Milk. Yes, it’s an obsession of ours. And no wonder really. Around 70% of the coffees we serve are made with milk. Now, we could bang on about microfoam, vortexes, the angle of the steam wand, but plain and simple, what's most important to us is temperature and texture.
As a rule, we use whole milk with 3.5% fat. It’s sweeter than reduced fat milk, and adds a lovely richness and texture to the coffee. There’s a noticeable difference with reduced fat milk. The coffee loses some of the ‘velvetiness’ that an extra 1% or 2% fat adds, and can taste a bit thin - a bit weak. Milk alternatives are incredibly popular but can present their own challenges, especially when it comes to steaming and texturing, but Califa oat and almond milks give a nice smooth texture that we’re happy to stand over. Soy milk drives us mad and we don’t have it as an option. We’ve yet to find one that behaves well when heated and aerated. If there’s a brand out there that you’d recommend, put us out of our misery and let us know - please!!!
Texture is a can of worms, and let’s not even go there on the difference between a flat white, a latte and a cappuccino. Honestly, who cares?! Our approach is simple. We make all milk-based coffees with the same silky, smooth milk. We stretch or aerate the milk enough to give it a rich, velvety texture but not too much to create the stiff foam that’s typical of a dry cappuccino.
The ideal temperature for milk is between 60 - 65 degrees. And yes, you can try measuring that with your hand, but it’s easier to a use measuring strip on the jug. It’s accurate, costs a tenner, and keeps the skin on your hands. Coffee should never be so hot that it needs to cool before drinking. Not only does the milk lose its sweetness, and have a thinner, dryer texture, but it can burn your mouth.
All that being said - Yes, we think your coffee will taste better with silky full-fat milk, heated to 60 degrees. But we’re not precious about that. You’re the customer and we’ll make it how you like it.
As a rule, we use whole milk with 3.5% fat. It’s sweeter than reduced fat milk, and adds a lovely richness and texture to the coffee. There’s a noticeable difference with reduced fat milk. The coffee loses some of the ‘velvetiness’ that an extra 1% or 2% fat adds, and can taste a bit thin - a bit weak. Milk alternatives are incredibly popular but can present their own challenges, especially when it comes to steaming and texturing, but Califa oat and almond milks give a nice smooth texture that we’re happy to stand over. Soy milk drives us mad and we don’t have it as an option. We’ve yet to find one that behaves well when heated and aerated. If there’s a brand out there that you’d recommend, put us out of our misery and let us know - please!!!
Texture is a can of worms, and let’s not even go there on the difference between a flat white, a latte and a cappuccino. Honestly, who cares?! Our approach is simple. We make all milk-based coffees with the same silky, smooth milk. We stretch or aerate the milk enough to give it a rich, velvety texture but not too much to create the stiff foam that’s typical of a dry cappuccino.
The ideal temperature for milk is between 60 - 65 degrees. And yes, you can try measuring that with your hand, but it’s easier to a use measuring strip on the jug. It’s accurate, costs a tenner, and keeps the skin on your hands. Coffee should never be so hot that it needs to cool before drinking. Not only does the milk lose its sweetness, and have a thinner, dryer texture, but it can burn your mouth.
All that being said - Yes, we think your coffee will taste better with silky full-fat milk, heated to 60 degrees. But we’re not precious about that. You’re the customer and we’ll make it how you like it.
