Today is National Sweet Tea Day, celebrating the sweet Southern staple that has become a symbol of hospitality.
One of the earliest printed recipes appeared in 1879’s “Housekeeping in Old Virginia” and surprisingly used green tea, not black. Black tea became standard by the early 1900s, while the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair helped iced tea reach a wider audience. Today, sweet tea is brewed strong and sweetened while still hot so the sugar dissolves before chilling. Americans consumed about 86 billion servings of tea in 2024, roughly 4 billion gallons, and 75% to 80% of it was served iced, naturally.
Celebrate with a glass by using Food.com’s recipe to steep black tea with a pinch of baking soda, which helps neutralize tannins to reduce bitterness and cloudiness, then stir in sugar while the tea is hot before chilling and serving over ice.
– Staff report with AI assist*, The Today 100
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