Instant tea or tea crystals

[warnabrother]

Anyone been able to find instant tea or tea crystals anywhere..
Getting really tired of carrying soggy, stinky tea bags out with us and saw a video on youtube on tea crystals.. tiny sachets of instant, no bag tea but I cannot seem to find it anywhere locally..
I can find all types of herbal, fruity types but not traditional black tea

[Strider]

Aldi have them

[warnabrother]

Aldi have them

awesome.. will go look..

thanks

[Strider]

It is labelled "instant ice tea", and I admit I haven't looked too closely - it may also be fruity or citrus flavoured....

[peregrinator]

I can't help you with instant tea. It sounds as unappetising as instant coffee. If you want decent tea, so much better than that junk in tea bags, then buy loose leaf tea and a tea infuser like one of these:

http://www.tealeaves.com.au/strainers-and-infusers/stainless-steel-mesh-ball-infuser-and-fine-chain-small-4-5cm-diameter/w1/i1005527_1004444/

Mine came from somewhere I can't recall, at about half the price of the one above, and weighs 12 grams.

Oh yeah, I ought to commend you for taking your used tea bags out with you and not chucking them around the bush like plenty do.

[warnabrother]

I can't help you with instant tea. It sounds as unappetising as instant coffee. If you want decent tea, so much better than that junk in tea bags, then buy loose leaf tea and a tea infuser like one of these:

http://www.tealeaves.com.au/strainers-and-infusers/stainless-steel-mesh-ball-infuser-and-fine-chain-small-4-5cm-diameter/w1/i1005527_1004444/

Mine came from somewhere I can't recall, at about half the price of the one above, and weighs 12 grams.

Oh yeah, I ought to commend you for taking your used tea bags out with you and not chucking them around the bush like plenty do.

yeah.. it doesn't sound fantastic but by all accounts from US users, it is actually quite ok .. we use an infuser at home but don't want/need additional things/weight in my pack.. hence the crystals

same reason we take instant coffee

and yes.. I always carry them out.. nothing worse that seeing rubbish in the bush !!

[Orion]

I think it's just like instant coffee. Best adulterated with sugar, milk, spices. It can be okay that way.

Many toss their coffee grounds or tea leaves. In some wilderness areas that may okay, in others it's illegal. You need to know the area.

[Warin]

Used tea bags can be 'dehydrated' to reduce weight .. bit of time over the fire.
I can get more than one cup of tea out of a tea bag .. so I think it is fairly economical.
But I may changeover to hot chocolate for convenience.

Have not thought of loose leaf tea ... still needs a carry out and as they are loose they probably pose more of a problem that way.

Not tried 'instant tea' - never thought it worthwhile as normal tea is fast enough for me.

[warnabrother]

Aldi was a no go.. it's instant ice tea flavoured rubbish.. have searched all the supermarkets.. will stick to our usual I think..

[Moondog55]

Don't bother
I used it years ago in the UK and Scotland, it was awful then and I tried some a couple of years ago swapping with some army fellers at PV and it was still awful

[Orion]

Loose leaf can still be in a bag. You can buy empty bags that are like stuff sacks with a little cinch cord. That's what my wife does as the loose leaf tea choices are better than the commercial tea-bag choices. Quality matters to those who care.

The idea behind instant tea (or coffee) in a bushwalking context isn't time. It's weight and convenience. You do sacrifice quality in the process. So adulterate, adulterate, adulterate! A palatable Indian chai with milk and sugar and maybe some spices is one way to go.

But really, the dried tea bags or leaves aren't that heavy. We usually leave the wet bag out overnight. Mice don't seem to care for tea so it's always there in the morning, sometimes with a little "test" bite out of it. A bit drier is a bit lighter.

Better still: Switch from tea to instant coffee -- with adulterants.

[Moondog55]

Actually the used tea will compost/be eaten by worms very, very quickly, it is the bag that lasts. So why not simply open up the bag and scatter the contents widely and just take out the rubbish part? Purists will of course use large leaf tea and an old blackened billy to brew tea in; in the absence of a silver teapot anyway