Load Shedding Coffee: Brew Without Electricity (SA Guide)

Load shedding doesn’t have to ruin your morning. With a few simple tools and a plan, you can brew café-quality coffee—safely—through any stage. This guide is built for South Africa: schedules, safe heat options, and step-by-step recipes that work in real life.

Why this matters (SA context)

Load-shedding stages can mean multiple 2–4-hour cuts across four- or eight-day cycles. Planning your coffee around these windows helps you stay caffeinated.

Safety first: heat sources you can use indoors

Good options: Household gas hob or indoor-rated gas cooker (ventilate, follow LPG rules, SANS 10087 compliance). Avoid outdoor braais and camp stoves indoors.

Checklist: Crack a window, keep flames away from combustibles, never leave unattended, store cylinders correctly, get Certificate of Compliance.

Gear that doesn’t need electricity

Kettle alternative: stovetop kettle or pot with spout
Hand grinder or pre-ground beans
Measuring spoons/tablespoons
Timer/phone
Thermos for hot water storage

Zero-power brew recipes

French Press: 1:15 ratio, 4 min steep
Pour-Over: 1:16 ratio, 3 min total
AeroPress: 16g, 230ml, 1:45 steep
Moka Pot: low-medium flame until blonding
Cold Brew: 1:5 concentrate, 12–16h steep

Milk without electricity

French Press froth: heat milk, plunge 15–20 times
Jar shake: warm milk, shake 20–30s
Moka cortado: 1:1 moka + warmed milk

Make-ahead strategies

Brew & bottle concentrate, store in fridge
Thermos plan for hot water storage
Capsule backup when power returns

Pick the right beans for no-power brewing

Plunger & moka: Bugisu AA, Ndovu Langa
Pour-over & AeroPress: Ma’Africa, Kirinyaga
Cold brew: Ma’Africa

Quick troubleshooting

Sour: finer grind, hotter water, longer time
Bitter: coarser grind, cooler water, shorter time
Weak: increase dose or shorten ratio
Moka sputtering: lower heat or adjust grind

Safety summary

Use indoor-rated gas appliances only, ventilate
Install via SAQCC-registered professionals, keep compliance certificate
Store cylinders per SANS 10087, never use outdoor devices indoors