Bubble Tea in Frankfurt

Bubble tea – the seemingly new trend drink – is currently impossible to miss, not just in Frankfurt but across the whole of Hesse. However, there was already a bubble tea wave in Germany once before, around 2010.

But what actually is bubble tea? Which country does the drink come from, and how is it made? Are there even any myths surrounding this drink? Where can you buy the trend drink, and why is the hype so big again at the moment?

In this article, we'll discuss all of these questions and even share a simple basic recipe with you, which of course works just as well anywhere as it does in the city on the Main with its roughly 750,000 inhabitants!

What is bubble tea?

The tea-based drink originally comes from Taiwan. Bubble tea is classically made from chewy cooked tapioca balls, fruit syrup, milk and freshly brewed green or black tea.

Bubble tea can be served hot or cold, and the variations are endless. There are an incredible number of different versions of bubble tea.

Incidentally, it's not the sweet balls that give bubble tea its name. Bubble tea shops can now be found everywhere - even in small towns! So everyone can find one of the often garishly colourful stalls nearby - in the city on the Main, for example, that's Kikilucky. The tea was originally shaken together with ice cubes and milk, and the name bubble tea refers to the air bubbles in the foam this created.

Truths and fakes

A number of myths surround bubble tea.

The best-known myth claims that bubble tea was invented by accident, when the owner of a tea shop dropped a tap into his tea – causing the tapioca pearls to rise to the surface. While this isn't true, it's still a nice story.

Another myth claims that bubble tea even contains frog or fish eggs - this isn't true either! We'll explain later what the pearls are actually made of and whether they're vegan.

Particularly in Germany, the claim has persisted for years that consuming bubble tea is dangerous, with it being described as unhealthy, toxic or carcinogenic, and people insisting that its sale isn't even permitted in Germany. This was triggered by a paper from 2012, carried out by RWTH Aachen University, which claimed that carcinogenic toxins had been found in tapioca pearls. The shock among bubble tea fans ran so deep that almost all bubble tea shops had to close within a year.

Following numerous tests by the Chemical and Veterinary Investigation Office in Karlsruhe, it became clear that the samples contained no dangerous substances. Based on these test results, it turned out that the Aachen university's study wasn't actually a proper study at all, yet it was published anyway, and the press turned it into headlines such as ‘Chemists find traces of poison in bubble tea’. Today, the Aachen paper can no longer be found anywhere.

Study or no study, the trend drink can still be labelled unhealthy. Bubble tea shouldn't really be given to children, in particular, as it contains so much sugar. Depending on the composition, the sweet drink can contain between 100 and 180 grams of sugar per litre. Mixed with starchy pearls, sweet syrup and fatty milk, it becomes a calorie bomb that can easily rival cola.

The topping – bubble tea in Frankfurt

The pearls in bubble tea are usually tapioca pearls. These are soft, colourful balls with a fruity flavour, at least as big as peas, sometimes even bigger. Tapioca starch is extracted from the cassava root, which actually originates from Brazil.

Boba pearls, also known as popping bobas, are just as popular. They're used in bubble tea in the same way and are about as popular as tapioca pearls.

In many bubble tea shops, such as I love Tea, you can also have jellies added to your drink. These jellies, preserved in fruit syrup, are often cut into uniform cubes and have a gummy or jelly-like texture. The jelly is made from carrageenan, which is extracted from red algae. Carrageenan is considered a substance that can be eaten without concern.

The three varieties presented here are usually clear and only take on their colour during further processing. Tapioca pearls, for example, are classically boiled in maple syrup until it thickens and caramelises - this is how the pearls get their dark colour.

They can also be dyed in vibrant colours such as orange, red or green if the preparation method is slightly altered. During cooking, the preferred flavour is also added, to achieve fruity tastes, for example.

Tapioca pearls in particular should be soaked in fruit syrup for at least 30 minutes before enjoying. This intensifies the flavour, as the tapioca pearls have enough time to absorb the flavours of the syrup.

Until the balls are used, they're stored in airtight containers.

Vegan - or not?

Is bubble tea vegan? Many young people ask themselves this question, and they're often unsure, as there doesn't seem to be a general answer.

And that's true - the answer is: it depends on the milk. If you choose cow's milk, then your bubble tea is obviously not vegan. For a vegan alternative, you can easily use almond or oat milk instead.

Untreated tapioca pearls are vegan, but it depends on the colourings used. For example, the red colouring carmine (E120) isn't vegan. Just ask at your nearest bubble tea shop.

Our secret recipe for bubble tea

Many people are surprised to learn that making cool bubble tea is really simple and can easily be done at home. For our simple recipe, all you need is: - 125 ml water for the tea (black or green tea)

• 250 ml milk or a milk alternative

• 100 ml cold water

• 25 g bubble tea pearls, available in good Asian supermarkets

• a few ice cubes

• sweeteners to taste, such as syrup, maple syrup or honey

Here's how to prepare your bubble tea: first, brew a very strong tea with 125 ml of water.

To do this, simply let the tea steep a few minutes longer than usual. Then let the tea cool down or put it straight in the fridge. Mix the cold tea thoroughly with water, ice cubes and milk - for the desired bubble effect, you can shake the mixture if possible. Finally, add the finished pearls. If you like, you can sweeten it to taste.

You can also make the pearls for bubble tea yourself using tapioca flour and flavour them however you like with fruit syrup or fresh fruit. You can also buy bubble tea pearl powder and use it for your bubble tea.

Trends from Asia in Frankfurt

Bubble tea was already the ultimate trend drink around 2010, though the hype died down quickly.

Today the hype is back, but why is that?

Quite simply: thanks to social media channels such as TikTok and Instagram, and the influence of Asian culture through K-pop and anime fans. Bubble tea is also currently very popular in America and Australia.

Conclusion on bubble tea in Frankfurt

Even if bubble tea might not be everyone's cup of tea, everyone still knows a shop near them. You simply can't avoid it. You may never have tried the trend drink in Hesse before, and our article may have brought it to your attention.