The dreaded soy milk curdle

[coffeehoon]

Hi CSers,
I've been a lurker on these forums for a while, some great info here. I was wondering if anyone could help me answer this problem I've been having:

I used to exclusively make soy caps/lattes etc, using So-good. I went back to milk for a good portion of time and now have decided to start making soy again. However after I steam the soy milk and then introduce it to the espresso, it starts to curdle and clump (much like this: http://p-ec2.pixstatic.com/506aff2bf...410_s.fit_.jpg).

I've tried it with so-good and pure harvest brands, seems to keep happening. Never had this problem before. Could different coffee beans (maybe more acidic ones) be responsible? Any tips? Cheers.

[TC]

Welcome coffeehoon,

Acid + soy milk = Tofu!

Assuming you're not cooking it, I'd suggest you might try a lower acid coffee. In general, this will mean a darker roast

Cheers

Chris

[Ronin]

Hi Coffeehoon

Sounds to me like you are spliting the milk. Try stopping steaming the milk at a cooler temp, 50 to 55 deg.
Most soys are the same and split at a lower temp.

[papagoose]

You could also try changing brands - I obtained your exact result when I was trying out a number of different soy milks, with exactly the same coffee. Bonsoy is the obvious choice for coffee, it is popular in many cafes for good reason, but it is also ridiculously expensive. Currently my soy of choice is Vitasoy Soy Milky, it seems easier to steam than So Good and it definitely is less prone to curdling than some other brands, plus I think the flavour goes better with coffee than So Good

[Vinitasse]

Or better still... go back to real cows milk... problem solved.

[Pete39]

Except, if you're like my sister-in-law, who will end up in hospital if she does that.

[Vinitasse]

Except, if you're like my sister-in-law, who will end up in hospital if she does that.

Good thing I wasn't chatting with your sister-in-law then dontcha think? My post was directed at the OP who clearly stated the following in their original post: "I went back to milk for a good portion of time and now have decided to start making soy again."

Unlike some, I make a point of actually reading the post in question before responding to it or offering advice.

[coffeehoon]

Thanks for the tips. My guess would be the acidity of the bean I'm using, as it seems to be only one of the few variables that have changed. But its a decently dark roast, so it's a little puzzling. I don't think I'm splitting the milk, as it only curdles when its poured into the espresso, but I'll steam it for a little bit less and see how it goes

[shortblackman]

Vitasoy have a long life type carton of "café" soy (find it's not in every supermarket though) , which holds together pretty well also. For me , the problem definitely occurs mostly when it gets too hot.

Bon$oy work$ be$t though!

[amellor]

Five senses did a blog post a few weeks back trialling different soy milk products.
I'd suggest reading that, in short, bonsoy and one other were on par for the best.

[TC]

The biggest issue is that soy curdles in the presence of acid. The solution is easy. Roast a little darker and/or choose a lower acid coffee. It's not that hard but why some roasters can't get their heads around this I cannot fathom.

When you get statements like "The main reason for this decision is that we are just not proud of our soy-based drinks. Soy milk curdles with our coffee, resulting in an unpleasant texture and a less-than-perfect taste. We feel we are doing a disservice to our customers, and to the producers of our beans, by pairing our coffee with a sub-par milk product", it's a cop out.

The main reason is the coffee. There's more than one way to roast it.

[Pete39]

Good thing I wasn't chatting with your sister-in-law then dontcha think? My post was directed at the OP who clearly stated the following in their original post: "I went back to milk for a good portion of time and now have decided to start making soy again."

Unlike some, I make a point of actually reading the post in question before responding to it or offering advice.

My post was not directed at you (I would have directly quoted you) or at the OP (I would have referred to them), nor was I offering advice - it was simply the next comment in a conversation about "The dreaded soy milk curdle" following on from yours. I did not write "The OP will end up in hospital ...", but mentioned my sister-in-law was different to the OP (hence the use of "Except, if ..."). Perhaps your misunderstanding arose with my use of "you're" which was meant in the general sense (imagine my comment being delivered sitting around with a glass of red having the conversation).

In any case, if you took offense, I apologise and will attempt to be clearer in the future (although I thought this was a casual public forum).

Hopefully you understand I DID "make the point of actually reading the post in question", since this seems to concern you strongly.

[Bames]

Or better still... go back to real cows milk... problem solved.

What great advice from the brain's trust. I'm sure the OP hadn't already thought of that

[coffeehoon]

Five senses did a blog post a few weeks back trialling different soy milk products.
I'd suggest reading that, in short, bonsoy and one other were on par for the best.

Good find. I recommend a read for anyone interested in the topic. Turns out I've been using the worst two soy products by chance :P

[paulau]

Hi,

I drink soy milk, due to an allergy to casein. But anyway years ago I was chatting with the barista that owned Elevenses in Kensington and he drew a parallel between the milk splitting when the beans being used were washed (I hope I have that the right way around), and in my experience if I use washed beans my soy milk consistently splits.

So take that for what its worth, so maybe there is another cause or are unwashed beans more acidic?

Bonsoy may froth well and possibly have a lower chance of splitting, but it tastes gross and has the consistency of soup, IMO. My preferenace is Vitasoy Cafe or Vitasoy Soy Milky, it doesn't really have a distinct soy taste and works well in not over powering coffee.

Cheers