# Speaking of coffee in a hostile environment...

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/speaking-of-coffee-in-a-hostile-environment/813530>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Tags:** coffee\
**Created:** [May 3, 2018, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/speaking-of-coffee-in-a-hostile-environment/813530 "2018-05-03T18:20:32Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![MikeF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MikeF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeF)\
**Post date:** [May 3, 2018, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/speaking-of-coffee-in-a-hostile-environment/813530/1 "2018-05-03T18:20:32Z")

</div>

Someone I knew was a Korean war combat vet. He said that they made coffee by putting water and coffee grounds in a helmet (metal) then hung the helmet over a fire to brew it. So far, so good. He said when it was done they would stick a freezing cold bayonet into the brew and this would cause the grounds to settle out for “cleaner” pouring. Huh? Does this have any scientific basis? I guess I could try it at home with a regular pot but I’m too lazy.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Ignotus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ecc23a/32.png) [@Ignotus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ignotus)\
**Post date:** [May 3, 2018, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/speaking-of-coffee-in-a-hostile-environment/813530/2 "2018-05-03T18:45:13Z")

</div>

The way I’ve seen it done, you simply add some cold water (or snow). But yeah, I guess a freezing cold metal tool could lower the temperature a bit too.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![DinoR](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dinor/32/2821_2.png) [@DinoR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DinoR)\
**Post date:** [May 3, 2018, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/speaking-of-coffee-in-a-hostile-environment/813530/3 "2018-05-03T20:08:20Z")

</div>

I can’t say I’ve seen it with a cold object but I’ve seen the effect a number of times with cold water. My first company command included the battalion food service section and I typically lived near them in the field. The standard way to make coffee for 600 in the field was\* to add coffee to water in a large pot and simmer. That was this millennium. The grounds were on top during heating. Adding a little cold water really does work pretty well to drop the grounds to the bottom.

- 
  - Later filter packs to dump in the pot started coming through the system.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\
**Post date:** [May 3, 2018, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/speaking-of-coffee-in-a-hostile-environment/813530/4 "2018-05-03T20:59:09Z")

</div>

I have seen it done with a bit of salt.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![DavidwithanR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@DavidwithanR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidwithanR)\
**Post date:** [May 3, 2018, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/speaking-of-coffee-in-a-hostile-environment/813530/5 "2018-05-03T23:29:27Z")

</div>

Legitimate methods of making coffee:

Ones that work,

… I guess that’s it. 🙂