open bar for breakfast, or second breakfast if the place where I stayed has served a basic breakfast.

I recall the morning I left Terradillos de los Templarios early, and arriving at San Nicholas just before 8:30. Another pilgrim and I detoured to find the local bar, only to find it closed. The other pilgrim stormed off in a huff of invective, but I decided to take a few minutes off my feet. Almost exactly at 8:30, there was the sounds of activity coming from the bar, the door opened, and a head emerged to look around at what the fuss might have been. Too late to shout at the pilgrim who had walked out of sight, but I did enjoy my breakfast.

 

[Purple Backpack]

We use one of these, as morning coffee is as necessary as lacing the boots. Caution: unplug before pulling out of liquid. We burned one out by exposing it to air when plugged in. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001U0PA7M/?tag=casaivar02-20

 

[FourSeasons]

I found myself an early riser on the Camino, sometimes before dawn. Oh how I miss those beautiful pre dawn colors or the rays of the sun rising over the meseta. When blessed by the Camino Angel's there would be a machine near the albergue or inside the albergue that would give me that little dixie cup of cafe con leche to get me through those dark mornings. If not, I would press on until I heard the buzz of that frothing machine in the distance. More often than not I didn't get my first cup until an hour or two of walking.

 

[mspath]

We use one of these, as morning coffee is as necessary as lacing the boots. Caution: unplug before pulling out of liquid. We burned one out by exposing it to air when plugged in. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001U0PA7M/?tag=casaivar02-20

Purple Backpack,
For many other earlier posts re coil heaters see this earlier thread

 

[C clearly]

For some reason, this never occurred to me on my own... On one occasion I was dining in a bar in a one-bar town, and asked the owner what time he opened in the morning. It was later than I would be leaving. He suggested that he would put a cafe con leche in a paper cup and I could heat it in the albergue microwave in the morning. It was a lot better than instant coffee!

 

[Damien Reynolds]

For some reason, this never occurred to me on my own... On one occasion I was dining in a bar in a one-bar town, and asked the owner what time he opened in the morning. It was later than I would be leaving. He suggested that he would put a cafe con leche in a paper cup and I could heat it in the albergue microwave in the morning. It was a lot better than instant coffee!

Well, you got lucky. I am not suggesting instant coffee is good compared to a cafe con leche. Just saying if you need it before a day’s walk… well, you have “a way”.

 

[cardifflad52]

So at home I don’t even drink coffee. I also rarely rise early… but on the Camino, well, it’s different.

I look forward to the myriad of better suggestions surely/maybe to follow.

So back in 2005 my mother introduced me to Cafe con Leche. It’s now a Camino staple for me. I look forward to the temporary addiction available at every bar/cafe you will ever go to. It’s also a social thing… everyone almost always wants their coffee and when you sit together and get some, it’s fun.

But what if you like to wake up early to walk? Like I’m talking about before the sun comes up. I met some friends last year on the Camino who loved to get out before dawn.

See the thing is, nothing is open. No early morning coffee before a hike, which to some I imagine sounds kinda crazy. Remember, this is people who like to wear headlamps and walk early in the morning, before the rest of the world wakes up

So what do you do to get that fix?

Well, last year I learned about the instant packs of coffee available at most mercados, even the little ones. I believe they are manufactured by Nestle, think Nescafé. Some of these even come with sugar and cream…

So if you carry a few of these around, in the am, before the sun comes up, you can get your coffee before you bail. With some caveats.

Let’s hope wherever u are staying has a microwave and mugs. Not always the case.

But for sure they will have hot water coming out of the tap… yes, desperate people sometimes require desperate measures.

Also, sometimes the stores only carry the decaf versions! Gasp. So I have substituted instant cappuccino instead.

Whenever I go away on holiday I take a thermal cup and 10 coffee sachets Nescafe 3 in 1 for the mornings ..on the camino there be alberques which don't serve breakfast and when you go out there may be nothing around which is open ..so I have a cup when I get up and another for the road with some fruit such as bananas as a breakfast and some nuts to keep me going till I reach my comfort stop .

 

[RJM]

I purchase about twenty instant coffee, single serving packets before I go to the Camino. Put them in a Ziploc bag. There's several brands of coffee available. They weigh little and since a consumable get smaller and lighter. I used them at albergues with a microwave available, and I carry my own plastic cup to use if nothing microwave safe is available. Those twenty packets I use just for the times I know there's not going to be a cafe open anytime soon. If one is an early riser and walker everyday on the Camino I suggest carrying a light microwave backpacking cup, a water heating coil thing and about 40 coffee packets.

 

[EL LECHERO]

So at home I don’t even drink coffee. I also rarely rise early… but on the Camino, well, it’s different.

I look forward to the myriad of better suggestions surely/maybe to follow.

So back in 2005 my mother introduced me to Cafe con Leche. It’s now a Camino staple for me. I look forward to the temporary addiction available at every bar/cafe you will ever go to. It’s also a social thing… everyone almost always wants their coffee and when you sit together and get some, it’s fun.

But what if you like to wake up early to walk? Like I’m talking about before the sun comes up. I met some friends last year on the Camino who loved to get out before dawn.

See the thing is, nothing is open. No early morning coffee before a hike, which to some I imagine sounds kinda crazy. Remember, this is people who like to wear headlamps and walk early in the morning, before the rest of the world wakes up

So what do you do to get that fix?

Well, last year I learned about the instant packs of coffee available at most mercados, even the little ones. I believe they are manufactured by Nestle, think Nescafé. Some of these even come with sugar and cream…

So if you carry a few of these around, in the am, before the sun comes up, you can get your coffee before you bail. With some caveats.

Let’s hope wherever u are staying has a microwave and mugs. Not always the case.

But for sure they will have hot water coming out of the tap… yes, desperate people sometimes require desperate measures.

Also, sometimes the stores only carry the decaf versions! Gasp. So I have substituted instant cappuccino instead.

One of the days we walked, I believe the day before Robidiso we started early with no breakfast or coffee thinking we would hit the next village. Well we walked 10 miles in the rain with no food or coffee because there wasn't anything open or any villages. Well by lunch time the Caldo, bread and wine hit the spot. My point is be take it if you can get it and be thankful when you do! I wish had some instant coffee at that time

 

[Kanga]

I enjoy the serendipity of finding the first open bar. Sometimes it is only metres after leaving my accommodation, sometimes 12km. I don't ignore the bar that is only metres away, because I've learnt that it might be the only one for a very long time.

 

[EL LECHERO]

I enjoy the serendipity of finding the first open bar. Sometimes it is only metres after leaving my accommodation, sometimes 12km. I don't ignore the bar that is only metres away, because I've learnt that it might be the only one for a very long time.

YUP!

 

[BookGirl305]

Or a Coca-Cola. Caffeine and sugar

 

[Former member 92300]

Well, for me it isn't coffee that is the issue (have never been a coffee fan). I also gave up all caffeine a few years ago. But I do have the same issue with breakfast. After a few really warm days - I started waking up (quietly) at 6 once I am actually awake I quickly (quietly) packed the few items that were out of my pack for sleep purposes and grab my bag - head to the toilets - and quickly leave the albergue to provide minimal disruption. This often meant I was out the door by 6:30 or so. No breakfast available on most days. Which is fine because I hate eating so early in the day. So... I get up, walk a couple hours, and then get breakfast. But due to COVID - I found that even that was a challenge because so many bars were closed or didn't open until 9. So - when I could I bought a few supplies at the grocery stores so in the event I didn't find a bar in a reasonable time - I could still eat SOMETHING for breakfast (even if it was junk food to hold me over). This time I will make sure to get my first grocery store stop in when I arrive in SJPDP.

 

[Stephan the Painter]

Or a Coca-Cola. Caffeine and sugar

Blasphemy!

Are the Nescafe or similar singles easily available in Spain? I have a little immersion heater as well. Haven't decided on the cup yet.....

 

[Arctic_Alex]

Well, I did exactly that, getting up before sunrise way before anyone else. Gulping down a cup of water, leaving the house and chewing on some chocolate while drilling through the first miles of the day. Then after maybe 10 kilometres, on some days after 15, I would have my breakfast with Cafe con Leche somewhere and then blend in among those who just started their pilgrim day ;-)
So if it is just early enough my engine can run on reserves in the morning without it feeling as if I was running on reserves.

 

[RJM]

Blasphemy!

Are the Nescafe or similar singles easily available in Spain? I have a little immersion heater as well. Haven't decided on the cup yet.....

I believe I do remember seeing the small packs of nescafe on the Frances in the grocers.

 

[simply B]

Sorry, but there is no substitute for "real coffee"...so I guess that makes me "impossible". So be it...

I always give fair warning to those attempting to be convivial in my pre-caffeinated presence:

"Look, it is NOT that I am not a 'morning person'. Rather, I am not even a person before imbibing of the nectar of the sacred bean. Look for me to be somewhat sociable after the first 'con leche' of the day. I will be conspicuous at the first bar today. Look for three cups at one chair..."

AND...I am rather surprised to see comments of coffee disaffection from contributors here that I have rather admired in the past. Ah well, we shall never party together!

B

 

[William Garza]

I just discovered chocolate covered expresso beans about 8 hrs ago..
Ohh Lort...
My caffeine need has a new friend..

 

[LavanyaLea]

In the UK, Taylors of Harrogate sells ground coffee (not instant coffee) in sachets, much like tea bags. I hope where I will be staying will have amenities to boil water and a cup! I also have collapsible camping cups but was told in this forum that it’s not necessary to bring.

In Japan and Germany (possibly other countries too of course), there is a kind of pouch with little cardboard feet that clips onto your cup, you open the top of the pouch (which contains coffee) and pour hot water. So it’s like filter coffee for backpackers.

 

[WalkingJane]

So at home I don’t even drink coffee. I also rarely rise early… but on the Camino, well, it’s different.

I look forward to the myriad of better suggestions surely/maybe to follow.

So back in 2005 my mother introduced me to Cafe con Leche. It’s now a Camino staple for me. I look forward to the temporary addiction available at every bar/cafe you will ever go to. It’s also a social thing… everyone almost always wants their coffee and when you sit together and get some, it’s fun.

But what if you like to wake up early to walk? Like I’m talking about before the sun comes up. I met some friends last year on the Camino who loved to get out before dawn.

See the thing is, nothing is open. No early morning coffee before a hike, which to some I imagine sounds kinda crazy. Remember, this is people who like to wear headlamps and walk early in the morning, before the rest of the world wakes up

So what do you do to get that fix?

Well, last year I learned about the instant packs of coffee available at most mercados, even the little ones. I believe they are manufactured by Nestle, think Nescafé. Some of these even come with sugar and cream…

So if you carry a few of these around, in the am, before the sun comes up, you can get your coffee before you bail. With some caveats.

Let’s hope wherever u are staying has a microwave and mugs. Not always the case.

But for sure they will have hot water coming out of the tap… yes, desperate people sometimes require desperate measures.

Also, sometimes the stores only carry the decaf versions! Gasp. So I have substituted instant cappuccino instead.

My kind of person! Happy caffeination.

 

[cardifflad52]

Blasphemy!

Are the Nescafe or similar singles easily available in Spain? I have a little immersion heater as well. Haven't decided on the cup yet.....

Yes you can find the coffee sachets in Spain from most of the stores you come across even the corner shops which sell groceries should have them

 

[Adventure_Queen]

So at home I don’t even drink coffee. I also rarely rise early… but on the Camino, well, it’s different.

I look forward to the myriad of better suggestions surely/maybe to follow.

So back in 2005 my mother introduced me to Cafe con Leche. It’s now a Camino staple for me. I look forward to the temporary addiction available at every bar/cafe you will ever go to. It’s also a social thing… everyone almost always wants their coffee and when you sit together and get some, it’s fun.

But what if you like to wake up early to walk? Like I’m talking about before the sun comes up. I met some friends last year on the Camino who loved to get out before dawn.

See the thing is, nothing is open. No early morning coffee before a hike, which to some I imagine sounds kinda crazy. Remember, this is people who like to wear headlamps and walk early in the morning, before the rest of the world wakes up

So what do you do to get that fix?

Well, last year I learned about the instant packs of coffee available at most mercados, even the little ones. I believe they are manufactured by Nestle, think Nescafé. Some of these even come with sugar and cream…

So if you carry a few of these around, in the am, before the sun comes up, you can get your coffee before you bail. With some caveats.

Let’s hope wherever u are staying has a microwave and mugs. Not always the case.

But for sure they will have hot water coming out of the tap… yes, desperate people sometimes require desperate measures.

Also, sometimes the stores only carry the decaf versions! Gasp. So I have substituted instant cappuccino instead.

In 2017 I took my jet boil and bought a canister of gas to heat my water every morning. That was 2 pounds that I added to my already too heavy pack. It was worth it though. This year, I am leaving the jet boil at home and bringing an electric water heater coil and my own very light cup in addition to the instant coffee. for just a few grams of weight I will get my coffee every morning when I wake up. I am also a very early riser.

 

[Elizabeth-o]

What do you do to get that fix? Walk a couple of hours then get your café con leche.

I agree about walking several hours then stopping for a "cafe con leche GRANDE, por favor." This was an additional perk (pun intended) to our Camino because it afforded my husband and me the opportunity to enjoy the company of other peregrinos as well as a slice of tortilla española as we took a little break!

 

[Arniece2022]

I also planned to take an immersion heater. I'm a coffee drinker, but if the weather is wet and/or cold, I will really enjoy a Chai tea while beginning my walk of the day. There's something about cold, wet and Chai that just naturally goes together - and makes me hope for some of those starts.

 

[Plataman]

So at home I don’t even drink coffee. I also rarely rise early… but on the Camino, well, it’s different.

I look forward to the myriad of better suggestions surely/maybe to follow.

So back in 2005 my mother introduced me to Cafe con Leche. It’s now a Camino staple for me. I look forward to the temporary addiction available at every bar/cafe you will ever go to. It’s also a social thing… everyone almost always wants their coffee and when you sit together and get some, it’s fun.

But what if you like to wake up early to walk? Like I’m talking about before the sun comes up. I met some friends last year on the Camino who loved to get out before dawn.

See the thing is, nothing is open. No early morning coffee before a hike, which to some I imagine sounds kinda crazy. Remember, this is people who like to wear headlamps and walk early in the morning, before the rest of the world wakes up

So what do you do to get that fix?

Well, last year I learned about the instant packs of coffee available at most mercados, even the little ones. I believe they are manufactured by Nestle, think Nescafé. Some of these even come with sugar and cream…

So if you carry a few of these around, in the am, before the sun comes up, you can get your coffee before you bail. With some caveats.

Let’s hope wherever u are staying has a microwave and mugs. Not always the case.

But for sure they will have hot water coming out of the tap… yes, desperate people sometimes require desperate measures.

Also, sometimes the stores only carry the decaf versions! Gasp. So I have substituted instant cappuccino instead.

I immediately identified with your post. As an early riser I look forward to the morning coffee, matter of fact the day does not really start for me until I get that first slug of coffee in me. To address the problem you mention, I take along a supply of the Starbucks instant packs, available at any grocery store in North America, likely elsewhere. They weigh nothing, and taking along a dozen or so has saved the day for me many times. Thanks for the reminder, I am walking again this Sept, will now go add those to my list!

 

[RibbonRomanceAuthor]

Another coffee aficionado here but partly bc having it prevents me from getting a migraine. I’d rather have coffee than a medication. That said, someone in these forums mentioned ‘cortado’ as being a good (caffeine+ electrolytes). Is that the same as cafe con leche?

 

[Camisalia-22]

@Damien Reynolds I am really not a nice person until I have had my coffee in the morning and I like to get up and walk early. My husband always walks about 50 paces behind me on these mornings until we find a place that has cafe con leche. I don't speak civilly until I have had my coffee con leche. One Camino day I had to walk 9 km to find an open bar with cafe con leche (somewhere on the meseta). I have tried instant coffee in my water bottle and it was no substitute. Frankly just being a grouch is the only option some days. I doubt if this response helps your cafe con leche quest, however, it may offer some explanation if you encounter a 60 year old woman with a blue backpack, white overshirt, and suncap with a neck drape cover who is sullen and unfriendly between the hours of 6 and 9 a.m. on the Camino.

 

[Dilbin]

So at home I don’t even drink coffee. I also rarely rise early… but on the Camino, well, it’s different.

I look forward to the myriad of better suggestions surely/maybe to follow.

So back in 2005 my mother introduced me to Cafe con Leche. It’s now a Camino staple for me. I look forward to the temporary addiction available at every bar/cafe you will ever go to. It’s also a social thing… everyone almost always wants their coffee and when you sit together and get some, it’s fun.

But what if you like to wake up early to walk? Like I’m talking about before the sun comes up. I met some friends last year on the Camino who loved to get out before dawn.

See the thing is, nothing is open. No early morning coffee before a hike, which to some I imagine sounds kinda crazy. Remember, this is people who like to wear headlamps and walk early in the morning, before the rest of the world wakes up

So what do you do to get that fix?

Well, last year I learned about the instant packs of coffee available at most mercados, even the little ones. I believe they are manufactured by Nestle, think Nescafé. Some of these even come with sugar and cream…

So if you carry a few of these around, in the am, before the sun comes up, you can get your coffee before you bail. With some caveats.

Let’s hope wherever u are staying has a microwave and mugs. Not always the case.

But for sure they will have hot water coming out of the tap… yes, desperate people sometimes require desperate measures.

Also, sometimes the stores only carry the decaf versions! Gasp. So I have substituted instant cappuccino instead.

Hi. My solution for this problem is to get a take away coffee the night before and basically drink it cold in morning if no microwave available. It's not Ideal but I get an incredible headache without my morning fix and this solution had saved me many mornings. I also love the experience of leaving early and walking as the sun rises

 

[jrviegas]

What you need is a portable "Chorreador" and a bag of Costa Rican coffee
A chorreador is a coffee making device used in Costa Rica in which hot water is poured through coffee grounds held in a cloth filter mounted on a wooden stand that drips into a mug below.
Made a bunch of these as Christmas gifts a few years ago.
Maybe some creamer and hot water and you are good to go!

 

[PilgrimLiving]

So at home I don’t even drink coffee. I also rarely rise early… but on the Camino, well, it’s different.

I look forward to the myriad of better suggestions surely/maybe to follow.

So back in 2005 my mother introduced me to Cafe con Leche. It’s now a Camino staple for me. I look forward to the temporary addiction available at every bar/cafe you will ever go to. It’s also a social thing… everyone almost always wants their coffee and when you sit together and get some, it’s fun.

But what if you like to wake up early to walk? Like I’m talking about before the sun comes up. I met some friends last year on the Camino who loved to get out before dawn.

See the thing is, nothing is open. No early morning coffee before a hike, which to some I imagine sounds kinda crazy. Remember, this is people who like to wear headlamps and walk early in the morning, before the rest of the world wakes up

So what do you do to get that fix?

Well, last year I learned about the instant packs of coffee available at most mercados, even the little ones. I believe they are manufactured by Nestle, think Nescafé. Some of these even come with sugar and cream…

So if you carry a few of these around, in the am, before the sun comes up, you can get your coffee before you bail. With some caveats.

Let’s hope wherever u are staying has a microwave and mugs. Not always the case.

But for sure they will have hot water coming out of the tap… yes, desperate people sometimes require desperate measures.

Also, sometimes the stores only carry the decaf versions! Gasp. So I have substituted instant cappuccino instead.

Starbucks Via is the best instant coffee IMO. However, I’d rather walk grumpily for 2 hrs to get a real coffee. An Aeropress might be a good solution if you want to carry a light plastic press and some ground coffee.

 

[Camisalia-22]

What you need is a portable "Chorreador" and a bag of Costa Rican coffee
A chorreador is a coffee making device used in Costa Rica in which hot water is poured through coffee grounds held in a cloth filter mounted on a wooden stand that drips into a mug below.
Made a bunch of these as Christmas gifts a few years ago.
Maybe some creamer and hot water and you are good to go!
View attachment 121101 View attachment 121102

Wow! Just learned of this device just now.

 

[TreshaA2]

We use one of these, as morning coffee is as necessary as lacing the boots. Caution: unplug before pulling out of liquid. We burned one out by exposing it to air when plugged in. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001U0PA7M/?tag=casaivar02-20

Immersion heaters are wonderful but tricky-- AND this one you posted has an adaptor for 240v. I once blew out an outlet forgetting that I need that adaptor!! Buen Camino!!

 

[camino.ninja]

So at home I don’t even drink coffee. I also rarely rise early… but on the Camino, well, it’s different.

I look forward to the myriad of better suggestions surely/maybe to follow.

So back in 2005 my mother introduced me to Cafe con Leche. It’s now a Camino staple for me. I look forward to the temporary addiction available at every bar/cafe you will ever go to. It’s also a social thing… everyone almost always wants their coffee and when you sit together and get some, it’s fun.

But what if you like to wake up early to walk? Like I’m talking about before the sun comes up. I met some friends last year on the Camino who loved to get out before dawn.

See the thing is, nothing is open. No early morning coffee before a hike, which to some I imagine sounds kinda crazy. Remember, this is people who like to wear headlamps and walk early in the morning, before the rest of the world wakes up

So what do you do to get that fix?

Well, last year I learned about the instant packs of coffee available at most mercados, even the little ones. I believe they are manufactured by Nestle, think Nescafé. Some of these even come with sugar and cream…

So if you carry a few of these around, in the am, before the sun comes up, you can get your coffee before you bail. With some caveats.

Let’s hope wherever u are staying has a microwave and mugs. Not always the case.

But for sure they will have hot water coming out of the tap… yes, desperate people sometimes require desperate measures.

Also, sometimes the stores only carry the decaf versions! Gasp. So I have substituted instant cappuccino instead.

I feel your pain!

The instant coffee is only good if you are trying to stop drinking coffee.

If no boiling water is available you can cold soak coffee grounds in a water bottle for at least 20 minutes or even better over night: Cold Brew Cowboy Coffee.

If you have access to boiling water just pour it over coffee grounds, stir it, and wait for 5 minutes until the grounds settle at the bottom of your mug: Cowboy Coffee / Turkish Coffee

 

[Bob91]

In 2017 I took my jet boil and bought a canister of gas to heat my water every morning. That was 2 pounds that I added to my already too heavy pack. It was worth it though. This year, I am leaving the jet boil at home and bringing an electric water heater coil and my own very light cup in addition to the instant coffee. for just a few grams of weight I will get my coffee every morning when I wake up. I am also a very early riser.

Last fall, a member of our Camino family carried such a backpacking stove. On the few occasions we lacked a kitchen or breakfast source, she heated water for us. I ALWAYS carried packets of instant coffee and my own cup. I can't put into words how important coffee is to me in the morning. On those days, she saved my life! On my next Camino, I intend to carry an immersion heater just to be safe.
Bob91

 

[tpalmercurl]

I dislike black coffee and only drink one cup of coffee in the morning at home, and absolutely need it "laced" with half & half cream, turning it into a lovely caramel color, and a scant teaspoon of sugar.
I LOVE cafe con leche, and prefer to keep walking until I find a bar open. It's not a "fix" I need, I just enjoy the smooth, milky texture and flavor. I never have a caffeine headache, so no problem waiting for the real thing.

Ditto. I never compromise on the quality of the coffee. I'll walk all day before I drink instant with hot water from the tap!

 

[Katherine Radeka]

Like many here, I'm just not a human being until I've had my coffee - a 3 cup French Press poured into a giant mug in my case.

I've been thinking about bringing an Aeropress and an immersion heater but I like the cold brew overnight option even better.

Backcountry Cold Brew Coffee | Adventure Dining Guide

How to make cold brew coffee in the outdoors. This easy to make recipe tastes amazing! Life is too short to drink bad coffee, so start your day off right.

www.adventurediningguide.com

 

[oursonpolaire]

Another coffee aficionado here but partly bc having it prevents me from getting a migraine. I’d rather have coffee than a medication. That said, someone in these forums mentioned ‘cortado’ as being a good (caffeine+ electrolytes). Is that the same as cafe con leche?

I have no idea about the elctrolyte levels but long ago began to seek out cortados-- one of my Spanish friends assures me that it is the best way to drink coffee.

 

[TreshaA2]

Everyone who is considering an immersion heater who has never used one before, make sure it is rated for 240v and you'll need your adaptor- because most have the US plug. Here is a quick tutorial on youtube for them:

 

[RJM]

This is what I have carried before to the Camino. The cup is microwave safe, but if one never plans on using a microwave there are titanium ones available, too. Same with the spork. They make some really nice titanium ones. I like the reusable qualities of the cup and spork, and the cup is 12 oz in capacity. Plenty big enough for a 6-8 oz cup of coffee. I have even carried the cup on the outside of my pack and used it at water fountains along the Frances, keeping a 500 ml bottle full in a pocket of my pack. I don't use up the filled bottle unless I have to. I just use the cup at the fountains. Saves me from carrying the weight of another full 500 ml bottle. I do that when I know I am walking a section with plenty of opportunities to hydrate.
The cup and spork is inexpensive and lightweight and if one decides they don't want to carry it anymore one can just leave them in an albergue kitchen. They will be used.
The Cafe Bustelo is just my favorite brand of instant coffee. Little more edge to it lol.

 

[JLV]

jrviegas
Yes I used that cloth cone style in Peru South America. That was some good coffee. I was there for six months. I used it in the smaller towns with no cafe bars, in the larger cities I had no problem finding caffeine

 

[Damien Reynolds]

What you need is a portable "Chorreador" and a bag of Costa Rican coffee
A chorreador is a coffee making device used in Costa Rica in which hot water is poured through coffee grounds held in a cloth filter mounted on a wooden stand that drips into a mug below.
Made a bunch of these as Christmas gifts a few years ago.
Maybe some creamer and hot water and you are good to go!
View attachment 121101 View attachment 121102

Wow. How much does it weigh?

 

[JLV]

the one I used had a thin wire handle that the cone was sewn onto it weighed nothing.

 

[Vermont Pat]

Everyone needs to decide what is so precious it will take up space and weight in the pack. For us, a hot beverage in the morning is essential to get both mind and body going, if you catch my drift, and both coffee and a bathroom can be hard to find in the early hours.
We brought this system with us on our last walk, the Francigena, and now bring it everywhere. A small kettle (see picture), an adapter, mug from REI, instant coffee, and tea. Total weight less than two pounds, which we split. Such a small thing, big payoff. Then a leisurely drink when we stop somewhere.

 

[vjpdx]

Another coffee aficionado here but partly bc having it prevents me from getting a migraine. I’d rather have coffee than a medication. That said, someone in these forums mentioned ‘cortado’ as being a good (caffeine+ electrolytes). Is that the same as cafe con leche?

A cortado is equal parts (ish) espresso and milk. So a little less milk than a cafe con leche.

Here's a video about types of coffee/espresso you might run across:

ETA: espresso does have a small amount of potassium... but a banana has 3 times more.

 

[Kathy F.]

I am a coffee freak, also.

I was never the first out of the gate in the morning, preferring the quieter atmosphere after those who NEEDED to get out, got out. I packed up, left, and started walking. Usually, after 30-45 minutes of walking (maybe sooner if I was in a city), I would find a cafe open and serving what has become my new standard breakfast - cafe con leche and a croissant.

I realized that it wasn't only the caffeine hit that I needed. I appreciated the morning conversation with those early morning businessowners and fellow pilgrims. The cafes were open mainly to supply pilgrims, making the counterpersons one of us, in their own way, in my mind. That camaraderie first thing in the morning, over a hot cup of coffee, was one of the pleasantest and most motivating aspects of my walks.

 

[rojasa]

When reviewing my packing list (CF fall '21), the only thing I missed was an immersion/coil heater and a cup. Those mornings with grains of Nescafe floating in a cup of tepid tap water made me awfully grateful for that first cafe con leche in an open bar later in the day...(To keep pack weight down on the next Camino, I'll be trading out an unused clothesline and an unused pair of earbuds for that coil!)

 

[davebugg]

Since I intensely dislike coffee, if I feel the need to get a boost to early morning energy, I take a caffeine tablet. I go by the motto: "It's the caffeine I need, it's the coffee I can do without".

To those astounded or dismayed by my post, including those giving me 'Wow' feedback, you are in good company. My wife (Jill) and kids consider my dislike of coffee to be amusingly heretical.

One of my three boys, Jared, works at a Batdorf & Bronson Roastery shop in Olympia, Washington. He competes in Barista contests and is trained as a professional coffee roaster. When he drives to East Wenatchee to visit home, he always brings Jill a few bags of the freshly roasted and ground makings for the vile stuff

When Jill accompanied me on one of my camino pilgrimages (Ingles) she was every bit the Cafe con Leche zealot that can be found in this thread

 

[Damien Reynolds]

To those astounded or dismayed by my post, including those giving me 'Wow' feedback, you are in good company. My wife (Jill) and kids consider my dislike of coffee to be amusingly heretical.

One of my three boys, Jared, works at a Batdorf & Bronson Roastery shop in Olympia, Washington. He competes in Barista contests and is trained as a professional coffee roaster. When he drives to East Wenatchee to visit home, he always brings Jill a few bags of the freshly roasted and ground makings for the vile stuff

When Jill accompanied me on one of my camino pilgrimages (Ingles) she was every bit the Cafe con Leche zealot that can be found in this thread

I don’t remember any negative posts about what you wrote.

 

[sharonmonty]

Ok so contrary view here. The only civilised way to start your day is tea. There is nothing better.
After a meal black coffee. Not instant. No milk.
Other people will have their own views!

 

[Anamiri]

Sorry, but there is no substitute for "real coffee"...so I guess that makes me "impossible". So be it...

I always give fair warning to those attempting to be convivial in my pre-caffeinated presence:

"Look, it is NOT that I am not a 'morning person'. Rather, I am not even a person before imbibing of the nectar of the sacred bean. Look for me to be somewhat sociable after the first 'con leche' of the day. I will be conspicuous at the first bar today. Look for three cups at one chair..."

AND...I am rather surprised to see comments of coffee disaffection from contributors here that I have rather admired in the past. Ah well, we shall never party together!

B

Your post made me laugh, and reminded me of my sister.
I walked with her for a week, and she was not talkative in the mornings. We would head out, and she would walk silently, then an hour or so later she would see an open bar and just about start running!
By the time I got there she would just about be human. Another and she was back to normal.

 

[davebugg]

I don’t remember any negative posts about what you wrote.

I did not say there were any negative posts. And both of my posts in this thread were done in the spirit of humor

 

[maruska89]

So at home I don’t even drink coffee. I also rarely rise early… but on the Camino, well, it’s different.

I look forward to the myriad of better suggestions surely/maybe to follow.

So back in 2005 my mother introduced me to Cafe con Leche. It’s now a Camino staple for me. I look forward to the temporary addiction available at every bar/cafe you will ever go to. It’s also a social thing… everyone almost always wants their coffee and when you sit together and get some, it’s fun.

But what if you like to wake up early to walk? Like I’m talking about before the sun comes up. I met some friends last year on the Camino who loved to get out before dawn.

See the thing is, nothing is open. No early morning coffee before a hike, which to some I imagine sounds kinda crazy. Remember, this is people who like to wear headlamps and walk early in the morning, before the rest of the world wakes up

So what do you do to get that fix?

Well, last year I learned about the instant packs of coffee available at most mercados, even the little ones. I believe they are manufactured by Nestle, think Nescafé. Some of these even come with sugar and cream…

So if you carry a few of these around, in the am, before the sun comes up, you can get your coffee before you bail. With some caveats.

Let’s hope wherever u are staying has a microwave and mugs. Not always the case.

But for sure they will have hot water coming out of the tap… yes, desperate people sometimes require desperate measures.

Also, sometimes the stores only carry the decaf versions! Gasp. So I have substituted instant cappuccino instead.

oh my gosh, I have the same need for a coffee first thing in the morning. My last camino I brought along an imersion coil, but it being the Frances, I only needed it a few times. Now I am leaving for the VDLP april 8th and decided to bring it again. There won't be the multiple cafe options this time around so I know I will be using my coil. I also bring several Starbucks Via packets along and will replenish with whatever brand I find in Spain, along with a very lightweight mug.

 

[Damien Reynolds]

oh my gosh, I have the same need for a coffee first thing in the morning. My last camino I brought along an imersion coil, but it being the Frances, I only needed it a few times. Now I am leaving for the VDLP april 8th and decided to bring it again. There won't be the multiple cafe options this time around so I know I will be using my coil. I also bring several Starbucks Via packets along and will replenish with whatever brand I find in Spain, along with a very lightweight mug.

Good idea to bring stuff on the VDLP. Bad ass.

 

[hel&scott]

Well you have hit the mother load here, caffeine is the rocket fuel behind many a Camino. Personally I can't stand instant, and as one of those early risers I am happy to walk a few hours in the morning and watch the sun rise over the way before finding the first cafe open in the morning. Tosta and cafe con leche never tasted so good. Only to be bested by a cold beer at the other end of the day.

 

[longwalker60]

So at home I don’t even drink coffee. I also rarely rise early… but on the Camino, well, it’s different.

I look forward to the myriad of better suggestions surely/maybe to follow.

So back in 2005 my mother introduced me to Cafe con Leche. It’s now a Camino staple for me. I look forward to the temporary addiction available at every bar/cafe you will ever go to. It’s also a social thing… everyone almost always wants their coffee and when you sit together and get some, it’s fun.

But what if you like to wake up early to walk? Like I’m talking about before the sun comes up. I met some friends last year on the Camino who loved to get out before dawn.

See the thing is, nothing is open. No early morning coffee before a hike, which to some I imagine sounds kinda crazy. Remember, this is people who like to wear headlamps and walk early in the morning, before the rest of the world wakes up

So what do you do to get that fix?

Well, last year I learned about the instant packs of coffee available at most mercados, even the little ones. I believe they are manufactured by Nestle, think Nescafé. Some of these even come with sugar and cream…

So if you carry a few of these around, in the am, before the sun comes up, you can get your coffee before you bail. With some caveats.

Let’s hope wherever u are staying has a microwave and mugs. Not always the case.

But for sure they will have hot water coming out of the tap… yes, desperate people sometimes require desperate measures.

Also, sometimes the stores only carry the decaf versions! Gasp. So I have substituted instant cappuccino instead.

Normally, When the albergue did not have breakfast, I would walk to the next town usually within an hour or two, and order my camino breakfast-Coffee and a croissant; many times I would also splurge and get the orange juice, which was squeezed right in front of you.( Cant beat the taste of fresh squeezed Orange juice). Something special, about sitting down in a local cafe, drinking a cup of coffee, and watching other pilgrims entering after you. Watching the world go by, but getting ready to be a part of it. Buen Camino!

 

[Damien Reynolds]

Normally, When the albergue did not have breakfast, I would walk to the next town usually within an hour or two, and order my camino breakfast-Coffee and a croissant; many times I would also splurge and get the orange juice, which was squeezed right in front of you.( Cant beat the taste of fresh squeezed Orange juice). Something special, about sitting down in a local cafe, drinking a cup of coffee, and watching other pilgrims entering after you. Watching the world go by, but getting ready to be a part of it. Buen Camino!

Ok, just to be sure. I agree with everything you said. Nothing better than hanging out with the friends met or to be met. Still tho, I like my coffee right quick.

 

[Jeff Crawley]

If you really need the early morning boost then it's an espresso, rinse the cup grounds with a shot of aguadiente and drain it in one gulp - jet fuel.

 

[Marbe2]

We leave very early in the morning regularly when there is the slightest chance of hot weather or inclement weather later in the day. We bring an immersion heater, tea bags,two titanium cups, some type of instant coffee, oatmeal packets as well as bouillon cubes. Late in the afternoon we usually buy Okios natural. yogurt,milk, as well as fresh oranges,tomatoes, and two bananas. And we keep an ongoing supply of small of granola and nuts in our packs. We rise early, make our breakfast in our private room (not disturbing others). We usually have some combo of yogurt granola,nuts, oatmeal,with banana and a hot drink. We wash the skins of the Oranges and Tomatoes, then quarter them, put them in a small plastic bag and we eat a quarter of one about every twenty minutes while walking. It is rare that we see a place open before we have walked for two hours. Some mornings we have gone as far as 10km before seeing anything open. But then we treat ourselves to a cafe con leche and share one of those huge chocolate croissants.

 

[Jeff Crawley]

I did think about suggesting cold fusion coffee - let it steep overnight in a small nylon mesh "nut milk" bag and then I remembered my niece bringing some of these home from a world trip

Vietnamese drip coffee

 

[pepi]

As a true coffee lover, I would never ever consider instant, instead, I'd rather remain sober for an hour or two on the trail, as I have done at times.
I can't believe that some here seriously call themselves "coffee lovers" in this thread and yet refer to this hideous brew as an alternative.
On my first Camino in 2013, I took along this mini espresso maker plus a pound of premium ground highland coffee.



The problem with this was manifold: firstly, the extra weight, and secondly, the compelling need for a hot plate. In addition, I was able to find out very quickly that they have wonderful coffee in Spain. No, I do not mean the "Cafe con Leche", but the Corte, Cafe solo, or whatever it is called.

The thing was extremely practical and I became very popular among early risers, btw
Nevertheless, I left the device at home on my subsequent Caminos and have since managed very well with the simple solution to start walking only at about 8:00 am. At this hour, there is practically always an open bar around the corner...and if not, then I just run an hour without.
With my normal daily walk routine of about 5 to 6 hours, I still arrive very early at the next place. (With the day heat I rarely have a problem, because I prefer my Caminos taking place in the fall.)

If anyone is interested in my Italian Espresso Maker, I would possibly part with this collectible beauty in mint condition and consider offers starting at 100 Euro, the entire proceeds to be donated to the Ukraine refugees via the ICRC.
The auction would be conducted publicly and openly in this thread.

 

[walkinglover]

So at home I don’t even drink coffee. I also rarely rise early… but on the Camino, well, it’s different.

I look forward to the myriad of better suggestions surely/maybe to follow.

So back in 2005 my mother introduced me to Cafe con Leche. It’s now a Camino staple for me. I look forward to the temporary addiction available at every bar/cafe you will ever go to. It’s also a social thing… everyone almost always wants their coffee and when you sit together and get some, it’s fun.

But what if you like to wake up early to walk? Like I’m talking about before the sun comes up. I met some friends last year on the Camino who loved to get out before dawn.

See the thing is, nothing is open. No early morning coffee before a hike, which to some I imagine sounds kinda crazy. Remember, this is people who like to wear headlamps and walk early in the morning, before the rest of the world wakes up

So what do you do to get that fix?

Well, last year I learned about the instant packs of coffee available at most mercados, even the little ones. I believe they are manufactured by Nestle, think Nescafé. Some of these even come with sugar and cream…

So if you carry a few of these around, in the am, before the sun comes up, you can get your coffee before you bail. With some caveats.

Let’s hope wherever u are staying has a microwave and mugs. Not always the case.

But for sure they will have hot water coming out of the tap… yes, desperate people sometimes require desperate measures.

Also, sometimes the stores only carry the decaf versions! Gasp. So I have substituted instant cappuccino instead.

Not having something hot to drink before starting out at 6:00 a.m. was the hardest part of my '16 trip. In '17, I purchased a small, 12 oz, hot/cold thermos. I filled it each evening with coffee, Americana. It stayed warm enough for me to enjoy it the following morning.

 

[Old Kiwi]

I always leave the albergue at 6am and I am quite happy to walk an hour or two to get to a bar for my morning coffee and potato omelette.

 

[WhiteLotus]

So at home I don’t even drink coffee. I also rarely rise early… but on the Camino, well, it’s different.

I look forward to the myriad of better suggestions surely/maybe to follow.

So back in 2005 my mother introduced me to Cafe con Leche. It’s now a Camino staple for me. I look forward to the temporary addiction available at every bar/cafe you will ever go to. It’s also a social thing… everyone almost always wants their coffee and when you sit together and get some, it’s fun.

But what if you like to wake up early to walk? Like I’m talking about before the sun comes up. I met some friends last year on the Camino who loved to get out before dawn.

See the thing is, nothing is open. No early morning coffee before a hike, which to some I imagine sounds kinda crazy. Remember, this is people who like to wear headlamps and walk early in the morning, before the rest of the world wakes up

So what do you do to get that fix?

Well, last year I learned about the instant packs of coffee available at most mercados, even the little ones. I believe they are manufactured by Nestle, think Nescafé. Some of these even come with sugar and cream…

So if you carry a few of these around, in the am, before the sun comes up, you can get your coffee before you bail. With some caveats.

Let’s hope wherever u are staying has a microwave and mugs. Not always the case.

But for sure they will have hot water coming out of the tap… yes, desperate people sometimes require desperate measures.

Also, sometimes the stores only carry the decaf versions! Gasp. So I have substituted instant cappuccino instead.

I purchased a mug and a heating coil to add to our Camino supplies one each for myself and daughter for this very reason as she always has to start her day with a coffee. The mug only weighs 3.5 oz, has a flip lid and sleeve and the coil heats up super fast just never remove it from the water until you unplug it or it blows the element. Worth every penny! ️

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08SB6ZJ9Z/?tag=casaivar02-20

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001U0PA7M/?tag=casaivar02-20

 

[brian560]

I have collected a suitable quantity of instant coffee sachets, and I am contemplating adding a small immersion heater to my packing list, as well as coffee whitener. I can hear the howls from the coffee aficionados already, but I would rather have a coffee (and a couple of pieces of fruit) before I start walking if there isn't anything available when I start.

Some time after an hour of walking, I will be looking for an open bar for breakfast, or second breakfast if the place where I stayed has served a basic breakfast.

I recall the morning I left Terradillos de los Templarios early, and arriving at San Nicholas just before 8:30. Another pilgrim and I detoured to find the local bar, only to find it closed. The other pilgrim stormed off in a huff of invective, but I decided to take a few minutes off my feet. Almost exactly at 8:30, there was the sounds of activity coming from the bar, the door opened, and a head emerged to look around at what the fuss might have been. Too late to shout at the pilgrim who had walked out of sight, but I did enjoy my breakfast.

Most albergues have microwaves if nothing else. I use the microwave to boil water in a Sea to Summit collapsible cup with a coffee sachet.

 

[cardifflad52]

Yes you can find the coffee sachets in Spain from most of the stores you come across even the corner shops which sell groceries should have them

Thinking about it though Costa , Nero and Starbucks here in the UK don't know how to make a Cafe Con Leche, roll on Saturday in Valcarlos where I can enjoy a mug full while on my comfort break it be worth the weight in gold

 

[simply B]

Another coffee aficionado here but partly bc having it prevents me from getting a migraine. I’d rather have coffee than a medication. That said, someone in these forums mentioned ‘cortado’ as being a good (caffeine+ electrolytes). Is that the same as cafe con leche?

To be honest, I could get all pedantic on the similarities and differences between the cortado and the con leche...but I won't because no one deserves that kind of treatment without long familiarity.

Suffice to say that the cortado is slightly more tilted toward milk than con leche and that is about the sum total of difference between them.

If desirous of more electrolytes then snag a banana or some dried apricots at the mercado the night before.

B

 

[simply B]

Ok so contrary view here. The only civilised way to start your day is tea. There is nothing better.
After a meal black coffee. Not instant. No milk.
Other people will have their own views!

Well, as it happens, I DO have my own view...

Were there a way to give a quality Lapsang Souchong a proper prep in the morning with a seasoned pot THEN we could agree on a (as alternative to coffee) suitable way to start the day with tea.

Other than that? Nope, not happening...

Those whose caffeine needs can be satisfied with some tea will just have to understand that some of us have to exhibit "social restraint" until we get the real goods.

B

 

[dougfitz]

Suffice to say that the cortado is slightly more tilted toward milk than con leche and that is about the sum total of difference between them.

I rather suspect that in Spain, milk is scalded, rather than just steamed. There are a lot of health reasons to do so if one isn't using pasteurised milk. Noting that most places seemed to be using UHT, that isn't as compelling a reason as it might once have been. I think this contributes to the unique flavour of a good cafe con leche.

Somewhat greater care is required using scalded milk to ensure that it doesn't burn, which might have been an issue if the milk was being prepared on a stove, but expresso machines remove most of that risk as well.

 

[dougfitz]

The only civilised way to start your day is tea.

Hmm ..., I can think of more civilised ways of starting one's day than either tea or coffee!

 

[brian560]

So at home I don’t even drink coffee. I also rarely rise early… but on the Camino, well, it’s different.

I look forward to the myriad of better suggestions surely/maybe to follow.

So back in 2005 my mother introduced me to Cafe con Leche. It’s now a Camino staple for me. I look forward to the temporary addiction available at every bar/cafe you will ever go to. It’s also a social thing… everyone almost always wants their coffee and when you sit together and get some, it’s fun.

But what if you like to wake up early to walk? Like I’m talking about before the sun comes up. I met some friends last year on the Camino who loved to get out before dawn.

See the thing is, nothing is open. No early morning coffee before a hike, which to some I imagine sounds kinda crazy. Remember, this is people who like to wear headlamps and walk early in the morning, before the rest of the world wakes up

So what do you do to get that fix?

Well, last year I learned about the instant packs of coffee available at most mercados, even the little ones. I believe they are manufactured by Nestle, think Nescafé. Some of these even come with sugar and cream…

So if you carry a few of these around, in the am, before the sun comes up, you can get your coffee before you bail. With some caveats.

Let’s hope wherever u are staying has a microwave and mugs. Not always the case.

But for sure they will have hot water coming out of the tap… yes, desperate people sometimes require desperate measures.

Also, sometimes the stores only carry the decaf versions! Gasp. So I have substituted instant cappuccino instead.

I use a silicone collapsible cup and coffee sachets. Most albergues have a microwave if nothing else.

 

[peregrina2000]

This year, I am leaving the jet boil at home and bringing an electric water heater coil and my own very light cup in addition to the instant coffee.

FINALLY — someone on this thread who is eligible for induction into the Electric Coil Club!

See this thread.

I do agree with those who say it’s may be almost silly to bring one on the Camino Francés, Norte, Portugués, Primitivo… on these and other well-traveled caminos, there is really no need. But on the untraveled caminos that many of us love — on those caminos, it can be a real godsend!

 

[John Holland]

A special thankyou to "jeanineonthecamino", the only respondent who says she is an early riser but attempts to quietly pack and leave. To all other early risers, before you worry about coffee please please exit quietly in the morning. This means: pack the night before; do not put boots on until at the door; do not rustle plastic bags (preferably do not even use plastic bags); leave sticks/poles at the door (do not drop them on hard floors); if you need a torch use a headlamp with the light on red or low beam (if you do not have one of these, please purchase one). By doing the above you will make this person - and many other later risers - enjoy his coffee even more when he finally does rise and gets going to the nearest bar for breakfast. And yes, I enjoy a real cafe solo with toast and freshly squeezed orange juice. If no breakfast is available I carry a few muesli bars to snack on. Thanking you in advance.

 

[annmte]

As a pilgrim-to-be who really needs coffee in the morning but doesn’t feel the need to be out the door before sunrise - what time will I find places that sell coffee be open? And if I am ever staying at a casa rural or hotel, will I ever have a coffee maker in my room? Just need to set my expectations, please

I should add that I’ll be on the Norte.

 

[Anamiri]

Cant say for the Norte, but I cant recall seeing a coffee maker, and in fact very rarely even saw an electric kettle in a room at a Casa Rural, Hostal etc.
Also dont count on there being cups, utensils etc.
I had such a pleasant surprise to find one in a hotel in Bilbao - I was ecstatic - the joy of being able to make a hot drink when you feel like it.
If you hire an apartment they usually have the kettle, washing machine etc.

I normally walk early to miss the heat, in the morning by the time I walked to the next village there were usually cafes/bars open. I seldom had to walk on to the next. Usually somewhere between 5-8 kms. Enough so that by the time I got there I really appreciated it. I think the only stretch where there wasnt a cafe/bar open was a stretch on the Meseta - where it was several villages before coffee.
Occasionally there was a cafe open just minutes down the road.
I almost never do breakfast in the albergue, I think I did it twice in 2016 (rookie mistake), regretted it both times. I prefer to walk out the door and walk toward coffee and breakfast.

 

[Schamber]

In the UK, Taylors of Harrogate sells ground coffee (not instant coffee) in sachets, much like tea bags. I hope where I will be staying will have amenities to boil water and a cup! I also have collapsible camping cups but was told in this forum that it’s not necessary to bring.

In Japan and Germany (possibly other countries too of course), there is a kind of pouch with little cardboard feet that clips onto your cup, you open the top of the pouch (which contains coffee) and pour hot water. So it’s like filter coffee for backpackers.

Those little pouch things are sold on Amazon. I bought some and they are good! Cup has to be high enough so the pouch isn't in the water when dripping. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0777VCXKL/?tag=casaivar02-20

 

[USMC-Pilgrim]

Blasphemy!

Are the Nescafe or similar singles easily available in Spain? I have a little immersion heater as well. Haven't decided on the cup yet.....

My son works for Starbucks. Have placed an order with him for 20 Via packets to ensure I am covered. Very interested in ideas for a cup that works with the immersion heater?

 

[peregrina2000]

My son works for Starbucks. Have placed an order with him for 20 Via packets to ensure I am covered. Very interested in ideas for a cup that works with the immersion heater?

I have a BPA-free cup with some kind of insulation around it. Something like this one.

GSI Outdoors Infinity Backpacker Mug | REI Co-op

A handy vessel with a spill-resistant top, the GSI Outdoors Infinity Backpacker mug is crafted from durable polypropylene and wrapped with an insulating sleeve to help keep your camp coffee hot.

www.rei.com

The coil will not melt the inside of the cup so long as the heating element is immersed in water. If you hook the coil over the cup, for instance, it will melt it. As me how I know this.

Lots of outdoor places sell titanium cups, but they will burn your lips unless you get some kind of a protector. And I don’t know what the advantage of a titanium cup would be anyway.

And the electric coil mantra always bears repeating — Always make sure the coil is immersed in water both when you plug it in and when you unplug it.

 

[RibbonRomanceAuthor]

Cant say for the Norte, but I cant recall seeing a coffee maker, and in fact very rarely even saw an electric kettle in a room at a Casa Rural, Hostal etc.
Also dont count on there being cups, utensils etc.
I had such a pleasant surprise to find one in a hotel in Bilbao - I was ecstatic - the joy of being able to make a hot drink when you feel like it.
If you hire an apartment they usually have the kettle, washing machine etc.

I normally walk early to miss the heat, in the morning by the time I walked to the next village there were usually cafes/bars open. I seldom had to walk on to the next. Usually somewhere between 5-8 kms. Enough so that by the time I got there I really appreciated it. I think the only stretch where there wasnt a cafe/bar open was a stretch on the Meseta - where it was several villages before coffee.
Occasionally there was a cafe open just minutes down the road.
I almost never do breakfast in the albergue, I think I did it twice in 2016 (rookie mistake), regretted it both times. I prefer to walk out the door and walk toward coffee and breakfast.

I rarely ever eat before noon but do appreciate coffee shortly after waking so a stroll to a bar/cafe is fine with me. Also since I’m walking in June-July, starting early to miss some heat is a plan.

 

[Damien Reynolds]

As a pilgrim-to-be who really needs coffee in the morning but doesn’t feel the need to be out the door before sunrise - what time will I find places that sell coffee be open? And if I am ever staying at a casa rural or hotel, will I ever have a coffee maker in my room? Just need to set my expectations, please

I should add that I’ll be on the Norte.

Ok - so I walked the Norte in Sept. 2021 during Covid. I can’t say for sure the timing, because a lot of it depends on where you are specifically. Think city vs. village. I’d say, generally you’ll be good by 9ish for sure. The “ish” part is because this is Spain not Switzerland. Cities earlier, mostly I think.

I also stayed pretty exclusively at hotels. I had a hot water device once, I think, in Gernika. Now I love the 1-2 star places that cost b/t $30-50… so if you are a high roller you may have better luck.

Edit: the ironic thing is that you are probably more likely to find a water heating device at an Albergue (microwave) than a hotel or casa rural.

Anybody please feel free to confirm or improve my advice here.

 

[good_old_shoes]

A coffee tastes so much better if you had to walk a few hours to get one... or a few days. You really learn to appreciate things when you don't have them available 24/7.

Looking at the amount of posts on this thread, that's probably not a popular opinion, though .

 

[USMC-Pilgrim]

I have a BPA-free cup with some kind of insulation around it. Something like this one.

GSI Outdoors Infinity Backpacker Mug | REI Co-op

A handy vessel with a spill-resistant top, the GSI Outdoors Infinity Backpacker mug is crafted from durable polypropylene and wrapped with an insulating sleeve to help keep your camp coffee hot.

www.rei.com

The coil will not melt the inside of the cup so long as the heating element is immersed in water. If you hook the coil over the cup, for instance, it will melt it. As me how I know this.

Lots of outdoor places sell titanium cups, but they will burn your lips unless you get some kind of a protector. And I don’t know what the advantage of a titanium cup would be anyway.

And the electric coil mantra always bears repeating — Always make sure the coil is immersed in water both when you plug it in and when you unplug it.

Thanks - REI order pick up tomorrow!

 

[USMC-Pilgrim]

A coffee tastes so much better if you had to walk a few hours to get one... or a few days. You really learn to appreciate things when you don't have them available 24/7.

Looking at the amount of posts on this thread, that's probably not a popular opinion, though .

Hmmm, second cup of coffee tastes so much better after walking a few hours.

 

[RJM]

I never drink instant coffee at home. Only in my travels, when good brewed coffee is unavailable. One of the things I've always liked about walking the Camino is compromise. So many aspects about it requires compromise. Where you sleep, eat, what you carry etc. Same with drinking instant coffee in the quiet kitchen of an albergue at zero dark thirty just before I walk outside and greet the sunrise with a pack on my back. Whilst not the best coffee I've ever had, the ambience makes up for it.

 

[tpmchugh]

So at home I don’t even drink coffee. I also rarely rise early… but on the Camino, well, it’s different.

I look forward to the myriad of better suggestions surely/maybe to follow.

So back in 2005 my mother introduced me to Cafe con Leche. It’s now a Camino staple for me. I look forward to the temporary addiction available at every bar/cafe you will ever go to. It’s also a social thing… everyone almost always wants their coffee and when you sit together and get some, it’s fun.

But what if you like to wake up early to walk? Like I’m talking about before the sun comes up. I met some friends last year on the Camino who loved to get out before dawn.

See the thing is, nothing is open. No early morning coffee before a hike, which to some I imagine sounds kinda crazy. Remember, this is people who like to wear headlamps and walk early in the morning, before the rest of the world wakes up

So what do you do to get that fix?

Well, last year I learned about the instant packs of coffee available at most mercados, even the little ones. I believe they are manufactured by Nestle, think Nescafé. Some of these even come with sugar and cream…

So if you carry a few of these around, in the am, before the sun comes up, you can get your coffee before you bail. With some caveats.

Let’s hope wherever u are staying has a microwave and mugs. Not always the case.

But for sure they will have hot water coming out of the tap… yes, desperate people sometimes require desperate measures.

Also, sometimes the stores only carry the decaf versions! Gasp. So I have substituted instant cappuccino instead.

I like to get out early so often, I do not get my coffee. Have like you tried little packs but as you say not everywhere has the facility to heat water. One little solution I found in one city was a little bakery right on the Camino route out of Pamplona. Don't know what made me look in but I spotted the coffee machine in the back. So fresh coffee and still warm croissant for breakfast. Fortunately or unfortunately for the owner, I left my pack at the door which attracted other early starts and by the time I left the place was packed and it really was a very small narrow establishment. Had to recount that as it is one of my favourite memories. Otherwise, I just walked till I found somewhere open and on the way out of Virgen del Camino, it was a couple of villages before breakfast. Sat at a picnic table outside a closed bar with water and a biscuit to keep me going. Btw, before my first Camino, I hated coffee, now I love it and had a cafe con leche just an hour or two before writing this. Yes, I do make my own

 

[Damien Reynolds]

I like to get out early so often, I do not get my coffee. Have like you tried little packs but as you say not everywhere has the facility to heat water. One little solution I found in one city was a little bakery right on the Camino route out of Pamplona. Don't know what made me look in but I spotted the coffee machine in the back. So fresh coffee and still warm croissant for breakfast. Fortunately or unfortunately for the owner, I left my pack at the door which attracted other early starts and by the time I left the place was packed and it really was a very small narrow establishment. Had to recount that as it is one of my favourite memories. Otherwise, I just walked till I found somewhere open and on the way out of Virgen del Camino, it was a couple of villages before breakfast. Sat at a picnic table outside a closed bar with water and a biscuit to keep me going. Btw, before my first Camino, I hated coffee, now I love it and had a cafe con leche just an hour or two before writing this. Yes, I do make my own

Trust me. Whoever the proprietor of the joint was appreciated the attention you attracted.

 

[tpmchugh]

Trust me. Whoever the proprietor of the joint was appreciated the attention you attracted.

He probably did but maybe his regulars did not. There were locals coming in and making orders then leaving others walked in and without a word were handed a bag of the produce. But as I left, they were having to push past the crowd. The place was so small that 3 or 4 was a crowd and when I pushed my way out, there were about 8 pilgrims crammed in

 

[Schamber]

OK, I have a confession to make. I need my first cup of coffee in the morning before i can THINK! I'm bringing a travel hot water maker, instant coffee, coffee mate packets, a cup, and my truvia! I am sending my bag ahead so I am ok on weight. I'll get my second cup of the morning after walking whatever KM's!

 

[CaminoDebrita]

OK, I have a confession to make. I need my first cup of coffee in the morning before i can THINK! I'm bringing a travel hot water maker, instant coffee, coffee mate packets, a cup, and my truvia! I am sending my bag ahead so I am ok on weight. I'll get my second cup of the morning after walking whatever KM's!

I'm with you there!

 

[Anthony Rocco]

So at home I don’t even drink coffee. I also rarely rise early… but on the Camino, well, it’s different.

I look forward to the myriad of better suggestions surely/maybe to follow.

So back in 2005 my mother introduced me to Cafe con Leche. It’s now a Camino staple for me. I look forward to the temporary addiction available at every bar/cafe you will ever go to. It’s also a social thing… everyone almost always wants their coffee and when you sit together and get some, it’s fun.

But what if you like to wake up early to walk? Like I’m talking about before the sun comes up. I met some friends last year on the Camino who loved to get out before dawn.

See the thing is, nothing is open. No early morning coffee before a hike, which to some I imagine sounds kinda crazy. Remember, this is people who like to wear headlamps and walk early in the morning, before the rest of the world wakes up

So what do you do to get that fix?

Well, last year I learned about the instant packs of coffee available at most mercados, even the little ones. I believe they are manufactured by Nestle, think Nescafé. Some of these even come with sugar and cream…

So if you carry a few of these around, in the am, before the sun comes up, you can get your coffee before you bail. With some caveats.

Let’s hope wherever u are staying has a microwave and mugs. Not always the case.

But for sure they will have hot water coming out of the tap… yes, desperate people sometimes require desperate measures.

Also, sometimes the stores only carry the decaf versions! Gasp. So I have substituted instant cappuccino instead.

I am barely compos mentis in the morning until after that first large mug of coffee. I've walked many caminos and this is what I discovered: My wife and I pop up before dawn, head out and walk until we find the first open bar/cafe. That's usually several hours later. We usually get an espresso first to wake up, then a larger coffee to have with a tortilla espanola. Suddenly, we are totally conscious...and delighted to realize that we have already walked perhaps 6 miles. Amazing. We then truly enjoy the rest of the day with our senses heightened, our mind absorbing everything around us and feeling totally human, spiritual...and alive.

I only wish I could do this in real life. Sigh. The camino is indeed special, which is why we keep coming back.

 

[Purple Backpack]

I have a BPA-free cup with some kind of insulation around it. Something like this one.

GSI Outdoors Infinity Backpacker Mug | REI Co-op

A handy vessel with a spill-resistant top, the GSI Outdoors Infinity Backpacker mug is crafted from durable polypropylene and wrapped with an insulating sleeve to help keep your camp coffee hot.

www.rei.com

The coil will not melt the inside of the cup so long as the heating element is immersed in water. If you hook the coil over the cup, for instance, it will melt it. As me how I know this.

Lots of outdoor places sell titanium cups, but they will burn your lips unless you get some kind of a protector. And I don’t know what the advantage of a titanium cup would be anyway.

And the electric coil mantra always bears repeating — Always make sure the coil is immersed in water both when you plug it in and when you unplug it.

I have this mug, too..it's been occasionally used as a dog dish...

 

[Camino Chrissy]

I have this mug, too..it's been occasionally used as a dog dish...

You must have a small dog.

 

[Purple Backpack]

You must have a small dog.

Nope, just big, patient ones!

 

[maruska89]

I have a BPA-free cup with some kind of insulation around it. Something like this one.

GSI Outdoors Infinity Backpacker Mug | REI Co-op

A handy vessel with a spill-resistant top, the GSI Outdoors Infinity Backpacker mug is crafted from durable polypropylene and wrapped with an insulating sleeve to help keep your camp coffee hot.

www.rei.com

The coil will not melt the inside of the cup so long as the heating element is immersed in water. If you hook the coil over the cup, for instance, it will melt it. As me how I know this.

Lots of outdoor places sell titanium cups, but they will burn your lips unless you get some kind of a protector. And I don’t know what the advantage of a titanium cup would be anyway.

And the electric coil mantra always bears repeating — Always make sure the coil is immersed in water both when you plug it in and when you unplug it.

I have that same mug as well and it's been on a lot oh hikes and it just lasts. I will have to keep the coil mantra in my head as I get back into using it! Thanks for the reminder.