We recently reviewed our favorite methods of making a morning cup of joe in the great outdoors and now it appears our backcountry coffee is about to get even better. GSI Outdoors follows up their extremely popular JavaGRIND with the new Java Mill for all us coffee lovers who appreciate a freshly ground bean, even when disconnected.
Everyone knows one of the secrets to great tasting coffee is freshly ground beans. When heading out into the backcountry, either you have to grind a large amount of beans beforehand, buy ground coffee, or settle for the convenience of instant. GSI understands the plight of us coffee heads and designed an easy to hold hand coffee grinder that enables fresh grounds on the go.
The Java Mill is a compact coffee grinder that is equipped with an adjustable, conical ceramic burr. Ceramic burr grinders supposedly unlock more flavor than blade-style grinders. The mill is easy to fill from the top and contains a smooth action bearing that makes grinding easy and simple. The only drawback I can see is if you are making coffee for more than one or two people, you will be cranking for quite some time in the morning.
The sturdy alloy handle nests down alongside the mill for easy packing. Made of BPA Free Tritan co-polyester, the Java Mill can pass as a necessary backpacking and camping accessory with a weight of only 270 g or 9.5 oz.
Of course, there are plenty of other manual coffee grinders available out there today. However, the GSI Java Mill seems to get the weight and size right for use outdoors. I can see this grinder also making a great travel companion so you can enjoy the luxury of fresh ground coffee on the road.
The GSI Java Mill retails for €29.95 or around $38, available early 2014.