Bubble tea, also named Boba tea, is an enjoyable and distinctive drink that originated in Taiwan and has gained popularity worldwide. The combination of sweet tea, rich creamer, and chewy tapioca pearls makes it a delicious and refreshing drink millions enjoy daily. If you are considering making your bubble tea, whether at home or for a business venture, it’s essential to understand the various supplies needed to craft the perfect cup. This guide will discuss all the supplies required to create this beloved beverage.
Bubble Tea Machines
Bubble Tea Sealer Machine
A bubble tea sealer machine is another indispensable tool in a bubble tea shop. This machine seals the top of the cup with a plastic film, allowing customers to shake their tea without spillage and keep the drink fresh. It also provides a more professional look to the product and is more environmentally friendly than plastic lids.
Fructose Dispenser
Fructose dispensers are used to measure and dispense the right amount of sweetener into each drink. It ensures consistency and reduces waste. Most commercial dispensers allow you to adjust the amount of fructose dispensed, catering to customers’ preferences for sweetness.
Tea Leaves
Bubble tea typically starts with tea leaves. Black and green tea are the most common, but oolong and jasmine teas are also popular. The tea base provides the main flavor and caffeine content.
Tapioca Pearls
The ‘bubbles’ or ‘boba’ in bubble tea are created from tapioca, a starch extracted from the cassava root. Tapioca pearls are small, round balls that have a distinctly chewy texture. They’re typically black due to added brown sugar, but can also come in various colors and flavors.
Milk or Milk Substitutes
Most bubble tea recipes include some form of milk, which adds a creamy texture and taste. Regular dairy milk, condensed milk, or milk powder can be used. Many also use milk substitutes such as almond, soy, or oat milk for dietary preferences.
Sweeteners
Bubble tea is usually sweetened with white or brown sugar, honey, or fructose. Simple syrup, which is a solution of sugar in water, is also a common choice because it dissolves quickly. Sweeteners are often added to both the tea and the tapioca pearls.
Flavored Syrups and Powders
Flavored syrups or powders are often added to create different bubble tea flavors. Popular flavors include mango, strawberry, passion fruit, and taro. Some establishments offer more exotic flavors like lychee, hibiscus, or rose.
Creamers
Non-dairy creamers are often used in bubble tea to add richness without adding the potential allergens in dairy. It is essential for businesses catering to a wide variety of dietary restrictions.
Fruit Jellies and Popping Boba
Some bubble tea recipes incorporate fruit jellies or popping boba for extra texture and flavor. Popping boba are small juice-filled spheres that burst when bitten into. Fruit jellies made from coconut or aloe add a different texture for those who prefer an alternative to tapioca pearls.
Bubble Tea Disposable Supplies
Cups: Bubble tea is typically served in clear, disposable cups, allowing customers to see their drinks’ attractive colors and textures. Two types of cups are generally needed: a larger one for cold drinks (usually 16-24 oz) and a smaller one for hot drinks (about 12 oz). Some businesses also use dome lids for cold drinks and flat lids for hot drinks.
Straws
Bubble tea is known for its wide, colorful straws that are fun and functional. The wider diameter is necessary to allow the tapioca pearls or other add-ins to pass through the straw. While traditional plastic straws have been the norm, more environmentally friendly options such as compostable or biodegradable straws are increasingly used.
Sealing Film
The sealing film covering the cup’s top is essential to the bubble tea packaging. These films provide a spill-proof, airtight seal pierced with the straw before drinking. These films can be clear or customized with the business logo or other designs.
Additional Bubble Tea Supplies
Bubble Tea Cups
While bubble tea can be served in any cup, clear, sturdy plastic cups are traditionally used. It allows the colorful, often gradient, drink to be showcased.
Shaker or Blender
Mixing the tea, milk, sweetener, and flavors correctly often requires a shaker or blender. It ensures a consistent flavor throughout the drink.
Measurement Tools
Consistency in flavor and texture is vital in any food or beverage business, bubble tea included. You’ll need jiggers, measuring spoons, and scales to ensure each ingredient is added in proportion.
Tea Brewer and Filter
A good quality tea brewer and filter are needed to get a robust flavor. Depending on the size of your operations, you may need several of these.
Refrigeration and Heating Units
Some bubble tea ingredients need refrigeration, while others need heating. A fridge and a heating unit (like a stove or a hot plate) are necessary.
Syrup Pumps
Syrup pumps are used to ensure each drink has the right amount of sweetener. They offer quick, consistent measurements.
Shop Equipment
Tea Brewing Equipment
At the heart of bubble tea is, well, tea. You’ll need high-quality tea brewing equipment, such as a hot water boiler and a commercial tea maker. The type of tea you’ll use varies based on the flavors you plan to offer, but oolong, dark, and green tea are standard options. AKISupplies.com is a big supplier that sells various teas, such as Assam Black Tea, Cha Thai, Thai Tea, and Jasmine Green.
Range
You will need a range to cook the uncooked tapioca pearls because they are sold uncooked. Now you will require a particular range depending on your volume and whether you intend to serve other menu items besides boba tea. You might need a countertop or stock pot range if you only serve bubble tea. However, a more conventional restaurant range would be required if you intend to serve meals on your menu.
Blender
You will need a blender if you are offering smoothies, milkshakes, or blended drinks on your menu. Using a blender with a sound enclosure will help minimize the noise level so as not to disturb your guests. If you are opening a juice or smoothie shop, boba smoothies are a great way to capitalize on the growing bubble tea trend.
Refrigeration Units
You’ll need a good refrigeration system to store perishable ingredients like milk and fruit purees. Additionally, bubble tea is often served cold, so a refrigeration unit is essential to chill drinks before serving.
Read Also: Nine Essential Tips to Help Restaurants Minimize Food Waste
FAQs
Q1) Does Boba Need Milk to be made?
It depends; while classic bubble tea cannot be made dairy-free because it contains cow’s milk, it can be modified to include non-dairy milk and other vegan substitutes. You can even purchase fruit-flavored bubbles tea that has no milk at all.
Q2) What Packaging Does Bubble Tea Use?
Because they give businesses plenty of room to top off drinks with whipped cream, slushed beverages, or leftover tea from the blender, dome lids are a popular choice for sealing boba tea orders. Many business owners also employ dome lids because they think they mimic the boba perched over the tea.
Q3) What Kind of Milk is in Bubbles Tea?
There are two types of bubble teas: those with milk and those without. You can choose black, green, or oolong tea as the base for either kind. Typically made with fresh or powdered milk, teas can also be made using condensed, almond, soy, or coconut milk.
Q4) Why Is It Known as Boba?
The sweet beverage with its chewy pearls is known as boba tea since the word boba means massive breasts. It makes sense because, although not composed of flesh but rather of starchy cassava root, tapioca pearls are big and rounded like breasts. Boba is slang for breast in Taiwan.
Bubbles tea is loved by many all around the globe. To make this popular drink, bubbles tea supplies are essential. Let’s dive into the miscellaneous supplies list.
