Hey. Wondering if anyone has run into this problem. I have a slayer that produces great espresso and according to my wife, delicious steamed milk. I usually drink straight espresso, but every time I try a milk based drink on my home machine I get a papery feeling bad aftertaste. I don't get this from a coffee shops milk drinks so I don't just have some wierd taste buds. I clean the steam wand regularly and I just can't figure out why my wife isn't complaining. Any insight?

Are you overheating the milk? You should stop steaming by 60 degrees C (140).

Nope. Not overheating. Tastes great and sweet at first....just that darn papery aftertaste

What kind of milk?

Use whole organic milk (e.g., Costco's Kirland milk) and steamed in either a ceramic/porcelain/glass pitcher. Some steel pitchers impart a metallic flavor. Don't over steam your milk. If you have a good machine, frothing is very quick. My 5-yr old loves the leftover froth and milk

I use organic milk of all types and it happens across the board. Worrying that it's my water treatment

Worrying that it's my water treatment

If this were the problem I think you'd notice it in the tap water. Since the steamer is driven by pure steam, by definition it's the equivalent of distilled water once it condenses. Distilled water, contrary to what some people think, is not necessarily 'pure' H2O. In the distillation process, volatile organic compounds can come over before the water vapor (I'm also an amateur distiller). But, as I said, you'd probably notice this in the tap water, usually when running hot. VOCs come across as an odour more than a taste. So, I think that it would be a long shot to blame the water. Is your water city water? Is it treated/filtered in-house, if so how? BTW, what machine are you using? In any case, it should be easy to eliminate the water as a problem source (unless your machine is plumbed in). Pick up a jug of water from the supermarket and see if that eliminates the strange aftertaste you are experiencing.

Using a plumbed in slayer. Tap water tastes fine. We soften and filter water. I'm just at a loss and water was all I was left with

Steam the milk, check the temperature after. Then let your wife taste it (just the steamed milk) and ask her what she thinks. If she likes it, then it could be your tastebuds.

Joshua,

You said you clean your steam wand regularly. How about removing the wand and soaking it in backflush detergent overnight to clean the inside?

Is there any chance that you accidentally pulled milk into your steam boiler and fouled the water? Short of chemically cleaning, you could try draining and refilling the steam boiler with fresh water.

I think if I were you, I would call Slayer and ask them about it.

Rocky