Oct 18
Review: Pacific Natural Foods Organic Iced Tea Sweetened
Black Tea, Iced Tea, Pacific Natural Foods Add commentsPatty’s Teaview Snapshot
 | "They've gone to the effort to procure not just organic and fair trade teas, but teas that taste really good and have the character and body to stand up to ice and dilution."
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I live in the high desert, and it was 103⁰F today. It was about that yesterday, and it will be like that until about October. We drink a whole lot of iced tea here, usually homemade. I bought this particular iced tea on a whim, while I was in line at the grocery store. It was just a huge pile of shelf stable boxes with a "Sale" sign in front. I decided to buy and review it because it seemed intriguing to find it in a grocery store at a good price. I also figured if I found it in a grocery store, so would other people. And, convenience is...well, it's convenient.This was a half gallon of shelf-stable (non-refrigerated) iced tea for under $3. That's not really cheap, but it's not going to break the average bank. Affordable, you're thinking, but how was it, and what is it? Because you can buy iced tea by the gallon for about the same price. So, why pay extra? This is what the extra money buys you:
Brewed organic tea (filtered water, organic black tea leaves), Organic evaporated cane juice, Ascorbic acid (vitamin C)
Less is more. Four ingredients, including the water. No weird sweeteners, no preservatives. No "natural" flavors. No unpronouncable additives. The water is filtered, everything else is organic; the tea is fair trade and it's sweetened with real sugar. It even contains the RDA of Vitamin C in one serving, probably as a preservative and to balance the flavors. There are 60 calories in the suggested 8 ounce serving, but 8 ounces goes a long way when you're pouring it into a glass filled to the brim with ice. Add a lemon slice or two, or a sprig of mint, and you're all set for a hot summer afternoon.
So, how was this tea? It tasted like good black tea, lightly sweetened. My eight ounces of tea was poured into a mug absolutely filled with ice. That was more than 3 hours ago and it's still holding up. There is a good deep tea taste, sweet but not overly so, and the melting ice hasn't diluted the flavor in any significant way. There's even still a flowery nose that is very nice. There is a quality to this tea that makes me want to know its origins, but nobody's talking. I would guess Ceylon, or perhaps someplace new, like Kenya. There isn't a lot of varietal character, so I expect it's a blend. Whatever it is, they've gone to the effort to procure not just organic and fair trade teas, but teas that taste really good and have the character and body to stand up to ice and dilution.
It is sweet, but not overly so. A fan of southern sweet tea would probably have to add more sugar. On the other hand, I'm a sugar freak, and I haven't even been tempted to add any more. It's a really nice balance, one that makes it possible to appreciate the quality of the tea they've used. I'm drinking four hour old tea now, and it's still nicely flavored, with a definite tannic edge that is not at all unpleasant. Four hours is a bit long to expect any iced beverage to survive well (except water) so I'm not going to fault it for that.
Would I buy this iced tea again? Yes, in a heartbeat. I know it's easy to make iced tea at home, but I've always done the "four teabags in a gallon of water, set it in the sun for 2 hours" routine. And, now I don't want Lipton or Tetley or any of the grocery store brands. I don't currently own any teabags. I have tasted some really good iced teas lately and I've lost my taste for less than that. Anyone who says the flavor of the tea in iced tea doesn't matter because of the ice and dilution has never had iced tea made with really good quality tea. But, making iced tea is more complex when you're using loose teas. I don't want to mess about with simple syrup. I also don't want to use up my preferred hot teas in an experimental search for the right iced tea blend.
Click here for more information about the company. Click here for more information about the tea. I'm going to snag more of this next time I'm at the market. I say it was under $3 only because I can't find the bloody receipt and I know I wouldn't have spent any more than that. It was probably closer to $2. I AM a tightwad. Whatever. I didn't have to go to the health food store and spend a small fortune. I didn't have to mess with sugar and water, or make a gallon of tea and strain it. And it's a delicious way to stay cool in this desert summer. That works for me.
— To purchase Pacific Natural Foods Organic Iced Tea Sweetened, or for more specific information on ingredients or the story behind this particular blend, click here to go directly to the manufacturer's web site.
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