Does Changing Just This Make a Latte Special? Exploring Vegan Milk Report

Can It Really Replace Milk?

In my childhood, I did not like the milk served with school meals. The reason was simple: it gave me a stomachache when I drank it. I only found out as an adult that the cause was lactose intolerance, but by then I had already stepped into the new world of caf? lattes.

It’s not just me; many people have experienced discomfort with milk. In fact, 75% of Koreans are said to have lactose intolerance. However, it’s hard to give up the rich flavor of milk in coffee. But what if there was a way to enjoy lattes without milk? The key point is vegan milk, an alternative milk product that has recently started appearing not only worldwide but also in various cafes.

With growing interest in zero waste and eco-friendliness, many people are already familiar with the term vegan milk. However, there are still many who have not had much experience with vegan milk. I want to share my impressions after making and drinking these at cafes and home for a month to see what their actual taste is like and how they blend when made into coffee lattes.

※ For reference, most of these products can be purchased online.

1. Beginner | Soymilk

Soymilk, as familiar as milk, is a well-known plant-based protein and a beverage that has been used as a milk substitute. The mild, nutty flavor from soybeans offers a different taste experience from milk. Soymilk is offered as an option to replace milk in various coffee shops, from franchises to small businesses. There are many brands like Samyook and Vegemil, making it easy to choose based on ingredient content. For those starting with alternative milk, it is the most straightforward introductory product.

Soymilk lattes are also the closest to regular lattes among alternative milk lattes and have a steady fan base. If the low sweetness and the distinctive soy aroma bother you, adding hazelnut or vanilla syrup works well. However, caramel syrup is not recommended. Although syrup flavors vary by brand, the combination of soy and caramel can sometimes produce an unpleasant aroma.

2. Intermediate | Almond-milk

If you have tried soymilk, you might have purchased Blue Diamond Almond Breeze at least once. Almond milk, which has become as common as soymilk even in convenience stores, is another leading alternative milk. It doesn’t have the creamy nuttiness of soymilk but offers a clean taste that is easy on the stomach in the morning. It’s excellent when mixed with instant coffee like Kanu. Especially when made into iced lattes, it creates great synergy. However, when consumed warm, the characteristic thick and slightly bitter almond aroma intensifies, which may divide opinions.

2-1. If you like almond milk, I also recommend milk made from walnuts, macadamia, or cashew nuts. You can enjoy the various flavors of nuttiness these nuts provide. Macadamia milk, in particular, is very rich and nutty.

3. Advanced | Oatmeal-milk

Recently, oatmeal milk has been gaining attention alongside almond milk. Many cafes, including Starbucks and Twosome Place, offer it as an alternative to soymilk, and some have even launched new products featuring oatmeal milk as the main ingredient. Although still unfamiliar to many, once you try it, its subtle and savory flavor offers a different taste experience from soymilk or almond milk. Personally, oatmeal milk pairs much better with coffee than soymilk or almond milk. The rich aroma of espresso is gently wrapped by the nuttiness of oatmeal, allowing you to enjoy it without bitterness. Products available domestically include Oatly and Maeil Amazing Oatmeal.

3-1. Besides oatmeal, there is rice milk made from grains. Literally translated, it is rice milk, a vegan beverage made by extracting juice from rice bran and rice. It is a representative alternative milk with a consumer base in Western countries including North America, but in Korea, it is still relatively unknown. Overseas, Better Than Milk is a known brand, and domestically, there is Rice Valley by Seogang Dairy.

The taste resembles concentrated savory rice water. If you like eating rice soaked in water, you might find it familiar. Its subtle sweetness from rice makes it smooth and refreshing to swallow, but because of this, when mixed with coffee, it tastes more like a cold brew latte than a regular latte. Its mildness may divide opinions.

Additionally, there are various alternative milks such as coconut milk, indispensable in Southeast Asian cuisine, and avocado milk, which is highly loved as a plant-based fat product. So, if you ask whether vegan milk can replace milk, my answer is about a triangle (△). Half yes, half no. The creamy and rich taste from milk fat is indeed hard to imitate. However, the fresh and mild flavor unique to vegan milk is a realm that milk cannot replicate.

The new year is coming. For those who want to find stomach health and peace but cannot give up the softness of milk in their morning coffee, why not try a new gourmet experience with different vegan milk next year? Small but meaningful changes might bring you a new positive world.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.