That Lipton tea, you know, the one in the yellow box, I always see it in the store. My neighbor, she drinks it all the time. She says it’s good. I see folks buying it. Now, they call it black tea. Is Lipton tea black tea? I don’t know much about all these fancy teas.

I heard some folks talking ’bout it down at the market. They were saying something ’bout how it’s made. Something ’bout leaves and plants. They say Lipton black tea comes from some plant, same one they use for other teas. They call it “Camellia sinensis.” Sounds like a mouthful, right? This old brain can’t keep up with all these names.

One fella, he was going on and on about black tea being, what did he call it? Oxidized? More than green tea or white tea or something he called oolong tea. All these different kinds, it just makes my head spin. I just want a simple cup of tea, you know?

• That yellow box, that’s Lipton, everyone knows that.
• They say it’s regular tea.
• Lipton got all kinds of tea now, not just one.

This Lipton, it’s supposed to be the regular tea. That’s what they all say. But they got all sorts of Lipton tea now. I saw it at the store. Different boxes, different colors. It’s all confusing, if you ask me. But the yellow box, that’s the one I know, that’s Lipton tea.

Some say that this black tea, it’s fermented. Like that stuff they make down the road, you know? But not quite, they say it’s only “somewhat” fermented. And they complain about tea in bags. Say it ain’t good quality.

Now, this Lipton fella, I hear he started with a grocery store. Long time ago, back in 1871. Way over in Scotland, they say. Then he went and bought some land, some tea fields, over in, where was it? Ceylon? They call it Sri Lanka now. He did good with his tea. They say he made good tea. I reckon he did, seeing how everyone drinks it.

This Lipton black tea, they say it’s got real tea leaves. They mix ’em up special, they say. You can drink it hot, or you can put ice in it. They say it’s good with meals. Refreshing, they call it. I reckon it is, if you like that sort of thing.

I remember when there weren’t so many kinds of tea. Just tea. Now it’s all black tea, green tea, white tea. Too much to keep track of. But that yellow box, that Lipton, that’s always been there. And it is a black tea. I guess some things don’t change much.

The thing about this Lipton black tea, it’s just everywhere. You go to the diner, they got it. You go to someone’s house, they offer you some. It’s just a regular thing, you know? That yellow box is a common sight, like an old friend almost.

I asked my granddaughter, she knows about these things, about this black tea. She said, “Grandma, Lipton is black tea.” Just like that. She said it’s just a kind of tea, like how apples are a kind of fruit. Made it simple for me. I guess that’s all I needed to hear.

• Lipton black tea is everywhere.
• It’s a regular thing.
• The yellow box is like an old friend.

Well, there you have it. That’s all I know about that Lipton tea. It’s black tea, they say. And it’s been around for a long time. That Lipton fella, he sure did make a name for himself, didn’t he? Guess he knew what he was doing with that tea. And people sure do like it. So, if you’re wondering is Lipton tea black tea, well, there’s your answer. It is. Plain and simple.