Obsession With Ice in Drinks
Southerners don’t just like cold drinks, they demand ice in everything. Sweet tea isn’t complete unless it’s nearly overflowing with ice cubes. Even water or soft drinks in the winter months must come “on the rocks.” It’s partly about the heat, Southern summers are brutal, but it’s also a cultural preference for maximum refreshment. Some people even freeze lemonade or coffee into cubes for extra chill. Outsiders used to sipping room-temperature water often feel like they’re crunching more than they’re drinking. But in the South, a drink without ice is considered unfinished, if not outright wrong.
