Twisted tea has grown a lot in popularity over recent years and can be bought in pretty much any store. However there is a lot of confusion about this drink. What actually is it? Is it tea or not? Does it even matter? Is all twisted tea the same or do they come in different flavors like regular tea? What is twisted tea, actually -- and what else should you know about it?
I hope to answer these questions for you by giving you some information on what exactly twisted tea is and why there are so many varieties.
Read more on my tea blog below.
The History of Twisted Tea
Twisted Tea was first introduced as an alcoholic drink, targeted at college students looking for a cheap way to get drunk fast.
As it was cheap, attractive to young customers and gave them a quick buzz before exams or parties, the drink became extremely popular.
We can totally understand the appeal of a tea drink with a bit of "spice" in it, but before you jump into having it every day, there are some very important things to know (including that, yes, Twisted Tea can lead to alcohol poisoning).
So, What Is Twisted Tea, Then?
In short, twisted tea is iced tea made with sugar or actual liquor instead of artificial flavors, in order to give it a sweeter flavor.
Nowadays, there are many different varieties available. Most varieties taste almost identical to regular iced tea - the only difference being the sweetness they create through added sugars.
This has not stopped multiple manufacturers from producing their own twist on what twisted tea is supposed to be though. Many companies have come out with their own types of "twisted iced teas", some even adding milk and cream to give them an extra kick. The most popular variations are vodka iced tea, rum twisted and spiked iced tea (which usually contain fruit juice and (real) fruit pieces).
Various brands also offer different forms of alcoholic versions of their nonalcoholic drinks. For example, Twisted Tea's 'Let's Get Fizzical' line offers alcopop-style alcoholic iced teas in flavors such as 'twisted tea lemon tea' and 'twisted tea pink' which contain 7% alcohol per bottle.
Important to note is that because of the added sugar or liquor, all varieties have a lot more calories than regular iced tea - which also typically contains less than 100 calories. It is recommended that if you are trying to lose weight, you should avoid variant types of twisted tea.
Is Twisted Tea Bad for Your Health?
Well, twisted tea is very much a type of alcohol. It might taste like regular iced tea, but with an alcohol percentage of 5%, it's just as alcoholic as any beer. That means that, although tea is healthy (big fans of it here at Sin Columna in case you haven't noticed haha), twisted tea is, well, not so healthy (because it is alcoholic and because it has plenty of added sugars).
You can definitely have it in moderate quantities and occasionally, but don't look at it as a healthy drink more than you would look at wine, beer, or your favorite (alcoholic) poison of choice.
Twisted Tea FAQs
What is twisted tea made of?
Twisted tea is made out of tea leaves and a little bit of alcohol, the rest of the ingredients depend on the flavor.
Where to buy twisted tea?
You can buy twisted tea at most grocery stores near the pre made tea coolers.
What kind of alcohol is in twisted tea?
Twisted tea usually includes malt alcohol, but homemade variations might include vodka instead of that.
