Lactose-Free Lattes | Part Four

Are all of the options we’ve discussed in the previous parts still not meeting your whole milk standard? In this last segment of our four-part series, we’ll explore specialty versions of coconut, soy, and almond milk designed specifically for lattes. While researching how to make lattes with nondairy milks, we came across Pacific’s “Barista Series” that we decided to try out! The company claims subtle flavor profiles, curdle-free frothing, and perfectly textured milk for professional cafes to use. We were skeptical going into it (how different could they be?), but in the end, the results were fantastic!

Overall, coconut milk was the clear winner, and soy and almond tied for second around the office for the best latte.

Wow! The Barista Series coconut milk was amazing! This is easily our standout. In a cup, you get all the good, sweet flavor from regular coconut milk except with a rich foam that steamed well. Not to mention the latte art!

Almond Milk: Barista v. Conventional: Similarly, the Barista Series almond milk was definitely a step up from the regular almond milk we tested, but some of the tasters still opted out due to the persistent bitter undertones. 

Soy Milk: Barista v. Conventional: The Barista Series soy milk was good, but it wasn’t our favorite. The texture was much improved when mixed with the acidic espresso, but still not as good as coconut. However, we thought that the flavor of the other milks paired better with our coffee.  

Gellan Gum is an additive to some alternative milks to help them foam and behave more like dairy milk. We suspect that the barista soy milk doesn’t contain Gellan Gum because soy milk has a tendency to get thicker foam than dairy milk, which they were aiming to fix.