Backpacking Brew Kit

I put this backpacking brew kit together so I would always have the makings for a hot drink with me when out and about.

Tea the most important drink of the day – or hike.

Over the years I have used a series of pouches to hold my tea making supplies, from simple stuff sacks to more complicated belt pouches, both large, when I thought I needed to have everything and small when I weighed the big packs and then down-sized! For now I am using a pocket sized reinforced plastic pouch, with a security loop and a sturdy zip.

I have changed to a plastic pouch, following the previous neoprene pouch getting wet and then not being able to dry it out when camping – see here.

Over time and depending on the trip the contents vary but  a typical list of contents are:

• Tea bags
• Fruit of flavoured teas
• Good quality coffee sticks
• Brown sugar packets
• Sauce sachets

This is enough for tea for a weekend backpacking trip. I do not normally take sugar in my tea but I include some in the backpacking brew kit for those times I could use an energy boost.

I have also added some useful extra items:

• Paper napkins – rolled up tighly
• Small refillable gas lighter – it has a stronger flame than a disposable lighter
• Army style can opener
• Salt and pepper packs
• Spare washer for the gas stove
• Paper clip to hold open packet closed

I keep a lighter in the backpacking brew kit so it is to hand when needed. The tin opener is a spare, but it is not used much when I am backpacking as I do not usually carry tins. It is more useful when camping, but even then my go to tin opener is on my Victorinox Camper Swiss Army Knife. The salt and pepper are used when I am backpacking as part of my menu planning.

There is enough room in the case to add a small sachet of hot chocolate – if you buy the right brand.

For a full description of my backpacking cooking gear go here.

Arthur Dent and tea – click here

Tea break on the Southern Upland Way, Easter 2016