I've been accused of being both a coffee and a beer snob (both are probably true).

Anyways, If you ask me there is only one way to make coffee in the woods. Its called a french press (I use one in my kitchen most of the time too)

Percolators let the coffee re-circulate over the grinds for too long and at too high a temperature. This lets the water not only pull out the flavor molecules but also bitter chemicals in the beans. French presses don't do this, so you get full-strength coffee flavor goodness without the bitterness that makes you want cream and sugar.

Trust me, try making a batch of french press coffee and percolator coffee at the same time and do a taste test, you'll never go back.

They are definitely smaller and lighter than a percolator for back-country duty too. Though they are still a little to bulky for hard-core backpacking where you have to settle for the tea bags.

You can pick one up at your local walmart, target, gander mtn, etc.. for under $20

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_press

....mmmmm

Oops. May be I should finish before I hit enter.

Otherwise coffee from the percolator is the best there is.

You can pick up an 'ol percolator at garage sales, or if you have access to electric,the tea bag style coffe bags, as buckhunter mentioned, is primo even with a microwave or a hot campfire.

If I'm runnin' late, a Red Bull will satisfy my gitty-up!

Try a jetboil if you're someplace where a fire isn't practical.

buckhunter is right and it's even better after the hunt with a shot of Irish cream.
I have one of those French presses among other pots. My son is a coffee snob. Gets his beans from a place called Monmouth Street Coffee Co, London England. It's good stuff but runs about 15 bucks a pound IMS. The press is made of glass. I wouldn't try to pack one.

Ken I really like the idea of the French press, I think I will see if there is one durable enough to pack on horses. Del I have used your method many times when I didn't take a percolator which is inconvienant not so much due to weight as bulk. I usually pack the coffee in the pot to conserve space. Salt Lake Roasting is an excellent coffee choice, look them up on the web. Among their various gourmet choices is a non-gourmet blend called Morning Thunder that will get you going each day.

empty coffee CAN, put grains in bttm, boil water and let grains settle to bttm and pour off top.

Jetboil IS great. You can make about a liter of coffee in 7 minutes, and the press itself weighs 0.8 oz.

But I also agree with Del that the dump-and-boil (aka Turkish) style works well. Jim in Mo basically makes his own teabags, and that sure helps avoid grit and makes clean up easier. (Great minds think alike, eh?) However, I would suggest using muslin or cheesecloth, which you can burn or bury. Also, they are less scary to boil and drink than nylon, and you are less likely to be caught in the awkward position of explaining why you are rummaging through your girlfriend's nylons (besides which, NO ONE will believe you when you tell the truth). You can buy premade 3"x5" muslin bags on eBay, e.g.

Personally, I don't have a Jetboil. So I just use a muslin bag full of coffee in any old pot. That way, when the post-apocalyptic world runs out of Jetboil fuel canisters, I'll still have coffee! ;)

Agreed with Del in KS and + 1 for you sir!!!