We've officially passed the first day of summer, or June 21 for those of you not in "the know" and in our neck of the woods not only does that mark the beginning of monsoon season, but it also marks the rise of temperatures outdoors, How better to celebrate summer, and stay hydrated off than a tall glass of icy-cold, and refreshing tea?
Did you know that Iced tea began to appear in the United States in the 1860s and was viewed mainy as a novelty at the time. by the 1870s it had gained popularity and became quite widespread. Recipes began to appear in print, hotels were offering iced tea, and it was being offered in railway stations too! in 1907 it was officially introduced at the World's Fair in St. Louis, and the American's haven't looked back.
Whether it's sun tea, refrigerator tea, sweet-tea or even pre-made in a can or bottle, Americans love their iced tea! Today iced tea makes up around 85% of consumed tea in the United States and we're just getting started!
Now that we've given you a bit of the history behind it, allow us to tell you this: Our loose-leaf teas are often consumed and are delicious hot, but they can also be consumed iced and are a wonderful and refreshing twist on your favorites! (and a great excuse to keep drinking your favorite tea, because let's be honest: hot tea on a hot summer day is not exactly what we'd call soothing.)
here are a few selections from our catalog that are amazing over ice, but don't stop there! We encourage you to try all of our teas both hot and cold...you never know when, where or how you'll like your drink best!
For a refreshing minty brew, try Misty Meadow Morning. A green tea laced with spearmint and peppermint. So cooling and refreshing it's like a polar hug, in a good way! Add a bit of our amber rock sugar for sweetness and you have the tea equivalent of a mint julep!
Queen of Hearts is an impressive fruity blend: strawberry and rose come together to make a heavenly, naturally sweet-tart cooler that may or may not be improved with a splash of alcohol of your choice. (though we find it makes the perfect summer cooler all on it's own too.) Blend with ice in a blender and you've got an amazingly refreshing fruit-tea slush that's sure to cool you down on even the hottest of summer days.
Summer Goblin is a refreshing genmaicha green tea brew that blends that toasty nuttiness (brought to you by the characteristic toasted rice that's blended with the green tea.) with a lemony twang that's surprising in all the right ways. It's one of our favorites for iced tea at Foundry HQ!
Tuxedo Rose is a sultry, rose-laced black tea with a touch of slightly fruity rose hip and a spash of creamy vanilla. Great for an iced latte, sweetened or straight-up. (you'll want to keep a pitcher of this on-hand.)
For our traditionalists, our Kenyan Kambaa makes the best iced tea - not too brisk and not too light and floral. It's a perfectly balanced black tea that's great plain or sweetened. Though, if you're looking for a black tea substitute that has none of the caffeine, the African Honeybush is the tea for you. very faintly sweet, but with an excellent tea-like flavor. It's delightfully refreshing.
Dragonwell green tea is fantastic over iced and lends that quintessential green-tea flavor and color to your cup
And for our herbal tea lovers, you can never go wrong with a cup of Chamomile, though we also enjoy Chrysanthemum tea over ice as well for a slightly more subtle, floral drink.
Preparation? Well, we suggest brewing a little stronger than you would for a regular hot cup (meaning slightly more tea, not longer steeping time.) then adding ice to your liking. The ice will dilute the tea just a bit, which is why a slightly stronger brew is best.
Of course these are just a few of our suggestions. We encourage you to taste and sample your way through our catalog to find exactly what tickles your fancy, and of course if you ever need any suggestions, we're always available!
Happy summer!! We hope you stay cool and well hydrated throughout the summer.