The best tea while camping?
Hey everyone! This is my first time posting to this, besides comments here and there.
So, what teas are best while camping? Obviously strong, but maybe not bad if it imparts flavours of the outside.
Would a good Lapsang Souchong be good? I mean, smoky tea while sitting around fire sounds absolutely lovely.
But, in the morning, when the sun just gets up, it’s cool, it’s pretty, the trees are sharing their smells, what tea would be good? I was thinking something like Yorkshire tea, or something like Tapal Danedar. (Obviously something bagged, loose would be a pain in the butt)
Another question could be asked… What kind of cup would you take with you? I’ve seen the Coghlans Fold-A-Cup, which really interests me. Both as a camping cup, and a jacket cup (my jacket is full of pockets) for when I’m traveling.
Do you have any recommendations, for anyone, along with myself?
When I went backwoods camping this summer I took Dutch Licorice rooibos, a chai, a strong berry tisane, and I think Irish breakfast. A lapsang souchong would be good. Also a roasty oolong that’s forgiving of temperature and steep time, and can be steeped multiple times.
I have this cup/bowl and I brought a cloth tea sock with me, to keep things light and compact and keep the amount of waste down.
If you don’t mind me asking, for I am still somewhat new to the world of teas, but wouldn’t a tea sock hold flavours from previous teas and not give a good clean taste?
I like the idea of keeping waste down! But wouldn’t that mean carrying more?
And I should have really thought of Oolong!
Nah, I just give it a really good rinse, and if I’ve used a particularly pungent tea or one that’s oily, then I give it a quick wash with dish soap. Mine is quite stained looking, but I haven’t noticed any issues with tastes or smells sticking around.
If you’re camping in a place where there’s not a lot of access to water then you might want to go with fillable paper tea filters. Easier to pack those out than pack extra water in. I’m sure that many/most of them are also biodegradable.
I went camping a few months ago, and carrying a cup/strainer/lid set didn’t take up to much more room and overall wasn’t a hassle. (Also took my kettle;)) As for what teas to take…have no idea what to suggest for you because my tea tastes are different, I tend to partake in it more as a treat then as daily comsumption, and while there are certain black teas that I enjoy, I tend to go for whites, greens and herbals. I do think that next time I go camping however, that I will stick to mostly simpler tasting teas, like Earl Greys, etc. Some of my more complex tasting teas, I did not have as much time enjoying them and our trip got really cold,so that kind of put me off as well.
For the cup, something durable. A typical metal camping cup which will hold whatever liquids need holding. For the tea, whatever you like best! :) Getting the hot water is the harder part as you have to has the tea, the cup, the water, the heat source, etc, etc. But of course there are many interpretations of ‘camping’. :)
The heating up would be from a campfire, I presume.
Then again, today’s campers need wifi, a phone and a computer… Disgusting. :P
We heat water in a kettle over a small single burner propane stove. http://www.amazon.com/Coleman-2000004124-PefectFlow-1-Burner-Stove/dp/B0009PUR5E/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1418163123&sr=8-1&keywords=camping+propane+burner similar to that
I don’t particularly like camping, but with the right people it can be okay. I already live with a wood furnace so the glory of making a fire is a bit lost on me, haha. A propane burner would be nice, but I’ve never had that equipment for camping. My Dad does though – and we almost had to use it to live when we lost power for a week in July! :)
I always take teas that stand up to boiling water for camping, and drink out of a large enameled metal camping cup.
I like to take compostable empty tea bags such as these http://www.rishi-tea.com/product/loose-leaf-tea-filters/brewing-accessories
And I like to drink stuff I don’t mind if I accidentally oversteep. Strong blacks and tough shou puerh mini tuochas :)
PS- I love your kakapo avatar, Polonium9
Thanks! It’s just one of those evolutionary oddities that fascinate me. I absolutely love birds with all my heart, and know most of my local birds/plants/animals.
We just had about 15 wild turkeys pass by the house about 4 hours ago! They’re fun.
Totally irrelevant to the thread but I’m a birdwatcher and birds are life. (slides away)
It was the first thing I saw when I opened this thread! I’m a Kiwi (nationality, not an actual bird haha), so it’s neat to see :)
@KiwiDelight – your username and avatar throws me every so often and I get excited thinking another New Zealander is on here ;) You would think I’d learn… haha!
It’s a unique cutie, that’s for sure.
Have you seen the white one (named Manukura) that was born several years back? http://youtu.be/T21eLFKS2KA She’s very sweet.
Oh no…she can’t be real…too cute!! :O
This video never fails to inspire me:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3iQNtdoTGY
Haha, that’s Lisa! (woman overseeing/holding Piwi) Too funny. That was shot a couple blocks away from me. Small world.
I have one of those giant thermoses with the lid that turns into a cup. I fill it up at the beginning of the day and keep on sipping! The Thermos I have keeps my tea hot FOREVER. I take loose leaf and use a big tea sock. The one i have is meant for thai iced tea, but I just like it for the fine muslin for brewing, as well as the size. When i am done with the leaves, I simply toss and hang my tea sock to dry.
My Thermos: http://www.amazon.com/Thermos-Stainless-40-Ounce-Beverage-Midnight/dp/B0017IHRNM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1418162298&sr=8-1&keywords=themos
My tea sock: http://www.amazon.com/Thai-tea-filter-stainless-steel/dp/6167204012/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1418162492&sr=8-1&keywords=tea+sock
As to types of tea, I usually stick to one type. Either a hojicha, an assam, or a flavored mate, like Teavanna’s My Morning Mate.
I can vouch for that thermos being fantastic. Anyone reading should get one. We’ve had one in my family for, roughly, 15 years and it’s still going strong.
Oh my goodness, just for classic sake, I believe Stanley brought back their old look! The slight green is fantastic and is, by far, one of my favorites. My original kept a bunch of tea hot for, roughly 12 hours. It kept it hot and not stale!
You can find them at thrift stores for cheap!
I never go camping, but if I did I’d definitely bring some heicha that can stand being boiled straight on the fire. Such teas also often have very pleasing, but ultimately quite basic tastes that would fit the rustic feel of camping, methinks.
I brought 2 camping-esque teas – Mount Gray (EG by Andrew&Dunham), and Sleeping Bear Blend by Whipsering Pines. We boiled water on a burner on the camp stove or the campfire grate itself in a simple metal kettle. As for brewing, this is the one time I actually use my Timolino brewing baskets and just brew them a bit longer in there and then we drank some at breakfast and took the rest in the timolino hiking. Both tasted lovely!
For in the morning I would do tie guan yin in a t-sac. It stands up to boiling and the t-sac us biodegradable so you can bury it. Or you could do grandpa style too :) Its a great tea for that.
This is what I’d choose;
http://steepster.com/teas/twinings/15068-new-zealand-breakfast-tea
Miss Starfish – What have you done?! I can’t find this tea anywhere in the States :(
BWAHAHAHAHA!!-err, I mean, I’m sorry :(
I wouldn’t bank on it being in stores in the states. You might be able to find it online somewhere… but I’m always happy to help facilitate as well :) I also may start swapping in the new year, should you wish to sample some that way (I always have some on hand).
Dodo, I’ve looked for it for ages and it’s nowhere to be found around these parts. Couldn’t even find it available for international shipping on Twining’s main site :(
I’ve searched everywhere as well, cookies! I may have Miss Starfish become my dealer :P
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