How to Brew Tea While Traveling
Part of the joy of drinking tea on a daily basis is the ritual of brewing. Whether the leaves steep in an infuser basket or a gaiwan, a specialized piece of teaware can offer control over the brewing process, as well as elevate the aesthetics of a daily brew. But packing these tools for travel is usually unreasonable. Fragile teaware is bulky, a supply of hot water is rarely on hand, and the time for daily rituals is disrupted.
Many tea drinkers revert to easily packable teabags from the grocery store, or simply order a cup of mediocre tea at a convenient coffee shop. These alternatives may be handy, but they are often disappointing, especially to a trained palate. Luckily, high quality tea is incredibly versatile, and there are several incredibly simple ways to brew loose leaves on the go. Here are three of our favorite strategies.
1. Fill your own tea bags.
Make things easy on yourself by preparing your own tea bags before leaving home. Fill a few empty tea bags with your favorite loose leaves, and ask the coffee shop barista for a cup of hot water. Use just 2 grams of dry leaf in each tea bag to ensure a forgiving brew that can steep all day, or extract a stronger tea bag from the hot water after 1-2 minutes to allow for multiple infusions.
Choose from our curated selection of pre-packed tea bags >>
2. Use a travel thermos.
Be ready for any tea with an infuser thermos. Our double walled glass option insulates your brew to keep your tea hot and your hands cool. Use the removable infuser basket to steep any loose leaf tea found on your travels, or drop the leaves in below the basket to strain the brew into a mug or serving pitcher.
3. Brew 'Grandpa Style' in a glass or mug.
Whole leaf teas without small broken bits can float freely in a mug or bowl. In fact, many tea drinkers even use this method for simple everyday drinking at home. Whole leaves will sink to the bottom of the cup as they rehydrate, and quality teas will taste good no matter how long the infusion. Again, use fewer leaves (about 2 grams) for a more forgiving infusion.
What’s your favorite way to brew tea on the go? Let us know in the comments below!
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Comments on this post (1)
Here’s a variation on grandpa style. Bring a pouch of a favorite looseleaf tea (@redblossomtea of course) like a Formosa or Wuyi oolong, ask a barista for a cup of hot water and an empty cup with lid (maybe pay or tip as if a cup of their tea), put looseleaf tea in the hot water, steep for a couple minutes or til it looks right, and pour off into the empty cup. Then the leaf cup can carry the drink cup en route and is ready to steep again when needed all day. Simple and easy
— walter