Hokkaido Milk Tea: Why Is It So Popular?
Karina Ikedo
Do you love the taste of tea? How about milk? If you answered yes to both of those questions, you would love Hokkaido milk tea! High-quality black tea and fatty Hokkaido milk are combined to make this delicious tea, sure to please your palate.
Compared to most dairies made worldwide, the Hokkaido milk drink has a smoother texture. And because of that, it’s a dairy that is incredibly unique and a must-try that you can’t get anywhere else. Keep reading to discover more about this tasty tea and make your own at home!
Hokkaido Milk Tea Origin
As you might have guessed, the Japanese island of Hokkaido is where the name originates. Hokkaido, the most northern province, is renowned for its stunning scenery and snow-capped mountains. It also happens to produce more than half of the nation’s milk!
In addition to being the biggest prefecture, it’s also quite remote as per Japanese standards. It’s well known for its rural surroundings, ramen shops, beer, ice festival, lavender fields, and most importantly, its superb dairy products!
What is this drink?
Hokkaido milk tea is a unique type of drink. The use of premium ingredients in making this milk tea is one of its distinguishing features. These include fatty milk and premium black tea. Hokkaido milk’s fat helps with its creamy, smooth texture, which pairs well with black tea!
Brown sugar, caramel, or honey are the most common sweeteners for this milk tea. Royal milk tea and nidashi milk tea are other names for this beverage. This tea beverage is now widely available in cafés and restaurants across Japan since it’s a popular Japanese drink!
What does it taste like?
Authentic Hokkaido milk tea has a smooth flavor with mild earthy and light vanilla notes. The black tea gives off an earthy flavor. The resulting taste might differ depending on the type of black tea you use!
The main ingredient of Japanese milk tea is Hokkaido milk, which has a very creamy texture. What makes this milk special is its use of sanonto (Japanese light brown sugar), which has a subtle hint of vanilla.
Hokkaido Milk Tea vs. Regular Milk Tea
The main difference between the two milk teas is the type of milk used. While most tea uses regular milk, this special beverage uses organic milk, which is much fatter, creamier, and more flavorful!
Both drinks have a black tea base. Traditional milk tea can be anything from Assam to Darjeeling or Ceylon. For Hokkaido milk tea, the most common choice is Assam tea.
Regular milk tea can use any type of sugar – white, brown, or dark brown. This special drink uses Japanese light brown sugar, which is softer and more delicate in flavor!
What makes Hokkaido Milk so unique?
Hokkaido milk is unique because farmers work hard to keep their cows as healthy and happy as possible. Because these cows live in excellent farming conditions in a cool temperate area, they produce fantastic milk!
They live in large open pastures, in areas with fresh air. They also get plenty of exercise and nutritious food and are only milked during their prime. So, farmers make sure their cows live under the best possible conditions. This results in delicious, creamy, and luscious milk!
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The Best Times to Enjoy Hokkaido Milk Tea
You can enjoy the Hokkaido milk drink at any time. But the best time to take the beverage is in the morning, especially after you wake up. The milk tea freshens your mind to prepare you for your daily tasks. People can also consume the drink in the evening to help them feel more energized after a long day!
The Hokkaido milk beverage’s flavor and aroma can inspire you to keep working. The Japanese like homemade royal milk tea, but they also visit different tea shops and cafes to experience a variety of flavors. In Japan, cakes, pastries, and puddings have a Hokkaido milk drink flavor!
It’s no secret that Japan makes some of the best milk teas in the world. You’ve come to the right place if you love milk teas. Hokkaido milk tea is one of the milkiest and smoothest varieties of cream tea. It’s a much richer and creamier tea since the milk-to-tea ratio is much higher than other milk teas!
Have you tried Hokkaido milk tea before? Would you like to try it? Let us know in the comments below!
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