I live in the south – it’s sort of a prerequisite to love sweet tea.
I hardly ever drink it, though, because it’s very seldom that a restaurant makes decent sweet tea and I never make it at home. If I’m at my mother-in-law’s house and she makes it, though, I could drink the whole pitcher. So many calories, but oh so tasty!
Not all sweet tea is made equal. I’ve tasted some awful versions before. You’ve got to get it all right – the tea can’t be too strong/weak and there’s got to be just enough sugar in it. (I like mine pretty damn sweet. My friend calls it “crunchy on the bottom.”) Oh, and it’s got to be cold. I like hot tea with sugar and milk, but that’s not “sweet tea.” Not down here, anyway. You’re a freak in the south if you drink hot tea.
My guess is that many of those that claim to dislike sweet tea just haven’t had it made correctly.
@JLeslie Pre-sweetened in what way? You mean when you order it out and it’s already sweet when you get it? Or are you referring to a beverage you can buy from a jug/can/bottle at the store that claims to be sweet tea? The latter simply isn’t sweet tea.
Ordering unsweetened tea and putting a packet of sugar in it isn’t sweet tea, either, which I believe is what you said. I just can’t do that – it doesn’t dissolve right and it still tastes unsweetened no matter how much you put in there. It probably doesn’t help that I hate unsweetened tea. The sugar should be added to the tea when it’s still hot and then the whole thing should be chilled. This is what they do at restaurants that sell sweet tea, but it’s still 100 times better made at home by a southern woman. :)