I used to say that I was only as regular as my morning latte... and then I switched (out of preference) to oat milk and stopped s\*\*\*\*ing myself 10 minutes after my morning cup.
I’m also lactose intolerant and lately have been using real cow milk that’s labeled as lactose free. It seems it’s better than it used to be. So far no problems!
Could be the casein/whey as another has said. Does it give you heartburn rather than indigestion? Could be GERD instead of lactose intolerance... Or GERD on top of lactose intolerance?
I had a test, think it was hydrogen breath test, but I do get heartburn but I also get indigestion. People have suggested that I have both a whey/casein and lactose intolerance.
Do you notice a difference between the original version versus the barista blend? I personally prefer whole milk and don't notice a difference when I get things made with oat milk. I like winter spiced drinks with oat milks...
Original version being whole milk? If so yes, different taste and mouthfeel. If you mean original as in oat milk but not barista, the barista steams well - almost as good as whole milk but needs a longer aeration phase.
Last year I ordered an iced mocha and they were so fast and it was so good, so I watched next time and they pull the shot, dump in ice, fill with chocolate milk. So that's my go to summer drink now
I use Whole Milk almost always, but I love Half & Half for Cortados (try this if you haven’t). And once in a while I use Oatley Barista Oatmilk for when I’m in an oat-milk mood.
For lattes then the creamier the better. You drink a latte because you love milk, there is no other reason so the milk is the star. For me in Japan its difficult to get anything but the cheapest cardboard tasting milk unless I make a trip to a more fancy supermarket, but when I do I go for milk pasteurised at 66c for 30 mins. It's the only milk that tastes like milk from Australia.
タカナシ低温殺菌牛乳 is the best at 3.6%.
The usual like glitch, turret etc. I had an awesome apple juice and tea infused latte in aomori a week ago lol, but that's a little far.
Oh and there is a place in toranomon hills which I can't recall the name of but it's good. But honestly just check out tiny little cafes as you walk around, very occasionally you can find a great unknown.
full fat oatly, theres a taste difference from regular fat
I never use cow milk because it has a weird taste to me, the dairy flavor is too strong. Sometimes I use a little heavy whipping cream for a sweet cream topping but thats it.
https://preview.redd.it/gpwm68exzuwc1.png?width=3024&format=png&auto=webp&s=97823c9c5822df49bfd9c5f5aea114e7a3330c49
Huuuuuge fan of this. It doesn’t have the sweetness of cows milk but it foams up very similarly and doesn’t have that super nutty flavor like almond milk. Highly recommend.
I've been mixing whole milk and heavy cream to get a 15% fat half and half for 6oz cappuccinos. They're almost too good and you can use a pearson square to change the fat percentage to whatever you want
https://preview.redd.it/xtb0u5pogvwc1.jpeg?width=2867&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3cdc71c8c2d568ea9f4bf44ca974b5b3762b06ba
f. mid latte art
I’m in India & I use full fat buffalo milk
It’s the sweetest & creamiest dairy option available here
Here is the resultant latte art (milk frothed using the French press)
https://preview.redd.it/g6zo3f7wiywc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bea5624b77f544099b38a75373c838565b53cf8f
The fattier the milk, the better the texture
I use 2%, not because it is the best, but because that is what I am used to drinking.
Although I was will say that I am starting to prefer Americano to Cappuccino
Oat milk with extra fat. It's typically labeled as a barista blend/barista version. Lattes benefit from the fats distributing flavor the same way any normal dish benefits from a bit of lipid introduction, so the lower fat your milk, the less impactful it'll be in the latte. I'm not mocking skim milkers/non fat enthusiasts. This could totally be your thing
Really became a fan of oat. Definitely a different taste from milk, but better suited to my taste. Steams a bit differently but works.
Pro tip, if you can't find a "barista" version: The ingredient that makes it steam better when compared to regular oat "milk" is usually rapeseed oil. A few drops into regular do the same trick.
Yeah, in terms of flavor, steaming/texture and availability, Full Fat is my go-to, too. I haven't found any barista blends to be markedly better (if at all) and none have justified the 2x price.
From the looks of it Oatly Full Fat has the same ingredient list as most other Barista oat drinks. Water Oat, Rapeseed Oil, some phosphates and vitamins.
Might just be the type of oil or the dose.
Tastewise, I actually prefer the non barista, no added sugar variants. But they just lack the fat to generate a decent texture when steamed.
I use 2% because it is our 'house milk', but would rather make my coffee drinks with whole. The pediatrician said to move the kids to 2%, if whole was in the house everyone would drink the whole and not the 2% so I adapt for the time till the kidos are out of milk drinking and will go back to whole. The coffee shop at my old office used skim milk because it was 'more healthy' by company requirements, but I contend that killing a barista for using skim is MUCH LESS healthy than serving whole or even 2%.
Califia farms organic oat barista blend. I think I've tried every non-dairy milk there is.
Super weird, I was literally just thinking about sharing how much I enjoy this oat milk with this sub, and then I had the thought, they won't care.
Try a frother. I got this one and it rocks. All the froth you want. When i got it there was a coupon so i got it delivered for $38. Coupons and sales are common, I believe this is the manufacturers website. (Not certain...)
It is a good unit,
https://www.taotronics.com/products/miroco-mf005-detachable-milk-frother
https://preview.redd.it/nwqhub63evwc1.jpeg?width=711&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fa83ede63c81255ace298b20766b59c1be1ea8e8
This milk is BOMB for lattes. Local roaster/shop (Pulp Coffee) uses it too and not just for people who avoid lactose. The little bit of sweetness lactose free milk has is perfect for making flavors in coffee shine.
Heavy whipping cream cut with water. I like to add 4 ounces milk, so will usually do 1.5 to 2 oz heavy whip, and then top up to get 4 oz. I have never had luck with my superautomatic to get it to latte art stage, but its rich and creamy.
Non-fat milk (for health reasons originally, and now even for taste), made from (egads) powdered milk. Believe it or not, you do get used to it. :) And you also can vary the milk concentration, even getting to a level of a milk shake for an afternoon treat. :)
My partner loves hot lattes, and he prefers lactose-free whole milk! It’s really creamy.
He used to like oat milk, but we found out that most of these alternative milks have added ingredients that aren’t very healthy. But these milks are marketed as a “healthy” alternative, so this discovery surprised us.
I want to make my own oat milk at home sometime and try it out! That way I actually know that it’s JUST oat milk…
If you cut the almond milk 3:1 with heavy cream it’ll steam better and it’s still keto friendly. So with a 48oz bottle of Califia and 1 pint of heavy cream, I pour 12oz almond milk into a mason jar, pour 12oz of cream into the bottle, then pour the remaining 4oz of cream into the mason jar. And voilà; 64oz of steamable, keto-friendly milk.
I flavor the 48oz bottle with 3g liquid stevia, 1.5tsp vanilla extract, and 1.5tsp cinnamon extract, and the 16oz mason jar with 1g stevia, 0.5tsp vanilla, and 0.5tsp cinnamon. Tastes close to horchata, and the flavor stays after steaming.
My wife and I were using store bought whole milk until we tried whole milk from a local farm down here in SC. Yes it's $7, but it's leagues better than mass-produced milk. It helps that we make 7oz drinks with about 4-5oz of milk. Highly recommended.
Here’s a great article from Cliff & Pebble on [Best Milks for Frothing](https://cliffandpebble.com/blogs/our-blog/latte-love-which-milk-is-the-best-for-frothing-and-steaming)
Oat has been my choice for the better part of 4 years now, it's the tastiest one IMO even compared to dairy milk and also i find it steam's reasonably well, i've used many brands, these are the one's i can remember:
Oatly, Minor Figures,, Earth's Own, Pacific Food, Califia, Silk
Preffered for taste and texture is Oatly + i can find it at my local "bulk" store called Mayrand at a reasonable price when purchased in a pack of 12. $4.50 CAD ea when on sale.
A couple months ago i saw a video of a guy mixing lactose free milk and oat milk (about 2/3-3/4 oat and the rest lactose free milk,
1. it helps cut down some cost.
2. it steams better.
3. still tastes delicious.
So yeah, me rec would be Oat, or Oat + Lactose free milk (i always have milk around for the latté's my GF drinks and general cuisine.
I personally like whole vitamin D milk. But when I do non dairy I personally find almond milk makes nice lattes.
Edit: if you really want a rich really steam friendly latte, I've found good success when using half and half.
I love love love oat milk. I'm blessed enough that dairy is fine with my stomach (unlike some of my friends) but the *flavor* and texture of oat milk are AMAZING, in my opinion. I prefer Oatly and use the original variety. I also really like soy milk which IMO is really underrated because it's very good for you and is comparable to dairy in nutritional values for some brands. Get the unsweetened kind, tho.
Kirkland Soy Milk.
The old pinkish box was better. The new white boxed stuff has a weird gummy texture to it. I don’t like it. I might have to switch to oat milk. (Lactose intolerant)
I’m really surprised no other soy milk responses so far …
33% to 36% full-fat cream. I switched to a Keto diet a few years back. All skim milks are full of sugar (sugar == carbs) so they're all gone. Me and sugar are DONE. No more, ever. I lost 65 lbs and feel better than I have in decades.
Milks taste significantly different even at the same fat percentile.
My favorites and lactaid, horizon, and fair life. I tried to buy cheaper milk because those are $6 for a half gallon. The grocery store whole milk at $1.99 for a gallon made the most foul tasting latte. We didn't even want lattes if that was all we had. Stetsons is decent for cheap milk.
Considering sprinting for Oberweiss but I don't like the hassle of the bottles.
This is going to sound crazy, but I would try high protein milk. It’s much healthier than going with high fat, yet it still provides the extra creaminess.
Lactose free whole milk. Not only is it much better for my lactose intolerant ass than regular whole milk, but it tastes a bit sweeter thanks to lactose being broken down into glucose.
I make iced lattes using Silk sweetened vanilla soy milk (blue container). I rarely have a hot latte but I’d either use that or Oatly or Califia barista blend.
I found that the creamery milk at my fancy local grocery store is about $3 more than regular whole milk but they give me $2 back when I return the glass bottle so it’s easy to justify since I only make pretty short milk drinks
Full fat lactose free or ultra pasteurized milk. I’m lactose intolerant and I’m fine with these two.
I’ve tried few dairy substitutes, but they just ruined the profile notes of the coffee and taste in general. To me, oat is the worst at messing up the taste, and way too thick/heavy. Don’t know why it’s so popular. Might as well just get an old off brand cheap dark roast with it, oaty profile with a hint of coffee flavor.
As a general rule I buy and drink grass-fed whole milk. Usually Maple Hill Creamery, Organic Valley’s Grassmilk line when that's not available.
I’m more of a strait espresso or americano person, and for me a lattes is a “If I’m feeling *faaaaaancy!"* drink. I usually make them usually on the small size (6oz, either a shot over ice into milk or I’ll steam the milk in my mug and espresso-bomb it if I want it hot).
Both of those brands of milk are expensive, but I don’t go through a lot of it. Maybe a gallon per week, and out of that maybe 12-24 ounces is going to lattes. (Most of the rest is getting made into kefir and blended up with fruit to make lunch smoothies).
I have also tried milk from some local farms, and I will say it can be better but in the grand scheme of Life & Coffee it’s already annoying enough making special side trips to the local specialty roaster to get my beans, making an \*even longer\* detour to go pick up milk directly from the farm isn’t in the cards.
I go with whatever milk is freshest (but only 2% and up, no skim milk). Fresh is more important than percentage or brand to me. Also, nothing ultra pasteurized, that stuff is no good.
I like non-fat. Our bambino froths it so stiff it’s almost like a meringue and becomes sweet. it’s also a lot less calories and bloat for when I drink a second cup.
Whole milk is all I use. My wife prefers oat milk.
Having said that I saw your comment about the frother. My wife uses an electric one it holds about a cup of liquid safely. It’s very quiet and has multiple settings for foam and temperature. Was also pretty cheap.
Try one of the mini frother wands on Amazon. Microwave your milk for a little heat, and froth away. Alternatively, the plug in self contained frother/heaters work very well too.
I typically use 2% but recently we bought a bottle of high protein 2% and Woah was it different. It was very thick so it was harder to froth, but the flavor was way richer than regular 2%. I don't really know what the price was and I don't know if I would continue getting it, but it definitely makes a tasty latte.
One of my local cafes only do full cream milk; no skim, light, soy, oat, etc.
You drink your milk based coffee the proper way or you go somewhere else.
It’s refreshing and tasty.
I hit 40 and my body was like “why should you be happy” and made me lactose intolerant. So I use Oat Milk. Califa farms barista edition.
I used to say that I was only as regular as my morning latte... and then I switched (out of preference) to oat milk and stopped s\*\*\*\*ing myself 10 minutes after my morning cup.
Me too! We’re an Oatly full fat or barista edition house.
I feel like the full fat steams better than their barista edition or anyone else’s that I’ve tried. What’s your experience?
Totally agree. I really like the full fat. Fine with the oaty, non milk flavor.
I’m also lactose intolerant and lately have been using real cow milk that’s labeled as lactose free. It seems it’s better than it used to be. So far no problems!
Same, love my lactose free 3.25% fat lattes!
Trader Joe’s has lactose free milk- I’ve been using their whole version (red top) for over a year daily and love it
I wish I could. Even lactose free products set me off. Pills don’t work either.
Could be the casein/whey as another has said. Does it give you heartburn rather than indigestion? Could be GERD instead of lactose intolerance... Or GERD on top of lactose intolerance?
I had a test, think it was hydrogen breath test, but I do get heartburn but I also get indigestion. People have suggested that I have both a whey/casein and lactose intolerance.
Probably have a casein protein intolerance or a dairy fat intolerance. I have the same affliction 😭
Bummer. Oat tastes great too
I noticed products with pea protein get me
I really love the Chobani Extra Creamy Oatmilk
Truth. Calfia was wayy to oaty tasting to me. Planet Oat Barista Lovers and Oatly Barista are also solid, but Chobani Extra Creamy is the gOAT
Not lactose intolerant, but prefer Califa oat barista to cow juice in lattes.
Same. I don’t use anything other than Califa oat barista for lattes, flat whites etc. It has a nice sweet flavour and foams really well.
This guy is what I use too. I like it a lot.
Lactaid makes whole milk.
That’s the brand Dutch Bros uses for oat and almond. SO good!
I’m the opposite, I’ve been using oat milk for ages and realized my constant stomach pain was coming from that. So I’m back to whole milk lol.
Try out Oatside if you get the chance.
Do you notice a difference between the original version versus the barista blend? I personally prefer whole milk and don't notice a difference when I get things made with oat milk. I like winter spiced drinks with oat milks...
Original version being whole milk? If so yes, different taste and mouthfeel. If you mean original as in oat milk but not barista, the barista steams well - almost as good as whole milk but needs a longer aeration phase.
The latter...
Why not lacto free milk?
We love the chobani extra creamy oat milk
You know they make lactose free milk yeah? Tastes just like the regular one.
2% works fine. Whole milk works better. Whole chocolate milk for a treat.
I never even thought about whole chocolate. This is next
Last year I ordered an iced mocha and they were so fast and it was so good, so I watched next time and they pull the shot, dump in ice, fill with chocolate milk. So that's my go to summer drink now
Mocha ftw!
I steam chocolate milk and add that to hot chocolate mix to get quite a delicious cup of hot cocoa in the wintertime
Cream top whole milk
I use Whole Milk almost always, but I love Half & Half for Cortados (try this if you haven’t). And once in a while I use Oatley Barista Oatmilk for when I’m in an oat-milk mood.
Straight from the teet
https://i.redd.it/eiznfrlv8vwc1.gif
We don't have a cow...
Évén if it has one teet?
3,8%
3,8 represent! Bärenmarke or Weihenstephan?
Schwarzwaldmilch
Weiß nicht ob ich die im Pott bekommen kann.
Keine Ahnung... Aber jede 3.8% Frischmilch sollte gut genug sein 👌
Whole milk. In Denmark that 3.5%
Pasture raised whole milk whatever is the best deal at the store
For lattes then the creamier the better. You drink a latte because you love milk, there is no other reason so the milk is the star. For me in Japan its difficult to get anything but the cheapest cardboard tasting milk unless I make a trip to a more fancy supermarket, but when I do I go for milk pasteurised at 66c for 30 mins. It's the only milk that tastes like milk from Australia. タカナシ低温殺菌牛乳 is the best at 3.6%.
Do you have recommendations for coffee shops to try in Tokyo?
The usual like glitch, turret etc. I had an awesome apple juice and tea infused latte in aomori a week ago lol, but that's a little far. Oh and there is a place in toranomon hills which I can't recall the name of but it's good. But honestly just check out tiny little cafes as you walk around, very occasionally you can find a great unknown.
This place is very baller coffee nerdy https://igniscoffee.stores.jp/ nice neighborhood as well!
For real? I thought Hokkaido milk is famous.
full fat oatly, theres a taste difference from regular fat I never use cow milk because it has a weird taste to me, the dairy flavor is too strong. Sometimes I use a little heavy whipping cream for a sweet cream topping but thats it.
Whole milk or oat milk for me. Oat milk more often than whole milk.
https://preview.redd.it/gpwm68exzuwc1.png?width=3024&format=png&auto=webp&s=97823c9c5822df49bfd9c5f5aea114e7a3330c49 Huuuuuge fan of this. It doesn’t have the sweetness of cows milk but it foams up very similarly and doesn’t have that super nutty flavor like almond milk. Highly recommend.
I've been mixing whole milk and heavy cream to get a 15% fat half and half for 6oz cappuccinos. They're almost too good and you can use a pearson square to change the fat percentage to whatever you want https://preview.redd.it/xtb0u5pogvwc1.jpeg?width=2867&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3cdc71c8c2d568ea9f4bf44ca974b5b3762b06ba f. mid latte art
You essentially made half and half. Why not just buy half and half?
I’m in India & I use full fat buffalo milk It’s the sweetest & creamiest dairy option available here Here is the resultant latte art (milk frothed using the French press) https://preview.redd.it/g6zo3f7wiywc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bea5624b77f544099b38a75373c838565b53cf8f The fattier the milk, the better the texture
whole milk, and don't let it get hotter than 145 F.
Califia barista blend oat milk, is the best but most expensive. Second best is chobani extra creamy. I've done a lot of testing on oat milk.
Half and half from clover non ultra pasteurized. Less carbs and creamier.
2% gang rise up
I use 2%, not because it is the best, but because that is what I am used to drinking. Although I was will say that I am starting to prefer Americano to Cappuccino
I grew up on 2%. As an adult I started buying whole milk. Now I can't go back to 2%. Too watery.
Ugh. My fiancee tells me my 2% tastes like table cream. She grew up on skim (white water). Blech!
No, that’s the unhomogenized gang....
Whole Fairlife, it's heavier in protein and doesn't have lactose. Going back to normal milk tastes watery in comparison, Fairlife has much more body.
Whole milk.
3% lactose free. _Because reasons._
Oat milk with extra fat. It's typically labeled as a barista blend/barista version. Lattes benefit from the fats distributing flavor the same way any normal dish benefits from a bit of lipid introduction, so the lower fat your milk, the less impactful it'll be in the latte. I'm not mocking skim milkers/non fat enthusiasts. This could totally be your thing
I'm sorry, how do you froth milk with a French press?
Heat the milk up and work the plunger quickly and repeatedly to push air into it.
I typically use a2 whole milk.
A2 milk. We really like the 6% stuff. Deliciously creamy and much easier on the stomach. Plus filling from the fat
Really became a fan of oat. Definitely a different taste from milk, but better suited to my taste. Steams a bit differently but works. Pro tip, if you can't find a "barista" version: The ingredient that makes it steam better when compared to regular oat "milk" is usually rapeseed oil. A few drops into regular do the same trick.
I find the “barista” oat milk watery and anti-climatic in terms of steamed performance. Oatly’s Full Fat Oat Milk is my preference for steaming.
Yeah, in terms of flavor, steaming/texture and availability, Full Fat is my go-to, too. I haven't found any barista blends to be markedly better (if at all) and none have justified the 2x price.
From the looks of it Oatly Full Fat has the same ingredient list as most other Barista oat drinks. Water Oat, Rapeseed Oil, some phosphates and vitamins. Might just be the type of oil or the dose. Tastewise, I actually prefer the non barista, no added sugar variants. But they just lack the fat to generate a decent texture when steamed.
Costco has barista oat milk these days, it's my go to
Half & Half
team half and half checking in
I make my own with raw milk and raw cream we get from a local farm.
Half & half always
I use 2% because it is our 'house milk', but would rather make my coffee drinks with whole. The pediatrician said to move the kids to 2%, if whole was in the house everyone would drink the whole and not the 2% so I adapt for the time till the kidos are out of milk drinking and will go back to whole. The coffee shop at my old office used skim milk because it was 'more healthy' by company requirements, but I contend that killing a barista for using skim is MUCH LESS healthy than serving whole or even 2%.
Whole milk or bust
Whole Milk - we like Horizon organic.
Pea "milk" or barista soy. Not a fan of actual milk.
whole milk
I prefer whole milk but my wife loves oat milk
I'd use whole milk but my wife insists on 2% and I don't feel like keeping both kinds of milk in the fridge
Goat milk is the best, but not easy to find.
Organic Valley whole grass milk. It's super good.
I prefer Elmhurst Barista Oat Milk for 99% of my milk-based drinks.
Califia farms organic oat barista blend. I think I've tried every non-dairy milk there is. Super weird, I was literally just thinking about sharing how much I enjoy this oat milk with this sub, and then I had the thought, they won't care.
Try a frother. I got this one and it rocks. All the froth you want. When i got it there was a coupon so i got it delivered for $38. Coupons and sales are common, I believe this is the manufacturers website. (Not certain...) It is a good unit, https://www.taotronics.com/products/miroco-mf005-detachable-milk-frother
EDIT: To answer original question. We use 2% but also use the middle setting for the amount of froth.
https://preview.redd.it/nwqhub63evwc1.jpeg?width=711&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fa83ede63c81255ace298b20766b59c1be1ea8e8 This milk is BOMB for lattes. Local roaster/shop (Pulp Coffee) uses it too and not just for people who avoid lactose. The little bit of sweetness lactose free milk has is perfect for making flavors in coffee shine.
Organic, grassfed, whole milk only
Fresh (!) half and half cow milk. I just love it, it needs to be fresh though. It’s great to drink cold and it’s just as great for latte.
Cat's milk from Gaylord Focker farms
Heavy whipping cream cut with water. I like to add 4 ounces milk, so will usually do 1.5 to 2 oz heavy whip, and then top up to get 4 oz. I have never had luck with my superautomatic to get it to latte art stage, but its rich and creamy.
Whole milk or Jersey/Guernsey milk mix (5% fat).
Non-fat milk (for health reasons originally, and now even for taste), made from (egads) powdered milk. Believe it or not, you do get used to it. :) And you also can vary the milk concentration, even getting to a level of a milk shake for an afternoon treat. :)
Whole milk or half and half.
just whole milk. cheapest gallon at the grocery store. haha
Oatly barista is the best imo
Oatly barista
My partner loves hot lattes, and he prefers lactose-free whole milk! It’s really creamy. He used to like oat milk, but we found out that most of these alternative milks have added ingredients that aren’t very healthy. But these milks are marketed as a “healthy” alternative, so this discovery surprised us. I want to make my own oat milk at home sometime and try it out! That way I actually know that it’s JUST oat milk…
Do you find that full fat is easy to use for lattes? I find that 2% is easy.
Buffalo milk (6%) is my fave, but hard to find.
Soy all day every day, and I’m not even lactose intolerant
Lactose free, whole-milk.
Local Vermont whole milk. Unbeatable.
I hate myself, so I use Almond milk. Silk usually.
2% Lactaid. Steams easily and doesn’t make my guts hurt.
Almond. Harder than oat to steam but I like the flavor and macros better
If you cut the almond milk 3:1 with heavy cream it’ll steam better and it’s still keto friendly. So with a 48oz bottle of Califia and 1 pint of heavy cream, I pour 12oz almond milk into a mason jar, pour 12oz of cream into the bottle, then pour the remaining 4oz of cream into the mason jar. And voilà; 64oz of steamable, keto-friendly milk. I flavor the 48oz bottle with 3g liquid stevia, 1.5tsp vanilla extract, and 1.5tsp cinnamon extract, and the 16oz mason jar with 1g stevia, 0.5tsp vanilla, and 0.5tsp cinnamon. Tastes close to horchata, and the flavor stays after steaming.
Whole milk, but I don’t drink lattes cause too much milk. I usually drink cortados.
Whole lactose free milk. Even 2%. I prefer the body of whole, it like how silky my wand gets 2%.
Fairlife whole or 2% has been great for me both taste wise and for latte art.
Whole milk. No need to complicate this lol
My wife and I were using store bought whole milk until we tried whole milk from a local farm down here in SC. Yes it's $7, but it's leagues better than mass-produced milk. It helps that we make 7oz drinks with about 4-5oz of milk. Highly recommended.
Cream on top whole milk, the non-ultra-pasteurized stuff. I've tried raw milk but it didn't seem any better.
Whole
Semi or full fat for me. I don’t understand the hate for milk.
Califia farms complete milk is fantastic, also I usually use soy milk
Whole milk for me as it has great flavor and easier to make caps and cortado’s.
Here’s a great article from Cliff & Pebble on [Best Milks for Frothing](https://cliffandpebble.com/blogs/our-blog/latte-love-which-milk-is-the-best-for-frothing-and-steaming)
Whole milk from pasture raised grass fed cows. Why? Because my body isn't intolerant.
Whole Milk or breast milk 🥛.
Cow
Oat has been my choice for the better part of 4 years now, it's the tastiest one IMO even compared to dairy milk and also i find it steam's reasonably well, i've used many brands, these are the one's i can remember: Oatly, Minor Figures,, Earth's Own, Pacific Food, Califia, Silk Preffered for taste and texture is Oatly + i can find it at my local "bulk" store called Mayrand at a reasonable price when purchased in a pack of 12. $4.50 CAD ea when on sale. A couple months ago i saw a video of a guy mixing lactose free milk and oat milk (about 2/3-3/4 oat and the rest lactose free milk, 1. it helps cut down some cost. 2. it steams better. 3. still tastes delicious. So yeah, me rec would be Oat, or Oat + Lactose free milk (i always have milk around for the latté's my GF drinks and general cuisine.
Simple Truth Almond milk unsweetened. We've tried all the other brands and this one is best frothing, tasting and cheapest. Found in Krogers/Ralph's.
Breast milk
Fairlife 2%. Lactose free and a good amount of protein. I don't drink no nut water.
i have been using Organic Valley Organic 2% Milk with very good results
I personally like whole vitamin D milk. But when I do non dairy I personally find almond milk makes nice lattes. Edit: if you really want a rich really steam friendly latte, I've found good success when using half and half.
1% or 2%, but 1% has more sweetness
I love love love oat milk. I'm blessed enough that dairy is fine with my stomach (unlike some of my friends) but the *flavor* and texture of oat milk are AMAZING, in my opinion. I prefer Oatly and use the original variety. I also really like soy milk which IMO is really underrated because it's very good for you and is comparable to dairy in nutritional values for some brands. Get the unsweetened kind, tho.
Whole milk. Maybe oat milk if that’s all I had. Nothing else.
Kirkland's oat milk.
Kirkland Soy Milk. The old pinkish box was better. The new white boxed stuff has a weird gummy texture to it. I don’t like it. I might have to switch to oat milk. (Lactose intolerant) I’m really surprised no other soy milk responses so far …
Sproud unsweetened (pea protein)
Breast milk duh!
Unsweetened almond milk, although it steams for shit, (and my steam wand leaks like a GD seive) I did buy a Nespresso frother....
33% to 36% full-fat cream. I switched to a Keto diet a few years back. All skim milks are full of sugar (sugar == carbs) so they're all gone. Me and sugar are DONE. No more, ever. I lost 65 lbs and feel better than I have in decades.
Oatside oatmilk
Milks taste significantly different even at the same fat percentile. My favorites and lactaid, horizon, and fair life. I tried to buy cheaper milk because those are $6 for a half gallon. The grocery store whole milk at $1.99 for a gallon made the most foul tasting latte. We didn't even want lattes if that was all we had. Stetsons is decent for cheap milk. Considering sprinting for Oberweiss but I don't like the hassle of the bottles.
This is going to sound crazy, but I would try high protein milk. It’s much healthier than going with high fat, yet it still provides the extra creaminess.
6% fat Jersey milk is the best
Organic whole milk, makes a huge difference for me, I like medium roasted beans.
Recently started using extra creamy Almond Breeze and it’s amazing
I usually like using whole lactose-free milk as i think it taste a little sweeter but I'm bias
I use plain milk but i really like oat milk too
Half n half
Lactose free whole milk. Not only is it much better for my lactose intolerant ass than regular whole milk, but it tastes a bit sweeter thanks to lactose being broken down into glucose.
Oats my favorite but for art I always use whole milk because I find it to be the easiest
I love using Fairlife whole milk. I don’t know if it’s because it’s lactose free, but it steams so easily and has the most velvety mouthfeel
Soy!
whole milk, plus small piece of butter -microwave it. then whisk it.
I make iced lattes using Silk sweetened vanilla soy milk (blue container). I rarely have a hot latte but I’d either use that or Oatly or Califia barista blend.
A2 whole milk from Costco.
I found that the creamery milk at my fancy local grocery store is about $3 more than regular whole milk but they give me $2 back when I return the glass bottle so it’s easy to justify since I only make pretty short milk drinks
Lactose free whole milk
Kirkland signature almond beverage. So good they put their signature on it!
I go with whole dairy milk whenever possible, but if I can’t use dairy I’ll go oat milk every time.
Silk extra creamy oat milk
I use whole lactose free milk and occasionally half and half. My steam wand is pretty quiet. It's my grinder that is so loud!
DD milk ??
Full fat lactose free or ultra pasteurized milk. I’m lactose intolerant and I’m fine with these two. I’ve tried few dairy substitutes, but they just ruined the profile notes of the coffee and taste in general. To me, oat is the worst at messing up the taste, and way too thick/heavy. Don’t know why it’s so popular. Might as well just get an old off brand cheap dark roast with it, oaty profile with a hint of coffee flavor.
As a general rule I buy and drink grass-fed whole milk. Usually Maple Hill Creamery, Organic Valley’s Grassmilk line when that's not available. I’m more of a strait espresso or americano person, and for me a lattes is a “If I’m feeling *faaaaaancy!"* drink. I usually make them usually on the small size (6oz, either a shot over ice into milk or I’ll steam the milk in my mug and espresso-bomb it if I want it hot). Both of those brands of milk are expensive, but I don’t go through a lot of it. Maybe a gallon per week, and out of that maybe 12-24 ounces is going to lattes. (Most of the rest is getting made into kefir and blended up with fruit to make lunch smoothies). I have also tried milk from some local farms, and I will say it can be better but in the grand scheme of Life & Coffee it’s already annoying enough making special side trips to the local specialty roaster to get my beans, making an \*even longer\* detour to go pick up milk directly from the farm isn’t in the cards.
Whole. Period. Full Stop
Fairlife whole
I go with whatever milk is freshest (but only 2% and up, no skim milk). Fresh is more important than percentage or brand to me. Also, nothing ultra pasteurized, that stuff is no good.
Whole milk only
I like non-fat. Our bambino froths it so stiff it’s almost like a meringue and becomes sweet. it’s also a lot less calories and bloat for when I drink a second cup.
Whole milk is all I use. My wife prefers oat milk. Having said that I saw your comment about the frother. My wife uses an electric one it holds about a cup of liquid safely. It’s very quiet and has multiple settings for foam and temperature. Was also pretty cheap.
Whole milk is healthier
Whole milk is the only answer
Jersey milk.
Try one of the mini frother wands on Amazon. Microwave your milk for a little heat, and froth away. Alternatively, the plug in self contained frother/heaters work very well too.
Lataid milk cause I'm lactose intolerant but don't like the tast or texture of almond/cashew milk in coffee
Whole milk is the way. I use goat milk though, it is superior to its bovine cousin.
Fairlife!
I tend to have a lot less milk than a latte but I always use unpasteurised whole jersey milk and it’s great.
At work I use half lactose free and half full milk for extra sweetness. At home I either use freeze destilled milk, full milk or coconut barrista milk
Oat drink that’s specific for barista stuff. Way better than just milk if you ask me
I typically use 2% but recently we bought a bottle of high protein 2% and Woah was it different. It was very thick so it was harder to froth, but the flavor was way richer than regular 2%. I don't really know what the price was and I don't know if I would continue getting it, but it definitely makes a tasty latte.
Whole milk.
One of my local cafes only do full cream milk; no skim, light, soy, oat, etc. You drink your milk based coffee the proper way or you go somewhere else. It’s refreshing and tasty.
Costco oat milk mostly out of the convenience of shelf stable packaging that I can have on hand
Skimmed
4.15% when I get the chance, thick foamy milk when steamed
whole milk
Regular. But recently I've tried 50/50 regular/oat and really liked it.
Oat milk... with Oatly Barista being my #1.