What do hot drinks do you take other than tea and coffee?

In short I'm fed up with taking tea and coffee and milk and sugar etc out to the woods with me but would still like a quick to fix hot drink that doesn't require another bag to carry it all!!!

I spend a bit of time in the woods, usually doing green wood crafts and along with my tools and lunch the tea making kit (kelly kettle, water and cups to share) all have to be lugged a fair distance to site. I tend to take soup for lunch and some fruit but the all important tea break is becoming a chore.

Love nettle tea but they're all a bit daggy now! What alternatives do you guys like? I want something flavoursome (i.e not pine needle tea!) and I don't drink coffee.

What do you suggest?

Leo
 

PeterH

Settler
Oct 29, 2007
547
0
Milton Keynes
used to take some twinnings fruit teas, very nice on a hot day as a cold drink or a cold day as a evening warmer, even better for the tot of rum, nom nom nom!

+1 esp for the selection boxes as they are indiv wrapped or if you can acquire some from hotels etc all the better!
 

PeterH

Settler
Oct 29, 2007
547
0
Milton Keynes
Rat pack hot chocolate is rather nice, you get a decent size mug from a sachet too.

The cadburys twin packs are good and not too bad pricewise, I always cut mine apart at home as otherwise I seem to always manage to rip both separating them!
The Galaxy / Malteser stick pack ones are quite nice if you are not bothered about something "stronger", popular with Scouts and DofE as they are even sweeter!
 

santaman2000

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Jan 15, 2011
16,909
1,120
68
Florida
A few others have already mentioned hot chocolate so I'll add the instant (powdered) soups. Also though, I'm curious. You said that "making" your tea was becoming a chore. Is that because of having to set up the stove and heat the water? If so then simply changing to another instant drink might not be any easier. A small thermal bottle (whatever the drink) with your hot beverage made at home would solve the problen although it would add weight.
 

ged

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Jul 16, 2009
4,995
29
In the woods if possible.
I always have a few Oxo cubes in my kit, both green and red. One cube crumbled in a mug of hot water

If I have Tabasco or Habanero sauce with me (usually do, I carry it with the stove in a small contact lens solution bottle) then I'll use that to spice up the drink. In fact I use it to spice up almost everything. :)

When in civilization (or at home:)) I'll often add "Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce", but I don't normally take that out and about because the bottles are much bigger...

Agreed with everyone else that hot chocolate is a great drink, but it often makes me too hot and then I soak everything in sweat. Then I have to change, or get cold. Sweet coffee does the same thing, and I can't abide coffee without heaps of sugar. I don't sleep if I drink tea in the evening, that's why I finally settled on the Oxo cubes.

Not sure I understand the problems with kettles and tea-making though -- some of my favourite pastimes when camping involve making fire and drinking. :)
 
Thanks for the suggestions, some good ideas... seems you're a bunch of chocoholics!

Don't get me wrong, I still love the ceremony of tea making, taking the time to slow down and stop for 10 minutes. I suppose just once in a while I get fed up with carting milk, tea bags sugar and just want to simply add water and relax.

Peach tea sounds nice. Never had bovril or oxo, better than miso soup (which seems pretty expensive!)

Leo
 

santaman2000

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Jan 15, 2011
16,909
1,120
68
Florida
...Don't get me wrong, I still love the ceremony of tea making, taking the time to slow down and stop for 10 minutes. I suppose just once in a while I get fed up with carting milk, tea bags sugar and just want to simply add water and relax...

Try prepacking you tea break. In a small zip lock bag (the snack sizes) place 1 tea bag, as many packets of single serving sugar as you use, and a packet or 2 of instant whitener (I know it's not as good as real milk but it will work) make up as many such packages (1 serving per package) as you think you'll use on an excursion and a couple of spares.
 

Mikey P

Full Member
Nov 22, 2003
2,257
12
53
Glasgow, Scotland
Mint tea. Good flavour (often, fruit/herbal teas smell great but disappoint in taste) and you can add a bit of honey if you need the energy.

If you find fresh mint - even better!
 

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