Are brewed milk drinks popular in the UK?

Yes, brewed milk drinks such as chai lattes, matcha milk drinks and turmeric lattes are increasingly popular in UK cafes and home kitchens.

What milk is best for brewed milk drinks?

Pasteurised dairy milk is most commonly used, while oat milk is the most popular plant-based alternative.

Brewed Milk Drinks UK: Chai, Matcha, Turmeric Latte, Milky hojicha lattes Guide

Q: What are brewed milk drinks?

Brewed milk drinks are hot beverages where milk is used as the base for infusion rather than simply added after brewing tea or spices.

What Are Brewed Milk Drinks?

Brewed milk drinks are a growing category of hot beverages where milk is used as the base for infusion rather than simply being added to tea or coffee. Instead of brewing tea separately, ingredients such as spices, teas, or powders are infused directly into gently heated milk.

This creates a smoother, richer drink that sits between tea, coffee, and hot chocolate. It also allows for a wide range of flavour variations.

In the UK, brewed milk drinks are becoming increasingly popular in cafes and home kitchens, driven by demand for chai lattes, matcha milk drinks, and turmeric lattes.

The UK Brewed Milk Trend

The UK hot drinks market is evolving. While coffee remains dominant, there is increasing interest in alternatives that feel lighter, more natural, and more customisable.

Brewed milk drinks sit at the centre of this shift. Consumers are looking for:

Lower caffeine alternatives to coffee
Comfort-driven hot drinks
Global flavours (chai, matcha, turmeric)
Less processed ingredients

At the same time, there is growing interest in milk sourcing and processing methods, including debates around raw and pasteurised milk. Brewed milk offers a controlled, safe alternative that still delivers a more 'natural' flavour experience.

Core Brewed Milk Drinks

Chai Latte

Black tea infused with cinnamon, cardamom, ginger and milk. One of the most popular cafe drinks in the UK.

Read Guide

Matcha Milk

Green tea powder whisked into milk for a smooth, slightly earthy drink with calm caffeine release.

Read Guide

Turmeric Latte

Golden milk made with turmeric, ginger and spices. Popular in wellness and plant-based cafes.

Read Guide

Milky Hojicha Latte

Roasted Japanese green tea blended with creamy milk for a smooth, Hojicha is a nutty drink with low caffeine and caramel-like flavour notes.

Read Guide

Seasonal Latte Trends

From the rise of Matcha and Banana Bread Lattes to the changing landscape of Pumpkin Spice. See what is trending this autumn.

View Trends

Seasonal Trends: The Shift in Flavours

People are increasingly looking for new twists on their everyday drinks, leaning into new routines over standard seasonal habits. Search interest shows growing curiosity around different options and unexpected fruit flavours.

Top Trending Lattes

Pumpkin spice latte is the top trending latte in the US in the past 30 days (+350%), followed by cardamom latte (+300%) and banana bread latte (+300%), peanut butter latte (+80%) and hazelnut latte (+60%). Searches for "when do pumpkin spice lattes come out" usually spike every August and over the past month, it has increased +510%.

The Decline of the PSL & Matcha's Lead

Despite early spikes, there is a noted YoY decline for Pumpkin Spice. Compared to chai and matcha, pumpkin spice lattes lead searches in just 3 states this week, a sharp drop from 32 states at this point in 2025 and 48 states in 2024. Matcha lattes currently lead search interest in 29 states over chai latte and pumpkin spice latte. Its national search interest is +260% higher than pumpkin spice latte this month.

Move Over, Pumpkin Spice

Search interest in "banana coffee syrup" hit an all-time high this month. After steadily rising since 2024, the flavour has now surpassed "pumpkin spice coffee syrup" over the last two years and is searched 2.5x more just this week.

Emerging Autumn Drinks

While "caramel apple iced coffee" saw smaller search spikes each September for the past three years, it is currently at its all-time high.
Search interest in "pecan crunch latte" is up +190% so far in August.
People also search for apple cider every autumn, with search interest reaching its highest level on record in October last year. Top trending related searches in October 2025 included "hot apple cider cocktail" and "apple cider hot toddy".
"Pumpkin ale" and "pumpkin beer recipe" have become breakout searches over the past month.
"Pumpkin cider" became a breakout search over the past month, often tied to searches for "apple cider donuts" and "pumpkin spiced donuts".
Search interest in cider spikes every October. Over the past month, the top trending cider drink is the "tequila apple cider".

How Brewed Milk Works

The process is simple but effective. Milk is gently heated and used as the infusion base. Ingredients are added directly into the milk and allowed to steep or blend.

This approach creates:

Better flavour integration
Smoother texture
More control over strength and spice levels

Unlike traditional tea or coffee, brewed milk focuses on the milk as the primary medium rather than a secondary addition.

Milk Types Explained

The type of milk used significantly affects the final drink.

Pasteurised Milk

The standard in the UK. Safe, consistent and widely used for all brewed milk drinks.

Raw Milk

Available in limited UK channels. Some consumers prefer the taste, but it carries higher safety risks and is strictly regulated.

Plant-Based Milks

Oat milk is the most popular choice for its creamy texture, followed by almond and coconut milk for flavour variation.

Make Brewed Milk at Home

You can recreate cafe-style brewed milk drinks with basic tools and ingredients.

Milk frother
Spice blends
Matcha whisk
Quality tea or powders

Equipment Guide

Explore the Full Guides

Deep dive into each brewed milk drink and milk type.

Chai Latte Guide Matcha Milk Guide Turmeric Latte Guide Milk Types Guide