If you have never tried bubble tea, it is important you get out and grab yourself one of these popular and delicious tea drinks, like yesterday. These drinks have become popular in recent years and continue to grow in consumption and ways to prepare them.
If you are interested in bubble tea, continue reading this article for all the facts, choices, and ways to make them for yourself.
What is Bubble Tea?
Bubble Tea is a beverage that originated in Taiwan in the late 1980s, which then spread throughout China, into Japan, and then to the United States.
While this tea is now a popular drink for those who appreciate the culture, to teenagers that love the bursting boba pearls, it hasn’t always been a delicious fruity cup of cotton candy-flavored syrups and whipped cream toppings.
Bubble tea started as a brewed tea with sugars, cream, and a little flavoring, mixed in with tapioca pearls to add a sweet taste and a unique texture. This drink is available hot or cold, whichever you prefer.
Now that this tea has made its way to various countries, the ways to consume it have significantly changed. There are different boba options, different flavors, and ingredients available.
What Are the Different Bubble Teas Options?
As mentioned, there are various ways to create a fantastic cup of bubble tea, whether you are someone who likes a sweet treat after a long day, or you prefer healthier options with natural flavors and ingredients. No matter which tastes you peter, there is most likely an option for you.
Milk
This is a big seller at shops that offer these specific drinks. The thick creamy milk, mixed with a delicious tea flavor makes the beverage almost irresistible.
You can request a few different options when ordering your drink. You can choose from the whole (most common), skim, soy, or coconut milk, and even sweetened condensed milk (which is the more traditional option).
Teas
Plain tea will be an option when drinking these specialty drinks. There are three main types of tea used to create bubble tea: black tea, fruity flavored teas, and green tea.
The tea you use in your drink will change the flavor overall. It can be fun switching things up every time you head off to buy one.
Bubbles or Boba
Bubble tea did not get its name from the little round balls added to your drink to accentuate the taste and texture. Originally, it was named after the balls created by the massive foam that would accumulate at the top of the drink after it was vigorously shaken.
Nonetheless, these little additional boba’s are now the reason many people love drinking the tea in the first place, and there are many options you can have placed in your drink.
- Tapioca boba: Tapioca boba is little chewy starch balls with flavor extracted from the cassava root. They contain plenty of texture and are often a purple color.
- Popping Pearls: Popping pearls are fruity-filled bubbles added to bubble tea giving a burst of flavor as you pop them open in your mouth. These pearls come in tons of various flavors.
- Jellies: Jellies are the newest addition to boba drinks. They are fruity jelly textured treats added into the teas. Like popping pears, these jellies come in a wide variety of flavors.
10 Most Popular Bubble Tea Drinks
If you are interested in trying Bubble tea but not sure which ones to order, here is a list of the ten most popular ways to mix and match your tea.
- Macha Tea– Pairing a matcha tea with tapioca boba gives you a natural leafy flavor with a sweet kick.
- Chai Tea– This tea is the perfect mixture of sweet and spice; adding a tropical-flavored popping pearl will enhance the flavor.
- Mango Milk– The mango milk tea is a sweet, mild-flavored option that would taste amazing with strawberry or blueberry popping pearls.
- Oolong Tea– Oolong tea provides a sweet, almost grassy flavor with a hint of flower.
- Milk Chocolate- Milk chocolate tea is phenomenal! It is mixed with any sweet, berry, popping pearl.
- Salted Caramel– Salted Carmel teas can be delicious on their own or paired with coconut jellies.
- Passion Fruit– This fruity tea gives your tastes buds a tropical tart kick; adding a sweet strawberry popping pearl can increase the flavors.
- Lavender- Lavender tea has recently become a popular way to make bubble tea. With a floral, slightly bitter taste, any fruit-filled pearls or jellies will match well.
- Black Tea– This is the original way to make bubble tea, traditionally mixed with a hint of sugar and a splash of cream.
- Brown Sugar Milk– Brown sugar tea has become a popular way to consume this drink. Many enjoy mixing it with strawberry popping pearls bringing a sweet fruity flavor together with a thick sugary syrup.
Interested in Making Your Own?
You don’t have to leave the house to mix up your cup of bubble tea. Many products are available online that will help you make the best bubble tea straight from your kitchen. The kits offer diversity in flavors and are easy to use.
Summing Things Up
It is easy to see why bubble tea has become so popular over the years. There are so many ways you can mix and match tea flavors, popping pearls, tapioca boba, and fruity jellies, giving you hundreds of options to choose from every time.
