25% Sugar, No Ice
Amanda Lien
Are you scared of chewing balls while drinking? Or intimidated by the long, unfamiliar tea names on the menu? Why has “boba tea” found its way into songs and pop culture? Bubble tea, or boba, is a drink that has flooded the globe over the past decade and has become a trendy cultural icon among the young generation. However, the beverage has been around for more than a century in its country of origin, Taiwan. The fun and chewy drink is rich in both flavor and story, eager to be documented.
25% Sugar, No Ice is a bilingual 240-page book that shares the cultural significance of bubble tea. It uncovers the overlooked histories behind its global journey—from early tea exports in Dadaocheng, to roadside desserts and the development of tapioca pearls, to the rise of innovative tea houses that shaped the diverse flavors we know today. Through a curated collection of articles, stories, photographs, and interviews, the book captures the full scope of this beloved drink. The publication is laser-printed and hand-bound using a Coptic stitch, accompanied by a screenprinted cover, jacket, poster, and bookmark. It is typeset in both English and Traditional Chinese.
As a Taiwanese-born, American-raised individual, I hope this project invites readers to better understand bubble tea’s historical roots, cultural significance, and social impact—while, of course, enjoying a cup themselves.