Bubble Tea for Dummies

It goes like this. You’re in line at a new café - you’ve seen it before in passing, but you’ve never actually been on the other side of its pastel-coloured walls. You’re already second in the queue to order, but you didn’t expect the menu to be this long, and there’s too many words you don’t understand.

The person in front of you rattles off their order effortlessly but the only sound you can hear is the rushing of blood in your ears. The cashier with an accent you can’t quite place asks you what you would like to order, and you randomly point to a something on their Top 10 menu even though you haven’t made up your mind yet, because while you were having a mini mental breakdown a line of about 20 people has formed behind you, and the person behind you is standing uncomfortably close. Your drink arrives, and while it tastes pretty good, it’s nothing like you expected, and you can’t help being a little bit disappointed that it doesn’t look anything like that aesthetically pleasing drink you saw while browsing Instagram Explore.

A bit of background – bubble tea (also called ‘boba tea’ and ‘pearl milk tea’) was founded in Taiwan in the 1980's, and in recent years has experienced a sort of social boom in Western countries, with new outlets popping up around every corner every couple months or so. As its most basic iteration, bubble tea consists of tapioca pearls, tea and milk. However, as the times have progressed and as consumers’ tastes evolve, people are no longer satisfied with just bubble tea. The classic beverage has inspired the creation of a myriad of variations that continue today, such as the inclusion of different toppings, the usage of different teas, and even the creation of an actual cake based on the drink, with pearls and all.

Without further ado, allow me to break down the core elements of this enigmatic drink that has captured the hearts (and wallets) of people all over the world.

#1: Tapioca Pearls

The round, black ‘pearls’ you see in bubble tea are made by mixing tapioca flour and water, forming a dough, which is then rolled into small balls and boiled until cooked through. Originally much lighter in colour, it obtains its distinctive brown/black colouring from the incorporation of brown sugar or molasses into the dough itself. While you can find dried ones that you can take home and boil yourself in your local Asian supermarket, it is definitely possible – with some time and patience on your hands – to make the pearls from scratch, which is what some bubble tea speciality shops do.

Pearls have an addictively chewy texture and can give your jaw quite a workout. They are soaked in honey or sugar syrup after being boiled, which is what gives it a slightly sweet taste, as they don’t have much flavour on their own. In ‘brown sugar’ drinks, the drink consists of pearls that have been braised in brown sugar, forming a thick pearl + syrup combo, which is then topped off with full cream milk and ice. The fact that the drink has no actual tea in it does turn some people off because of the perceived lack of value but brown sugar lovers swear by the full-bodied, caramel-ly taste the brown sugar syrup adds to the otherwise tasteless milk (a ‘blank canvas’ if you will – just remember to stir). Also, the thick syrup spreads and creates gorgeous ‘stripes’ on inside of the cup, and you get a social media-approved photo, if you’re into that.

An important note about the freshness of the pearls – if you find that the pearls have a firm core to them, it usually means that the pearls have been sitting for a while. A similar phenomenon occurs when you purchase the drink for later – e.g. when it’s been stored in the fridge for a few hours. As bubble tea stores cook pearls in large batches throughout the day, if you’re lucky you might get the start of a fresh batch and have pearls of optimum chewiness in your drink.

#2: Milk

Powders are a thing of the past, people. What were once considered ‘speciality’ stores, offering natural ingredients and unique flavour combinations, are now quickly becoming the new normal. Stores that use powdered milk and flavourings are being phased out by stores that take pride in their use of all-natural ingredients that are as unprocessed as possible.

If you’re a milk drinker, you probably already know the difference between fresh milk and long-life milk. Fresh milk tastes, well, fresher, than its counterpart, which has more of a heavier, creamier flavour. Most shops use fresh milk, as its lighter taste gives a good base for other flavours to shine through. More places are starting to offer non-dairy alternatives as well, so that’s something to look out for in the near future.

#3: Tea

Again, referencing my powder comment above, as some purists will tell you, the quality of the tea is the most important part of milk tea, however not many places proclaim to specialise in it. The few places that do, however, do it well. At these stores, the fragrance of the tea is especially apparent, and it is obvious that the tea is brewed in-house and is of good quality, because with every sip, the flavour of the tea isn’t diminished by the addition of milk, but enhanced instead. The most classic bubble tea uses regular black tea, but other popular teas include oolong, jasmine, earl grey, green tea etc.

Jasmine tea: has a fragrant, floral flavour, reminiscent of the jasmine flower

Oolong tea: tastes more earthy and ‘dark’

Green tea: a light, refreshing tea

Earl grey tea: tastes malty, with citrus notes

Additionally, depending on what kind of drink you order, the barista might ask you to determine your ice and sugar level, which is basically how much ice and sugar syrup you would like in your drink. Sugar levels obviously depend on personal taste and are usually adjusted after some trial and error. If you’re completely clueless, 70% is a safe bet to start with, unless you have more of a preference either way. However, with certain drinks you can’t adjust the sugar level because of predetermined ratios of flavourings and ingredients, and the fact that some of the ingredients are already sweet, which is why you’re not supposed to mess with the balance of it all.

The amount of ice in a drink can usually be adjusted unless your drink is ice blended, however, the jury is still out on whether they actually give you more drink for less ice. Something to consider when choosing your ice level – whether or not you’re drinking it immediately, i.e. how much the ice will dilute the flavour of your drink before you’re able to drink it, therefore choosing the optimum sweetness to potential water ratio. See, it’s not just an art, it’s a science.

So whether you’re a complete bubble tea noob, or consider yourself somewhat of a connoisseur, there’s always something for everyone. Try new things, have fun with it. The exciting thing about bubble tea is that there’s a ton of different flavours and topping combinations just waiting to be discovered, and your new favourite drink could be just around the corner (and I mean that quite literally)!