By ELAINA GONZALEZ/Opinion Editor
East Texans do not mess around when it comes to sweet tea. When HTeaO (pronounced “aich- tea – oh”) opened its doors in Tyler over a year ago, many wondered if this iced tea chain was worth a shot. With over twenty diverse tea flavors, HTeaO offers an area inside the store where customers can sample their flavors of choice before buying.
Although I am not Gordon Ramsay, I am a born-and-raised East Texan and an avid sweet tea enjoyer. So, I went to HTeaO to try all of their current sweet tea flavors for myself.
Regular Sweet: Your average sweet tea – sweet with a hint of tang. This one is good, but why not try something more adventurous?
Sweet Blueberry Green: Earthy and flavorful with a strong blueberry aftertaste. This flavor is one of my personal favorites.
Sweet Mint: Refreshing, cool, and very minty. The strong mint sensation presently surprised me.
Sweet Coconut: Rich coconut flavor, but nothing too overwhelming. The sweetness of this flavor reminded me of a melted snow cone.
Sweet Raspberry: Pleasantly sweet with a fruity tang. This is another of my personal favorites, especially for mixing with other flavors.
Sweet Watermelon: Mild tea with a strong watermelon flavor. I was shocked by how much it tasted like actual watermelon, and therefore enthused by its flavor.
Sweet Texas Chai: A homely, cinnamon spice, fall flavor. Although a bit sweeter than your usual chai drink, I also liked this one more than I expected.
Sweet Turbo Citrus: Very mild with only a hint of orange taste. In my opinion, this one was very underwhelming – almost like sugar water.
Sweet Peach Ginger: Mild peach flavor with a nice hint of ginger. The peach blended well with the ginger, and the drink was less spicy than I anticipated.
Sweet Almond Green: Very sweet with a vaguely almond aftertaste. Like Sweet Coconut, this flavor reminded me of a snow cone with its sugary but satisfying taste.
Ryan Palmer: Fruity, tangy, and flavorful. This one had tropical vibes that would be nice on a hot summer day. Note: Throughout October, customers can round their total to the nearest dollar to benefit the Ryan Palmer Breast Cancer Initiative.
Sweet Georgia Peach: Strong, rich peach flavor. This peach tea is less spicy than its peach-flavored counterparts at HTeaO – but just as sweet.
Sweet Mango Fresco: Tangy with a hint of citrus flavor. Like Ryan Palmer, it is fruity and tropical in nature.
These are the regular, year-round sweet tea flavors offered at HTeaO in Tyler. However, I have a few honorable mentions.
Sweet Zero: Basic sweet tea minus the sugar. Although the stevia leaves a slightly bitter aftertaste, this flavor is a decent sugar-free alternative.
Peach Cobbler: Limited time speciality flavor. This fall staple tastes of cinnamon spice with peach undertones that reminded me of Thanksgiving dinner.
In addition to these sweet tea options, there are unsweet counterparts for several of the flavors. Personally, I prefer to split my drink between one sweet flavor and a different unsweet flavor to get all the flavor without the sugar rush.
The opportunities are limitless – mix several flavors, add fresh fruit to your drink, and try samples to see what flavors you like. I would encourage everyone to give HTeaO a try for the possibility of finding a new favorite cold drink.
HTeaO opens at 7 a.m. from Monday to Friday, but opens at 8 a.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m. on Sunday. The store always closes at 8:05 p.m. Visit any day of the week from 2-4 p.m. for Happy Hour, when all drinks are half-priced. HTeaO in Tyler is located at 1325 E. Fifth St.
