Best milk with coffee: How not to ruin your premium bean-to-cup coffee

Does your office have a bean to cup coffee machine? If you’re an office or facilities manager who takes care of your office coffee needs, we understand you have a lot of roles and responsibilities to manage.

One of the many perks of having a bean-to-cup coffee machine is that it provides your team with freshly ground, premium barista-style coffee – all at the touch of a button. Not only are they convenient, affordable, easy to use and need minimum cleaning and maintenance, but they can also pour a wide range of coffee drinks. Most importantly, a bean-to-cup coffee machine enables you to get on with the important things like running an efficient office and fostering an engaging workplace culture.

Naturally, each of your team members has a personal preference when it comes to how they like their coffee. Some people may enjoy a simple espresso or an americano with milk whereas others may want your coffee machine to brew milky coffee like lattes and cappuccinos. Either way, if you’ve got milk in your coffee, you’ll want the milk to enhance the taste of your coffee and not ruin it. Whilst today there are loads of different types of milk on the market, when it comes to coffee, they’re not all created equal.

Coffee purists who will only entertain a strong, black coffee without milk need not read on. In this blog, we’re taking a good look at what is the best type of milk from dairy to various non-dairy milk to enjoy in your freshly ground premium bean to cup coffee at work.

Milk choice matters

Coffee is a complex drink with a wide range of flavours, notes and aromas. Depending on what premium coffee bean you choose – whether that’s Arabica or Robusta (which make up 99% of the world’s coffee production) you don’t want to overpower the taste by adding milk. When choosing what milk to have you’ll want to consider factors like flavour, texture, the ability to froth and also dietary requirements.

Which milk is best?

With over 40 years in office coffee, we know our beans – and our milk! With that in mind, we’ve rounded up our top five milk types to enjoy in your coffee. Ultimately though it comes down to whatever you and your team enjoy.

Cow’s milk

Cow’s milk, and in particular whole cow’s milk, is the classic choice for professional baristas. It has around 3-4% fat which is quite high and so the more fat there is in the milk, the creamier the texture. Because of its high protein levels, it also creates an excellent quality froth.

Oat Milk

Oat milk is the number one choice for a dairy milk alternative for baristas and coffee lovers everywhere. Its creamy texture, neutral flavour, and foamability make it a versatile choice. Oat milk’s sustainability and vegan-friendliness also help to boost its popularity.

Soy milk

Soy milk is another excellent dairy-free option known for its consistent texture and creamy mouthfeel. It has a slightly nutty flavour that complements coffee well although it doesn’t create such a great foam for frothy milk drinks like lattes or cappuccinos.

Almond milk

Another great alt-milk, almond milk offers a mild and naturally nutty flavour that can enhance the coffee experience without overpowering it. It’s a lighter option in terms of flavour and calories, although beware – it’s notorious for curdling in hot coffee, so wait until it’s cooled before adding.

Coconut milk

If you enjoy a hint of coconut flavour in your premium bean to cup coffee, coconut milk may be the way to go. It’s slightly sweet and can add a tropical twist to your brew. Keep in mind that coconut milk’s distinct flavour may not suit every coffee variety and may overpower subtle flavour profiles in your coffee.

Need advice?

We’re here to help – whether it’s advice on your bean to cup machine, coffee beans or indeed milk types, just contact our friendly team.