# Milk Jug in Freezer?



## BeanandComeandGone (Jun 11, 2015)

Hi,

I've started putting the milk jug in the freezer (as opposed to the fridge) to give myself a few extra seconds milk frothing time. However is this repeated heating/cooling bad for the jug/a bad idea?

Thanks,

BACAG


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

Putting it in the freezer is unnecessary, do cafes do this ? , just practice your techniques. What machine do you have


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## ronsil (Mar 8, 2012)

A lot of people do that & I've never known anyone report a problem. I suppose it could possibly affect cheaper versions of Teflon coating but as I say never seen it reported.


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## jeebsy (May 5, 2013)

I keep the jug and the milk (and my hand) in a cryogenic chamber to maximise swirl time.


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## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

Heard a rumour that Maxwell has started using liquid nitrogen to cool jugs - only a rumour though.


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## ronsil (Mar 8, 2012)

You do that on your stall do you:whistle:


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## Drewster (Dec 1, 2013)

ronsil said:


> You do that on your stall do you:whistle:


Don't be daft... Glasgow is so f***ing cold that things warm up in the freezer! (and that's in mid-summer)


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## Dylan (Dec 5, 2011)

What machine do you have?


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## DoubleShot (Apr 23, 2014)

Not necessary to put milk jugs in the freezer, or even in the fridge (although I know some people do) so long as you're using cold milk straight from the fridge.

Better to concentrate on getting your technique right and keep the milk spinning in the jug.

Having a few extra seconds (if that) due to the milk jug being über-cold but with poor technique will not help achieve silky/velvety microfilm imo.


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## jeebsy (May 5, 2013)

Think it's a Sage Barista Express


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## BeanandComeandGone (Jun 11, 2015)

jeebsy said:


> Think it's a Sage Barista Express


Yes.


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## Eyedee (Sep 13, 2010)

It's all down to technique, there is no quick fix, the micro seconds gained by freezing the jug will not matter IF you get your technique sorted.

Ian


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## Wuyang (Mar 21, 2014)

Drop an ice cube into it,,,,,,,,,give you a few more seconds practice. £1 for a bag.


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## funinacup (Aug 30, 2010)

Wuyang said:


> Drop an ice cube into it,,,,,,,,,give you a few more seconds practice. £1 for a bag.


Or make your own ice with water from the tap. Adding ice is also watering your milk down.


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## Wuyang (Mar 21, 2014)

funinacup said:


> Or free from the tap. Also water your milk down while you're at it.


Ice from a tap.......want one:exit:


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## jlarkin (Apr 26, 2015)

funinacup said:


> Or free from the tap. Also water your milk down while you're at it.


I'm interested, what's putting water into the milk helping with.


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## funinacup (Aug 30, 2010)

jlarkin said:


> I'm interested, what's putting water into the milk helping with.


Nothing. Original post edited to make sense!


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## elonii (Jun 24, 2015)

I used to do this because I lived in a hot climate and thought it might help. I couldn't ultimately see much difference when I started to forget to have the jug in there, or made a few coffees in a row. Also my hand kept getting freezer burn pulling the thing out to use.


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## salty dog (Jun 6, 2015)

Hi, as a relative newbie I have been putting my stainless jug in the fridge and it certainly helps to get a longer stretching time. I reckon frothing/steaming/stretching is one of the black arts of coffee making and requires a lot of practice particularly with the placement of the wand and getting used to the correct 'sound'. I agree that once you get better at it and more confident you can skip the freezer bit and just make sure you use cold milk.


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## hotmetal (Oct 31, 2013)

I wouldn't bother freezing it although it won't harm anything. I keep my jug in the fridge when there is milk in it, but I don't notice any difference to when I put cold milk into a jug that's been on the counter. Sure, the milk should start off cold but having a cold jug is going to have minimal effect, it's all down to technique/practice like others have said.


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

BeanandComeandGone said:


> Hi,
> 
> I've started putting the milk jug in the freezer (as opposed to the fridge) to give myself a few extra seconds milk frothing time. However is this repeated heating/cooling bad for the jug/a bad idea?
> 
> ...


To be honest the difference it will make is very marginal, the specific heat capacity of that amount of steel is very low indeed, about 10 times less than water it contains. If you assume that 50% of the thermal transfer is into the milk and the other 50% to your hands and the air, this gives a ratio of 20:1. Steaming on average 200ml of milk in a jug weighing 250g, is the equivalent of adding/not adding around 12ml of room temperature milk before steaming. it's of course a very rough approximation, but shows the effect is very small.

That said, I have seen those dual wall frosty glasses with a freezing mix on the inner layer, the ones you put in the freezer. I have at times idly toyed with the idea of what would happen if you steamed milk a jug made in the same way.....it would take longer of course, give you a little more stretching time (with less aggressive stretching)...would you get a better texture, has it ever been tried. I have also toyed with the idea of* putting the jug, with it's milk* into the freezer, to get the milk closer to freezing. Something I have not tried, but then I don't have that many milk drinks....

Perhaps it's worth some experimentation?


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