Bubble tea is a fairly modern beverage served in the Western world, and for those who have had the pleasure of trying it, you’ll know that it has an incredibly unique flavor.
In addition, the flavor of bubble tea varies greatly as a result of the specific variety you’ve ordered. There are a range of different options out there, and it can be fun tasting each of them.
To find out more about what this drink tastes like, as well as some more information about bubble tea in general, simply keep reading below, as we take a closer look.
What Is Bubble Tea?
Before we jump straight in and take a look at what bubble tea tastes like, first we need to cover what it actually consists of.
Those of you who have seen bubble tea will know that it appears rather thick in texture, and contains pearlescent balls which float at the bottom.
There are also a wide variety of colors that the tea appears in, most specifically pastels such as purple, pink, yellow, and blue. The color of your tea will vary depending on the flavor that you’ve chosen. For example, a taro bubble tea will have a purple hue.
Some of you reading this, who have only come across bubble tea in recent years, might be surprised to find that it actually dates back to the 1980s. That’s right, this magical beverage was invented in Taiwan several decades ago.
It gradually surged in popularity, and you’ll now find bubble tea being served in most urban areas.
For those of you who are wondering what bubble tea is actually made of, it’s essentially a tea base, normally black tea, which is then mixed with milk.
They will have sugar added into the mix too to give them that deliciously sweet taste. They will add the flavorings into the mixture, which help to give them their signature pastel look.
Although the milk bubble teas are the most popular, you can also purchase them without the milk, which is why you see some clear varieties of bubble tea around.
The Different Varieties Of Bubble Tea
Now that we’ve given you a basic understanding of how bubble tea is created, we can move on to discuss some of the specific flavors that you can buy.
As well as having an array of different flavors on offer, most bubble tea shops will also have a wide variety of extras you can choose from, including the famous tapioca balls.
When it comes to flavors, some of the most popular include chocolate, taro, mango, lychee, strawberry, watermelon, rose, and violet.
As we mentioned briefly before, each of the flavors have been infused with different food colorings in order to give them their appearance.
When it comes to extras, the most popular option for most are tapioca balls. These little black pearls have been made from starch from the cassava root. They don’t really have much flavor, and add to the texture of the tea more than anything else.
You can, however, purchase flavored varieties of tapioca pearls, such as strawberry or kiwi flavor.
In addition to the flavored tapioca pearls, some bubble tea shops will also offer different fruit varieties which you can enjoy your tea with.
What Does Bubble Tea Taste Like?
Now that we’ve taken a look at what bubble tea comprises, as well as some of the different flavors, we can move on to discuss the titular question, which pertains to the taste. So, just what does bubble tea really taste(see also: What Does Chamomile Tea Taste Like?) like?
Bubble tea tastes like a creamy, milky tea that’s been infused with different flavorings. It has a delicate and sweet base, which is complemented by tapioca pearls.
The specific taste of each bubble tea will vary depending on the particular flavor that’s been added, e.g. strawberry vs mango.
The taste can vary a little depending on the specific type of tea they’ve used for the base, too. So a black tea base, for example, would have more of a robust flavor than that of a green tea base.
Most of the time, the tapioca pearls don’t have too much flavor, but are rather there to compliment the texture of the beverage. But, sometimes, you will notice a highly sweet flavor displayed by the pearls.
This is because some bubble tea establishments will opt to soak them in honey as a marinade before serving them up to customers.
Is Bubble Tea Healthy?
The answer to this question is, unfortunately not. Bubble tea is not generally considered to provide many health (see also: Is Bubble Tea Bad For Your Health? The Facts About Boba)benefits, and can contain a fair amount of sugar per serving.
They’re also high in carbohydrates, which although should be avoided on a ketogenic diet, can help to give you energy.
Despite the fact that they’re not amazing for your body, this doesn’t mean that they can’t be enjoyed in moderation, and they’re a great treat for when you need a little pick me up.
If you want to have more control over the nutrition of your bubble tea, then we’d recommend that you try your hand at making it yourself. You can find a recipe for bubble tea here.
Final Thoughts
To sum up, bubble tea (see also: What Are The Bubbles In Bubble Tea?)has an incredibly unique taste. The combination of black tea, milk, and gentle flavorings, all help to give it a distinctive creamy and mild taste.
