Matcha has taken over coffee shops and dessert menus across the country, popping up practically everywhere from independent cafes to high street bakery chains.
But for anyone who fancies something a bit less green, a different iced tea trend has been quietly gaining traction online, known simply as Hong Kong Sprite Iced Tea. Unlike matcha’s specialist powders and dedicated whisks, this particular drink requires nothing more complicated than a bottle of Sprite and a few ordinary tea bags, making it about as low effort as a trendy drink can get.
The tea and Sprite combo isn’t a new idea.
Combining tea bags with a bottle of fizzy drink sounds like an unlikely pairing at first, but viral videos racking up tens of millions of views recently introduced plenty of people to the concept for the first time, essentially showing black tea being cold-brewed directly inside a bottle of Sprite.
What makes this trend interesting is that it isn’t purely a random internet invention either. Hong Kong has a long-standing tradition of iced lemon tea culture, typically made using strongly brewed black tea, fresh lemon slices, sugar, and plenty of ice, traditionally served in local diners known as cha chaan teng. The viral Sprite version is really just the internet’s own quicker, lazier riff on that established drink.
The shortcut version has caught on pretty widely.
Rather than brewing tea properly, sweetening it separately and chilling it down over time, the viral version essentially handles several steps at once, combining sweetness, fizz, and tea flavour in a single bottle. It’s the ideal option for anyone who likes the idea of iced tea but can’t be bothered with the usual brewing process.
Unsurprisingly, social media has fully embraced the trend, and even Sprite itself has taken notice, launching its own official tea flavoured product as a result, complete with a dedicated launch in Hong Kong specifically. It’s a fairly clear sign of just how much traction this originally homemade hack has managed to build.
How to make it at home
To make your own version, you’ll need 500ml of Sprite or Sprite Zero, two to three tea bags of your choice, a circular slice of lemon, and plenty of ice. Simply open the bottle, pop the tea bags directly inside, screw the lid back on, and gently turn the bottle upside down a couple of times before placing it in the fridge.
Depending on how strong you like your tea, leave it to steep anywhere from an hour up to overnight, aiming for something with a tea flavour without becoming overly bitter or drying. Once ready, remove the tea bags, place a lemon slice at the bottom of a glass, fill with ice, then pour the tea infused Sprite over the top with a fresh squeeze of lemon juice, garnishing with an extra slice if you fancy doubling down on the citrus.
Does the drink actually live up to the hype?
Approaching the drink with fairly low expectations, it turns out the combination works far better than it has any right to. On its own, Sprite tends to be almost overwhelmingly sweet, while tea alone can lean bitter and drying, but combined, the two balance each other out considerably, softening each other’s rougher edges in the process.
Adding a squeeze of fresh lemon elevates things even further, pushing the drink well beyond simply tasting like fizzy pop with a stray tea bag floating in it. Served properly in a decent glass with good quality ice rather than small, quickly melting cubes, it starts to resemble something you’d expect to be served in a trendy cocktail bar rather than knocked up at home from two supermarket basics.
Experimenting with different tea varieties is a good idea.
After trying the classic version, it’s tempting to start experimenting with different tea types altogether. Earl Grey in particular seems like a promising option, given how well its distinctive bergamot flavour might complement the citrus notes already present in the Sprite itself.
Given how simple and forgiving the base recipe is, there’s plenty of room to play around with different tea blends, sweetness levels, or even a splash of something stronger for anyone wanting to turn it into more of an evening cocktail rather than a straightforward soft drink.
Whether you stick to the classic version or start experimenting with your own tea combinations, this drink proves that sometimes the most unexpectedly good ideas really do come from the strangest sounding combinations, so give it a try before dismissing it outright.
