Many people savor drinking iced tea, especially on a warm summer day. Iced tea can trace its' roots back to the heat wave in the year 1904. A tea merchant by the name of Richard Blechynden decided to serve tea over some ice during a St. Louis expo. It was so refreshing that people realized you could enjoy tea served cold instead of the common hot methods. It quickly became a drink for all types of weather.

Iced tea can be sweetened by adding sugar. Many of the bottled iced teas you purchase already have these in them for extra flavoring. Simply open the bottle and enjoy. It is a refreshing drink when the temperatures are rising. Some of the popular flavors are peach, mango, strawberry, and raspberry iced tea. You can drink these either decaffeinated or not for a little boost in energy when you need it.

If you are more inclined to make your iced tea there are two methods to try. The first way is called the cold steeping method. With this method, a dry tea leaf should be placed in a clean container that has the right amount of cold water. It should be refrigerated for six or seven hours, then strained into a second clean container. Sugar and lemon can be alternatively added to sweeten it up even more.

The second method of making iced tea is the hot steeping method. One favorite way of doing this is to double the amount of dry tea leaves you would typically use for hot tea, infuse it for approximately 5 minutes, and then pour over a full glass of ice. For the optimum results, let the tea cool down before pouring it over the ice. Alternatively you can try to steep it for approximately 5 minutes in hot water, then pour into a container with a matching amount of cold water. This method will dilute the strong tea flavor and help avoid clouding.

Iced tea can be mixed with lemonade or your favorite fruit juices to create a fruity flavored drink. Bear in mind that by doing this you should make sure that the juice does not overwhelm the flavor of the tea, but complement it instead. Experiment with the mixing ratios for the most desired results. Once you get it right you will be enjoying your iced drink while soaking up the warm sun.

James McDonald writes for findteaonline.com, a website where you can find flavored tea products and gift ideas. We have a variety of flavors as well as informative articles on many topics related to tea.