Top 5 Summer Iced Teas
Iced Teas that Beat the Summer Heat
When some people think of summertime beverages they think of lemonade or Kool Aid or a number of other thirst-quenching concoctions -- but when it comes to cooling off on hot days, I personally think nothing beats a tall, cold, sweet glass of southern-style iced tea. The only thing I never liked about the iced tea my grandma used to make was the amount of time it would take to brew the tea in the sun and then chill it in the fridge. Luckily, that’s no longer a problem thanks to modern conveniences. If you’re looking for fast iced tea fixes, look no further. We’ve got the lowdown on the best iced tea money can buy.
#1 - Arizona’s Southern Style Sweet Tea
I have tasted and compared literally dozens of iced tea brands to the iced tea my grandmother used to brew and there was only one that brought it close to home. Arizona’s Southern Style Sweet Tea tastes just like the southern, sun-brewed teas of yesteryear. If you like a sweet-tasting tea that goes down smooth, you have absolutely got to try this brand.
#2 - Lipton Iced Tea – Sweetened without Lemon
While this tea wasn’t as close to my grandma’s brew as the Arizona tea was, Lipton didn’t do half bad with its sweetened tea without lemon. The company also makes an iced tea sweetened with lemon, but I didn’t care for it as much as I did the non-lemon version. However, if you’re a lover of lemon-flavored beverages, you might want to try that version of their tea as well.
#3 - Nantucket Nectars Half and Half
Nantucket Nectars makes an awesome iced tea/lemonade blend called Half and Half. The beverage is made half of black tea and half lemonade. Better yet, it’s made with completely natural ingredients so it’s good for you too.
#4 - Nestea Liquid Iced Tea Concentrate
When it comes to making instant iced tea at home, throw away those nasty powdered tea mixes. Nestea makes a great-tasting liquid iced tea concentrate that tastes just as good as the bottled stuff. My favorite flavor is the green tea with honey.
#5 - Snapple Mint Tea
If you’re in the mood for something different, try Snapple’s mint tea drink. I really don’t know how to describe it other than to say it tastes refreshing, cool and clean. When the weather is really hot and humid and I need a treat, this is the iced tea I turn to.
Comments
If you liked the teas above, one of my favorites companies is 'Sweet Leaf Tea' Brand, my personal favorite is the mint & honey, more info on said company/brand available here:
http://www.sweetleaftea.com
Posted by: Juliann Zenith | July 6, 2006 12:40 PM
I agree with you on the Lipton iced tea, but you should also try their green tea w/ fruit juices. I also enjoy making my own iced tea using the Lipton cold brew tea bags - 5 large bags per 2 quart of cold water (i use room temp Brita filtered water) - brew for 10 min ( I do 15 min). enjoy!!
Posted by: kr | July 10, 2006 8:43 AM