Best Hot Drinks for the Outdoors

NZ Mountain Safety Council (MSC) is on a mission to find New Zealand’s most popular hot drink for keeping warm and hydrated while outdoor adventuring and – more importantly – how to make it the best it can be. A survey of MSC’s Adventure Voice outdoor research community is illuminating. While coffee, unsurprisingly, comes out on top, there are a few surprises and many top tips for making the best brew.

It seems that Kiwis care passionately about what they drink in the outdoors. The Adventure Voice must-have hot drink survey received an impressive 924 responses. Here’s what we found…

Coffee!

With the booming coffee culture in Aotearoa, it’s not surprising that coffee is the must-have hot drink for Kiwis on their outdoor adventures.

Of respondents, 388 people (42%) take coffee in their backpacks in all its various forms. We heard about instant (both the cheap and cheerful as well as top-shelf brands), pre-mixes, coffee bags and ground coffee.

Some pull out all the stops to ensure their cup of joe is as good as it can be. Brewing methods on the track include filter and drip systems, plunger, Wacao Nanopresso, AeroPress and stovetop (!). Others put grounds directly in the cup.

What’s best, you ask. As one Adventure Voice member said: “This is a lifelong quest, a question for which there is no answer, a Zen koan. Many solutions have been tried, but the perfect answer never found. Stovetop espresso, plunger, coffee bags, cowboy, even instant...”

• Instant – Epic, Flight, Raglan Roast and Starbucks.
• Pre-mixes – Avalanche, Moccona and Nestle.
• Coffee bags – Jeds and Robert Timms.
• Ground coffee – Havana, L’affare and Supreme.
• Drip systems – GSI Java Drip and Coffee Brew Buddy from Primula.

Tea!

Not too far behind coffee in the popularity stakes is the traditional cup of tea. Of respondents, 277 people (30%), rank tea as their hot drink of choice.

All bases are covered, from gumboot teabags and tea leaves to Earl Grey, green, red bush (traditional or chai), chai, smoky lapsang souchong, fresh or home-dried herbs, fruit, and liquorice.

Additions include sugar (of course), condensed milk, honey and a tipple (rum, cinnamon or peanut butter whiskey).

This tea lover has the best advice for a harmonious relationship: "Get out of your scratcher before my wife and get the billy on.  If using a fire, make sure kindling is handy to get the fire started pronto.”

Brands that got special mention:

• Yorkshire
• Dilmah

Hot chocolate vs Milo

In the hot chocolate vs Milo debate, hot chocolate wins for our adventure lovers, with about 100 people (11%) opting for hot chocolate and just 18 people (2%) for the Kiwi classic.

Avalanche hot chocolate sachets are a favourite as are Jarrah. Some members go the extra mile and make their own hot chocolate mix from scratch.

Top tips from hot chocolate aficionados – double the mixture, extra milk (see below for more details on milk), condensed milk, marshmallows, real chocolate, a pinch of chilli, a dash of something stronger (whisky, Baileys, spiced rum) and biscuits on the side.

This top tip caught our attention: “[You need to get] the chilli heat and the sweetness and creaminess balance just right. Chocolate powder, milk powder, sugar and chilli powder, pre-mixed in a small ziplock bag and you can't go wrong!”

Soup?

Is it a food or a drink? For all intents and purposes (well, for this survey, anyway), soup is regarded as a drink, and it’s a popular one at that – 92 people (10%) in our survey favour and savour it as their favourite tramping drink. Miso was mentioned often as the preferred variety.

To add to the food/drink controversy, some Adventure Voice members add extra bits to make their soup into a heartier snack. Additions include freeze dried veges, dried mushrooms and wakame seaweed (for a Japanese influence), couscous, noodles, and spice, with bread or wraps on the side for dipping.

Hot Raro

Yes, hot Raro! Why drink it cold, when you could have a hot Raro brew on a chilly day on the track or at the end of a long day? It only seems right that Raro came in equal with Milo (the other Kiwi classic in our lineup) with 18 people (2%) giving it the thumbs up.

The jury is out among hot Raro drinkers on making it weaker or stronger than a cold-water brew, but other tips include adding cinnamon (who are we to judge?) or a packet of Tim Tams on the side to make a “phenomenal mid-morning snack”.

While Raro is not yet showing a huge following, we’re hoping to give it a boost in the popularly stakes with this hot drink exposé.

This sums it up nicely for Raro drinkers: ‘No tips, it just is.’

Other, please specify

And what of the 31 people (3%) who could not pick their favourite hot drink off our specified list?

The numbers get a bit askew here, with some going the whole hog or just sitting on the fence –

“Coffee milo milk powder mix.”

“Coffee in the morning with milo at night.”

“Coffee mainly, tea mornings, hot chocolate cold nights.”

Many are happy with just hot water. Others go for Barkers blackcurrant juice; caffeine-free beverages, like Caro; electrolyte drinks; lemon, ginger and turmeric syrup; and pineapple powder. As you’d imagine, a warm alcoholic concoction got a few mentions – gin cocktail, anyone?

More on milk

Milk matters to some while others are prepared to go neat in the outdoors to avoid the hassle. Take your pick from real milk (top tip: keep cold outside in winter), long-life and powdered (go posh with Lewis Road Creamery) or, as one member suggests, use yoghurt powder instead as it comes in smaller sachets. Milk alternatives also featured – coconut (including powdered) and oat.

Using powdered milk? Many suggest making it up first, rather than adding powder direct to your brew.

Who would have thought…

For many across the hot-drink spectrum, Jetboil makes a brew the best it can be.

The cup matters big time – hot is best for outdoor lovers, so an insulated cup with lid for the hut, and for day walks, a thermos.

Just add nature

Adventuring in the outdoors is enough to ensure the best brew for many…

“Sit outside the hut or tent and soak in the beauty of the surrounds.”

“With a good view.”

“A good day on the hill.”

“If you have walked far enough, anyway you make it is perfect!”

“Epic views to top it all off.”

“Preceded by a great day of tramping.”

Want to get involved?

We’d love to hear your views on various outdoor topics. Anyone interested in outdoor adventuring (on land) can join the Adventure Voice outdoor community. It’s easy to join and there are regular giveaways too! Find out more and sign up here.

Planning an adventure? 

We’ve made it easy to plan your next walk, tramp or hike on Plan My Walk.

HEADER PHOTO CREDIT | Nathan Watson