Apple juice + Shizuoka green tea!!!

Oh no! Or rather, oh yes! I have found my new favorite drink to have and it is healthier than the soda and juice I am already hooked on.

It blows my own mind that I have never done this until recently. Yesterday, I opened the fridge and I had a pack of apple juice and some cold leftover Shizuoka green tea (the Ooigawa River tea that Seijo Ishi produces and sells). Since the tea was not a lot and I was looking for something to settle my thirst from working in an air-conditioned and dried room for the whole day, I looked at the two drinks in front of me, and I joined them in a cup.

Apple juice + Shizuoka green tea!!!

Before I give my feedback, this is not that crazy. You often see fruity tea, and with the growing trend of street drinks from other parts of Asia, I see more and more fruit + cold tea mix.



The result is absolutely awesome. The mixing of the sweet refreshing flavor goes head-to-head with the unique and profound bitterness the Ooigawa tea had, but the bitterness is immediately washed away by the apple flavor. It is like when people drink black coffee and then eat something sweet.

I used this apple juice from the drug store nearby, the cheapest one on the shelf. There is no need for something expensive, but I should give premium apple juice a try next time. The challenge was finding the right balance, and it is a matter of preference.

I wanted to cut down on sugar, so I started with 70% tea and 30% juice. The result was Shizuoka green tea with a hint of apple.

I added more to experience, about 50-50, and that was, honestly the more confusing balance. It was hard to tell whether I was drinking apple juice or tea, and the bitterness and sweetness kinda conflicted rather than one supporting the other.

To try the other end, I added more apple juice for a 30% tea and 70% juice blend. That reminded me of a drink I tried in Taiwan. Certainly not as healthy as earlier, but it gave me the street food feeling, and this is a drink I would take on the go (and still healthier than just juice).

In fact, my complaint about the Taiwanese apple green tea I had when I traveled was that the tea was not standing out enough, but this is where the Shizuoka green tea's richness really helps. It was very clear I was having "apple green tea", and not just "apple tea". I could even see the green tea's residue at the bottle of the cup.



My suggestion is to start with 50-50, then ask yourself whether you are in the mood for a sweet drink or an enforced tea. Either way, you are going to end up with one of the best and easiest drinks you can make at home or at work by yourself for about 80 yen or so, instead of having to pay the 500 yen you would if you got it from a trendy shop.

This post is supported by Shizuoka Green Tea Guide, one of City-Cost's Supporters helping City-Cost bloggers to enjoy life in Japan and engage in new experiences.