Stepping outside, it almost feels like you could swim through the air. That’s humidity in Northern Virginia, and with temperatures remaining in the eighties and nineties, iced tea weather is here to stay.

Luckily, I’ve got a good stash to keep me going. PG Tips is on the same wavelength, and they recently sent me some of their tea to try iced. I’m always experimenting to find the perfect plain black iced tea, so the package was quite welcome.

I’ve been a fan of PG Tips since high school, when a friend’s parents always had it on hand. It had just the right amount of maltiness to go with bacon and toast for breakfast. While not the highest quality of tea, it’s a down home comfort tea. However, until this summer, I hadn’t thought to try it on the rocks.

I should have tried it sooner. The slightest smoky flavor comes through, giving the tea some real body, even when the ice melted. I prefer unsweetened iced tea, but I feel that this would take sweetening well without being overpowered. We went through two pitchers this weekend. I definitely recommend PG Tips for iced tea.

To make your own PG Tips iced tea, use two teabags per cup, and steep for three to five minutes. If you prefer sweet tea, either add sugar while the tea is still hot so that the granules dissolve, or use a simple sugar syrup to add sweetness to individual servings. Don’t want the trouble of making a whole pitcher? Make an individual serving and use a cocktail shaker to shake it up with ice, then pour over the rocks for a quickly cooled refreshing summer drink. If you really want to shake things up, add some lemonade to that shaker for an Arnold Palmer.

Remember, stay cool, and stay hydrated!

For more great tea tips, check out Stephanie’s blog, The Tea Scoop!

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