teajoteas said

Given that many of you are eliminating dairy, what is your substitute when you do add milk to tea?

I’m one of those tea drinkers who enjoy milk with my chai. It’s the only time I add anything to my tea. We recently tried almond milk instead of regular milk and it totally changed the flavor of the tea. I like the milk by itself but didn’t care for the way it made the chai taste.

When you do add milk, do you always use dairy, or have you found another substitute that still tastes just as good?

-Piccolo
www.teajo.com

30 Replies
Em said

I enjoy soy milk and don’t feel that it changes the flavor any more than milk does. I also use lactose free milk.

Login or sign up to post a message.

I use vanilla soymilk and my rule pretty much is if soy doesn’t make it taste desserty and delicious I don’t like the tea ;) I’m learning to break that habit, but it’s hard! Are you using vanilla or original soy? I’ve found soy holds up better in tea for some reason… Almond milk always tasted burnt to me…

Login or sign up to post a message.

Novi said

The thing with that is, even dairy milk has a flavor that it adds to the tea – its not a completely blank slate, it has a taste. So instead of trying to find something tasteless, why not look for an additive with a complimentary flavor that you enjoy? Maybe some soymilk, almond milk, or coconut milk or cream.

This, absolutely.

Login or sign up to post a message.

I usually use soy milk for tea lattes. Out of all the brands I’ve tried, I like Silk the most as it is less beany. So Good is my fallback choice, but I’m PO’d at them for changing the fat free formula flavor.

If I want to treat myself and add a little bit of creamyness to my tea, I get a Soy milk creamer – Silk’s soy creamer is pretty good, think it’s called Silk for Coffee (PFFFF coffee). http://helpimvegan.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/soy-vs-coconut.jpg
That be the best bet for someone who likes adding creamer to their tea, but not want dairy.

Login or sign up to post a message.

teajoteas said

Thanks for all the tips. Yes, diary milk does add some flavor, but for me, it allows the flavor of the tea to still come through. Almond milk was like adding another flavoring to the tea, as was Coconut. Both really overpowered the tea. Maybe I’ll try Silk or Rice and see what happens with them.

Login or sign up to post a message.

Serenity said

I teajoteas! I would keep trying various things until you find something that makes you say, “ahhh!” after that first sip. I suggest trying almond milk again, but making it yourself. It is super easy to do, and I’m a super lazy person, so, that’s saying a lot. Let me know if you want any suggestions about that. Second, try various soy milks. Soy milks are not all the same. Third, you might want to try, if you are in the U.S., the large cartons of coconut milk that are in the refrigerated dairy section of the grocery store, doesn’t Silk brand have one out now? Yeah, their plain coconut milk has a pretty neutral taste, much different than a can of coconut milk. Keep trying and you will find one that you like.

Login or sign up to post a message.

rice milk may be your best bet if you feel that almond milk adds too much of an almond flavour to your tea. Rice Milk is very neutral, really watery (rather than being thick like a lot of soy), the only down side is i find it won’t foam, so is useless for making lattes.

homemade almond milk is definitely better than storebought stuff, and is easy to make, just like Serenity said.

If i’m grabbing a tea to go when i’m out and want a latte, i go with soy milk just because nowhere really has almond milk in their fridge (probably due to allergy issues). At home, I prefer lactose-free dairy, or goat’s milk because I’m really not a soy fan (but will use it if there are no other lactose-free options) and other alternatives just don’t make a good foam. Plus, I don’t add milk for the sake of adding milk, if I want milk it’s because I want a latte, and it’s not a latte without the foam! haha

Login or sign up to post a message.

Dustin said

In some stores with a more “healthy” vibe (Sprout’s & Whole Foods)they have some non dairy creamer options in the refrigerated section. That might give you a more creamy taste on a tsp to tsp comparison of grain/nut milks. I haven’t tried them tho so I can’t say if they are good from experience, but they seem to be attempting to give people other coffee creamer options.

Login or sign up to post a message.

I don’t drink regular milk (not for vegan reasons, just cause I don’t like it). My milk of choice is soy. That’s what I use for smoothies, for cooking, and very occasionally with tea. Just like Em was mentioning, I find it doesn’t alter the taste too much. I agree that almond and coconut milk are way too tasty, unless one is seeking that taste intentionally.

Login or sign up to post a message.

Usually for the chai blends, I like vanilla soy milk or almond milk.

Login or sign up to post a message.

Login or sign up to leave a comment.