# Milk Tips for non-dairy milk



## AllieGowing (Jan 29, 2018)

Hey.

I have a dairy allergy, so that throws being able to use regular milk out of the equation. I was wondering if anybody had any hints/tips for consistent good results for creating foam with dairy-free milks.

thanks


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## Jony (Sep 8, 2017)

I have used Oatley barista which I'm sure will be fine and I quite like it.


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## Stanic (Dec 12, 2015)

I'll just say, avoid the coconut milk..terrible taste after frothing IMO


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## ZappyAd (Jul 19, 2017)

I remember that Dritan Alsela did a live stream once where he went through various non-dairy milks to see which was best. I can't remember which one he liked (or disliked least) and unfortunately I couldn't find it in instagram or YouTube. But they kept sending someone to the supermarket to get more types and they went through a whole bunch.


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## joey24dirt (Jan 28, 2017)

I use oatly barista for my darling, she rarely drinks coffee though so don't have much practice with it. You do need to stretch it way longer than normal milk just to get anywhere near decent microfoam


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## Tsangpa (Nov 26, 2017)

Here's a comparison of milks vs milk alternatives






Some people say it's the fat content that affects the microfoam, but this one says it's the protein content that matters most.


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## Stanic (Dec 12, 2015)

I was told at a latte art training that proteins provide foaming and fat "supports" the bubbles' longevity


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## hotmetal (Oct 31, 2013)

I'm pretty sure that what Stanic said is the same as what we used to put in the Nespresso demostrator handbook. It's all about the proteins - which denature (fall apart) when heated over 65-70°C. Semi foams just as well, but full fat tastes creamier and possibly holds up longer.


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

Learn to love your coffee black


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## Rhys (Dec 21, 2014)

Used to use oatly barista as our lass couldn't have dairy for a while. The mild almond milk isn't bad either.


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## simonsays (Jan 3, 2018)

Another keen user of Oatly. I actually prefer the taste now to dairy milk. The next step is to start making it, as the price is quite high.


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## Sheena_Lance (Jan 24, 2018)

well I'm using fresh milk "greenfields to be exact"in making a latte.


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## craigsalisbury (Dec 8, 2017)

I went on a milk rampage yesterday, as I love a bucketful of latte, but alas it completely screws up my low carb diet. Soy was ok if pulled the plug on the steam around 48c, above that it curdled. almond just tasted like strange white water.

Oatly was more carbs than dairy

Think i'll be sticking to cow juice but limiting the amount I drink


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## Eddiex (Jan 26, 2016)

I'm new to this coffee making malarkey but I use soya milk - the long life stuff in a Tetra Pak, which I buy in Aldi. I happpen to like the taste but some don't. What I have found that I can heat it plenty hot enough for milk based drinks without it curdling provided I use it with espresso made from low acidity beans.


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## craigsalisbury (Dec 8, 2017)

Eddiex said:


> I'm new to this coffee making malarkey but I use soya milk - the long life stuff in a Tetra Pak, which I buy in Aldi. I happpen to like the taste but some don't. What I have found that I can heat it plenty hot enough for milk based drinks without it curdling provided I use it with espresso made from low acidity beans.


I wonder if the LL stuff reacts differently to the stuff in the fridge, I think Chain coffee places use the LL stuff ?


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## Eddiex (Jan 26, 2016)

craigsalisbury said:


> I wonder if the LL stuff reacts differently to the stuff in the fridge, I think Chain coffee places use the LL stuff ?


Could be the case. I tried a soy milk the other day called 'Bon Soy', I think which I quite liked but it was sweeter than the Aldi one I normally use - that didn't curdle either but again was long life.


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## robbiebee (Feb 22, 2017)

Stanic said:


> I'll just say, avoid the coconut milk..terrible taste after frothing IMO


I would agree I tried it for my girlfriend and it was awful.


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## Kowalencki (Dec 4, 2016)

Just two cents from myself. I'm vegetarian/vegan and for the past year I've tried more than 30+ brands of different plant based milks. There's still a lot I haven't tried so I'm always in the search for good milk but so far the best plant based milk I've used that gave me amazing taste and it's easy for latte art is Rice + Almond milk made by Italian brand called VITARIZ. Health stores have them as well as Centra (in Ireland, not sure about UK).









Proteins as well as lipids are very important when it comes to microfoam creation and stability. With the above milk I've managed to get really nice microfoam (pardon my latte art, pics of the latte with the use of VITARIZ milk). Can't recommend it enough.


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## Rakesh (Jun 3, 2017)

I find the rude health alt milks work best for steaming. For 'clumpy' milks like soya to get decent latte art I find if you put a couple drops of the cold milk in with the espresso and give it a quick stir before pouring the steamed milk its much easier to get the patterns out.


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## fatboyslim (Sep 29, 2011)

Makes the best microfoam. We should start a free pour no cow thread!


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## Kowalencki (Dec 4, 2016)

fatboyslim said:


> View attachment 32242
> 
> 
> Makes the best microfoam. We should start a free pour no cow thread!


I'm in


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## spoxehub (Oct 24, 2014)

Eddiex said:


> Could be the case. I tried a soy milk the other day called 'Bon Soy', I think which I quite liked but it was sweeter than the Aldi one I normally use - that didn't curdle either but again was long life.


Bonsoy is the ubiquitous Australian cafe soya milk. It's really good, but it is pretty sweet. I buy it from Amazon here occasionally when I fancy a change from milk, pricey though.


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## joey24dirt (Jan 28, 2017)

fatboyslim said:


> View attachment 32242
> 
> 
> Makes the best microfoam. We should start a free pour no cow thread!


Do it!


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## Greydad (Feb 25, 2018)

As a complete noob I've leapt straight in trying out non-dairy stuff too, or partially anyway as Wifey says she's a bit lactose intolerant but loves a latte (women, eh?) so tried out her Arla lactose-free stuff and it foams fine but tends to make me wand a bit crusty compared to normal milk, not a prob just harder to clean as no one likes a crusty wand. Don't fancy coconut milk sounds yuk but will try the other non-dairies recommended here - Seattle Coffee Gear did an amusing test of several alternatives on yootoob and IIRC rice milk was useless and soy not far behind but hemp never-heard-of-it milk did ok. I'm in fora non-dairy alt-foam thread.


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## Scotford (Apr 24, 2014)

Step one: don't


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