BIG ED

Spike Camp Coffee is built for the wildland community. The people who drink their coffee on tailgates, firelines, and logging roads. Not in cafés.

Small batch. Roasted to order. We give a damn about every detail so you don't have to. Hot water and a cup is all you need

August 20, 1910. The Big Burn had been burning across the Bitterroot and the Coeur d'Alene for weeks. On that day, the weather shifted. Humidity dropped. Winds picked up. The fire blew up across multiple drainages simultaneously and began moving faster than anyone had seen.

Ed Pulaski was a Forest Service ranger. He had 45 men under his watch near the mining country outside Wallace, Idaho. When the fire overran their position, Pulaski made a decision. He led his crew into an abandoned mine tunnel on Placer Creek, pushed them as far back as the tunnel allowed, soaked blankets in muddy water from the tunnel floor, and held the entrance himself.

The fire burned over them. Men panicked. Pulaski held.

When it was over, all but five of his crew made it out.

Two years later he designed the Pulaski tool. Half axe, half adze. Built for cutting line and grubbing roots. Functional in a way nothing before it had been. It still lands in the hands of every wildland firefighter in the country.

This roast carries his name. Not because of the of a tool. When the world went orange, he didn't fold. Because of that standard. Show up. Hold the line. Do the work without asking what you get for it.

This roast is the same way: straightforward, reliable, smooth, and built for everyday drinking.

Not fancy. Not fussy. Just a solid cup that shows up and does its job.

All ratios below are based on a standard 8oz camp mug. If your mug runs larger, add half a tablespoon per extra 4oz.

Jetboil Coffee Press
1 to 2 heaping tablespoons per 8oz depending on how hard you want it. Turn the flame off before adding coffee. Steep 4 minutes. Press slow. Pour direct. Medium-coarse grind pulls clean with zero grit.

French Press
2 tablespoons per 8oz of water. Heat to near boil. Steep 4 minutes. Press slow.

AeroPress
3 tablespoons per 8oz of water. Medium-coarse grind needs a longer steep than a fine grind. Give it 2 full minutes before pressing. Press steady and slow.

Camp Percolator
2 heaping tablespoons per 8oz of water. Medium heat until it perks, then drop to low. Brew 6 to 8 minutes.

Camp Drip Machine
1.5 tablespoons per 8oz of water. The machine does the work.

Adjust up or down by half a tablespoon to dial in your strength.

What is Big Ed coffee?
Big Ed is a medium roast from Spike Camp Outpost, named for Edward Pulaski, the Forest Service ranger who led his crew of 45 men into a mine tunnel during the 1910 Great Idaho Fire and held the entrance himself while the fire burned over them. Clean, smooth cup. Low acidity. Roasted small batch by Evans Brothers Coffee in Sandpoint, Idaho.

Who was Ed Pulaski?
Ed Pulaski was a Forest Service ranger who became one of the most significant figures in wildland firefighting history. During the Great Idaho Fire on August 20, 1910, he led 45 men into an abandoned mine tunnel near Wallace, Idaho and held the entrance while the fire burned over them. All but five survived. He later designed the Pulaski tool, the half axe half adze combination still used on every engine in the country today. He never profited from it.

Why is Big Ed coffee low acidity?
Medium roasting reduces the chlorogenic acids responsible for stomach discomfort during long shifts. Big Ed is formulated to run clean through a full pot without the acidic bite that causes heartburn during extended field days. Low acidity means it holds up cup after cup without wearing on you.

What grind is Big Ed?
Big Ed is medium-coarse ground. This grind runs clean across camp drip machines, Bunn commercial drip, Jetboil Coffee Presses, French presses, AeroPress, and camp percolators without clogging or over-extracting.

How many cups does a 12oz bag of Big Ed make?
A 12oz bag produces approximately 28 cups based on a standard 8oz mug at the recommended ratio. Lighter hands will get more cups. Heavier hands will get fewer.

What brewing equipment works with Big Ed?
Big Ed is built for high-volume basecamp and station setups. Camp drip machines, Bunn commercial drip, and Coleman propane drip are the primary methods. It also runs clean in Jetboil Coffee Presses, French presses, AeroPress, and camp percolators.

Does Spike Camp Coffee donate to the Wildland Firefighter Foundation?
Yes. $1 from every bag of Big Ed goes directly to the Wildland Firefighter Foundation. Spike Camp posts the running donation total monthly with a receipt at spikecampoutpost.com.

Where is Big Ed coffee roasted?
Big Ed is roasted small batch by Evans Brothers Coffee in Sandpoint, Idaho. USDA Organic certified. Fair Trade certified. Roasted to order.