On a recent visit to the Jelly Belly Factory in Fairfield, California, I found something strange and curious: a bag of Jelly Belly beans featuring new Boba Milk Tea inspired flavors.
I am always excited about new tastes and Jelly Belly never lets me down. This time, they’ve come up with a fascinating array of flavors designed to capture the essence of some of the most in-demand types of Boba tea.
I grabbed a bag and tested them out.
Jelly Belly’s Five Boba Tea Flavors
On the back of the bag, I found a full list of Jelly’ Belly’s boba-inspired flavors. They are:
Taro milk tea, Mango milk tea, Matcha milk tea, Strawberry milk tea, and Thai milk tea.
I love getting several of these flavors at Bay Area boba places like Boba Guys. I was excited to try them out.
Commencing the Boba Tea Taste Test: Taro Milk Tea and Matcha Milk Tea
I kickstarted my tasting journey with the Taro flavor. The flavors evoke the sweet and starchy essence of the iconic purple-colored taro.
The inherent creaminess and sugary flair were deftly captured in this little jelly bean. I was surprised at the precision with which Jelly Belly encapsulated the milky characteristic of the Boba tea.
Weirldy, the taro bean tastes exactly how the interior of a Boba Guys store smells!
Next on my list was the matcha milk tea flavor. A classic recipe from Japan, the taste was more floral than matcha.
It felt as if they had blended in the essence of jasmine, creating a deviation from the true matcha. It struck me as more of a jasmine milk tea flavor, quite popular itself but not quite in sync with the name advertised on the pack.
Mango Milk Tea And Strawberry Milk Tea: A Slightly Off Experience
Upon trying out the Mango milk tea flavored Jelly Bean, I found the taste to fall a little short of a real mango tea. It felt more like a perfumy essence than the lusciousness of the mango puree in a real mango bubble tea. This one didn’t make the cut for me.
In contrast, the strawberry Jelly Bean managed to hold on to its fruity goodness. However, I didn’t find striking traces of a bubble tea influence, deeming it akin to a more traditional strawberry jelly bean.
The Iconic Thai Tea Flavor: Not As Impressive
Finally, I tested the Thai tea flavor. Thai tea is complex and smoky.
This bean didn’t really capture that. It was more bitter than smoky and complex.
The Verdict
From the depth of the Taro flavor to the inaccurate (but yummy) matcha Jelly Bean, Jelly Belly has made an intriguing attempt to combine the beloved flavors of boba tea with their jelly beans. Although some flavors fell short, it’s impossible to deny Jelly Belly’s relentless push for innovation.
Looking ahead, I hope to see them retain the matcha and taro flavors, but perhaps revise the others! Regardless, this taste test was a fascinating journey into the flavor-filled world of Jelly Belly.
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Key Takeaways
- Taro milk tea flavor is the most accurate of the five Jelly Belly boba milk tea jelly beans.
- The matcha flavor is delicious, but not an accurate representation of true matcha.
- The mango and Thai tea flavors are not as accurate or enjoyable.
- Jelly Belly is staying on trend and up to date with these new flavors.
- Suggested feedback: keep the taro and matcha, but rename the matcha, and do without the mango and Thai tea.
