Tea Blog

When it comes to tea, certain seasons tend to highlight certain traditions. Autumn and winter are often associated with the comforting warmth of a hot cup, while spring brings the excitement of first harvest teas.

Spring, in particular, is notable for the arrival of shincha, or “new tea,” from Japan. These early harvest teas are highly prized for their freshness and vibrant flavor, making them some of the most sought-after varieties of the year.

However, depending on where you are, the weather doesn’t always cooperate with the calendar. If temperatures are already climbing—as they often do well before summer officially begins—it’s a clear sign that iced tea season is just around the corner. For some tea drinkers, of course, iced tea season never really ends.

Rather than revisiting basic preparation methods, it’s worth exploring some of the broader context and history behind iced tea. For example, I’ve previously shared some personal habits in this look at unconventional tea drinking preferences.

In the United States, iced tea dominates tea consumption, making up the vast majority of tea consumed. A commonly cited figure suggests that around 85% of tea consumed in the U.S. is iced. Whether that number has shifted in recent years is unclear, but it highlights just how strongly iced tea is associated with American tea culture.

This led me to consider the origins of the term “iced tea.” Historical references show that chilled tea drinks existed well before their widespread popularity in the early 20th century. An 1845 travel account mentions iced tea being served in Naples alongside iced coffee and chocolate. Even earlier, in 1842, a writer in the London Quarterly Review noted that cold beverages in Russia—including tea—were often cooled with ice.

One of the earliest documented mentions appears in this reference to iced tea in the 1827 cookbook “Domestic Economy and Cookery for Rich and Poor”, suggesting that the concept has been around for nearly two centuries.

If you’d like to explore different aspects of iced tea in more detail, visit this collection of iced tea articles and brewing guides. Highlights include this comparison of various iced tea brewing methods, this roundup of iced tea facts and trivia, and this exploration of sweet versus unsweetened iced tea preferences.

See more of William I. Lengeman’s articles in this archive of tea-related writing by the author.

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