You certainly do not have to be sober to enjoy iced tea and celebrate National Iced Tea Month (June). However tea played and continues to play, a crucial role in maintaining my sobriety. Iced tea in particular is as cool and refreshing as some of my favorite alcoholic drinks and also comes in endless varieties from fruity to woody, and calming caffeine-free herbal to super-charged caffeine-loaded matcha. What’s more is that I also have a long history with iced tea. Growing up in the Southwest, my family would make sun-tea. I would light up when I watched our sun-tea pitcher being filled with tea bags and water and would impatiently await my first cup of iced tea as the leaves brewed in the desert heat. At the ripe old age of eight, I would fill a lowball glass with ice and sun-tea and reenact scenes from my family’s favorite soap operas, pretending that the tea was whiskey and that I was a high powered business executive. Looking back, my role play with tea foreshadowed my adult alcohol addiction. But, I’ve come full circle now; tea, rather than alcohol, fills my cup once again. So, with that I say, “Hear, hear!” to iced tea and present to the National Iced Tea Month goddesses 10 delightfully delicious iced teas to try:
1. Strawberry Basil Iced Tea
![via Martha Stewart](https://www.autostraddle.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Strawberry_Basil.jpg?resize=500%2C625)
via Martha Stewart
2. Lemon Balm Watermelon Green Iced Tea
3. Matcha Mint Iced Tea
![via Love & Lemons](https://www.autostraddle.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Matcha_Mint.jpg?resize=507%2C640)
via Love & Lemons
4. Coconut Iced Tea
![via Food Network](https://www.autostraddle.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Coconut.jpg?resize=640%2C480)
via Food Network
5. Honeysuckle Iced Tea
6. Iced Matcha Latte
![via Japan Food Style](https://www.autostraddle.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Iced_Matcha_Latte.jpg?resize=640%2C480)
via Japan Food Style
7. Plum Thyme Iced Tea
8. Milk with Chai Tea Ice Cubes
![via the kitchn](https://www.autostraddle.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Milk_Chai.jpg?resize=540%2C594)
via the kitchn
9. Pineapple Ginger Iced Tea
10. Tropical Fruit Punch Iced Tea
![via Bakers Royale](https://www.autostraddle.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Tropical.jpg?resize=290%2C640)
via Bakers Royale
Thanks for this list! Looking forward to trying a few this summer!
These look incredible! I kept showing the pics to my girlfriend, and she kept yelling “Stop it!!” like I was tormenting her.
Oooo yes, a great post to get me settled in that summer vibe. All these drinks look delicious — and healthy too! Thank you for the list!
I had no idea this was National Iced Tea Month, but I’m excited that such a thing exists, and I definitely want to try some of these!
Yummmmmmmmmm!
Um wow sun tea…never thought my sort of Southern backround would ever make me feel pearl clutch-y about anything because I was a teenage anarcho-neo-pagan-trans-inclusive-feminist, but humidity and bugs make the very concept of sun tea unsettling even if I know the Southwest def don’t have the same biome. It’s like water must have gators or gar fish mindset/instinct.
But gosh all these teas, book marked and gunna tweak some of these recipes.
Also also also grapes make fantastic no-melt ice cubes and cranberry juice out the bottle a fantastic melty ice cube in “plain” ice tea if you want some fruity tang, but can’t be bothered to juice a lemon.
I love when you guys talk about food and drinks
Thanks!! so many great ideas :)
I really love hibiscus iced tea also!! So refreshing!
Ah looks so good! Definitely going to bookmark these and make some of these ^_^