types of boba

this is sort of a reference post for myself:

how do different types of boba affect the flavor of the drink? 

to keep things relatively easy to manage, i'm recalling the change in flavor across milk teas (even more specifically, black milk teas). i feel that they are more susceptible to changes, due to how thin they are, if that makes sense. milks alone (strawberry milk, mango milk, etc.) sort of resist flavor changes well due to the milk mostly neutralizing it, while slushies and smoothies have stronger flavors of their own that make the changes hard to note, and how packed / dense(?) they are affects how the boba can disperse its flavor. and besides, milk teas are the beginning, aren't they?

brown sugar boba - where i am, this is what most boba places serve. even if they don't necessarily state that there's brown sugar outright, you can usually see some brown syrup against the sides of the cup. i can see (well, taste) why this is the main choice. the warm, richer flavors of brown sugar suits black milk tea very well. some may even consider it smoky or somewhat burnt, due to the caramel flavors as well. it adds complexity to the tea.

honey boba - to be honest, i feel like the flavor of honey boba is hard to hone on its own. but once you do notice it acting as a component in your drink, you can't ignore it. it's a gentle sweetness, slightly floral and maybe even fruity or tangy. i always notice a bit of tanginess whenever i have honey boba. i think it works better for fruit-flavored teas or fruit teas, which is why you notice it more in places that specialize in those things, right? with black milk tea, it's a little awkward and doesn't have much of an impact.

simple syrup / sugar boba - i think this one is the most noticeable, even though it's somewhat rare, i think. bcuz when you take a sip and get some boba, it's a little tingle of extra sweetness. that's not bad, except if they add too much sugar, and you end up feeling punched in the mouth by sugarcane. that's no fun, trust me. but yeah, it just makes it feel sweeter rather than give it much substance in the way of flavor. not a fave, and sorta messes up the balance, but not totally horrible if done right, i feel. 

no sweetener boba - i don't think i've come across a place that doesn't have some sort of syrup or sweetener in their boba, mostly because such creates a film that protects the pearls from sticking together and forming clumps for a time. but i have cooked boba at home, and most of the time, i didn't add any sweetener. it's mostly bcuz i'm lazy, but also, i really didn't mind the boba without it. doesn't really affect the drink, as you can probs assume. 

sotd: one by dbsk