Frothing Milk: Variations by Milk Type?
I froth my milk using the steam wand on my espresso machine. With a national-brand organic whole milk, I am able to get a perfect micro foam nearly 100% of the time. However, when I instead use a local, grass-fed, organic whole milk (whose flavor I prefer to the national brand), I am only able to produce a perfect micro foam about 20% of the time. What could be causing this? Could it be differences in the fat content? (They are both labeled "whole".) Does it have something to do with the fact that the national brand was likely from grain/corn-fed cows, whereas the local brand is grass-fed?
Update: The local milk is homogenized and pasteurized. It does not say anything about ultra-pasteurization (i.e., HTST vs. ESL). The "national brand" milk is homogenized and apparently comes in both "pasteurized" and "ultra-pasteurized" forms. I'm not sure which one I usually get, but if I had to guess I'd say it's ultra-pasteurized (i.e., ultra-heat treated) because the national brand usually has a sell-by date at least a week after the local milk's expiration. According to their nutrition labels, both have the exact same nutritional content except:
- Sugar (per cup)
National: 11g
Local: 12g - Cholesterol (per cup)
National: 30mg
Local: 35mg - Vitamin C (% of Daily Value per cup)
National: 0%
Local: 4% - Vitamin A (% of Daily Value per cup)
National: 4%
Local: 6%
Protein content is reported as identical.
Update #2: As I mentioned in a comment to TFD's answer, I let the local milk age for several days and now I seem to be getting better results (although I am now at the cusp of its sell-by date). Perhaps there is some psychological effect going on and I am paying more attention to my technique now, though. If in fact this success is due to the aging, can anyone explain why? What happens over time that allows the milk to froth better?
Best Answer
Let your milk age a bit; a day or two extra in the fridge should fix the problem.
Your local milk is too fresh.
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What type of milk is best for frothing?
Whole milk (full cream milk) creates a thicker, creamier foam when frothed, giving more body to your coffee drink. Low-fat milk and skim milk are much lighter and create larger quantities of foam with larger air bubbles for a more delicate latte or cappuccino.Can you froth any type of milk?
As you can see, some milk options are ideal for flavoring your coffee, while others hold their shape better for latte art. So, depending on your preference, you might want to use one milk over another. However, as long as you keep the milk cold and fresh, it should work well for frothing, regardless of the type.Why does some milk froth better than others?
Each type of milk requires a different temperature to achieve perfect frothiness. For example, almond milk (which has fewer proteins and less fat) steams at 130 degrees. Cow's milk steams at 150 degrees, and soy milk splits the difference at 140 degrees.Does oat milk or almond milk froth better?
Coffee uses: Both almond and oat milk can be used in coffee, as dairy milk would, but the creaminess of oat milk is more conducive to frothing. Nutrition: Both beverages provide a good source of vitamins and minerals.How To: Milk Frothing for Beginners 5 Tips
More answers regarding frothing Milk: Variations by Milk Type?
Answer 2
Check how much protein your milk contains, that makes the main difference in the behaviour of the milk during frothing. See CoffeeGeek for a more detailed explanation.
Answer 3
If you want to make milk froth/foam for using with espresso, you should put 0% fat milk in a blender/mixer; this produces a very thick foam.
Answer 4
I find that milk from grass-fed cow does not froth. Don't know why, but that is the case with several brands. Very disappointing.
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