Can anyone give thoughts about steaming soy milK? Technique, brands, temps etc. Thanks.

I have been using soy exclusively for almost 8 years. I did use cow juice a few times for friends and for experimenting, but that is about all. Depending on what you like: Silk brand vanilla tastes really good and makes some nice stiff foam for lattes. If it is microfoam you want, the best that I have found is the Kirkland brand at Costco. I can pour some latte art with that— nothing that is going to end up on the cover of Barista Magazine, but my wife likes it.

As far as technique, I find that the injection of air needs to be subtle, gentle, and only for the first few seconds. You also will find that stopping short of the temps that you get with cow milk will be best. If the pitcher feels more than comfortably warm (if it begins to feel hot) you went too far.

I usually stretch enough for two drinks with the VBM, because it is so fast that trying to only stretch for one drink is really tough.

I agree about the Costco Kirkland soy - I've only tried the vanilla flavor because I use that for the occasional bowl of cereal and things like that, and it can be microfoamed very well. I also think it tastes great, but don't steam it as hot as regular milk or it seems to alter the flavor in my opinion. Other than that, I use the same technique for steaming.

I've tried many for my wife. Costco's house brand Kirkland works extremely well for microfoam. The Vanilla and the Plain both steam fine, but my store usually doesn't stock the Plain, so my wife gets Vanilla most of the time. Soy Dream is poor, Silk is fair. Michael

Randy G. wrote:...cow juice...

...from the finest freshly-pressed cows!

darrensandford wrote:...from the finest freshly-pressed cows!

At least in days gone by, you did have to squeeze PART of the cow to get the milk out!

Just make sure you get your heifers and bulls separated before you try to milk them. Well, actually you could not milk a heifer because she has not calved, so she would be considered a cow.

soy juice? a soy bean doesn't have udders, does it?

a coffee bean isn't really a bean, is it?

a flute with no holes, isn't a flute.

a doughnut with no hole, is a danish.

jon

Has anyone tried steaming rice milk? I tried once. Once. It was an event not to speak much of.

cannonfodder wrote:Just make sure you get your heifers and bulls separated before you try to milk them.....

Ahh... But if you milk a bull, you've made a friend for life!