The bubble tea rage is relatively a new thing for the Western world. Even in Dublin, bubble tea is becoming a much sought-after drink, not just by Asians, but by people of all nationalities. They have started to recognize their newly-found interest in exploring the diverse flavors of bubble tea varieties.

It is not a secret that freshly made bubble tea is readily served at Dublin’s Asia Market. The premier Asian grocery of Ireland has a special counter at its entrance offering a range of bubble tea drinks to its customers.

Before dealing with the bubble tea varieties offered by Asia Market Dublin, let us have a quick throwback on the history of bubble tea drinks in general.

What is Bubble Tea?

Bubble tea is an Asian beverage speciality prepared using a range of ingredients, such as tea base, flavored milk, fruits and fruit juices, sugar, etc. But what gives bubble tea its chewiness, or what makes it literally a ‘bubble’ tea is, in fact, the addition of tapioca pearls (simplistically called the bubbles).

<p >Bubble tea is known in many different names, including boba tea, pearl milk tea, bubble milk tea, or simply boba. Boba is an alternate name for tapioca balls, which is made using tapioca starch, sugar, seasonings, water and jelly giving it the smooth and translucent spherical appearance. Although black coloured tapioca pearls are used in boba tea the most, followed by white ones, they are also available in different colours and sizes. Thai brand Cock’s small tapioca pearls and large tapioca pearls are some examples. Also, you can find a multi-coloured tapioca pearl version from Chinese brand WuFu Yuan.

The bubble tea drink can be of any colour based on the ingredients used. The tapioca balls used in the drink also can be of any color, although black ones are traditionally favoured. It is served in transparent glasses with a straw that has generous width which allows the bobas to go effortlessly into the mouth.

History of Bubble Tea

Bubble tea is of Taiwanese origin, where it was invented in the early 1980’s. The invention of bubble tea drink is often attributed to a Taiwanese beverage visionary named Liu Han-Chieh. Though not enough documentary evidences are available in support of this, the claim of Taiwanese origin of bubble tea is backed up by the presence of innumerous bubble tea stalls in the streets of Taiwan and Hong Kong.

As per the stories, Liu Han-Chieh took inspiration from the Chinese tea culture and the Japanese cold tea serving method to make bubble tea. However, the invention of bubble tea was, in fact, a case of serendipity. If the popular stories can be believed, bubble tea was found when one of Liu Han-Chieh’s employees accidentally dropped a Taiwanese tapioca-based pudding called ‘fen yuan’ into a glass of cold tea and felt it tasted amazing.

The newly found drink became literally ‘viral’ in Taiwan. When other beverage makers and shop owners noticed the drink with tapioca balls are selling better, they also started to add tapioca balls into their drinks, and what awaited Taiwan was something which was not less than a bubble tea revolution. From Taiwan, bubble tea spread to Hong Kong and China, and then to the US, Australia, UK, and Europe.