Tea Blog

The History of Iced Tea

ICED TEA & THE COLD BREW CONTINGENT

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Before ice was cool it was water

June is National Iced Tea month and in honor of this holiday we'll be offering some deep knowledge and deeper discounts to help keep you intellectually and actually insulated in the impending summer months. So, while your sipping on that sweaty beverage we offer you some fodder from the pages of history. We're going to unearth how tea went from hot to cold in two easy moves. The story behind iced tea's transformation from Midwest flare to world class fare.

The idea of icing this beverage is as old and celebrated as the union of this fair country.  However, the advent and origin are wildly debated. Cookbooks and confederacies touted the incorporation of cold cubes and crisp flavors as early as the 1840's. The Kentucky Housewife was one of the first periodicals to preach the gospel of this lovely libation calling it "Cold-Tea" and even articulating a recipe calling for "scalding" your kettle and then adding 2 teaspoons of green tea to it. Hard to believe given we see so much black tea these days, but then Chinese and Japanese green dominated the market prior to World War I & II.

However, the most widely distributed tout of truth brings us nearly half a century later at the St. Louis fair where, Richard Blechynden, director of the East India pavilion, became frustrated as he tried to offer samples of the hot stuff in the midst of the sweltering Midwest summer. His idea had not yet inoculated this beverage with sub-zero cubed delight; instead he channeled his brewed benevolence through a series of lead pipes immersed in ice resulting in a cool, refreshing beverage that tamed the tongues of fair goers alike.

Today, the newest of iterations have begun to emerge in the way of something known as "cold brewing". This is an idea that incorporates steeping the leaves of the tea for longer periods of time and at much lower temperatures to abide a full-strength non-ice necessitating refreshment. The resulting infusion lends itself to a softer, silkier palate and at full strength. Zhi Tea is proud to have been an early originator providing cold brew at zhitea.com since 2011 and we are overjoyed to see the trend taking off with a swift "can't stop won't stop" attitude.

As the summer season opens up and we find a revitalization in the newness of our own lives, perhaps cleansing the palate with the crisp and fervent flavors of an icy libation becomes necessary; something that reminds us of backyard barbeques, new beginnings and better times to come.

Introducing, Tropical Green Iced Tea Kits!

It’s hot. Cold steep!

Designed especially for pitcher-perfected iced tea, this innovative steeping method makes a flawless batch every time.

Haven’t cold steeped before? No worries!

Easy to follow directions are included on every kit. Plus, cold steeping automatically avoids over-steeping and temperature errors. With our easy to use Iced Tea kits, there’s no measuring or hot kettle needed either!

While every Zhi Tea can be enjoyed hot or iced, our cold steeping kits include our top six favorite iced teas. Our newest addition is a modification of our current top-selling Tropical Green. You’ll love this tea’s fruity, flavorful nature with tons of pineapple notes.

Catch the latest tea trend and get ready to cold steep all summer long. Available in six decadent teas, including our brand new Tropical Green!  Read more about Zhi’s summer line of seasonal iced tea here in the Austin Chronicle.

Have you cold steeped before?

Happy National Iced Tea Month!

hibiscusmintteaBorn under the blazing Texas sun, Zhi Tea knows about heat. Founded in 2007,Austin’s premiere organic tea company has been helping their neighbors keep summer cool for years. Delicious and calorie free, iced tea is an intelligent and luxurious way to stay hydrated this season.

“June is National Iced Month. While we don’t ever need an ‘official’ reason to drink iced tea here at Zhi, it is a great time to encourage others to start thinking about safe and healthy ways to enjoy the summer,” says Lorien.

“Not only is iced tea refreshing and delicious, research suggests tea plays important roles in elevating mood, maintaining healthy weight and helping your body maintain healthy cells and tissues.  When one packs their bag for the beach, we hope there’s some amazing iced tea next to the sunblock, the frisbee and one’s favorite book.”

With almost 100 teas and a line of specially crafted cold steeping kits, your summer iced tea choices are endless. Indulge and hydrate the healthy way: with Zhi Tea!

Is your favorite tea an iced tea?