# Hot tea at a picnic **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 25, 2010, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-tea-at-a-picnic/537330 "2010-04-25T20:05:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2010, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-tea-at-a-picnic/537330/1 "2010-04-25T20:05:22Z")
Next weekend, I’m having an outdoor birthday party, and my mom sent me some teas that would be absolutely perfect to serve at it. But I’m having a hard time figuring out how. I don’t think there’s a source of electricity available at the location (just outside my apartment building), and my apartment is on the ninth floor, with the elevator out of order. I wouldn’t want to carry a pot of boiling-hot water down eight flights of steps, and even if I did, it wouldn’t stay hot for the whole party. So far, the best I can think of is to boil a big pot on the charcoal grill, but I’m not sure how practical that is. Does anyone have any better suggestions? ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2010, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-tea-at-a-picnic/537330/2 "2010-04-25T20:24:45Z")
Could you heat a kettle on the grill? Or bring a bunch of pre-boiled hot water in one of [these](https://www.amazon.com/s/?field-keywords=airpot&rh=p_76:1&url=search-alias=aps)? ---
**Author:** ![lazybratsche](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ba8739/32.png) [@lazybratsche](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lazybratsche)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2010, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-tea-at-a-picnic/537330/3 "2010-04-25T20:29:20Z")
A little propane camping stove should be just about perfect for this sort of thing. They’re designed to be the lightest and most portable way to cook things. You can probably find a friend or neighbor to borrow one (though you should buy your own propane). If not, they’re not tooo expensive – a basic one should be $20ish, plus another $10ish for a propane cylinder. ---
**Author:** ![NinetyWt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/cc9497/32.png) [@NinetyWt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinetyWt)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2010, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-tea-at-a-picnic/537330/4 "2010-04-25T22:50:28Z")
[Coffee butler](http://www.google.com/products?rlz=1T4ADBR_enUS285US285&q=coffee+butler&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=9sbUS_ThGsKB8gaL0LzkDw&sa=X&oi=product_result_group&ct=title&resnum=3&ved=0CDYQrQQwAg), for a cheaper way to transport hot water. ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2010, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-tea-at-a-picnic/537330/5 "2010-04-25T22:55:47Z")
A decent thermos will do the trick. ---
**Author:** ![madrabbitwoman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c37758/32.png) [@madrabbitwoman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madrabbitwoman)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2010, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-tea-at-a-picnic/537330/6 "2010-04-25T23:43:56Z")
I’d suggest an airpot - they can hold a lot of water and you can dispense the hot water by pressing a button (easier then trying to pour) [http://www.cateringequipmentshop.com/products/product.asp?ID=2111&title=Elia+Thermal+Flask+%2F+Airpot+BDB&catID=333](http://www.cateringequipmentshop.com/products/product.asp?ID=2111&title=Elia+Thermal+Flask+%2F+Airpot+BDB&catID=333) It looks like they can be hired > **[pullmansunrental.com - pullmansunrental Resources and Information.](http://pullmansunrental.com/coffee_makers.html)** > > pullmansunrental.com is your first and best source for all of the information you’re looking for. From general topics to more of what you would expect to find here, pullmansunrental.com has it all. We hope you find what you are searching for! ---
**Author:** ![Kiwi\_Fruit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kiwi_fruit/32/12_2.png) [@Kiwi\_Fruit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kiwi_Fruit)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2010, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-tea-at-a-picnic/537330/7 "2010-04-25T23:50:16Z")
Use one of [these](http://christchurch.gumtree.co.nz/c-Stuff-for-Sale-other-Portable-gas-stove-brand-new-with-2-cartridges-W0QQAdIdZ189741027) with a kettle. Tea always tastes best when made with boiling water and those airpots won’t be able to keep the water boiling. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2010, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-tea-at-a-picnic/537330/8 "2010-04-25T23:53:12Z")
I might end up having to buy an insulated carafe or something; it’s just that I can’t think of how often I’d use it to make it worthwhile. Borrowing a camp stove might be a better option: There are sure to be a few of those floating around somewhere here. ---
**Author:** ![GreasyJack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/df705f/32.png) [@GreasyJack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreasyJack)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2010, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-tea-at-a-picnic/537330/9 "2010-04-26T01:09:39Z")
You could pick up one of these oddball stoves: [http://www.rei.com/product/653343](http://www.rei.com/product/653343) ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2010, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-tea-at-a-picnic/537330/10 "2010-04-26T01:17:00Z")
If the weather’s good enough, you could try sun tea. You let the sunlight steep the tea. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2010, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-tea-at-a-picnic/537330/11 "2010-04-26T14:48:01Z")
> [@Kiwi\_Fruit](#): > > Use one of [these](http://christchurch.gumtree.co.nz/c-Stuff-for-Sale-other-Portable-gas-stove-brand-new-with-2-cartridges-W0QQAdIdZ189741027) with a kettle. Tea always tastes best when made with boiling water and those airpots won’t be able to keep the water boiling. Depends on the tea. For a black tea, you want water close to boiling (and pu-erh should be at a hard boil), but white, green, and oolong teas should be brewed with water significantly below boiling (around 170-175F for white tea). ---
**Author:** ![otternell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecc23a/32.png) [@otternell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/otternell)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2010, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-tea-at-a-picnic/537330/12 "2010-04-26T14:49:13Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > If the weather’s good enough, you could try sun tea. You let the sunlight steep the tea. seconded, and then serve it as an iced tea. especially for a picnic! ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2016, 8:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-tea-at-a-picnic/537330/14 "2016-12-15T08:15:50Z")
Reported.