# Coffee with milk e.g. cappa's etc is it more about the roast or the beans



## Mr Alan (Feb 27, 2016)

Hi everyone

i was wwondering is it more about the roast of the beans or the bean choice for milk based coffee. I

Have read that its generaly a darker roast for this. Is there a rule of thumb for this?


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

Depends what you want your milk based drink to taste of and your taste buds (foa) I think can achieve a chocolatey based milk drink without resorting to darker roasted coffee ( as this is not my personal presence ) . Plus i really enjoy the mix of fruitier coffee and milk too .

Others will have different presences and so seek out something different to me .

As with a lot of coffee and taste - there is no one rule fits all for everyone .

Try a few things and see what you like


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## risky (May 11, 2015)

I don't drink dark roasts, and with light roasts, To me, milk drinks usually taste very similar. But I very rarely drink milky drinks so that will be why. Only exception I find is when an exceptionally funky fruit bomb does something magical in milk like turning it into strawberry milkshake.


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## jeebsy (May 5, 2013)

I like a bean/roast that works well with the milk, not one that 'cuts through it' (YMMV FOA)


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## h1udd (Sep 1, 2015)

I echo what jeebsy said

6 months ago I used to go dark roasted to "cut" through the milk. But since being on here and learning to weigh coffee and get the best taste I can from the bean, I have discovered that coffee with milk is more like mixing a cocktail, and any bean can be used with milk, it comes down to the taste you like. I prefer the chocolate caramel tastes with milk as opposed to the fruity flavours


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

h1udd said:


> I echo what jeebsy said
> 
> 6 months ago I used to go dark roasted to "cut" through the milk. But since being on here and learning to weigh coffee and get the best taste I can from the bean, I have discovered that coffee with milk is more like mixing a cocktail, and any bean can be used with milk, it comes down to the taste you like. I prefer the chocolate caramel tastes with milk as opposed to the fruity flavours


I agree with this and an expression used "to cut through" the milk, is actually one of the more dangerous ones we can use, because it implies a dark roast. If you find you need to cut through the milk, don't do it by going darker, simply add an extra shot, or use less milk. I don't often have milk drinks, but when I do I don't use very much milk.


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## jlarkin (Apr 26, 2015)

I agree with all so far. FOA, I usually have about a 40g espresso, don't drink a lot of milk drinks but my other half does. I have it in 5oz cup if I have milk drink and she has 8oz drinks but they both get a good amount of that coffees flavour, in my opinion.


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## MediumRoastSteam (Jul 7, 2015)

On the same boat here, agree with all of the above. It's all about taste, not about a dark roast that needs to go with milk.


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## Mr Alan (Feb 27, 2016)

Well then this begs the question on beans have you guys got a favourite for a chocolate caramel flavour


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## Jason1wood (Jun 1, 2012)

I always drink Rave Signature Blend in my flat whites, it's a lovely chocolate caramel flavour. Haven't tried many out there, was advised with the above and it suits me down to the ground


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

Mr Alan said:


> Well then this begs the question on beans have you guys got a favourite for a chocolate caramel flavour


http://www.hasbean.co.uk/collections/america-brazil/products/brazil-inglaterra-natural-selection

http://www.hasbean.co.uk/collections/america-el-salvador/products/el-salvador-santa-petrona-washed-red-bourbon


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## Jason1wood (Jun 1, 2012)

Never tried Hasbean, looks like I have 2 to try, they sound lovely.


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## Jason1wood (Jun 1, 2012)

Mrboots2u said:


> http://www.hasbean.co.uk/collections/america-brazil/products/brazil-inglaterra-natural-selection
> 
> http://www.hasbean.co.uk/collections/america-el-salvador/products/el-salvador-santa-petrona-washed-red-bourbon


Sod it, just subscribed to their In My Mug weekly subscription.

About time I started being adventurous


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## h1udd (Sep 1, 2015)

Heh ... Fair play, can't go wrong with IMM especially as there is a thread discussing each weeks bean ... It's like a whole new club


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## Jason1wood (Jun 1, 2012)

I've only ever stuck with chocolate/caramel flavours.

Looking forward to testing the tastebuds.

Will have a look at IMM thread


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## hotmetal (Oct 31, 2013)

Off topic for a moment, I've noticed in the last few days FOA or foa appearing in lots of posts. I'm familiar witth the usual YMMY, AFAIK etc but can anyone enlighten me about FOA?

(Was going to say "WTF is FOA" but I do actually want to know the answer and didn't want to come across as aggressive!)

First of all?

Failure of acronym?


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## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

I always thought, or found that lighter roasts in milk were often lost, especially the more acidic ones which seemed to sometimes curdle the milk. This is all about individual taste and preference ad your ability as to how well you can taste and prepare a shot. My own taste is for darker stuff and over the past few months I have just about cut milk out of my drinks completely. This allows you to taste the coffee a lot more (obviously!).

Do not get hung up on what other people do, otherwise even without Gary ****, we would all be receiving red packages though the door


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## jeebsy (May 5, 2013)

dfk41 said:


> the more acidic ones which seemed to sometimes curdle the milk.


Did this ever actually happen?


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## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

jeebsy said:


> Did this ever actually happen?


I have had some rank lighter bean made drinks over the years where this has been the only rationale I could use


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

dfk41 said:


> I always thought, or found that lighter roasts in milk were often lost, especially the more acidic ones which seemed to sometimes curdle the milk. This is all about individual taste and preference ad your ability as to how well you can taste and prepare a shot. My own taste is for darker stuff and over the past few months I have just about cut milk out of my drinks completely. This allows you to taste the coffee a lot more (obviously!).
> 
> Do not get hung up on what other people do, otherwise even without Gary ****, we would all be receiving red packages though the door


As opposed to one's with coffee compass written in them









In the end your though I agree with your sentiments it's about trying stuff and finding out what you like as an individual ...


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## Dallah (Jan 31, 2015)

Foundry Rock Mountain Reserve us spectacular in milk. It's all creamy and strawberry milkshake. Use Jersey gold top milk, which when steamed correctly becomes so sweet and vanilla (SWMBO asked if I had put a vanilla syrup in. The nerve) that you get something that almost tastes of strawberry cheesecake but without the crust.


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## Dallah (Jan 31, 2015)

Kaffa Forest Estate from Mancoco is very yummy in milk as well. Its like a chocolate Brazil nut taste.


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## mremanxx (Dec 30, 2014)

I only drink milk drinks and I have tried numerous beans, roasts etc. I did think that a darker roast migh tbe able to carry it's underlying flavours when mixed with milk but never really found that to be true in practice.

I certainly prefer a mid roast bean to a lighter one but most light beans have been either flora or acidic which might explain why I don't like them.

Just finished some El Salvador Finca La Joya from coffee compass and using their Java Jampit just now, both really nice in milk.

I almost drunk an espresso of the Jampit which for me is unheard of, don't know why but it doesn't taste "rank"









As many others have said before me only you wil be able to like or dislike a particular bean so go out and buy buy buy.


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## mremanxx (Dec 30, 2014)

Mrboots2u said:


> As opposed to one's with coffee compass written in them
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I haven't had a bean I didn't like from Coffee Compass, every time I order I look around but always end up going back as I like their beans, sad I know but comforting.


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