Categories
Satire Thoughts and Musings

What is the British opinion of iced tea?

Photo by Olenka Sergienko on Pexels.com

Being the caring, sharing kind, I actively participate in Quora, the Knowledge sharing site, where I attempt to provide robust answers on topics where I have expertise, or opinion on topics where I have an interest or experience.

Quora’s mission is to share and grow the world’s knowledge.

Mostly these are somewhat technical responses to queries around Microsoft 365 etc.

Occasionally, a question comes along which is so bonkers, left-field or unexpected that there is a choice between either getting snippy, or being British about it. Some of these responses I’m sufficiently proud of (and entertained by) to think they are worth sharing in their own right. Today, I offer you this genuine question:

Question: What is the British opinion of iced tea?

Asked by Byron Lipper on 24 January 2015,

https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-British-opinion-of-iced-tea

My response

Iced tea is generally regarded, in Britain, as almost incontrovertible proof of the existence of Satan. As a nation, we have greater faith in proper tea than we do in any particular god (or deity collective), however even tea has its demonic counterpart and it’s iced tea.

Asking for iced tea may get you forcibly ejected from civilised establishments. In some counties, the legal punishment for unlicensed manufacture of iced tea include flogging, wedgies and, in extreme cases, collective tuttage.

The last hanging for public promotion of iced tea was as recent as 1951. A Members Bill is being brought to our lower house to reinstate the law and punishment. But that’s the Tories for you. However, there are frequent news reports of people going missing after being found to be secret iced tea drinkers; this seems to be largely restricted to rural communities, fortunately.

For the most part, we are a liberal country. A broad church, some might say. As long as visitors to our verdant isle avoid consumption of iced tea in public and you are not caught encouraging others to participate in this perversion then you will probably be fine.

I shit you not…

Simon's avatar

By Simon

Simon Hudson is an entrepreneur and health sector specialist. He formed Cloud2 in 2008 following a rich career in the international medical device industry and the IT industry. Simon’s background encompasses quality assurance, medical device development, international training, business intelligence and international marketing and health related information and technology.

Simon’s career has spanned both the UK and the international health industry, with roles that have included quality system auditing, medical device development, international training (advanced wound management) and international marketing. In 2000 he co-founded a software-based Clinical Outcomes measurement start-up in the US. Upon joining ioko in 2004 he created the Carelink division and, as General Manager, drove it to become a multi-million pound business in its own right.
In 2008, Simon founded Cloud2 in response to a need for a new way of delivering successful projects based on Microsoft SharePoint. This created the first commercial ‘Intranet in a Box’ solution and kickstarted a new industry. He exited that business in 2019, which has continued to grow as a leading provider of Power BI and analytics solutions.

In 2016, he co-founded Kinata Ltd. to enable effective Advice and Guidance in the NHS and is currently guiding the business beyond its NHS roots to address needs in Her Majesty’s Prisons and in Australasia.

In 2021, Simon founded Novia Works Ltd.

In 2021 he was invited to become Entrepreneur in Residence at the University of Hull.

In 2022 he was recognised as a Microsoft MVP.

In 2025 he founded Sustainable Ferriby CIC, a community energy not-for-profit to develop energy generation, energy & carbon reduction, and broader sustainability & NetZero projects in the West Hull villages.

Simon has had articles and editorials published in a variety of technology, knowledge management, clinical benchmarking and health journals, including being a regular contributor to PC Pro, as well as a presenter at conferences. He publishes a blog on areas of interest at noviaworks.co.uk. He is a co-facilitator of the M365 North User Group. He is a lead author and facilitator on the Maturity Model for Microsoft 365. He is the author of two patents relating to medical devices. He holds a BSc (Hons) in Physical Science and a PGCE in Physics and Chemistry from the University of Hull.

Simon is passionate about rather too many things, including science, music (he plays guitar and octave mandola), skiing, classic cars, narrowboats, the health sector, sustainability, information technology and, by no means least, his family.

4 replies on “What is the British opinion of iced tea?”

I’m from the UK and personally I loved iced but I think that’s just because I’m obsessed with all things tea and haven’t learnt the best ways to make it over time. I do agree though it isn’t very popular with the non tea obsessed people of the UK

Leave a comment