5 Popular Hot Beverages from Around the World

Hot Beverages for Cold Weather From Around the Globe

As summer ends and the chilly mornings start, we’re all clutching our coffees a little tighter in the morning. For warmth, energy and little pick me up, hot beverages are often the cure. Whether you’re a tea or coffee lover, a warm mug when it’s cold can help cure all your blues. There are some of us though that don’t enjoy tea or coffee, and this list could help you. Across the world, different beverages are consumed in the mornings – some spicy, some sweet, all loved by their country of origin. Here are the most popular hot beverages across the world… Which would you most like to try?

Wattlecino

The golden-wattle is a flower unique to Australia. Its’ seed is called a wattleseed and can be ground and used as a coffee substitute. It creates a richly flavoured caffeine free drink. The taste is reminiscent of coffee, chocolate and hazelnut. All the flavours of a nutty mocha but without the caffeine jitteriness!

Yerba Mate

Traditionally drunk in South America, Mate is a caffeine rich infused hot beverage. Some say it’s an aquired taste, but you’ll see almost everybody in South America drinking it. It’s often drunk in the morning due to it’s high caffeine content. Like coffee, Yerba Mate can be drunk straight, or have sugar added. Depending on whether the Mate is made from pure leaf, or sticks and stems, the flavour can be more woody. It has the taste of a strong bitter tea.

Bicerin

Bicerin is a hot beverage that is native to Italy – specifically Turin. This drink is definitely one for those of you with a sweet tooth! Made from espresso, drinking chocolate and whole milk, this drink is a choco0latey sweet pick me up. Perfect for when it’s cold outside.

Salep

A hot drink hailing from Turkey, Salep is made from wild orchid powder and milk. Outside of Turkey you may have a hard time finding this drink though, as the orchids the drink is made from are rare. It has a creamy, thick, cinnamon like grainy taste.

Masala Chai

Masala Chai is the original chai tea. Coffee shops near you may serve chai tea or chai lattes, and this hot beverage is where those flavours come from. Hailing from India, chai tea is a sweet, spiced drink flavoured with cinnamon, cloves, cardamon, ginger and pepper. Essentially, masala chai is a sweet black tea flavoured with spice that is then served with sweet milk. In India, it is served by chai wallahs, or tea vendors, and drunk as frequently as the Western world drinks coffee.

If you’re looking for some alternative hot beverages to tea and coffee, look no further. Some of these drinks may be an acquired taste, but give them a try! Use your Billi tap for the perfect temperature water to make a hot drink, and give yourself a warming winter pick me up instantly.