Irony is the Shackles of Youth

Mmm, tea. The barley drink is also one of the few Chinese drinks with reputed medicinal properties that don't make me cringe and pour it down the drain when my mother isn't looking. Another - although this may be harder to obtain - is water chestnut drink, which is actually brewed with sugar cane. Just found two (http://happyhomemaker88.wordpress.com/2008/03/17/a-cooling-red-cane-water-chestnuts-barley-drink-to-counter-body-heatiness/) recipes (http://crystalbyblog.blogspot.com/2007/10/water-chestnut-and-sugar-cane-drink.html) that look close to what I'm thinking of. The ones I drink tend to be a darker brown than though.

Both of these are sweet and not noxious. Some of the others taste a hell lot ickier. :P