Starbucks milk kind of "sweet"?

#1: Post by **elsol** » August 11th, 2018, 9:01 pm

So I hate to admit that I'd ever get my coffee fix at Starbucks-- but sometimes they are convenient!

I've noticed that the milk that Starbucks uses in their espresso drinks is slightly sweet. I don't add any sugar, but I kind of like this subtle sweetness. But I don't like the blunt sweetness I get from adding sugar.

When making my espresso drinks at home, I don't get that same sweetness. I've tried various milk brands, organic, different milk fat %, etc. and haven't achieved this taste that I prefer.

I don't know this for fact, but I wonder if starbucks producers do something to concentrate milk sugars in their milk or something...

Has anyone else noticed this? Any way to achieve this at home, without adding sugar?

#2: Post by MB » August 12th, 2018, 1:18 am

The temperature to which you steam your milk has an effect on perceived sweetness. If you go too hot, it can go away. Try steaming milk to different temperatures and compare taste.

#3: Post by **espresso-nerd** » August 12th, 2018, 1:10 pm

Starbucks buys milk from the same providers as your local supermarket. The sweetness comes from proper steaming technique.

#4: Post by **Maconi** » August 13th, 2018, 11:44 am

Do they maybe use "lactose free" milk? When lactose is converted into galactose and glucose (using the lactase enzyme) it makes the milk sweeter (your gut normally handles that, but those that are lactose intolerant need to drink pre-converted lactose to avoid gas issues).

#5: Post by **al3xx** » August 13th, 2018, 4:52 pm

elsol wrote:When making my espresso drinks at home, I don't get that same sweetness. I've tried various milk brands, organic, different milk fat %, etc. and haven't achieved this taste that I prefer.

I see you're in California. Have you tried using Straus whole milk? I've not had any other milk come close in terms of sweetness and overall quality, especially when steamed. Straus is extremely popular at specialty coffee shops, for a good reason.

And yes, as others have mentioned, you might try varying what temperature you steam to. That will have some affect on sweetness.

#6: Post by **Avaloche** » August 14th, 2018, 3:31 am

It is true that steaming technique is very important,however your starting product is even more important.
The milk that they're using is UHT[(Ultra-high temperature processing (UHT), ultra-heat treatment, or ultra-pasteurization is a food processing technology that sterilizes liquid food, chiefly milk, by heating it above 135 °C (275 °F) - the temperature required to kill spores in milk - for 1 to 2 seconds.)].
UHT milk,preferably whole,contains natural sweetness and is usually "odourless",so to speak.
It is exactly the combo of UHT milk + right steaming technique that gives you optimal results for lattes and cappuccinos.

#7: Post by **gr2020** » August 14th, 2018, 12:15 pm

Avaloche wrote:It is true that steaming technique is very important,however your starting product is even more important.
The milk that they're using is UHT[(Ultra-high temperature processing (UHT), ultra-heat treatment, or ultra-pasteurization is a food processing technology that sterilizes liquid food, chiefly milk, by heating it above 135 °C (275 °F) - the temperature required to kill spores in milk - for 1 to 2 seconds.)].
UHT milk,preferably whole,contains natural sweetness and is usually "odourless",so to speak.
It is exactly the combo of UHT milk + right steaming technique that gives you optimal results for lattes and cappuccinos.

TIL. So are you saying that UHT milk will be sweeter than non-UHT, all other things being equal? After reading this I went to Horizon's site (many of us use Horizon organic milk), and this is what their FAQ says on the topic:

Are Horizon milk products pasteurized?
Yes. Pasteurization is the process of heating milk to make it safe from harmful bacteria and to increase its longevity. For our half gallon and gallon products, Horizon uses both high-temperature short-time (HTST) pasteurization, and ultra-pasteurization (UP). HTST milk is labeled "pasteurized," while UP milk is labeled "ultra-pasteurized." Aside from the fact that UP milk has a longer shelf life, there is no detectable difference between UP and HTST milk; the products taste identical to each other and have the same nutritional value. Our single serve milks are processed using ultra-high temperature (UHT) pasteurization. Also known as aseptic or shelf-stable processing, this method allows our single serve milk to stay fresh without refrigeration for extended periods of time. Pasteurization practices are standardized and regulated by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Super interesting that they say their UHT milk (single-serve) can stay fresh without refrigeration.

EDIT: just for a random data point, the carton of Horizon organic whole milk I have right now is labeled as ultra-pasteurized.

#8: Post by **tossik** » August 14th, 2018, 1:26 pm

Get some Jersey milk, and steam to 145-150 and it will then warm up to 160 and that is the "sweet" spot for milk.

#9: Post by **al3xx** » August 15th, 2018, 1:34 pm

gr2020 wrote:EDIT: just for a random data point, the carton of Horizon organic whole milk I have right now is labeled as ultra-pasteurized.

I actually dislike Horizon for that exact reason that they are UHT or ultra-pasteurized. I have sampled multiple brands which use a variety of levels of pasteurization. The brands include Horizon, Clover (regular and organic), Straus, St. Benoit, Lucerne, etc.

Straus does not use a high pasteurization temperature. It's believed to remove much of the natural taste of milk. Similar to how a dark roast can mask certain levels of poor process/ripeness of green coffee by extra roast time/temperature, much of the milk's natural flavors are lost during the pasteurization process. I'm also sure that the type of cow, the feed they have, etc. have a huge impact on the quality of the milk as well.

The downside of Straus is that due to minimal pasteurization, it does go bad faster than other milks.