Favourite alcoholic & non-alcoholic beverages

When people used to ask me what my favourite or least favourite non-alcoholic drink was, for some reason it was always “I like Fanta, and I dislike orange juice”.

If someone were to ask me now, there might be a bit of hesitation, particularly if the question was “Do you like coffee?”, but my answer would be, “I love tea, and I hate anything carbonated”. Yes, that does include Fanta.

I simply can’t stand carbonated drinks, they irritate my stomach. My digestive system can’t stand the gas, and more so, I can’t stand the sweetness. I will actually dilute any Coca Cola or lemonade that I drink. Heck, sometimes I even mix it with green tea. Sometimes, if I feel like something carbonated, it is usually for the flavour. For example, I like the taste of pink lemonade. But I’ll leave it sitting on the table until it goes flat, because I prefer it that way, without all the gas bubbles. Then I’ll put water in it to dilute it, and to me, it just tastes better.

I used to drink a lot of coffee, and I decided I disliked it, but these days I can handle one occasionally. I don’t drink it because it gives me a kick. I drink it because sometimes I like the taste, but even then I am struggling to find the right amount of water-to-coffee ratio for my liking. I think I like a cafelatte/con leche (coffee with milk, not too much milk…) or generally just a really watered down kind of coffee – whereas with iced coffee, I like the coffee taste to be really strong.

However, I’ll almost always go for tea, and without sugar. Here is a bunch of my favourite drinks/beverages:

(Japanese) Green Tea

To be honest, I like all green tea, Japanese or not. But I’m quite in love with Japanese green tea. I also really love the seaweed tea that really does taste like seaweed and leaves. James and I had some back in the Keio hotel, and it did taste a little more like soup than tea. But above all, I love green tea.

Green tea
Green tea, image from The Apple Diaries

Green Tea (Matcha) Latte

If I want to spoil myself, like really spoil myself, and I don’t feel like eating or haven’t had much to eat, I’ll find a Starbucks and get myself one of these. I know people whine about Starbucks because their coffee isn’t that good and it’s commercial trash, but I’m having a tea latte, which is not coffee. But there are other places that do a green tea latte – it’s just hard to find them.

Green Tea Latte
Green Tea Latte, image from Tomi:Mito

Green Tea Ice Blended (My Sweet Memory/Passionflower)

My Sweet Memory is a small franchise with a handful of cafes in Sydney, and I absolutely adore their signature iced green tea. It’s like the tea latte from Starbucks, but iced, and not just over ice, but blended. Perfect in summer, and if you want to be an idiot in winter, perfect too. It’s absolutely packed with calories and sugar especially if you get the whipped cream on top. And it’s practically a meal, at that, because you won’t want to eat anything afterwards. But really worth spoiling yourself with.

On that note, I do like their green tea lattes, which are a little less sweeter than Starbucks’. Passionflower also does a beautiful green tea ice beverage with some sweet green sauce on the whipped cream on top.

Matcha Green Tea Ice
Matcha Green Tea, image from Red Leaf Tea

Rose Pu-erh Tea (Come Buy)

I like going to Asian tea shops and having what is otherwise known as bubble tea, though I don’t like the “bubbles”. I used to think they were okay and the cornerstone of every bubble tea, but I’m not such a fan anymore. But when a Come Buy store opened near my old workplace, I went there every day. Their teas were different from popular chains like EasyWay and Chatime; they had dessert options and a nice World Tea range, and didn’t endlessly promote their “pearls”.

I fell in love with the Rose Pu-erh tea, though, which tasted like roses. Flowery, a little fragrant, and not really sweet. In fact, it was very bitter, so I cheated and got a tiny bit of sugar, or got a bit of herbal jelly to balance out the bitterness. To this day I haven’t yet found another store that does the same kind of tea. EasyWay had some beautiful rose flower tea that tasted naturally sweet and even had the flower inside the drink, but it was just a seasonal special so I don’t think they sell them anymore.

Rose Pu-Erh Tea
Rose Pu-Erh Tea, image from Tea Majesty

Vodka Red Bull (or vodka anything!)

It was my first ever alcoholic drink, and it’s typically bad-ass, and it’s typically expensive, and every time I offer someone a drink and they tell me to “get whatever”, hands down I will spend the full $15 on a vodka Red Bull, just for them. Sounds cliche, but I really do like it. It’s sweet, and I usually hate Red Bull alone.

Vodka Red Bull (red edition), photo by me
Vodka Red Bull (red edition), photo by me

Bourbon & Coke

Romantic drink of choice since I first tried it when I met Tristan… haha, well, I did like the taste. The same goes for a Jack and coke, though I think I prefer bourbon.

Blue Lagoon (cocktail)

This drink is the shit. (I cuss so much in real life, but less on my blog.) It’s basically vodka and blue curacao with a bit of lemon juice, and is sometimes called a Fruit Tingle. But apart from its colour, it tastes wicked.

Ninja Turtle (cocktail)

No one takes me seriously when I say I want one of these. Usually consisting of rum, melon liqueur and pineapple juice, it’s pretty fruity, maybe a tiny bit bitter… but it’s tropical and fun. I usually hate pineapple juice, and don’t like citrus in my alcohol, but this is a pretty neat combination.

Very Vanilla Chiller
Very Vanilla Chiller, image from Gloria Jean’s

Very Vanilla Chiller (Gloria Jean’s)

I almost feel like every time Tristan and I hang out, we go to Gloria Jean’s Coffee. I love their coffees more than Starbucks, though I love their iced coffee range. Their Very Vanilla Chiller suggests something super milky, but it actually still tastes like coffee, and that’s what I like about it. It’s not just a sweet beverage; it still has that strong coffee taste.

Pure Peppermint Tea (Twinings)

Without a doubt, I am in love with Twinings. I nicked a whole box of Pure Peppermint teabags from the office and left it on my desk, because apparently no one else likes the flavour and thinks it’s gross. I adore it. I love peppermint tea, and it is really soothing on the stomach. It’s a nice way to start off the day or finish a meal.

Lady Grey Tea (Twinings)

When I discovered Earl Grey, I also enjoyed Earl Grey Milk Tea from Chatime, but after a while of not having it, and having it again, the taste was a bit strong. I prefer Lady Grey, because the hint of orange is more zesty, and it’s got a bit more of a zing.

Cranberry & Pomegranate Tea (Twinings)

Still loving Twinings. I fell in love with this red-coloured, fruit-inspired tea when I tasted it. James thinks it tastes horrid. I guess I was over the fruit teas in Asian tea shops being too sweet, obviously being syrup based, and having something based off leaves and seeds seemed far better. I guess I fell for the red colour, too. But the slightly bittersweet taste is intriguing, and frankly, I think it’s delicious. It’s quite strong but nicer when diluted, so I tend to use a larger mug.

I tried something similarly sweet at work when Emi let me try some Informal Tea – definitely a brand I will look more into. I will try appreciate any kind of tea, even if someone does think it’s just leaf water. :)

Pink Lemonade (Parker’s)

I’ve got a bit of an obsession with pink lemonade at the moment, probably because it’s pink, and currently my sweet drink of choice. Parker’s is a brand that makes organic juices, and their lemonade tastes very fresh, it’s pink, and it makes a nice afternoon beverage. I’ve had other lemonades that have left a really tangy, numbing aftertaste, but this lemonade is nice.

Yes, I don’t really like carbonated drinks, as I mentioned, but a few sips of pink lemonade throughout the day keeps me chirpy.

Homemade Affogato/Iced Coffee

I suck at making things. I suck at cooking. But there is nothing quite like a homemade iced coffee or an affogato. I guess I prefer an iced coffee – vanilla ice cream; pour concentrated coffee over the top; dazzle with ice cubes. My brother Brandon has asked me to make one for him on occasion. I tend to put a little too much ice cream because I love vanilla ice cream.

Super ice-creamy iced coffee, made & photographed by me
Super ice-creamy iced coffee, made & photographed by me

At work I’ll grab ice cream and use the coffee machine to drizzle espresso over the top, which works quite well. It gets too cold in the office though, so I usually choose tea instead.

Edit: I forgot how much I like cider lately, so here goes!

Cider

I don’t really get picky with cider, but Rekorderlig is wonderful. I have also tried Bulmers Pear Cider and Strongbow Cider, and I like them for their sweet taste as well.

What are your favourite drinks?

Thumbnail image from Land O Lakes.

Comments on this post

Hello! :) Wow, it’s been a long time since I’ve last been to this blog. I got so busy. The new layout is gorgeous! ♥ Did you put this up just recently? The last time I was here was probably a month or two ago and the previous layout was still up. :)

I’m a Coke-lover and I just can’t imagine it diluted. :O Wow, okay. I love green tea, too. Have you tried Korean green tea? It’s really good. When I was in Korea, I brought home a lot for me, my mom and my relatives. And I never liked the bubbles in bubble tea, too. I just like the flavors that my favorite cafe Bon Appetea offers.

The Very Vanilla Chiller looks good!

My favorite drinks are Coke (yay!), mango juice, milk teas, green teas, bubble teas, iced coffee and flavoured (any flavor) frappes. I enjoy black coffee, mocaccinos and espressos from time to time.

Take care! :)

Hey Jea! I sure did change my theme last week, it’s been two months in development — you can read about the design process if you like! I’m glad to hear you like it. :D

I haven’t tried Korean green tea, but it’s interesting that different countries have their own take on green tea. I will have to try it some time. I also don’t mind the taste of Coke, it’s just the sweetness that I don’t like that much.

I actually really like frappes as well, and black coffee is nice from time to time.

I have an issue with coffee. I love the taste but it makes me feel sick for the rest of the day after I drink it. But I don’t think the problem lies with caffeine because I feel fine after drinking energy drinks.

Wow, Vodka Red Bull is a dangerous drink. It does bad things to people. I will spare you the details but my brother was once founding crawling along the street on his hands and knees after drinking a lot of those. I guess everything is fine in moderation but I would recommend drinking loads, haha!

Pink lemonade is one of my favorite soft drinks too. I just love fruity drinks, and that’s why sangria is my favorite alcoholic drink.

Haha it is a dangerous drink; some places don’t sell them here because of the effects it can have. Thankfully it hasn’t had such a drastic effect on me yet, and I tend not to drink more than one in a night anyway. XD

I find it interesting that you have a hard time finding green tea lattes in Australia! It’s a very common drink here, so I never have a hard time finding it.

You have a good list going on here. I never heard of some of the cocktails/alcohol drinks. Like that Ninja Cocktail. I’m a cocktail fan, so that sounds so good! :) I’m usually a fuzzy navel or a espresso martini girl lately, but I’ll try something different!

I haven’t been able to get into coffee or tea, and I think it’s mostly because I don’t like hot drinks. I drink too many carbonated drinks though. I really should cut my soda habit. I do like green tea flavored things, even though I don’t drink the tea itself ^^;; I’ve heard a lot of good things about Pu-erh tea!

I tend to like vodka drinks too! As well as rum ones. I didn’t know there was a cocktail called the Ninja Turtle. I’d want it just for the name, haha. It does sound good though since I’m a big fan of fruity cocktails. One of my favorites is called a Lava flow which is a Pina Colada but with strawberry syrup mixed in.

I’m currently loving Maine Root sodas, and when it comes to alcoholic stuff, I’ve been trying different hard ciders.

Ahh you reminded me that I need to include cider; I just added that to my list. Lately I have been enjoying any kind of cider. I don’t think I’m very picky. :)

I did try a pina colada once, I think I quite liked it. I will have to try a Lava Flow some time!

I actually hadn’t heard of a Ninja Turtle, but I might give it a try at work, see how it goes down. I just launched a new cocktail menu, but I’m always trying out new specials. It sounds good.
I’m actually pretty fussy with what I drink when I think about it. I’m happy to try different things, but I generally just stick to water. Or when I finish work, I might have a vodka, lime and soda. I actually really like lager, but it gives me such a belly, I try to avoid it the majority of the time.

I just realized how long it has been since I had a Fanta, and now I’m craving one. :| They really are sweet, though; I think that’s why I stick to Pepsi — they’re not as sweet, at least not to me.

The green teas you have pictured are similar to what I tend to see on Tumblr and Instagram a lot. I’m not a tea person, and while I like the cold green tea, I doubt I’d like the tea lattes/etc. They’re just really pretty. :| I do like Starbucks’ Mint Chocolate Chip Frapp, which is made using their matcha powder… it’s from their ‘secret menu’ stuffs. xD

The Very Vanilla Chiller sounds yummy…

The USA needs some of Australia’s places. We just have Starbucks for fancy drinks and Steak n’Shake for shakes, as yogurt is this new hype. There used to be boba tea places, but those are scarce and expensive nowadays. :|

/can’t have alcohol. /bash

I haven’t drank carbonated drinks for awhile now. I have tried unsweetened matcha latte and I didn’t really like the taste. Perhaps, I should try sweetened matcha latte soon. I try my best to stay away since it’s unhealthy. As for my favourite drinks, I love drinking jasmine tea, iced cappuccino, hot chocolate, nescafe’s mocha cappuccino, and strawberry bubble tea with pearls! I have tried red bull twice, I believe and they’re okay but like carbonated drinks, I try my best to avoid them.

Although I’m at the legal ageto drink, I haven’t drank any alcoholic drinks yet. But I really want to try pina colada or a cocktail soon (:

Ok, I love most of those drinks mentioned but anything looking THAT green I can’t do it. I just can’t …

You’d like Creamy Soda and Vodka. Thats what I drink because I cannot have caffeine … It’s deceiving so you don’t realise you’re drinking alcohol then BOOM! You’d also like Midori, pineapple juice and vodka … Now I feel like a drink!!! (Y)

Generally, I don’t like tea or coffee. I’ll occasionally ask for a sip of a friend’s Ice Cap, but that’s usually as a last resort when I’m really thirsty or tired. I dunno if they’re actually legitimate ice cappuccinos–I don’t think they are. They’re more like a mix between a slushie and a milkshake with coffee? I’m not sure. It could be a Canadian/Tim Horton’s thing 🙄ing at the Wiki page. Apparently the drink is made in a slurpee machine. :P Sometimes it’s good, sometimes it makes me want to vomit, and I can’t stand the taste of coffee.

As for tea, a friend of mine is a huge tea enthusiast and has spent the better part of two years trying to figure out which kind of tea I like. I’ve tried everything from black tea to green tea to variations in between–except for fruit teas, which she doesn’t like. Oddly enough, they’re the only tea I’ll drink. I’m not that into tea, though, so I don’t buy it, but from samples I’ve had, I generally like the leafier, heavily-bodied fruit teas as opposed to sweeter, syrupy fruit teas.

For alcohol? Hard liquor. I’ve tried tons of beer and wine, but they never agree with me. I think it’s the fermentation itself. The drinks just taste rotten. /shrugs. Vodka is hands down my favourite alcoholic beverage, with Somersby cider coming next (and being the only cider I’ll drink), but I’m open to basically any type of hard liquor. There’s a bottle of bourbon my old room mate left in the kitchen… maybe I should try it, since I’ve never had it before. :O I prefer drinking vodka straight, but I’m happy with it being mixed with juices or sodas, but I can’t handle energy drinks and I prefer a stronger alcoholic taste. Sweet drinks in my booze are also a no-no, unless it’s a citrus-based soda.

I’m picky about my soda. The carbonation sometimes gets to me as well, and if I have a soda, I’ll take a few sips and then try to shake out the carbon dioxide by stirring it or shaking the bottle. Not entirely it’s entirely flat, but until the carbonation is a minor aspect instead of bursting in your face. I also only drink it for the taste.

I’m always up for water and drink it all the time. I’ll have one of the aforementioned drinks maaaaybe once or twice a month? They’re more like treats than anything. Someone will go for a package of sweets, and I’ll get a shot of vodka. :P