Thoughts on Bottled Teas

Bottled teas are all the rage, and I certainly understand why. They're convenient, they're an alternative to carbonated beverages, and tea lovers know they're often a healthy choice as well. So when I found some bottled tea for 50 cents at the local Big Lots store yesterday, I had to buy some. (I'd read online about someone finding great teabags at their Big Lots in another city. While I didn't find any teabags that interested me, I was surprised at the number of choices of bottled tea.) I bought the Ito En Tea Apple flavor, and it was delicious, with both the black tea and the natural apple flavor distinct. But alas, this one has 17 grams of sugar! If they made this sugar-free and kept it at 50 cents, I'd buy it by the boatload.


Another tea I tried recently is diet Snapple Lime Green Tea. If you'll permit me a bit of a digression, I have to say I am somewhat bothered by the name of the flavor. If you're a woman who likes color, you know that "lime green" has been a popular color in recent years. So is "lime green" tea referring to the color of the tea? No, they mean lime-flavored green tea. (Yes, I know, I'm a grammar geek and think about such things too much, but I had to settle this in my head before I could enjoy my lime (flavored) green tea.) My first sip was heavy on the grassy taste of green tea, but the lime flavor came out as I drank more. I'd probably buy this again, and at 80 cents it's a pretty well-priced treat.


Finally, at the tea expo a few weeks ago I tried a delicious new bottled tea, ZT, made from South African rooibos tea. I tried the sweetened peach flavor (sweetened with sucralose) and liked it a lot. This one is the most expensive of the teas (it reails at $1.89 for 16 ounces), but I'd probably pay that if it were, say, in a place like Starbucks. Anyone want to comment on any bottled teas YOU have enjoyed?