I really wanted to tick this one off the list as it is one of three DIY milk teas easily obtainable from a Woolworths. The first one I tried was not very pleasant so it a very low bar to beat was set. The decision was set when I saw it on sale.
When I opened it, the instant DIY pearls were of a variety I was not familiar with. The benchmark for instant DIY pearls is quite low too. These pearls required either placing them in boiled water in a cup with a lid on it to keep the steam in, or microwaving it in a cup. I opted for the former as I hadn’t encountered this technique before and it sounded promising.
The drink instructions were also quite novel - it required half water and half milk. The water was used to dissolve the powdered mixture first, and then the milk topped this up. I have independently experimented with this approach before and the results were good as the drink possess the bulk of creamer in addition to the milky nature of fresh milk.
The drink beat my expectations, I was most impressed by its consistency. As postulated, the use of creamer and milk provided the drink with the advantages of both. The pearls were also surprisingly good, with better texture than I expected. I had to add more water and milk as the drink was too sweet for me otherwise. The weakest point was the tea flavour, the drink hints at something that could be pleasant, but it was very meek.
Brand: Lipton
Drink: Brown Sugar Pearl Milk Tea
Rating: C+. A rating carried by the solid consistency of the drink, though you may have to tinker with the ratio of water to milk to your own desire. The pearls are acceptable, and even though good non-instant pearls are notably better, they are still the best instant pearls I have encountered. I wish the tea flavour and presence was stronger but overall, a respectable DIY offering available widely.
Value: Not bad.
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