Have you grown accustomed to the milk tea outside that seemingly contains a lot of sugar? Do you also want to make your own healthy and delicious milk tea at home?
The characteristics of black tea suitable for milk tea
When milk and tea are mixed, the tea needs to be strong so that it can blend well with the milk. This way, both the fragrance of milk and the aroma of tea are prominent, without the taste of tea being completely masked by the milk. Therefore, a strongly flavored tea is needed.
Speaking of strongly flavored black tea, people may easily think of Assam black tea and Ceylon black tea. In fact, among Chinese loose leaf tea, there are many types of black tea that not only have a strong flavor but also unique aromas and tastes. They can be used to make very delicious black tea. It is recommended to explore loose leaf black teas you like through the form of a tea sampler.
Yunnan Black Tea - Robust Choice
About Yunnan Black Tea:
Yunnan Black Tea, or Dian Hong, originates from Yunnan, China, where large-leaf tea trees are commonly found. Teas produced from large-leaf varieties contain higher levels of effective substances such as tea polyphenols and caffeine, resulting in a strong and intense flavor.
Taste and Aroma of Yunnan Black Tea:
The tea liquor of Yunnan Black Tea is a deep red color with a rich tea aroma, accompanied by a strong fragrance of floral honey. The taste is thick and robust when sipped.
Characteristics of Yunnan Black Milk Tea:
Due to its intense flavor, Yunnan Black Tea is an excellent choice for making milk tea. The tea flavor and aroma stand out prominently, ensuring that they are not overshadowed by the milk, making Yunnan Black Milk Tea a delightful and distinct beverage.
Yingde Black Tea - Rich and Smooth Layers
About Yingde Black Tea:
Yingde Black Tea originates from Yingde City in Guangdong Province, China, and is one of the black teas favored by the Queen of England. The adoption of large-leaf tea trees transplanted from Yunnan has laid a solid foundation for the excellent quality of Yingde Black Tea, known for its high fragrance and strong flavor.
Taste and Aroma of Yingde Black Tea:
Yingde Black Tea boasts a pure and rich aroma with noticeable floral notes. The brewed tea has a bright and vivid red color, offering a thick, sweet, and smooth taste, with a distinctive golden ring.
Characteristics of Yingde Black Milk Tea:
Yingde Black Tea is characterized by its "rich, mellow, sweet, and smooth" qualities. When used to make milk tea, Yingde Black Tea imparts a smooth texture, and the blend of tea and milk is seamless. Upon closer tasting, the richness and sweetness become evident, creating a delightful and harmonious experience.
Souchong Black Tea - The Secret Weapon for Delicious Milk Tea
About Souchong Black Tea:
Souchong Black Tea is one of the oldest black teas, originating from Wuyi Mountain in Fujian, China.
In the traditional production of Souchong Black Tea, pine needles or pine wood are used in the smoking process, imparting a distinctive pine smoke and longan aroma. Many consider the traditional version of Souchong Black Tea to be among the best loose leaf tea, often referred to as the smoked version of Souchong Black Tea.
As Wuyi Mountain is now designated as a nature reserve with logging prohibited, the smoked version of Souchong Black Tea has gradually decreased, giving rise to a non-smoked version. The non-smoked version retains the core craftsmanship of Souchong Black Tea but eliminates the use of pine smoke in the production process.
Taste and Aroma of Souchong Black Tea:
The smoked version of Souchong Black Tea possesses a unique "pine-smoked soup, longan aroma," with a rich and enduring taste.
The non-smoked version of Souchong Black Tea has a golden-yellow tea liquor, with a pronounced floral and sweet fragrance, offering a clear and sweet taste.
Characteristics of Souchong Black Milk Tea:
Black tea based on Souchong Black Tea has a rich and smooth aftertaste without being overpowering. When used to make milk tea, the balance between tea and milk aromas is well-maintained, highlighting the overall characteristics.
Milk tea made with the smoked version of Souchong Black Tea exudes a distinctive charm with its pine smoke and longan fragrance. On the other hand, milk tea made with the non-smoked version of Souchong Black Tea showcases a more prominent floral aroma, providing a delightful experience worth savoring.
Souchong Black Tea has emerged as a "secret weapon" for many chain brand milk teas, contributing to their delicious flavor profile among traditional tea options.
Find more loose leaf black tea with our Black Tea Sampler.>>>
Milk Tea Recipe Recommendation
Ingredients: Loose Leaf Black Tea, Milk, Purified Water, Granulated Sugar.
Step 1: Bring purified water to a boil. Use the boiling water to steep loose leaf black tea multiple times until the desired amount of tea liquor is obtained.
If a richer milk tea is desired, you can also add loose leaf black tea to boiling water, let it simmer together, and then filter the tea leaves to retain the tea liquor for later use.
Step 2: Add milk to the tea liquor, bring it to a boil, and stir thoroughly.
Step 3: Pour the prepared tea and milk mixture into a teapot, add an appropriate amount of granulated sugar, and stir until the sugar is fully dissolved. Your delicious cup of black milk tea is now ready to be enjoyed.
Tips for Making Healthy Milk Tea
1.Use Milk Instead of Creamer
Some milk tea shops use creamer to reduce costs, providing a milky taste but not being particularly health-friendly. Making your own milk tea allows you to avoid this issue.
When making milk tea at home, it's preferable to use fresh milk or small packs of whole milk. The quality of the milk determines half of the milk tea's overall quality.
2.Choose High-Quality Black Tea
The quality of the chosen tea determines nearly the other half of the milk tea's quality. When making your own milk tea, it's recommended to select high-quality black tea with good value for money.
The condition of the tea leaves after brewing can indicate the tea's quality. High-quality quality Chinese black tea, also Chinese loose leaf black tea, for example, will have intact leaves after brewing, reflecting the freshness of the leaves when picked. High-quality loose leaf black teas are not only suitable for personal consumption but also make great tea gift sets for family and friends.
3.Add a Small Amount of Granulated Sugar or Honey
Milk tea needs a certain level of sweetness to be enjoyable, but consuming too much sugar is not healthy.
When making milk tea at home, you can opt to use less granulated sugar or replace it with honey.
We hope this article helps you understand some red teas suitable for making milk tea and provides knowledge on making milk tea healthier and more delicious. To create milk tea that suits your taste, it's best to experiment hands-on. Through continuous trial and adjustment in practice, trying different black teas, you will discover that the process of brewing milk tea can also be a source of enjoyment and pleasure.
