What is Hokkaido Milk Tea?
In the realm of specialty teas, Hokkaido milk tea shines as a quintessentially Japanese delight, known for its creamy richness and balanced flavor.
If you are seeking a rich and luxurious tea experience, Hokkaido Milk Tea could be the one. Let’s explore the history, flavor profile, caffeine content, and the authentic way to brew this tea.
What is Hokkaido Milk Tea?
Hokkaido Milk tea is one of the milk tea flavors brewed by mixing milk, black tea, and sugar or sweeteners.
Originally, what makes this brew different is the used milk from Hokkaido, which is creamy and smooth in texture.
Hokkaido is a place in Japan that is exclusively famous for high-quality milk production. So, that’s why the drink is named after the place.
What Does Hokkaido Milk Tea Taste Like?
The key ingredient of Hokkaido milk itself has a subtle vanilla note and velvet texture. So, when you brew the tea with added sweeteners, Hokkaido Milk Tea generally tastes silky, sweet, and creamy with a mild vanilla flavor. The black tea may also give off an earthy flavor that is perfectly blended in. In short, the drink has a unique and luxurious flavor profile.
How to Prepare Hokkaido Milk Tea?
If you want to enjoy the traditional Hokkaido Milk tea, here’s how you can prepare it at home for an 8-ounce (1 cup) per serving.
Ingredients
- 1 cup of water.
- 1/5 cup (1.6 ounces) of Hokkaido milk or whole milk.
- For sweetness, 1-2 teaspoons of sugar, brown sugar, honey, or caramel.
- 1-2 black tea bags or 1-2 teaspoons of loose-leaf black tea. (For a more robust flavor, you could opt for Danfe Tea or English breakfast tea).
Instructions
- Firstly, boil the water.
- Once the water reaches its boil (100 degrees Celsius), infuse your black tea for around 4-5 minutes.
- After that, add in the Hokkaido milk and turn the flame low. Let it simmer.
- Put in your preferred sweetener and stir the mixture.
- Remove the tea bags or strain the leaves. Then, pour the Hokkaido milk tea into your cup. Enjoy your tea!
In case you wish to have iced Hokkaido milk tea, let the drink cool down. Then, put ice cubes in the drink and enjoy the taste.
Hokkaido Milk Tea Flavors
Above, we learned a very authentic way of brewing Hokkaido milk tea. However, you may twist the flavor and customize it as you want.
For Instance, you could add tapioca pearls (Boba) to your drink and enjoy it as Hokkaido pearl milk tea.
Also, if Hokkaido milk is unavailable in your place, you could try out the instant Hokkaido Milk teas. These powdered teas are flavored and easy to prepare. Some of the popular brands are:
- inJoy Hokkaido Milk Tea
- Wanwan Hokkaido Milk Tea Flavor
- Bossen Hokkaido Milk Tea Powder Mix
- Top creamery Milk Tea Hokkaido Powder
- Tea Zone Hokkaido Creamy Milk Powder
Does Hokkaido Milk Tea Contain Caffeine?
Yes, since the Hokkaido milk tea is brewed with black tea, the drink contains caffeine. Generally, caffeine content in Hokkaido milk tea could range from 50-100 mg. But, again, it all depends on how you prepare it.
What are the Differences Between Hokkaido and Okinawa Tea?
Since both Hokkaido and Okinawa are types of milk tea, many people tend to think these teas are the same. But, note that there’s a difference.
Well, the major difference is the primary ingredient in the tea. Hokkaido Milk tea contains the premium milk from Hokkaido. Similarly, Okinawa Milk Tea is prepared using Okinawa brown sugar.
Conclusion
To brew Hokkaido milk tea, you could try using Danfe Tea’s 01° ILam Loose Leaf Black Tea. Grown in the Himalayas, this best loose-leaf black tea offers a robust, strong, and rich flavor. Buy today!
