PILOT SPIN
Pilot Zone => Pilot Zone => Topic started by: Little Joe on February 01, 2026, 07:21:28 AM
-
When we go on long distance trips we often take a couple of 5 hour energy drinks to help stay alert in flight. But we are giving those up because of all the junk in them. Plus the fact that they are relatively expensive. I don't want to just pack a jug of regular coffee because I hate using Gatorade bottles in the plane.
So I have been making some really really strong cold-brew in a French press and taking that along.
But I recently found out that I was doing it wrong. (or perhaps the AI I questioned was wrong).
I thought that dark roast would deliver stronger, coffee with more caffeine. But according to AI, dark roast makes stronger "tasting" coffee, but light roast actually delivers more caffeine. I also thought that a finer grind would be better but according to AI a course (or extra course) grind is better. Since you let it steep in the fridge for a long time (~12 hours) a fine ground gets too bitter and leaves too much sludge in the bottom.
So my recipe is a course grind of light roast Arabica coffee. I use a ratio of 1:3 or 1:4 (coffee to water). I let it steep for up to 12 hours (no more than that) and put it in a small SS refillable bottle to take in the plane. It lasts for several days if kept cold so a 12 oz container is enough for two of us to use on both the outgoing leg and home-coming leg, as long as it is a fairly short trip.
Does anyone have any better suggestions? Does anyone else do this?
-
(https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.reactiongifs.com%2Fr%2Ffryshake.gif&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=a4b6fdda0c9dc90d7e121e4e6b6c16eceb6e17cf6c4669a199f5e68c1fbbb464)
-
Big coffee nerd here.
AI is correct! Well partially. It’s a common misconception that dark roast has more caffeine. Not true. If measured by volume, which most of us do, lighter roasts have more caffeine. If you actually measure by weight they are closer to equivalent.
A coarse grind avoids over-extraction which can lead to bitterness, however a fine grind may maximize the caffeine extraction in a light roast. It matters if you use a blade grinder or burr grinder. If you’re still using a blade, I can’t help you and may God forgive you.
Your ratio is right, at least what I use for pour-over, but I’ve never made cold brew or steeped for hours so I can’t speak to that.
Arabica is almost always better, for taste and drinkability with the exception of certain specific single origin Robusta like from Vietnam. It has to be grown and processed properly but has more caffeine than Arabica if that’s what you’re after. Just be very careful from whence you source it.
I’m curious, what’s the “junk” in the energy drinks you don’t like? I understand they can have B vitamins and such which might not be bad, or do you mean sugar, or artificial sweetener, other additives?
I take it the benefit of this concentrated cold brew is all the caffeine in less fluid, so no or less peeing in Gatorade bottles? Is that the benefit of the energy drinks too? Do they make you pee less than regular coffee does?
If so consider maybe both those risk dehydration. When drinking regular coffee you also are hydrating yourself. (It’s a myth that coffee dehydrates you. It just stimulates the bladder early on so you pee out in a couple hours what you otherwise would have peed out later on.)
The 5 hour energy drinks might be using B vitamins as part of the energy bump, not all caffeine, so less bladder stimulation than the same amount of energy bump from all caffeine. And you know the dose, I presume it’s on the bottle? With any coffee the dose is technically unknown, you just have to do it a few times and get a feel for it.
I’m not saying you shouldn’t do this. It might be an interesting experiment.
Wait.. you own a plane and you’re worried about the cost of a couple bottles of energy drink? Aren’t you filthy rich?
-
Instead of guessing here, we should consult the experts:
(https://media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/231116121610-01-starbucks-strike-1116-restricted.jpg?c=16x9&q=h_833,w_1480,c_fill)
-
Instead of guessing here, we should consult the experts:
“You have to pay us more! We have student loan debt from our gender studies degrees!”
-
I’m curious, what’s the “junk” in the energy drinks you don’t like? I understand they can have B vitamins and such which might not be bad, or do you mean sugar, or artificial sweetener, other additives?
It has a bunch of synthetic ingredients with no real nutrition value. It has more caffeine than regular coffee, but coffee has some healthful benefits. Plus I like the taste of strong coffee and I don't like the artificial taste of 5-hour energy. I'm not big on "sweet" except in women and chocolate. And not really so much in woment either. I like feisty better there.
I take it the benefit of this concentrated cold brew is all the caffeine in less fluid, so no or less peeing in Gatorade bottles? Is that the benefit of the energy drinks too? Do they make you pee less than regular coffee does?
If so consider maybe both those risk dehydration. When drinking regular coffee you also are hydrating yourself. (It’s a myth that coffee dehydrates you. It just stimulates the bladder early on so you pee out in a couple hours what you otherwise would have peed out later on.)
I'm not worried about a little short-term dehydration. I always drink plenty of water on the ground. And yes, not having to pee every couple of hours is a driving force. After all, I'm a 73 yr old male with a 73 yr old prostate. I'm not sure what my wife's excuse is.
I’m not saying you shouldn’t do this. It might be an interesting experiment.
That's mainly what it is at this point.
Wait.. you own a plane and you’re worried about the cost of a couple bottles of energy drink? Aren’t you filthy rich?
Well, you are half right.
Also, I figure we have enough money to last till I pass 100. But what if I live to 101? We don't have kids to sponge off of.
-
Not a coffe nred and only drink one cup in the morning. I have a Keurig and use Kirkland Breakfast Blend pods.
-
It has a bunch of synthetic ingredients with no real nutrition value. It has more caffeine than regular coffee, but coffee has some healthful benefits. Plus I like the taste of strong coffee and I don't like the artificial taste of 5-hour energy.
I'm with you there. I don’t know what it is about the taste of good coffee. It’s like heaven. But for me it has to be hot.
I'm not big on "sweet" except in women and chocolate. And not really so much in woment either. I like feisty better there.
I get you there too. I like a little feisty in my man, well, downright asshole even. Not too much though.
I'm not worried about a little short-term dehydration. I always drink plenty of water on the ground. And yes, not having to pee every couple of hours is a driving force. After all, I'm a 73 yr old male with a 73 yr old prostate. I'm not sure what my wife's excuse is.
You’re good then, drinking the rest of the day.
What it is with women is the age-related “dropped bladder”. We don’t have a prostate but we have a uterus that can drag everything down and create identical symptoms. I guess the ligaments inside that hold everything in place get worn with age and sag, like how everything on the outside sags, like your jowls and your ears and your skin in general. ☹️
That's mainly what it is at this point.
Well, you are half right.
Also, I figure we have enough money to last till I pass 100. But what if I live to 101? We don't have kids to sponge off of.
Oh gosh that is exactly us. We have enough to make it to about there, if the average of the spaghetti models is to be believed. So many unknowns to worry about. What if the Commie Revolution succeeds and we end up on the bottom piece of spaghetti? You are right to be prudent.
-
“You have to pay us more! We have student loan debt from our gender studies degrees!”
There's a Starbucks practically next to where I work, and I do go in there often. The gender confused, and pierced, tattooed young workers are actually nice to me, but of course they have no idea about my political beliefs. Lol! If they only knew!