Got Milk

Coffee and milk have been paired together almost from the very beginning of westerner’s obsession with the drink. 

Though the consumption of coffee originated in Yemen, it was not until coffee arrived in Europe in the 1600s that milk and coffee were combined. Hundreds of years later around seven of all coffees drunk will be made with milk, whether it’s a latte, a cappuccino, or just by adding a dash of milk to a filter brew.  

Because of this, a question we get asked a lot is ‘Which coffees do you recommend with milk?’. With this in mind we decided to have a deeper look into how well milk pairs with our range of coffees, and to see which origins and flavour profiles were highlighted best by the addition of milk.  

When choosing which coffee to combine with milk, there are some standout coffee flavours that one should look for. Chocolate and nutty flavours naturally work well for comforting classic drinks. We also found that some fruit notes worked too, though we would recommend staying away from the brighter more citrus heavy options that can taste quite sour with milk.  

From our current range we had 3 stand out single origin coffees:Burni Telong – Sumatra; A rich, dark chocolate experience with comforting notes of spice and orange. A real autumnal beverage.La Virgen – Colombia; Expect milk chocolate and roasted nut flavours with a smooth, butterscotch texture. A definite crowd pleaser.San Antonio – El Salvador; A vibrant and fruity, dark chocolate drink. This combination oozed luxury and decadence with subtle hints of cherry.  

Choosing the right coffee is important but getting the right milk will also elevate your experience.We recommend full fat milk for its richer, creamier texture and flavour. And organic where possible. As part of our experiment we also looked at what ratio of milk to coffee worked best, and for a filter strength coffee we preferred a ration of around 15ml of milk to 100ml of coffee. Milk and coffee is a relationship that may have stood the test of time but a desire for vegan drinks and the rise of milk alternatives mean this is a style of drink that is now changing. Look out for a future article where we will have a look at the leading milk alternatives and which ones we prefer with our coffees.