Bubble tea and milk tea are two different drinks that are often mistaken for each other. They are both made of tea and sugar, but they have different ingredients. Bubble tea is a cold drink that contains tapioca pearls at the bottom of the cup. It also usually has fruit mixed in. Milk tea, on the other hand, is a hot drink usually containing black tea and a lot of milk or cream. Milk tea can also contain broken pieces of cookies, crushed ice, or sweetened condensed milk.
Comparing bubble tea and milk tea
1. What are they made of
Bubble tea is made with a clear to slightly milky tea, fruit, and tapioca pearls. Milk tea is black tea with milk or cream in it; it can also contain sugar, crushed ice, or sweetened condensed milk. This picture shows how different the two drinks look.
2. Taste
If you have ever had bubble tea, you know that it tastes very sweet, but the sugar doesn’t make it taste bad; the tea just makes it taste better. Milk tea is a hot drink so it tends to be sweeter because of all the sugar in it. The sweetness doesn’t ruin the flavor of the drink, but since a lot of people don’t like sugary drinks, a lot of people prefer milk tea without any sweetness at all. There are a few ways for making milk tea unsweetened: using less sugar and honey can help or eating an orange or taking a sip of water can help to balance out your tongue.
3. The Aftertaste
The aftertaste of bubble tea is a very sweet taste, which is why it is often said that one can drink a pot of tea in one glass, but one can only drink a pot of milk tea in two glasses. A mixture of both drinks are also very common, so if you’re not fond of either beverage you’re in luck; they’re both mixed with each other! The aftertaste from milk tea isn’t as overpowering as the aftertaste from bubble tea, but it’s definitely noticeable.
4. Healthier
Because of the tapioca pearls, bubble tea is a highly-caffeine drink and can get you very jittery. There are a few ways to cut down on the caffeine in bubble tea though: using half and half instead of milk would cut down on the caffeine by half; using less tea can help you to play around with the amount of tea your drink will have and avoid drinking too much caffeine.
5. Physically Active vs Emotionally Active
Bubble tea is usually very physically active and makes you want to run around with your friends all day, but at the same time it is a very emotional drink because it tastes so good. Milk tea is a drink to relax with and enjoy. Many people will drink it when they are upset or angry. Milk tea also shares both of these characteristics; you can be very relaxed and enjoy watching a movie while drinking milk tea, but at the same time can also be very physically active, especially if running around with your friends is something you enjoy.
If you have ever had milk tea and liked it, then it is probably safe to say that bubble tea isn’t your cup of tea. If you enjoyed bubble tea more than milk tea, then try mixing the two beverages together; the taste will be wonderful! Whatever the case may be, everyone needs a hot cup of milk tea on a rainy day to relax their minds and soul.