5 non-alcoholic drinks you should try in China

Chinese food is famous throughout the world, especially wherever there is a Chinatown. Chinese drinks, on the other hand, less so. However, China does indeed have a rich beverage culture of its own, with all the color, variety and flavor you find in Chinese cooking. Here are some of the best Chinese drinks that you will find as mainstays in bars and fridges all across China.

Sweet soy milk

When it comes to soft drink choices, China has more than just tea. Another favorite beverage is sweetened soy milk, a drink that can be appreciated either hot or cold. The hot version is perfect for a classic Shanghainese breakfast of youtiao, or dough sticks, which were made perfectly to be dipped into the milk upon each bite. The chilled version can be found in most convenience stores across the country, but tastes best in the elusive glass bottles found in selected hole-in-the-wall restaurants.

Wang Lao Ji tea 

Wang Lao Ji tea commonly referred to by expats simply as “the tea in the red cans”, this is one of the most popular brands of tea. It goes especially well with spicy food and, as is common in Chinese tea brands, contains traditional Chinese medicine, so you can be sure you are drinking healthy.

Salt Soda Water

Before Coca Cola arrived on China’s shore and inevitably became the most ubiquitous soft drink in the country, salt soda water was the fizzy refreshment of choice for the Chinese, especially in Shanghai. It is still available pretty much everywhere, letting you enjoy the notes of mint and lemon that help balance out the sugary carbonation.

Cheese Tea

Cheese tea, though hard to imagine, is growing in popularity across China and elsewhere. It is made with a cheese powder that froths up to the top of the drink and acts as a sort of salty whipped cream. The cheese tea concept was born at milk tea chain Happy Lemon but has been adopted by increasingly more chains.

Pearl Milk Tea

One of the drinks from China that actually has broken through to other markets across the globe, pearl milk (often known as “bubble”) tea is hugely popular among young people. It is a combination of herbal or fruit infused juice full of tiny, chewy “bubbles” that are in fact made from tapioca.

Read more: The most popular noodle dishes to try in China before leaving

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8 beverages you should try when visiting China

When traveling through China, you may have trouble finding your most beloved beverages from back home, unless your favorite drink is Coca-Cola, in which case you'll have no problem. If Coke isn't your thing, though, have no fear. China has plenty of its own delectable drinks to offer.

1. Chrysanthemum tea 

To say that there is no shortage in tea varieties in China is putting it very, very lightly. The first and most traditional of the teas covered in this article is the refreshing chrysanthemum tea, with its nice floral aroma. Many drink it as a remedy for ailments from the common cold to neurological disorders, though it's a soothing beverage choice regardless of your health status.

2. Milk tea 

This popular Taiwanese treat with a smooth creamy feel and bitter aftertaste can be found all over China in various combinations of flavors. One popular form is bubble milk tea, which has tapioca bubbles in the bottom and is often sweetened with various fruit flavors. Large chains such as Coco and Happy Lemon as well as smaller stands can be found all over China. Served hot or cold, it's a great drink for winter or summer.

3. Wang Lao Ji tea 

Commonly referred to by expats simply as “the tea in the red cans”, this is one of the most popular brands of tea. It goes especially well with spicy food and, as is common in Chinese tea brands, contains traditional Chinese medicine, so you can be sure you're drinking healthy.

4. Plum juice 

Made from Chinese plums and sweetened with a bit of sugar, it's the Chinese drink of choice for relief on sweltering summer days. It can be found on some street corners, or the most famous plum juice brand can be recognized by its famous short, fat jars. 

5. Arctic Ocean Orange Soda 

This refreshing, naturally flavored orange soda has been through a lot. Until the 1990's when Arctic Ocean was bought out by Pepsi, the brand's orange soda was the soda for many consumers in China. Its iconic polar bear logo on glass bottles is something many adults still remember fondly, and now it's back. As of 2012, Arctic Ocean is now independently run and back on shelves — at least in Beijing, for now. You'll find it at almost any neighborhood shop for about 3 rmb.

6. Mai Dong Sports Drink 

This sports drink in a blue bottle comes in a number of fruit flavors and is China's version of an enhanced fitness water. It has just a slight touch of sweetness that pleases the taste buds but does not overdo it for the perfect post-exercise thirst quencher.

7. Tsingtao beer

Easily the most popular Chinese beer domestically and worldwide, there is no shortage of the German-style beer anywhere you go. With its light taste and low alcohol content, it's a highly drinkable beer whether you're looking for a single happy hour drink or enjoying a night on the town. 

8. Baijiu 

China's national liquor is not for the faint of heart. Ranging from 40 to a whopping 60% alcohol by volume content, it's a drink you won't soon forget, though the same thing may not be said of a night of baijiu consumption.

See more: Best 10 famous signature dishes of China

Source: chinahighlights