Star-Spangled Peach Iced Tea

When all those pop-top beers start adding up in the recycling bin during the big holiday, it’s time to turn to a refresher that’s not going to weigh you down. Sipping on iced tea is a great way to stay hydrated with minimal calories in the summer's hot sun. It also is ideal if you need to make a batch to keep on hand for a big crowd. Keep the patriotic theme going with fun ice cube molds filled with extra tea so you can avoid watering your drink down as the cubes melt.

Herbal peach iced tea doesn’t turn a "peachy" color when steeped, so the vibrant blush red is perfect for this patriotic purpose. You can also find an optional recipe below for Ginger and Turbinado Simple Syrup, flavors that pair well with peach. You can choose to add it if you prefer a bit of extra sweetness.

Star Spangled Peach Iced Tea

Makes: 4-8 ounce servings

1 quart plus 1 cup boiling water
4 Bigelow Caffeine-Free Herbal Peach Tea bags
3 tablespoons Ginger-Turbinado Simple Syrup (if desired, recipe below)

1. Steep tea in water for 6 minutes. Remove tea bags and discard. Let tea come to room temperature.

2. If desired, fill star shaped ice molds with 1 cup tea. Depending on shape, let freeze for 2 hours. Chill tea in fridge.

3. When ready to serve, stir in simple syrup (if desired) and serve over star shaped ice cubes.

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Ginger-Turbinado Simple Syrup

Makes: 2 cups simple syrup

1 cup raw turbinado sugar
1 cup water
2-inch piece ginger, peeled and sliced

1. In a small saucepan, bring sugar and water to medium heat and stir until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat, pour into a resealable glass jar and add ginger slices.

2. Let syrup come to room temperature. Discard ginger. Store covered in fridge for up to 2 weeks.