Iced tea: the summer in your glass

Finally, after almost 6 months of waiting, the sun is coming out again. Summer temperatures are approaching quickly so it's time for a fresh and cooling drink!

The history behind ice tea

Iced tea has a very interesting history. Popular stories say that iced tea was first on the market in 1904 in St. Louis America. That is not entirely accurate. Iced tea was first served in South Carolina, as this was the only commercial tea plantation. At the time, green tea was the basis of the ice tea, often mixed with a good splash of liqueur.
In 1904 in St. Louis, the drink really took off. There, a Tea Commissioner from India offered tea to anyone passing the East India Pavilion. This did not catch on because it was a hot summer in Missouri. The commissioner came up with the idea of ​​putting ice cubes in the tea, which made it a huge attraction for nearly 20 million people! Since then, ice tea has become increasingly popular and is still a mega trend to this day.

Iced tea vs. Cold brew

You might see it passing by a 'cold brew.' But what is really the difference between a cold brew and ice tea? It basically looks the same. Yet there is actually a difference between the two, in both the taste and the preparation of the drinks. 

Iced tea starts as hot tea. To give your ice tea the best taste, it is important that you use loose tea. Pour the correct temperature water into the loose tea leaves and let the tea infuse for the specified time. Be careful not to let the tea soak in too long, otherwise the tea will become bitter. When the tea mixture has cooled completely, pour it over ice and voilà a delicious ice tea.
You can always add (natural) sugars to sweeten the tea or lemon to give your ice tea a refreshing citrus flavor. There are countless flavor options with ice tea, you can make the ice tea to your own taste! 

Cold brew is very different from the ice tea. First of all, the tea leaves are steeped in cold water. The loose tea leaves sit in the cold water for at least 20 minutes to 24 hours. The cold water brings out sweet amino acids such as theanine. During the process, different flavors are released and it gives very different flavors than an ice tea, for example. With cold brew you can also vary endlessly with different flavors.

Recipes iced teas and cold brews

To give some inspiration, we have listed a few tasty recipes. for more recipes you can always visit our website!

-Iced Melon Mint Tea: This is the ultimate summer weather freshener. Fresh mint together with the sweet melon provides a delicious taste sensation. -Ginger spice cold brew: A delicious spicy cold brew with some extra spice from the fresh red pepper. 
-Matcha green iced tea: What could be better than enjoying a delicious glass of refreshing and thirst-quenching, homemade and, last but not least, sugar-free iced tea! This fantastic iced tea is made with pure matcha from Japan. 

Will it be an ice tea or a cold brew? Whichever blend you choose, now is the time to enjoy a nice refreshing glass of ice tea!