Celebrate National Iced Tea Month With A Kick

By Bob Lipinski

When the temperature warms up in June, it’s a perfect time to celebrate National Iced Tea Month.

Iced tea was first created in the United States in the late nineteenth century, but it became widely popular after being featured at the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair. Richard Blechynden, a tea merchant at the fair, found it difficult to sell hot tea due to the warm weather. To address this, he poured his brewed tea over ice and offered it as a refreshing cold beverage. The new drink quickly gained popularity, giving fairgoers relief from the heat and sparking widespread interest.

The Tea Association of the United States reports that approximately 85 percent of tea consumed in the U.S. is served iced.

Iced tea is a chilled beverage prepared by steeping tea leaves—black, green, or herbal—in hot water, followed by cooling and serving over ice. It may be served sweetened or unsweetened and is frequently garnished with lemon or mint.

Long Island Iced Tea

The Long Island Tea cocktail was created in 1972 by Robert “Rosebud” Butt, bartender at The Oak Beach Inn (OBI), in Hampton Bays. Butt participated in a cocktail-creating contest requiring triple sec as a key ingredient. He combined it with four other clear spirits and topped it with a splash of cola, naming it for its visual resemblance to non-alcoholic iced tea. The drink gained massive popularity in the 1970s and 1980s, becoming a staple in bars for its high alcohol volume.

INGREDIENTS:  

• 1/2 ounce gin
• 1/2 ounce light rum
• 1/2 ounce tequila
• 1/2 ounce vodka
• 1/2 ounce triple sec liqueur
• 3/4 ounce lemon juice
• Splash of Coke or Pepsi
• Lemon wedge

DIRECTIONS:

Shake or stir the first six ingredients, along with ice, then add Coke or Pepsi and serve with a lemon wedge.

Variations

Over the years variations of the drink have sprung up, along with other cocktails featuring iced tea and alcoholic beverages.

Long Beach (New York) Iced Tea: Replaces cola with cranberry juice.

Tokyo Iced Tea: Replaces triple sec with Midori (melon liqueur) for a green color.

Iced Tea and Whiskey: Served with a wedge of lemon and sugar.

Iced Tea & Wine: Mix together 1 pint of strong hot tea; 1 cup orange juice; 1 cup dry red wine; 1/4 cup lemon juice; sugar to taste.  Put into a pitcher with plenty of ice.

“I only drink to steady my nerves. Sometimes I’m so steady I don’t move for months.” (W.C. Fields, 1880-1946, American actor and comedian)

Bob Lipinski is the author of 10 books, including “101: Everything You Need To Know About Whiskey” and “Italian Wine & Cheese Made Simple” (available on Amazon.com). He consults and conducts training seminars on Wine, Spirits, and Food and is available for speaking engagements. He can be reached at www.boblipinski.com OR bkjm@hotmail.com.