Quick Answer
Yuzu tea usually means Korean yuja-cha (유자차): yuzu peel and flesh are sliced and preserved with sugar or honey into a marmalade, then mixed with hot or cold water. This yuzu is a citrus grown in southern Korea, different from pomelos. Plain yuzu tea contains no tea leaves and no caffeine; bubble tea shops often add the marmalade to green tea, black tea or sparkling water.
Which citrus is in yuzu tea?
Korean yuzu tea is made from yuzu grown in southern Korea, such as Goheung in South Jeolla Province, known for its fragrant peel. It differs from pomelos such as Taiwan’s wendan. Commercial yuzu marmalade usually contains yuzu peel and flesh, sugar or fructose, and sometimes honey; check the label and fruit content.
How to brew
- Hot: stir marmalade into hot water.
- Iced: dissolve marmalade in a little warm water, then add cold water or tea and shake.
- Ratio: test by marmalade sweetness and cup size, write a fixed dose per cup, and top up with fructose if needed.
Uses in bubble tea shops
| Drink | Build |
|---|---|
| Yuzu green tea | Yuzu marmalade + green tea, fresh and year-round |
| Yuzu black tea | Yuzu marmalade + black tea, a winter hot drink |
| Sparkling yuzu | Dissolve marmalade, add ice, top with sparkling water; see sparkling drinks |
| Honey yuzu | Yuzu marmalade + honey; see honey green tea |
Storage and labeling
- Refrigerate opened marmalade as labeled and use a clean spoon.
- Tea-based yuzu drinks contain caffeine; plain yuzu tea does not, so label them separately.
- Yuzu marmalade is high in sugar; see labeling rules for sugar and calories.
How Tang Sugar can help
Tang Sugar supplies tea leaves, syrups and fruit jams, and can source specific yuzu marmalades or Taiwanese citrus ingredients through our sourcing service.
Products in this article
All 12 Syrups →
FAQ
Does yuzu tea have caffeine?
Plain yuzu tea (marmalade and water) has none; yuzu green or black tea contains caffeine from the tea.
Is yuzu the same as pomelo?
No. Korean yuzu tea uses yuzu (yuja), a different citrus from pomelos such as Taiwan’s wendan.
Can yuzu tea be served cold?
Yes. Dissolve the marmalade in a little warm water first, then add cold water or tea and shake.
What is yuzu tea in Korean and Chinese?
Korean 유자차 (yuja-cha); Chinese 柚子茶.
Related Reading
How to Make Honey Green Tea: Ratio Basics for Shops, When to Add Honey, Calories and Why Babies Under One Should Not Have Honey
How to Make Kumquat Lemon Juice: Calamansi vs Kumquat, Ratio Basics and Avoiding Bitterness
How to Use Fruit Jam in Bubble Tea: Fruit Pulp Jam in Fruit Teas, Smoothies and DessertsAlso see: Fruit jams (products)
