Beverage Facts

You're not alone if you've ever found yourself wondering, "What is boba?" This food trend has taken the drink market by storm, enchanting tea enthusiasts and curious foodies alike.

By Clarissa Mitton

Tequila and mezcal are two of the most famous agave-based spirits from Mexico, and bartenders sometimes use them interchangeably in mixed drinks. Mezcal cocktails will often have a smokier flavor than ones made with tequila, but what are the other differences?

By Sascha Bos

In the world of rare tequila, the price is often just as much about the luxury bottle as it is about the smooth taste of high-quality liquor. These expensive spirits are not only aged in everything from Cabarnet to Cognac to well-seasoned sherry barrels, they also come in fancy, hand-painted ceramic or crystal decanters.

By Sascha Bos

Which gets your vote in the great Diet Coke vs. Coke Zero debate? The labels say the differences are slight, but fans will say the diet sodas are worlds apart.

By Sascha Bos

One of the most expensive cups of coffee in the world is made from beans harvested from civet poop. Why would anybody want to drink it?

By Carrie Tatro

You know the story behind the martini: James Bond always orders his "shaken, not stirred." But what's the story behind the classic glass it's always served in?

By Kristen Hall-Geisler

Liquor and liqueur are spelled so similarly, it's easy to confuse them for being the same. But they're not. So how are they different?

By Kristen Hall-Geisler

You may know chai as a sweet and spicy Starbucks favorite, but the roots of this tea blend lie in the heart of the Indian subcontinent. So, how do you make it?

By Kate Morgan

Never heard of stirring butter into your coffee? Yep, it's a thing, and there might even be some good reasons to try it.

By Lauren David

Fermented from honey, yeast, water and gesho and served chilled in beaker-shaped bottles known as bereles, t'ej is Ethiopia's most popular drink and one of the oldest in the world.

By Katie Carman

Coca-Cola decided to change the recipe of its popular Coke Zero to make it taste more like the regular version. But fans are already up in arms. Dare we say another New Coke?

By Sarah Gleim

A bar cart can be a gorgeous decorative element in your home. But it better be well-stocked if it's going to function as your bar. Otherwise, it's really just a pretty cart.

By Katy Spratte Joyce

Uh-oh! The boba supply chain is the latest to dry up during the pandemic, and that's bad news for those of us fond of the delicious Taiwanese tea-based drink.

By Jeremy Glass

There's really no shortage when it comes to milk alternatives. But oat milk seems to stand out. Why is it so hot right now? And how do you make it?

By Jeremy Glass

The mint julep is as synonymous with the Kentucky Derby as big hats and seersucker suits. But how did this simple drink from the 1700s wind up at the world's most famous horse race?

By Stephanie Vermillion

You don't have to go out to have a killer cocktail if you have a killer bar setup at home. We'll tell you exactly what you need to make it happen.

By Stephanie Vermillion

The gin and tonic, that cool, fresh, citrusy summer delight, has a long and romantic history, beginning with its use as a "cure" for malaria.

By Jeremy Glass

Matcha tea has roots in Zen Buddhism and Japanese tea ceremonies. So how did this ancient tea end up on the menus of hip tea houses and even Dunkin' Donuts?

By Maria C. Hunt

Our scotch connoisseur says that what makes a whiskey 'scotch whisky' comes down to the legalities of where it's from and how it's made. Oh, and scotch whisky doesn't have an 'e' in its name.

By Jeremy Glass

A smooth, South American brandy, Pisco is experiencing an American renaissance after centuries of popularity - and disputed history - in Peru and Chile.

By Katie Carman

A lot of us use it every day, but what is actually in half-and-half and where did it come from?

By Jeremy Glass

Soju is South Korea's unofficial national drink, a rice-fermented concoction often likened to vodka, but with about half the alcohol content.

By Jeremy Glass

You might think the difference is only in the name, but it's more than that. The slight variations in recipes, aging and even geography make whiskey and bourbon two different alcohols.

By Patty Rasmussen

Once just an afterthought of the beer industry, today's nonalcoholic beer is tasty and outpacing the alcoholic stuff globally by two to one.

By Adina Solomon

Espresso, latte, macchiato. The coffee bean didn't even originate in Italy, so why do so many coffee drinks have Italian names?

By Carrie Whitney, Ph.D.