Cool Beverage Inventions for Hot Summer Days

Hot, sun-filled days and refreshing, ice-filled drinks are a match made in heaven. When the temperature rises, downing a glass of iced tea or lemonade is a sure-fire way to cool off. Today, iced tea and lemonade are staples of any outdoor picnic or get-together, but have you ever thought about the invention history of these tasty beverages?

The "World's Fair" Myth

The 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis is credited as the birthplace of many food and drink inventions, including iced tea. The story goes that merchant Richard Blechynden, a tea plantation owner, planned on giving some of his hot tea samples away at the Fair. With temperatures that day soaring, few visitors were interested. After Blechynden dumped some ice into the tea, he "invented" a drink that was a huge hit at the Fair.

But according to Missouri historian Lyndon Irwin, an article written 14 years before the Fair and published in the Nevada Noticer specifically mentions iced tea. The story chronicled a huge meal that was served during a reunion of ex-confederate veterans. After a meal that included 4,800 pounds of bread, 400 pounds of sugar and 60 gallons of pickles, patrons quenched their thirst on "880 gallons of iced tea."

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