National Iced Tea Month

One popular story attributes the invention of iced tea to a tea merchant named Richard Blechynden, who was promoting tea at the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis, Missouri. On a hot day, he decided to pour the tea over ice to make it more refreshing, and thus iced tea was born. Another story credits the invention of iced tea to a man named Thomas Sullivan, who was a tea merchant in New York in the late 19th century. Sullivan would send tea samples to his customers in small silk bags, and some customers began steeping the bags in cold water during the hot summer months, creating a refreshing iced tea beverage. Regardless of its origins, iced tea quickly became a popular drink in the United States, particularly in the southern states, where it is often served sweetened and flavored with lemon. Today, iced tea is enjoyed around the world and is available in a wide variety of flavors and styles, including bottled and canned versions that can be purchased at grocery stores and convenience stores.