Bubble Tea in Koblenz

The trend drink bubble tea has suddenly taken not only Koblenz but the whole of Rhineland-Palatinate and the world by storm. However, there was already a bubble tea hype in Germany once before, around the year 2010.

What exactly is it? Which country does bubble tea come from and how is it made? Are there even any myths surrounding bubble tea? Where can you buy bubble tea and why is the hype so big again at the moment?

In this article, we'll discuss all these questions and even reveal a simple basic recipe to you, which will of course work just as well outside the city on the Rhine with its roughly 115 thousand residents!

What is bubble tea?

The tea-based drink originally comes from Taiwan. Traditionally, it's made from chewy cooked tapioca pearls, fruit syrup, milk and freshly brewed green or black tea.

Served cold or hot, the variations are seemingly endless. There are countless versions of the drink.

Incidentally, it's not the sweet pearls 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 near them, such as Delitea in the city on the Rhine, for example. According to the original recipe, the tea is shaken together with milk and ice cubes until foam forms - the name bubble tea refers to the air bubbles this creates.

Truths and fakes

Numerous myths surround bubble tea.

The best-known myth claims it was invented by accident when a tea shop owner accidentally dropped a tap into his tea and the tapioca pearls rose to the surface. Although this isn't true, it's still a nice story.

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

The claim that drinking bubble tea is dangerous has persisted in Germany for years, in particular: the drink is supposedly unhealthy, toxic or carcinogenic, and its sale is supposedly banned in Germany. This was triggered by a 2012 study by RWTH Aachen University, according to which carcinogenic toxins were 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 various tests by the Chemical and Veterinary Investigation Office in Karlsruhe, it became clear that the samples contained no dangerous substances whatsoever. Based on these results, it emerged that the Aachen university's paper wasn't 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’. Incidentally, the Aachen paper can no longer be found anywhere these days.

Well, bubble tea can still be described as somewhat unhealthy. Because it contains so much sugar, it's said to particularly encourage children to drink it. Depending on its composition, bubble tea can contain up to 180 grams of sugar per litre. Combined with fatty milk, sweet syrup and starchy pearls, bubble tea is a real calorie bomb that can easily rival cola.

Bubble tea in Koblenz – the topping in the cup

The pearls in bubble tea are usually tapioca pearls. Soft, colourful balls that taste fruity and are at least as big as peas, though sometimes even bigger. The starch tapioca comes from the cassava plant, which originally comes from Brazil.

Boba pearls, also known as popping bobas, are equally popular. Among young people, boba pearls are used in much the same way and are just as popular as tapioca pearls.

The third option, which you can choose in many bubble tea stalls such as Yo.Tea Koblenz, are jellies. These are pieces soaked in fruit syrup, often cut into uniform cubes, with a texture similar to jelly sweets or jam. Carrageenan, derived from red algae, is the basis for the jelly. Carrageenan can be eaten without any concerns.

All three types are usually translucent and only take on colour during further processing. Tapioka pearls, for example, are traditionally cooked in maple syrup until it becomes thick and caramelises - this is how the little pearls get their dark colour.

They can also be coloured in bold shades such as orange, red or green if certain preparation steps are slightly altered. The desired flavour, such as fruity tastes, is added during cooking.

Tapioca in particular should be soaked in the relevant fruit syrup for at least half an hour before eating. This intensifies the flavour, as the tapioca pearls have enough time to absorb the flavours of the fruit syrup.

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

Vegan - or not?

The question of whether bubble tea is vegan concerns many young people, as there doesn't seem to be a general answer.

The answer is quickly found: it all depends on whether cow's milk is used or not. For a vegan alternative, you can easily use oat or almond milk instead.

Untreated tapioca pearls are vegan, but it depends on the colourings used. For example, the red colouring carmine (E120) isn't vegan. A bubble tea shop near you will also be happy to help you with this question.

Our secret bubble tea recipe

What surprises many people: preparing chilled bubble tea is child's play and can easily be done at home. Our recipe is done in no time at all, you'll only need: - 125 ml water for the tea (black or green tea)

• 250 ml milk or milk alternative

• 100 ml cold water

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

• a few ice cubes

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

And here's how you make the trend drink yourself: First, brew a very strong tea with 125 ml of water.

To do this, simply let the tea steep for a few minutes longer than usual. Then let the tea cool down or chill it straight away. Mix the cold tea well with water, ice cubes and milk - if you have the option, you can also shake it for the proper bubble effect. Finally, add the finished pearls. Feel free to sweeten your bubble tea to taste with sweeteners.

Of course, you could also make the pearls for your bubble tea yourself from 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 Koblenz

Around 2010, bubble tea was already THE trend drink, though this popularity was short-lived.

Today the trend is coming back - why is that?

The question is quickly answered: social media platforms such as TikTok or Instagram, but also the major influence of Korean culture (anime and K-pop), are fuelling the bubble tea hype. Bubble tea is also currently very popular in America and Australia.

Conclusion on bubble tea in Koblenz

Sure, bubble tea isn't for everyone, yet everyone knows of a stall nearby. Perhaps you didn't know this trendy drink in Rhineland-Palatinate before and have become interested thanks to our blog post.