Sweet and Unsweet

The Best Ice Tea

Bill Miller’s is a local BBQ chain. Been many long years since I’ve eaten there, not that it isn’t good, as a local chain, it’s quite acceptable, but then, as local foods go, I can be a bit of a BBQ esthete. Not really a “foodie,” but close enough. I’m picky about ‘cue.

While I’m not fond of Bill Miller’s BBQ, it’s not bad, just not stellar, there is one craft they have long since mastered: sweet tea.

I have it, on good authority, that they make the best sweet tea. Figures that Bill Miller’s would have a San Antonio headquarters.

The best tea I’ve ever had? Ice tea, done perfect? Green Mesquite BBQ.

Two-Meat Tuesday

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Title: Two-Meat Tuesday

Free Book -> iTunes -> iBooks -> Two-Meat Tuesday

I prefer my tea unsweet. Borne out of years of walking on Austin’s Hike and Bike trail, then ducking into Green Mesquite, being greeted with a quart-sized, or larger, plastic tumbler filled with crushed ice and brown liquid. Lipton, or Lucerne, I’m not sure, maybe just Sysco brand generic tea. Probably prepared by the bucket, or three-gallon size. The flavor, I’ve never been able to duplicate it, it’s the most “tea” like tea I’ve ever had. Not too strong, yet enough “tea” flavor to make itself known. On hot afternoons, I could go through as much as three of those large glasses of tea, the perfect hydration system.

Never realized just how spoiled I was, living next to Green Mesquite BBQ. Naturally, I just assumed that every BBQ place had that level of excellence. I’ve searched, low and high, and two elements are stuck in my brain. One, the BBQ Pork ribs are some of the finest anywhere. Two, the tea, just regular iced tea, was better than any other.

In San Antonio, I’ve attended several functions and the Sweet Tea is catered from Bill Miller’s. Even if the BBQ isn’t from there? Tea is.

Years of taste testing, though, Green Mesquite still wins.

While local pressure might indicate that Bill Miller’s Sweet Tea is best, if I’m going to have Sweat Tea? Eddie’s Taco House tastes best to me.