Dolly Parton referred to Sweet Tea Vodka as “the house wine of the South.” It is an apt description even if the concept of vodka-infused tea drinks like the sweet tea vodka began elsewhere.

The legend of tea began in China almost 5,000 years ago. The story tells about an emperor who was drinking hot water when a strong wind blew tea leaves into his cup, producing the first cup of tea. When trading began between different countries and the Orient, tea was one of the most traded products. In Russia, tea was initially rejected until someone had the bright idea of adding in some sweet jam. Tea soon began to gain popularity and became second to vodka as a national drink. As a natural course of action, vodka ended up being mixed with tea to give the drink a bit more kick to it.

In Southern California, sweet iced tea has always been a favorite drink. It is refreshing and soothing and, as we all know, contains some caffeine to boost one’s energy level. Infusing vodka was triggered by a distillery known as Firefly Distillery located on Wadmalaw Island. Within months, their sweet tea vodka swept the country with 70% proof—not as strong as a straight vodka, but perfect with the sweetness of iced tea.

It can be mixed as a drink with a variety of other ingredients such as lemonade, Sprite, ginger ale, water, and ice cubes. Interestingly, sweet tea vodka comes in different flavors like Peach, Mint, Strawberry, Lemon, and Raspberry.

Sweet tea vodka has become so popular that there are now forums facilitating debate on how to make this particular blend at home. Some are drawn to making their own in an effort to save money while others are more interested in creating a more potent, less sugary sweet tea vodka—their own personal blend. Commercial or homemade, sweet tea vodka is a hit and will most definitely be around for generations.

There are quite a number of sweet tea vodka brands on the market today. The immense popularity of this concoction has produced several competing companies who are all very successful with their brand of Sweet Tea Vodka. Here are some of the top brands:

Firefly Sweet Tea Vodka

This product hit the shelves in the second quarter of 2008. They grow their own grapes and tea plants. The two men behind this brand are Scott Newitt and Jim Irvin who came up with the idea of adding vodka to this staple refreshment in South Carolina. Their Firefly Sweet Tea Bourbon was awarded the Gold Medal in the recent San Francisco World Spirit Competition.

Jeremiah Weed Sweet Tea Vodka

Jeremiah Weed is another southern company that offers more than just Sweet Tea Vodka. Their Sweet Tea Vodka brand, though, is extremely popular all across the country. Their tea is brewed in-house and they only use natural cane sugar as compared to refined sugar. They have three variants: The Original Sweet Tea Vodka, Sweet Tea Peach, and Sweet Tea Bourbon.

Sweet Carolina Sweet Tea Vodka

White Rock Distilleries is the company that makes Sweet Carolina Sweet Tea Vodka. They are located in Maine and have been in business for over 67 years. Their Sweet Carolina Sweet Tea Vodka brand is one of their many products, but it is fast becoming one of their most popular. Like other brands, the Sweet Carolina drink is 70% proof which means it packs a punch and can be enjoyed without having to add anything except maybe a few ice cubes!

Seagram’s Sweet Tea Vodka

Seagram’s refers to their Sweet Tea Vodka brand as “wicked”, which is fitting since you don’t actually taste the vodka. The subtleness of the premium vodka is masked by the sweet southern charm of home grown sweet tea. They are currently selling the classic Sweet Tea Vodka as well as the peach-flavored Sweet Tea Vodka. Their quality is world-renowned and well-respected—they have been in the business since 1857.

These are just a few of the Sweet Tea Vodka brands. The main difference between the various brands is the type of tea used and whether the vodka is infused or flavored with tea. Most experts will recommend the infused Sweet Tea Vodka, so be sure to keep an eye out for this feature in choosing your next drink!

It is a wonderful day when you have the time to relax and sip vodka sweet tea with friends or family! It’s not simply about this wonderful drink but about being able to relax in a world that’s full of stress and chaos. One reason that you might want to include vodka sweet tea in your next gathering or restful get-together is because of its subtlety and popular acceptance across all ages and genders.

The versatility of this product is one of its most desirable qualities—there is such a range of drinks and flavors you can mix into it. Whatever combination you choose, you will have that refreshing, fresh taste that leaves no alcoholic scent on your breath yet manages to provide a pleasant buzz. Being an alcoholic beverage, it is advised that you drink it casually but carefully. No gulping it down like you would a regular ice tea drink!

It is also relatively inexpensive and, although it is fairly new on the market, it’s not that hard to find several vodka sweet tea products at many stores. Some of the interesting blends that have been created are even named after popular personalities like Arnold Palmer and John Daly.

It is recommended that you select the infused vodka sweet tea instead of going for the vodka flavoring. It has a stronger tea taste, so the finished mixed blend is more fresh and invigorating. Companies that use black tea leaves or fresh leaves are also recommended. You tend to get a more flavorful brewed tea taste and enjoy more benefits of fresh tea as compared to commercially prepared tea flavoring.

The current trend of infusion is not just with vodka sweet tea. Tea is being infused into other food products such as soda, candy, beer, sauces, and meat. This may be part of the larger picture where people are becoming more conscious of their health and of the benefits tea can provide.

Aside from being a great source of antioxidants, tea like that found in vodka sweet tea can also provide our bodies with flavonoids. Specifically called Citrin and Vitamin P, these nutrients help us absorb Vitamin C and keep our blood count optimal and our platelets from clotting.

If all of these benefits are not enough to convince you of trying sweet tea vodka, keep in mind that you will also find you are less likely to wake up the next morning with a headache—even with moderate consumption. For the least chance of a hangover, choose a vodka sweet tea that uses brewed tea and not flavoring.

Many people enjoy a nice refreshing drink at the end of a long day, so having sweet tea vodka recipes around will certainly help end the day pleasantly. When sweet tea vodka first became known as a mixed drink, the response from most who tried this drink was unbelievable. This positive reaction spurred a plethora of recipes and ways to make your own personal version of sweet tea vodka to suit your tastes.

Here are a few of the sweet tea vodka recipes that have been getting rave reviews:

Homemade Sweet Tea Vodka

1 and ½ cups plain syrup
1 quart Sweet Tea Vodka
¼ cup NYC Breakfast, the loose black tea variety blend

In a tightly sealed container, combine all the ingredients. Shake thoroughly. Let stand for 45 minutes, shaking once in a while. Strain the liquid to remove the black tea leaves. Serve chilled.

Cucumber Sweet Tea Vodka Cocktail

Dry cucumber soda
One Lemon
2 ounces Sweet Tea Vodka (the infused variety)
One cucumber slice for garnish

Cut the lemon in half and squeeze the juice out using a strainer. Combine all ingredients. Mix well and serve with ice. Slice the cucumber and garnish on the side of the glass. Serve.

Hard Sweet Tea

This recipe was originally concocted using Firefly Sweet Tea Vodka. It is highly recommended to stick to this brand although it’s not a hard and fast rule.

Half an ounce of plain syrup
Half an ounce of fresh lemon juice
2 ounces Firefly Sweet Tea Vodka
4 ounces fresh brewed black tea
Ice
Lemon wheel

Combine all ingredients in a cocktail mixer with some ice. The amount of ice cubes you use will depend on your preferences. You can also add the ice cubes after mixing the ingredients if you prefer less of a slushy texture. Get a tall glass and add more ice cubes. Strain your mixture straight into the glass. Add lemon wheel as garnish. Serve.

Making Sweet Tea Southern-Style:

Ingredients:
6 regular tea bags (Lipton and Luzianne are popular grocery store brands)
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups boiling water
1 1/2-2 cups sugar
6 cups cold water
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

Yield: 2 Quarts
Directions:
1) Place tea bags and baking soda in a large glass measuring cup.
2) Pour 2 cups boiling water over the tea bags.
3) Cover and steep for 15 minutes in the measuring cup.
4) Take out the tea bags and give them a light squeeze before discarding them.
5) Pour the tea mixture into a 2-quart pitcher; add the sugar.
6) Stir until the sugar is dissolved.
7) Add in the 6 cups cold water.
Let cool; chill in the refrigerator and serve over ice.

Making sweet tea following this recipe and you will get smooth, sweet iced tea just like the coveted elixir served with dinner or as a cool refreshment in restaurants and homes all throughout the South. Like your tea with a little bit of a bite? Leave the baking soda out of the above recipe; the baking soda smoothes out the flavor of the tea and eliminates any bitterness or bite it might have after steeping.

Sweet tea is definitely a beverage that can be adapted to individual tastes; some like it very strong with less sugar and longer steep times while others like it sweet and smooth. It can be sweetened with white/brown/cane sugar if you prefer a traditional approach, or you can use any of the numerous artificial sugars and sugar substitutes. When using anything other than traditional sugars when making sweet tea, take care to make sure your sugar has dissolved well before pouring; regular white sugar dissolves very well in hot water, but experience shows that some artificial sweeteners such as Splenda dissolve best in cold water.
Many families have a way of brewing and sweetening their tea that dates back generations. Make sweet tea however you like, but be sure to head down south to experience it in the area that started it all!

Make Sweet Tea Southern-Style:

Ingredients:
6 regular tea bags (Lipton and Luzianne are popular grocery store brands)
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups boiling water
1 1/2-2 cups sugar
6 cups cold water
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

Yield: 2 Quarts
Directions:
1) Place tea bags and baking soda in a large glass measuring cup.
2) Pour 2 cups boiling water over the tea bags.
3) Cover and steep for 15 minutes in the measuring cup.
4) Take out the tea bags and give them a light squeeze before discarding them.
5) Pour the tea mixture into a 2-quart pitcher; add the sugar.
6) Stir until the sugar is dissolved.
7) Add in the 6 cups cold water.
Let cool; chill in the refrigerator and serve over ice.

Make sweet tea following this recipe and you will get smooth, sweet iced tea just like the coveted elixir served with dinner or as a cool refreshment in restaurants and homes all throughout the South. Like your tea with a little bit of a bite? Leave the baking soda out of the above recipe; the baking soda smoothes out the flavor of the tea and eliminates any bitterness or bite it might have after steeping.

Sweet tea is definitely a beverage that can be adapted to individual tastes; some like it very strong with less sugar and longer steep times while others like it sweet and smooth. It can be sweetened with white/brown/cane sugar if you prefer a traditional approach, or you can use any of the numerous artificial sugars and sugar substitutes. When using anything other than traditional sugars to make sweet tea take care to make sure your sugar has dissolved well before pouring; regular white sugar dissolves very well in hot water, but experience shows that some artificial sweeteners such as Splenda dissolve best in cold water.
Many families have a way of brewing and sweetening their tea that dates back generations. Make sweet tea however you like, but be sure to head down south to experience it in the area that started it all!

Sweet Leaf Green Tea came about as an expansion to the original line with flavors such as Mango, Mint & Honey, and their latest addition to the lineup Pomegranate Green Tea. Green teas traditionally have less intense flavor and much less kick than black teas, which are what we think of when we think hot morning teas or iced teas. Marketed as tea “just like Granny makes” Sweet Leaf Green Tea is a great way to quench your thirst whether at home or on the go.

If you are on a diet or just not crazy about drinking a lot of sugar in your tea, they have already made accommodations for you! Sweet Leaf Green Tea comes in several diet variations, including flavors such as Diet Citrus, which are sweetened with sucralose instead of aspartame; Splenda is one sucralose based artificial sweetener that is used. Past diet variations include Diet Mint & Honey and Diet Mango, though these flavors have since been discontinued and are no longer being produced as Sweet Leaf Green Tea.

You may be wondering wondering what the hype is all about, that it’s just another brand of tea in a bottle or can. Not even close. Though reviews vary greatly among taste-testers, I can personally vouch for this tea being closer than other bottled/canned brands to tasting like homemade sweet tea. Blame it on being raised in the South, but I know what real tea tastes like—yes, even green tea. Tea is filled with helpful anti-oxidants ready to go to battle for you, defending your body against free radicals which can age you and bring you down. Sweet Leaf Green Tea is like carrying a small army in your backpack or purse… a sweet, tasty little army.

Sweet Leaf Iced Tea is head and shoulders above many of the more widely available prepared teas such as Lipton and Arizona. I, along with many other hard-core tea drinkers, know that most bottled or canned teas have a strange aftertaste and just seem to taste “off”. I personally credit my Southern roots for my taste in iced tea.
I am a connoisseur of sorts, and I give my strong approval for Sweet Leaf Iced Tea as far as commercially prepared teas go. Everyone’s tastes are different, and there is nothing wrong with liking one particular brand or flavor over another.
Regardless of how good a tea may be to one person, there are certainly some people who simply prefer their iced tea to come from a pitcher in their refrigerator and won’t touch something off the shelf.
If you are in the market for something tasty to carry along to your next picnic lunch on the grass or to bring along with you on your next road trip, consider Sweet Leaf Iced Tea for their superior taste and convenience.

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Well, I don’t know where you are visiting us from but no matter, everyonecan enjoy a good glass of sweet tea.

Here, you’ll find sweet tea recipes, articles about sweet tea, and even a video to show you how to make sweet tea.

So just what is sweet tea?

There are basically two types of iced teas in the United States. The only thing that makes them different is one has sugar and the other doesn’t.

Southerners (including me) love their sweet tea and drink it by the gallon.

Here in the South, sweet tea isn’t just a something we drink during the summertime, we drink it year round with most meals. When people order tea in a Southern restaurant, it’s almost a given you’ll get sweet tea.

Outside of the south, really the southeast, iced tea is served unsweetened or “black”. Most people won’t know what you are talking about if you ask for sweet tea.

On a recent trip to Texas I went to a fabulous BBQ joint. I got my plate and told them I wanted sweet tea to drink. From the reaction, you would have thought I was from another planet!

Well, I’m out to change that…

Here’s the sweet tea recipe we used to made the sweet tea in the video:

Nothing like a good ol glass of Southern sweet tea on a hot summer day. (or any other day as fasr as that goes