David Thach
If you own a café or a coffee shop, then you know that there are lots of different ways to make a great cup of coffee. Because each customer has their own preference, you need to have offerings that are diverse enough to accommodate them. Some customers may also have dietary restrictions such as lactose intolerance that prevents them from enjoying a traditional coffee like a cappuccino or a latte.
If you want to offer dairy milk alternative options such as natural soy milk, then it’s important to know what type of non-dairy milk is the best for coffee. Protein molecules ‘melt’ when heated, so incorporating air through heating non-dairy milk or regular cow milk causes these proteins to trap the air,‘stretching’ the milk into a foam.
With that in mind, here are the best non-dairy milk options for making the best coffees:
Soy milk
Many cafés in Australia are accustomed to using soy milk when making coffee because it has been very popular with coffee drinkers for many years. Soy milk is easily accessible and is affordable, making it an attractive option for many cafés, coffee shops and other businesses.
Some lower-quality brands of soy milk can curdle in coffee due to reacting to the hot temperature or acidity of the coffee. If you think a high temperature may be the issue, try pouring some warm soy milk into your cup first and then slowly add and stir in the coffee.
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How does it taste in coffee?
Soy milk features a creamy and smooth texture with a relatively neutral taste. There are many brands on the market that don’t leave a notice able after taste.
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Can it produce a nice foam when making coffee?
Soy milk’s good stretch is one of the main reasons it has been a very popular alternative to traditional dairy milk for such a long time. Café baristas can produce a velvet foam using soy milk that is similar to that of dairy milk.
Almond milk
Almond milk is another popular dairy milk alternative to use in coffee. It comes in different flavours and both unsweetened and sweetened varieties. However, almond milk is still prone to curdling in coffee for the same reasons as soy milk. To prevent it from curdling, avoid pouring in the almond milk into hot coffee when it’s cold. The reaction with the acidity of the coffee may vary between brands and roasts, so make sure to use a high-quality brand of almond milk.
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How does it taste in coffee?
Almond milk features a signature ‘nutty’ flavour that can sometimes taste bitter. Your customers might prefer sweetened almond milk in their coffee if looking for a smoother taste.
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Can it produce a nice foam when making coffee?
You can create a silky foam with almond milk, however, it do estend to separate when heated. Latte art using almond milk can look nice on top of the coffee, but it could leave a watery drink underneath the foamy layer.
If you want to accommodate vegan and lactose-intolerant customers, it’s crucial to be using a non-dairy milk alternative such as natural soy milk or almond milk while still creating delicious coffees.
