Straus Family creamery barista Milk where to get

[skwid]

Was just cruising around the Straus Family Creamery website and noticed that they make a Barista milk specially formulated for coffee drinks. My wife has to have aa capachino every morning so I'd like to get a 1/2 gallon of this to try it out. Anyone know where to get the Barista Milk? For reference see:

http://www.strausfamilycreamery.com/?...

[sugartoof]

I was going to say...I haven't really noticed many of the new breed coffee shops of the moment using Strauss right now (but then Strauss replied so....)

There was a short period where you would see the glass jars (which was really cool) but most of them have switched over to the cheaper non-organic Clover stuff, or even the ol' Berkeley Farms stuff again.

I would imagine Strauss milk is fussy to work with, trying to avoid the clumps, and and strange cream top chunks. I stopped buying it because even fresh, it would curdle (or appear curdled) when added straight to coffee. I'd love to taste a real capp made with a Strauss barista milk though.

[rworange]

>>> I stopped buying it because even fresh, it would curdle (or appear curdled) when added straight to coffee

Hmmm ... I may have guessed your age wrong. I was thinking you were about my age ... give or take a decade ,... and grew up at a time when milkmen still delivered to the house ... I lived in a small town and perhaps this lasted longer than most. Anyway I remember when my parents made coffee the milk would often have little pieces of cream in it so you would see the little pieces of cream floating in the coffee. Being in a cold climate ,if you didn't get to the bottle in the morning sometimes the milk would freeze and push the cream up over the top making a real creamsicle.

[sugartoof]

I associate curdled milk with bad milk. I find it especially miserable in iced coffee, and the last two bottles I bought poured so chunky I came to the conclusion this stuff wasn't for me. Otherwise, it's good tasting milk.

[rworange]

I was responding to your "appear curdled". Milk with lots of cream in it will have little pieces of cream in it that might look curdled.

On the other hand, if it truly was curdled is another thing. Straus is expensive and moves slower so I alway check the expiration date when I buy it.

[sugartoof]

Well I'm not talking about the big clump of cream that forms at the top, of course. When poured, it resulted in milk identical in look and consistency to what you would see when milk is starting to turn, past expiration.

I presume that's normal for that make. Unless there was something going on with distribution, it was fresh dated milk from the supermarket. It's probably better for cooking than for drinking in an iced drink.

[rworange]

I'm not talking about the big clump either.

No matter how much you shake milk with cream on top, pieces of fat, so to speak, don't break up.

There is a different look to curdling, but if you are not used to the little cream pieces, you might think it is the beginning of curdled milk.

I've never been fond of the look myself and prefer my coffee either with straight cream or milk that doesn't have the top layer of cream.

[chipman]

This milk is homogenized, so there is no fat or cream at the top of the container.

[Leadbelly]

Are you referring to the "barista milk" or the Strauss milk that is available in grocery stores? Because the Strauss milk that is sold in grocery stores most definitely has cream on the top.

[chipman]

This thread is about the Barista milk. Yes that is the milk I'm referring to.

[Leadbelly]

Right, but this specific thread-ette you replied to involved a discussion of the Strauss milk that is available in stores, which does have the cream at the top.

[chipman]

No, I think the combatants were talking about how Strauss milk reacted in their coffee, not knowing that this new milk was homogenized and didn't curdle or clump or any other nasty things that regular Strauss did when mixed with hot coffee. But, maybe they will answer your question more satisfactorily.

[rworange]

I was talking about the Strauss cream on top milk that is currently sold in markets not the barista mix. That will leave little fat globules in the cup that someone might think is curdled milk. It is just the nature of any milk that has cream on top.

[sugartoof]

Not sure about the combatants tag, but no, it was pretty clear, I was speaking about the currently marketed retail product, which I am aware is cream top, non-homogenized, and gets a bit strange in coffee. I think we're all on the same page now if we already weren't....and I'm happy to hear Strauss has a coffee specialty milk, that's lightly homogenized with a top secret method so amateurs like me can enjoy the Strauss taste without worrying my clumps are curdles.

Lately I've enjoyed regular Clover over the organic Clover because it's slightly thicker and holds up better in coffee.

[Leadbelly]

Personally, I like the cream-top variety and the little fat globules, but my husband will carefully spoon out any cream bits from his coffee--and he uses half-and-half, so its a frequent occurrence!

[Liz Scatena]

Straus Family Creamery here! Thanks for inquiriing about our Barista Milk. Right now it is currently available for food service accounts like Coffee Shops, ect. You can find it at Barefoot Coffee Roasters in Santa Clara (who might start selling it to consumers), Taylor Maid Farms using it at their place in Sebastopol and a few places in the Ferry Building. It is still a fairly new product and if it goes well....then perhaps we will offer it to consumers at retail. Keeping checking back with us via our website contact info.

[skwid]

Thanks, for replying Liz. I'd definitely like to get a 1/2 gallon of this when it becomes available as my wife was awfully interested when I told her about it.

[chipman]

Very interesting. Liz, I realize you might be biased, but, could you compare your milk to Organic Clover Whole milk? There is a potential huge home market out there that I'm sure you're aware of.

[chipman]

I asked this question on another message board and this is the reply from a store owner.
"It's a very good product. To the best of my knowledge, the only difference between it and the cream-top variety is that it's homogenized. Compared with Clover homogenized whole milk, it's noticeably richer, with a heavier, yet clean mouthfeel. I don't perceive a difference in sweetness, however. I find the Clover Extra Rich milk, which is our standard in two of our four stores, to be indistinguishable from the Straus homogenized product."

For the record I know who this person is but I don't know if I should reveal his identity. The fact that he likes this product speaks volumes.

[Liz Scatena]

Hi Skwid, You're very welcome, no problem. We worked with many top Baristas and local coffee shops owners to create this product almost two years ago. The milk is homogenized so it is easier to work with than our regular cream top milk, which can be difficult to steam sometimes and since it is cream top, the fat content will vary from cup to cup. So, that is why we formulated the Barista Milk. The difference between Clover's organic milk is the way we homogenize it. It's lightly homogenized to highlight the coffee flavor and maintain a tight, uniform bubbles while adding a smooth creamery texture. I can't tell you more about our special homogenization process as it is proprietary, however I can tell you we worked for months with noteable Baristas in the area to get it right. We are now realizing that there are many home Baristas like you and hopefully we will be able to offer it to you soon. I think that is why Barefoot Coffee Roasters in Santa Clara is going to start selling it because they kept receiving inquries about it. Thanks again for your inquiry!

[rworange]

Email them and ask? Or see if one of the places they mention using it if they will sell you a half gallon.

If anyplace would have it it is Berkeley Bowl West since they seem to have over a half dozen types of Straus milk and cream. I don't believe I've seen it there but you could ask them if they'd carry it. It might go over big

Since Cowgirl is using it, if you are in SF you might ask if they shop in the Ferry Building will sell it. I can imagine it having a customer base in SF as well

That description on the website is exactly what I look for in a good cap ... "tight, uniform bubbles all while adding a smooth, creamy texture."