What Is Butterfly Pea Tea?

Butterfly pea tea is a caffeine-free herbal tea made from Clitoria ternatea, a plant species native to Southeastern Asia. This type of tea is most famous for its vibrant colors, as the tea has a strong blue hue after being steeped in water. Lemon juice and other acidic elements can be added to butterfly pea tea to alter the drink's pH levels, further changing the tea’s color to violet. Butterfly pea tea has been gaining popularity around the world in recent years as one of the top tea trends, making it a great menu addition for your coffee shop or restaurant. Below, we’ll cover how you can make butterfly pea tea and some of the best ways you can integrate the trend into your menu.

Shop All Butterfly Pea Tea & Powder
Use these links to learn more about butterfly pea flower tea:

How to Make Butterfly Pea Tea

How to Make Butterfly Pea Tea

Making butterfly pea tea is simple, which makes the drink an easy addition to your menu. Although different ingredients can be added to the beverage, creating the base drink is no different than making any other herbal tea. To make butterfly pea tea, follow the steps below:

  1. Place dried leaves in a tea infuser, resting the tea infuser in a teapot or teacup.
  2. Heat a cup of water to around 212 degrees Fahrenheit before pouring the water over your infuser.
  3. Let the tea steep for at least five minutes. You can extend the time for a few minutes if you’re looking for extremely vibrant colors and a strong taste.
  4. Remove the tea infuser and serve.

How to Make Butterfly Pea Tea Video

To learn how to properly make butterfly pea tea, watch the video below for a step-by-step guide on the process:

Butterfly Pea Tea Benefits

Butterfly pea tea is much more than a niche drink that changes colors, as it has a lot of health benefits to pair with its unique look. As such, butterfly pea tea can be promoted to customers as a healthy alternative when introduced to your menu. Here are some of the most common health benefits butterfly pea tea has to offer:

  • Boosts Immune System - Many antioxidants can be found in butterfly pea tea. These antioxidants boost your immune system, helping you fight off colds and other illnesses.
  • Augments Brain Activity - Butterfly pea tea is known to contain acetylcholine, a molecule that is key in memory retention and concentration.
  • Improves Eye Health - Proanthocyadin, a flavonoid associated with improved eye health, can be found in butterfly pea tea.

Butterfly Pea Tea Side Effects

Butterfly pea tea is considered safe to consume in moderation and is more well-known for its health benefits rather than its side effects. There are anecdotal reports of minor side effects like stomach pain and nausea, but no claims have been backed by scientific research. The drink is considered a healthy beverage with lots of positive immune-boosting benefits, making it a great drink to include in diets.

What Does Butterfly Pea Tea Taste Like?

What Does Butterfly Pea Tea Taste Like?

Butterfly pea tea has a mild and earthy taste, similar to green tea. For those who find green tea’s flavor profile too strong, butterfly pea tea can serve as a milder substitute. The taste of butterfly pea tea is often altered with lemon juice or honey to change its color from blue to violet, adding some extra flavor to the drink. Butterfly pea tea can also be mixed with other drinks such as matcha, lemonade, and alcoholic beverages, creating entirely new flavor profiles and combinations.

Butterfly Pea Flower Tea Cocktail

As butterfly pea tea continues to trend, its use in cocktails is constantly evolving. Butterfly pea tea allows bartenders to get creative when coming up with new drinks, as wildly different color combinations can be made depending on what mixers are added. For bartenders looking to create trendy new cocktails with vibrant natural colors, butterfly pea tea is a fantastic option. The tea is also great for making mocktails, combining with several other ingredients to create striking non-alcoholic beverages that resemble real cocktails.

Butterfly Pea Tea FAQ

Below we cover some of the most common questions regarding butterfly pea tea:

Why Does Butterfly Pea Tea Change Color?

Why Does Butterfly Pea Tea Change Color?

Butterfly pea tea is made from the Clitoria ternatea plant, getting its strong natural blue coloring from the plant's blue leaves. These leaves contain anthocyanin, an acid-base indicator that changes color in response to changes in pH levels. When acidic elements like lemon juice are mixed with butterfly pea tea, the drink's pH alters and the tea's color changes.

Does Butterfly Pea Tea Have Caffeine?

Butterfly pea tea is a caffeine-free beverage, making it a great decaf addition to any menu. Caffeine-free diets are already a popular consumer trend, and many others are looking to reduce their caffeine consumption. Adding butterfly pea tea to your establishment’s menu can be a great way to cater to these customers, giving them more decaf options to choose from.

Whether you’re just starting a tea bar or are looking to expand your menu, butterfly pea tea can be a great addition to your beverage list. The trendy drink’s vibrant colors and great taste are sure to appeal to customers and boost sales. Butterfly pea tea’s health benefits and lack of caffeine position the drink as a great alternative to coffee and other caffeinated beverages. You can also get creative with butterfly pea tea, integrating the drink into your menu in a way that best appeals to your customer base.

Posted in: Coffee & Tea|Foodservice Trends|By Kevin Singhel
The information provided on this website does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice. Please refer to our Content Policy for more details.
External Link

You are about to leave the security of WebstaurantStore.com.

We are not responsible for the privacy policy or any content, links or software, or any consequences from your access to or use of the technologies, websites, information and programs made available on this new site.

Do you want to proceed?

Related Resources

  • How to Make Strawberry Rose Sangria

    This sparkling pink sangria recipe is a great way to update your drink menu with a fresh and fruity cocktail. It's easy to make and you can prepare it in advance to save precious time during a busy shift. Offer pitchers of strawberry rose sangria as part of your Valentine's Day promotions or even a Mother's Day brunch. Easy Rose Sangria with Fresh Strawberries Check out our video to learn how to make this simple strawberry rose sangria: <iframe itemprop="embedURL" width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wml1IAkl_Ck?si=YmxTWNAS_jTv_bV8?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> Strawberry Rose Sangria Recipe Our sangria recipe is light and sweet with just a hint of rose flavor. We use strawberry rose syrup, but you can try experimenting with different syrup flavors to create your own sangria recipe! We recommend using dry rose wine because it balances out the sweetness of the other ingredients. Approximate Yield: 6-8 servings Ingredients 4 ounces Monin Strawberry Rose syrup 4 ounces orange juice 1/2 cup strawberries, hulled and sliced 1 lemon, cut into slices 1 bottle dry rose wine (750 mL) 4 ounces brandy or Grand Marnier 16 ounces club soda or seltzer water Rose petals for garnish Directions Combine strawberry rose syrup, orange juice, strawberries, and lemon slices in large pitcher. Refrigerate pitcher for about an hour to let flavors combine. Add rose wine and brandy, then refrigerate for at least one more hour. When ready to serve whole pitcher, add club soda and stir. For single servings, do not add club soda to pitcher. Instead, fill cocktail glass halfway with ice, add about 5 or 6 ounces of sangria, and top off with club soda. Garnish with rose petals. Please note: Whether you're serving this sangria by the glass or by the pitcher, don't add the club soda until just before you are ready to serve. If you add the club soda too soon, the sangria will lose the bubbles and go flat. This sangria recipe is perfect for customers who are looking for something sweet and fruity. It's light and refreshing with just a hint of floral flavor from the rose syrup. Plus, when you serve this vibrant pink sangria by the pitcher, it makes a beautiful presentation that will attract attention from other tables and help to increase your sales.

  • What Is Bubble Tea?

    Bubble tea is a cold, flavored tea beverage that contains large chewy tapioca balls, making it an interactive drink and a sweet snack. Easy to recognize, bubble tea is paired with a colorful jumbo straw that’s both visually appealing and functional. With every sip of bubble tea, the tapioca pearls move easily up the wide straw. You’ll hear this Taiwanese drink referred to by several different names, including boba tea, pearl milk tea, boba milk tea, bubble milk tea, or simply boba. Shop All Bubble Tea Supplies What Is in Bubble Tea? Bubble milk tea starts with a base of tea or juice. Milk powders, flavoring syrups, and sweeteners are added to the base, and the whole drink is shaken until it's frothy and full of bubbles. For the finishing touch, boba pearls and other toppings are added. Part of the fun of bubble tea is the ability to customize the drink with different teas, flavors, and toppings. Types of Boba Tea Bubble tea menus usually offer three types of boba tea: Milk Tea - Teas, fruit flavors, or herbal flavors are combined with sweetened milk for a creamy beverage. Bossen taro is a popular milk powder with a nutty, vanilla flavor and a vibrant purple hue. Flavored Tea - These sweetened teas contain added flavorings but no milk (jasmine green tea, honey black tea). Juice - Bubble tea can be made without any tea at all! Fruit juice boba contains juice and no milk (passion fruit, mango, kiwi). Bubble Tea Toppings The toppings are what make bubble tea so much fun to drink! From chewy boba pearls to colorful jelly toppings, the wide variety of add-ins make boba tea a treat for the senses. Check out some of the most popular bubble tea toppings available: Tapioca Pearls - Tapioca pearls are the most common boba topping you'll find. Usually dark brown or black in color, these chewy pearls have a slightly sweet flavor. Popping Boba - These boba pearls pop with a burst of flavor when bitten. Try Bossen Bursting Boba in flavors like dragon fruit, pomegranate, and pink rose. Jelly Toppings - Jelly toppings add a texture similar to gelatin, but most boba jellies are made with plant-based ingredients like natural coconut gel. Crystal Boba - Crystal boba pearls have the appearance of colorful, translucent gems but are 100% edible! Try Bossen Crystal Boba in flavors like lychee, matcha, or taro. Boba Tea Video Watch our video for a step-by-step bubble tea tutorial: <iframe itemprop="embedURL" width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/yJAS-yQiOho?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> How to Make Bubble Tea Follow the directions below for a simple way to make bubble tea. This recipe yields 4 drinks. Bubble Tea Ingredients Ice 8-10 tea bags (black, green, or other strong tea of choice) 7 cups water plus necessary quantity for boba balls (see packaging) Flavoring syrup (optional) 1 bag (8.8 oz) of tapioca pearls 2 cups granulated sugar or other sweetener of desired quantity (optional) Whole milk (or a non-dairy option, such as coconut milk, soy milk, or nut milk) You can also use a convenient bubble tea powder which may replace the tea, sweetener, or both, depending on the powder's contents. Bubble Tea Recipe Brew the tea of your choice by bringing 6 cups of water to a boil. Remove the pot from the heat and add tea bags. Let sit until the tea reaches room temperature. If using flavoring syrup, honey, or a thick sweetener, mix into tea while still warm to enable dissolving. Make simple syrup by adding 1 cup of water to a sauce pan. Heat until water is simmering, add in sugar and stir until dissolved. Let cool Prepare the tapioca pearls in a separate pot. Bring water to a boil (7-10 cups of water for every 1 cup of tapioca pearls) Add tapioca pearls and cook for around 2-15 minutes (see instructions on bag), and stir occasionally. Run lukewarm water over pearls, drain, and transfer to new bowl. Divide boba pearls between glasses. Fill each glass with ice. Pour 1 1/2 cups of tea into each glass. Add in 2-3 tbsp of milk and/or half and half to each glass. If using a boba milk powder, add a scoop according to the product's instructions. Stir with spoon or shake well. You can also flavor your tea with homemade ingredients (such as coffee or fresh ginger) or fruit. Also feel free to customize with different toppings, such as fruit jelly or pudding. Serve with large boba straws or long spoons depending on contents. Bubble Tea Flavors Bubble tea flavors range from fruity, sweet options to earthy, herbal options. The classic bubble tea is simply made with black tea, milk, ice, and tapioca pearls, but if you want to spruce up your drink you can opt for one of the many boba tea flavors. Below are some examples: Taro Mango Lychee Lemon Passion fruit Strawberry Peach Honeydew Almond Coffee Ginger Bubble Tea FAQs Check out the answers to common questions about bubble tea below: What Is Boba? Boba is another name for bubble tea. Boba can refer to the beverage itself, to the bubbles made from mixing the drink, or to the black tapioca pearls inside the tea. What Is Boba Made of? Boba balls are soft, jelly-like spheres made primarily of tapioca, which derives from cassava roots. They are the bubbles in bubble tea and are also called tapioca balls, pearls, or boba. In addition to tapioca, they may also contain a sweetener, such as sugar or caramel, along with other ingredients for texture and preservation, like corn starch or potassium sorbate. Boba balls range in size from small (5 mm) to large (8.5 mm); the large pearls are commonly used in bubble tea. What Is Popping Boba? Popping boba is a small type of boba that contains fruit juice and "bursts" upon chewing. Popping boba is made through molecular gastronomy. A flavored liquid, such as fruit juice, is mixed with powdered sodium alginate (extracted from brown seaweed) and is then dripped into calcium chloride. Upon interacting, small spheres form and develop thin skins, yielding popping boba. Popping boba is used in bubble tea as well as frozen yogurt, snow ice, and other frozen treats. How To Drink Bubble Tea? The novelty of bubble tea is that everyone drinks it differently. Some drinkers ignore the tapioca pearls until they’ve finished the beverage, then eat the pearls last. Some drinkers eat the tapioca pearls first, then enjoy their tea. Others may prefer a happy medium, sipping their tea and chewing tapioca pearls along the way. There’s no right way to enjoy bubble tea, which makes it a fun interactive drink that’s entirely unique. In addition to bubble tea flavors, you can also customize your bubble tea by choosing toppings, a different tea as the base, an alternative milk (or no milk), and a different sweetness level.

  • Ways to Improve Your Restaurant's Coffee Service

    The expectation for good coffee doesn’t stop at cafes. From bars to bistros, customers are demanding the best when it comes to their caffeine fix. By serving fresh, quality coffee, you can increase your customer’s stay while encouraging additional add-on purchases, including pastries or dessert. From beans to brew, there’s room for improvement at every step of your coffee-making process. Once you have chosen the proper coffee equipment for your restaurant, follow these guidelines to produce bold, flavorful coffee that your customers will pay a premium for. 1. Use Whole Bean Coffee Serving stale coffee is an instant turn-off for customers, and grinding your own whole beans is the easiest way to avoid that. When possible, always choose whole coffee beans for your restaurant or coffee shop. Whole Bean vs Ground Coffee Whole bean coffee retains its freshness longer than pre-ground coffee. The majority of your coffee’s flavor is found in the beans’ essential oils. Once ground, these oils evaporate quickly, taking their flavor with them. Unfortunately, beginning with lackluster coffee grounds means your final product will be undesirable from the start. Instead, invest in a commercial coffee grinder that includes varying grind levels to give you maximum versatility. Grind beans very fine for bold espresso, or keep them coarser for use in a French press. Make sure the beans are ground to the appropriate size to avoid creating an overpowering or underwhelming cup of coffee depending on the style. 2. Choose the Right Grinder Believe it or not, choosing the right commercial grinder can impact the outcome of your customer’s coffee. When choosing a grinder to produce better coffee, a burr grinder is recommended instead of a blade grinder. Burr Grinder vs Blade Grinder A burr grinder has two revolving surfaces that grind coffee between them, while a blade grinder features blades in the center of it similar to a blender. Because they grind beans between surfaces instead of chopping them up with a blade, burr grinders consistently produce same-sized grounds. On the contrary, the grounds produced by a blade grinder are uneven in size, which means your flavor will be inconsistent from cup to cup. 3. Properly Store Your Coffee Grounds The way you store your coffee grounds after your grind the beans down can impact how long the coffee will stay fresh to produce a satisfying caffeine pick-me-up. How Do You Store Coffee Grounds? Store your coffee grounds in an opaque, airtight bag or container in a dark, dry place. It is not recommended you store coffee grounds in a refrigerator or freezer. The thawing and refreezing process that occurs when you remove and place the grounds back in the cold can cause moisture buildup inside the bag that compromises the flavor of your guests’ coffee. When it comes to storing large amounts of coffee beans, some baristas believe keeping them in the freezer can help preserve freshness. It is only appropriate to store coffee in the freezer or refrigerator when it is still in its whole bean form and tucked away inside an airtight bag. Once the beans have been removed from the cold, they should be ground and used within two weeks. Do not re-freeze or refrigerate already thawed beans. Coffee Brewing Tips Once you have fresh grounds to work with, it’s important to consider these factors before and during the brewing process to learn how to make coffee better. These elements are easy to control and can instantly improve the taste of your customer’s cup of coffee. Keep your equipment clean. Your carefully crafted grounds can pick up an undesirable taste from dirty, unclean equipment. From the grinder to the brewer, make sure staff members are cleaning out coffee equipment regularly. Brew at the right temperature. Brew your coffee grounds in water between 198 and 202 degrees Fahrenheit, with 200 degrees being the optimal temperature. Brewing below 195 degrees results in poor flavor extraction and a flat, unappealing product for your customers. On the other hand, water that’s too hot will result in a bitter flavor. Pay attention to your water quality. Since water makes up about 98% of your customer’s cup of coffee, always be sure you’re using a water filtration system with your brewer. Water that’s slightly hard, preferably 50 to 100 ppm of dissolved minerals, will deliver the best-tasting coffee. If it’s too hard, however, lime scale buildup can occur in your equipment, and less flavor will be extracted from your coffee grounds. Too soft or distilled water may prolong the brewing process and result in a poor or bitter taste. Experiment with the bean to water ratio. The industry standard for the perfect cup of coffee is 1 part coffee to 18 parts water. Use a scale to weigh beans as opposed to measuring by volume. This will help create a more definitive and exact ratio, which leads to more consistent cups of coffee every time. Adjust your brewing time. The time in which your coffee needs to brew is largely dependent on how fine you have ground the beans. The finer the grind, the shorter the amount of time is needed to brew. When you have a coarser grind, more time is needed for water to make contact and extract flavor from the bean particles. Ways to Upgrade Your Coffee Service If your basic cup of Joe isn’t cutting it anymore, here are a few ways to spruce up coffee service. Ensure staff is properly trained. It’s so simple that it can often be overlooked. Take time to train your staff on how to make a cup or pot of coffee. This creates consistency from shift to shift, which your customers will appreciate. Embrace change and trends in the industry. Coffee will always be classic, but the ways in which we use it changes year-to-year. Get on board and capitalize on the year’s hottest (or coldest) coffee trend. Get creative with alternative uses for coffee. Coffee doesn’t just belong in a mug anymore. Incorporate it into cocktails, or create a cold brew and imperial stout mashup. Additionally, you can use it to enhance the flavor of your house-made desserts or signature soups. When done right, coffee is an enticing and aromatic treat that customers are happy to spend money on day after day. Its versatile nature means the perfect cup of coffee can be served at breakfast, lunch, dinner, or even dessert to customers who will appreciate its bold, rich flavor. Follow the above guidelines to ensure that you're getting the most out of your equipment and serving delicious and profitable coffee to customers.

    • Shop Now

    Archives

    Webstaurant TVProduct demonstrations, how-to's, & descriptions ArticlesIn-depth information and tips for running a successful restaurant Buying GuidesTools to help you find the perfect product for your business