Inhoudsopgave
When the summer sun starts scorching, nothing quenches American thirst quite like a tall glass of iced tea. It's fitting, then, that June 10 is designated as National Iced Tea Day. This cool and refreshing holiday celebrates the classic beverage that's a staple from Southern front porches to big city cafés.
Iced tea in its many forms - sweet or unsweet, lemony or minty, black or green - is deeply embedded in U.S. culture. On this day, tea lovers across the country raise a chilled glass to the history, versatility, and pure pleasure of iced tea. Whether you fancy a mason jar of Southern sweet tea or a trendy bubble tea, National Iced Tea Day is about savoring that perfect balance of brewed tea and ice, and maybe learning a thing or two about how this beloved beverage became an American favorite.
Hoe vier je Nationale IJsthee Dag?
Het vieren van Nationale IJstheedag is een verfrissende bezigheid. Hier zijn een paar ideeën om van te genieten:
Zet je eigen kannetje
It's as simple as it sounds - make a big batch of iced tea at home. You can do this the classic way by brewing hot tea (8-10 tea bags or 2 tablespoons loose tea in about 2 quarts of water), letting it steep to desired strength, then cooling it down and pouring over ice. Or try the “cold brew” method: steep tea bags in cold water in the fridge overnight for a smooth, less bitter tea. For a fun twist, make sun tea - fill a clear jar with water and tea bags and leave it in a sunny spot for several hours. It's almost magical to watch the sun gently brew the tea (just be mindful to consume sun tea fairly soon and keep everything clean, as warm water sitting out can occasionally develop bacteria).
Experimenteer met smaken
Why not venture beyond basic black tea? Use this day to try iced green tea with a little honey and ginger, or a hibiscus herbal iced tea that's ruby-red and tart. Mix and match - a popular café trend is iced tea lemonades (half iced tea, half lemonade) known as an Arnold Palmer. You could even add fruit slices (peach iced tea with real peach slices, anyone?) or fresh herbs like mint or basil to your pitcher for extra flavor. National Iced Tea Day is the perfect time to channel your inner mixologist with non-alcoholic tea concoctions.
Zoete thee proeven
If you've never had genuine Southern sweet tea, make or seek some out on June 10. Authentic sweet tea is brewed strong and sweetened generously while the tea is still hot, ensuring the sugar fully dissolves. The result is a syrupy, amber brew often described as “liquid candy.” Many Northern or Western folks find it shockingly sweet, but it's a cultural experience worth having. You can adjust the sweetness to your liking, of course. And if you're already a sweet tea devotee, perhaps use today to see if you can convert a friend who “doesn't get the hype” - or at least to share the love.
Bezoek een theewinkel of café
Lots of coffeehouses and restaurants highlight iced teas on this day. For instance, Teavana (when it existed) or local tea shops might have sampling events or discounts on iced tea drinks. Bubble tea shops are another angle - bubble tea (or “boba”) is the popular Taiwanese iced tea with milk and chewy tapioca pearls. It's a fun, flavorful way to enjoy iced tea, especially among younger crowds. On Iced Tea Day, maybe try that taro milk tea with boba you've been curious about, or a refreshing matcha green tea with pearls.
Since iced tea is often about leisurely enjoyment, perhaps set up an afternoon break for yourself. Find a shady spot on your porch or by a window, pour a tall glass over ice, and just relax. Invite neighbors or colleagues to join if you can - an “iced tea break” can be a lovely social pause in a busy day. In the age of constant hustle, sipping iced tea can be almost meditative, a throwback to a slower time. And as you sip, you might appreciate how something as simple as chilled tea has woven itself into daily life and even history (remember, without iced tea, Long Island Iced Teas - the cocktail - wouldn't exist either, and that's a whole other story).
Recepten en tips voor ijsthee
- Nooit bewolkt: Laat hete thee afkoelen voordat je hem in de koelkast zet om troebelheid te voorkomen. Een snufje baking soda kan de thee ook helder houden en de bitterheid verminderen.
- Fruitige ijsthee: Brew black tea and add peach slices and mint while it's hot. Let cool, strain, and serve for a subtly fruity tea.
- Veiligheid van Sun-Brew: Brew sun tea no longer than 3-4 hours. Wash jars well and refrigerate promptly for safety. Or koud brouwsel in plaats daarvan in de koelkast.
- Zoet slim: Gebruik honing, stevia of simpele siroop Om korrelige suiker te vermijden. Voeg gember of munt toe aan de siroop voor extra smaak.
Probeer ook losse melanges voor complexere ijsthee. Kruiden- en cafeïnevrije varianten zoals hibiscus, rooibos en kamille zijn geweldige alternatieven voor in de zomer. Thaise ijsthee en Indiase ijsthee bieden een internationale flair voor de avontuurlijke smaakpapillen.
Geschiedenis van ijsthee
Tea itself has ancient roots, but iced tea is a relatively recent innovation. The practice of chilling tea took off once ice became easier to produce and store, and once Americans had access to plentiful tea. The earliest versions of iced tea in the U.S. were actually boozy - in the early 19th century, “tea punches” with green tea, sugar, lemon, and liquor were popular in Virginia and the South. However, what we think of as iced tea today - cold, non-alcoholic tea served in a glass - started appearing in the mid-1800s. Recipes for iced tea appeared in cookbooks in the 1870s. One famous early recipe from 1879 in a cookbook called Housekeeping in Old Virginia used green tea, steeped and then poured over ice with sugar and lemon. This is often cited as the first sweet tea.
The true breakthrough moment for iced tea's popularity came at the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair. As legend has it, a heat wave struck during the fair. A British tea merchant named Richard Blechynden, who was offering hot black tea samples, decided to pour the hot tea over ice to entice the sweltering crowds. Fair-goers loved it, and iced tea became one of the fair's big hits - right alongside other debuts like the ice cream cone. While some historians note that iced tea was already known in the South before 1904, the World's Fair publicity ensured iced tea became a national phenomenon.
By the 1920s, iced tea was firmly entrenched in American life. It even had specialized servingware: the tall “iced tea glass” and long-handled teaspoon were designed because of iced tea's popularity. The South in particular embraced sweet iced tea as a year-round drink - so much so that a 2003 Georgia state legislator humorously proposed a law that restaurants must serve sweet tea (that bill was a lighthearted joke, introduced after he couldn't find sweet tea at a Chicago restaurant). Today, iced tea accounts for the vast majority of tea consumed in the United States (by some estimates, 75-80% of tea Americans drink is over ice). It's available bottled, powdered, or freshly brewed at virtually every restaurant and café.
National Iced Tea Day likely originated with the tea industry. Lipton and other major tea brands have promoted June 10 as Iced Tea Day for a few decades now, using it as a marketing hook. The choice of June - early summer - is obvious, as that's prime iced tea season. The day encourages people to make sun tea, try new tea flavors, or drop by eateries that often have deals (for instance, McAlister's Deli has occasionally offered free iced tea on this date). Whether sweetened Southern-style or an unsweetened black tea with a slice of lemon, National Iced Tea Day is a toast to a drink that's as American as apple pie, yet globally loved.
Leuke weetjes over ijsthee
- Zomer in een glas: Juni is officieel de nationale ijstheemaand in de VS, met 10 juni als hoogtepunt.
- Zoete Thee Vereniging: Summerville, South Carolina, zette in 2016 maar liefst 9.524 liter zoete thee, waarmee een wereldrecord werd gevestigd in een gigantische glazen pot met de bijnaam "Mason".
- Juridische thee: Een wetgever uit Georgia grapte ooit dat het illegaal zou moeten zijn om geen zoete thee te serveren, nadat hij in Chicago geen zoete thee kon vinden.
- Mysterie van Long Island: De Long Island Iced Tea-cocktail bevat geen thee, maar de kleur en naam zijn een eerbetoon aan de klassieke drank.
- Gezondheid en hydratatie: IJsthee (ongezoet) zit boordevol antioxidanten en hydrateert goed, maar zoete thee met veel suiker moet met mate worden gedronken.
Jaarlijkse data voor Nationale IJsthee Dag
| Jaar | Datum | Dag van de week |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 10 juni 2026 | Woensdag |
| 2027 | 10 juni 2027 | Donderdag |
| 2028 | 10 juni 2028 | Zaterdag |
| 2029 | 10 juni 2029 | Zondag |
| 2030 | 10 juni 2030 | Maandag |
