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.

Lemon Blush! Cool down with Zhi

Fun in the sun!

Here in Texas, we know how to beat the heat. Organic iced tea, y’all!

This year, we are loving our new tea, Lemon Blush, in pretty pitchers with plenty of ice.

Our Lemon Blush can be considered a take on a pink lemonade. This new caffeine free herbal tea has tons of zesty lemon myrtle to give it a citrus zing. Then, we blended it with organic hibiscus flower to make a lovely crimson color. It’s slightly sweet on its own, or feel free to embellish with a splash of simple syrup or honey.

This summer, we’d be honored to see #zhitea at your picnics, potlucks, and pool parties. Please tag us in your tweets and Instagram pics! Always organic, always enjoyable over iced. What is your favorite iced Zhi Tea?

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?

Savor the Season with Organic Autumn Tea!

Ready, set, steep!  It’s time think about hot tea. Let Zhi and the fall harvests guide your tea experience this season. Complement your favorite recipes with the very best tea in the world. Zhi’s teas satisfy even the most distinguished palates and will have them coming back for more!

Cinnamon: Always popular, this spice not only tastes good, but is good for you! Zhi’s Kenya Chai is bold enough to be the main flavor when paired with your pancakes, coffee cake and creme brule. It’s also perfect alongside vanilla and coconut-based treats.

Cloves: Spicy, aromatic and sensual. Simply brewing a batch of our  Turkish Spice Mint changes the mood in one’s home or cafe. Delight is in the air! A bit spicy, a tad sweet. Pairs great with chocolate, citrus, lamb and roasts.

Apple: Redefine your pies, breads and salads. Zhi’s Blood Orange (with apple bits!)  is a colorful and bold way to accent your apple notes even more. Hint: Berry Hibiscus easily stains your apples! Be playful with pink slices of the year’s best bushels.

Pumpkin: The warm, amber qualities of Zhi’s Vanilla Honeybush parallels pumpkin’s sweet, sunny notes. Choose a malty  Assam or smokey Pu erh to compliment your traditional squash and brown sugar recipies.

Nuts:  Complement familiar recipes with toasted, nutty teas like our Red Rooibos. Plus, our Raspberry Pecan Rooibos is a friend to every holiday pie!

 

 

Monday Mashup: Pink Doublemint

Monday MashupThis Monday’s organic tea concoction kept it cool with a combination of our premium Moroccan Mint and Hibuscus Mint teas at a 1:1 ratio. With Texas summer in full swing, we opted to ice our Monday Mashup, and the result was just as refreshing as we’d expected. The icy, palate-cleansing sensations of the fair trade mint tea balanced out the tart and sweet flavors of the hibiscus flower for a truly top-notch summer beverage.

We’re looking forward to blending the same duo together as Ausitn’s “winter” rolls around (we get one of those, right?) and expect that exciting hot/cold sensation as we sip our Pink Doublemint hot tea. So, with our next Mashup just a week away, what new Zhi tea should we cook up? You name it, we’ll try it!