Okinawa Milk Tea

Have you heard of Okinawa milk tea?

Okinawa milk tea is a type of milk tea that draws influence from the Okinawa region of Japan. Often compared to Hokkaido milk tea, Okinawa milk tea is a tasty blend of black tea, milk, and sweetener. Okinawa milk tea gets its unique taste from the Okinawa brown sugar that’s used to sweeten the tea.

So what is a milk tea?

Milk tea can refer to a variety of different teas and tea-based drinks from all over the world. At its most simple, milk tea usually means tea with milk in it - although how these tasty beverages are prepared can vary from country to country and region to region. Common types of milk tea include tea lattes, boba or bubble tea, Hong Kong milk tea, Hokkaido milk tea, Thai tea, and Masala Chai.

Okinawa milk tea is similar to other types of milk tea in that it’s a combination of tea leaves, milk, and sweetener. This type of milk tea gets its name from Okinawa Prefecture in Japan. Okinawa milk tea can be enjoyed hot, or served iced on its own or with tapioca pearls.

What makes Okinawa milk tea special?

Okinawa brown sugar is what makes Okinawa milk tea so special. Also referred to as kokuto, this type of brown sugar is unique to Okinawa, and is prepared using a distinctive method.While typical American brown sugar consists of refined white sugar and molasses, Okinawa brown sugar is created by cooking down pure sugarcane juice. This results in a rich, nuanced sugar with a high vitamin and mineral content and loads of flavor.

Then how do you prepare okinawa milk tea?

INGREDIENTS:

• Loose leaf black tea - Okinawa milk tea traditionally has a black tea base. Hearty black teas like Assam, Irish Breakfast, and English Breakfast are all great choices.

• Milk - We recommend using whole milk for an extra creamy, rich drink. You can also use a plant-based milk of your choice.

• Sweetener - Okinawa milk tea is traditionally sweetened with Okinawa brown sugar. If you don’t have kokuto on hand, you can use toasted sugar, molasses, or regular brown sugar.

INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO PREPARE:

• Measure your leaves - Use approximately one teaspoon of tea leaves for every six ounces of water in your pot or cup. We recommend preparing loose leaf tea using a teapot, tea infuser, or tea filter. These methods allow the tea leaves to expand while steeping, which results in a more flavorful cup.

• Heat your water - Heat filtered water until it reaches a full boil (approximately 212 degrees.) You can heat your water with an electric kettle, stovetop kettle, or in a pot on the stove.

• Infuse your tea leaves - Pour hot water over your tea leaves and infuse for about three to five minutes. For a stronger cup of tea, remove the leaves closer to the five-minute mark.

• Sweeten your tea - You can use traditional Okinawa brown sugar, toasted sugar, molasses, or regular brown sugar to sweeten this tea.

• Add the milk - Add the milk to your tea. If you like, you can heat and froth the milk before you add it as you would in a traditional tea latte.

• Chill your tea (optional) - If you want to enjoy Okinawa milk tea cold, you can refrigerate it, then serve it over ice. Tapioca pearls are also a popular addition!

NOTE:

For a more decadent drink, you can steam and froth your milk before adding it to the steeped tea.

You can also chill your tea and have it as an iced drink in the summer.

What's the calorie count of Okinawa milk tea?

A 500 ml serving of this Okinawa milk tea recipe is about 185 calories. Compared to fruit-based bubble tea which can reach up to 350 calories, this beverage is the perfect alternative for boba tea lovers.

What are the other types of milk tea?

There are many types of milk tea from all over the world, from a classic British cuppa to other Asian milk teas like boba and Thai tea. Here are some other types of popular milk teas:

• Hokkaido milk tea - Hokkaido milk tea features high quality milk from the Hokkaido region of Japan.

• Hong Kong milk tea - Hong Kong milk tea is made with black tea and evaporated milk or sweetened condensed milk.

• Boba - Boba, often also known as bubble tea or pearl milk tea, is a unique milky tea flavored with tapioca pearls.

• Thai tea - Thai tea is made from tea, milk, and sugar. It’s often served as an iced tea, and can be flavored with ingredients including lime, mint, orange blossoms, star anise, tamarind, and other spices.

• Tea lattes - Tea lattes are typically made using tea and steamed, frothed milk, and are similar to coffee-based lattes. Popular versions of tea lattes include matcha lattes, chai lattes, and London Fog lattes.

• Masala Chai - Masala Chai is a classic Indian twist on milk tea made from black tea, milk, honey, and a unique blend of spices.

• A classic British cuppa - Tea drinkers in the UK and Ireland typically take their tea with milk (and occasionally sweetener.) Traditional breakfast blends like Irish Breakfast and English Breakfast are often used for this type of milk tea.

FINAL THOUGHTS:

As you can see, making Okinawa milk tea is an incredibly simple process that comes down to investing in the highest quality ingredients that you possibly can.

These quality ingredients are what give this milk tea its unique and amazing flavor. 

Specifically, the Okinawa brown sugar (kokuto), has such a rich, toasted, almost caramel flavor that makes this drink truly different from other types of milk tea.