If you have a coffee maker and you like milk-based coffee drinks then you might be wondering whether or not you can make the coffee using milk instead of water.
This post will show you whether or not you should put milk in an espresso maker, what to do instead and other things to consider.
So, can you put milk in a coffee maker? You should avoid putting milk in a coffee maker. They are designed to make brewed coffee by heating up water. Instead, it would be better to make the coffee using water and then to add milk afterward.
There are actually a number of alternative options to making the coffee by putting milk in the coffee maker. If you want to add milk to get a less bitter taste then there are a number of other things that you can do as well.
Why you shouldn’t use milk with a coffee maker
Milk contains proteins that are not present in water. This means that, by heating the milk up inside the machine, you will cause bacteria to develop. This could cause the machine to become unsanitary and it would cause future coffees to taste bad. It could even cause the machine to get clogged.
Not only that but milk tastes bad when it is heated up too much. If you put milk in the machine then it will likely cause the coffee to taste very bad.
What to do instead
Instead of making the coffee by putting milk into the coffee maker you could make the coffee the normal way by using water and then you could add milk to it afterward.
By making the coffee this way you will be able to avoid damaging the machine and you’ll still be able to get the creamy and less bitter taste by adding milk.
To make the coffee more creamy it would be better to use less water so that the coffee is stronger and there will be a higher concentration of milk when you add it to the coffee.
How to make the coffee less bitter
If the reason that you want to make the coffee using milk is that you want the coffee to taste less bitter then there are a number of things that you can do.
The first option that you have is to use Arabica beans instead of Robusta beans. Arabica beans give a smoother taste than Robusta that is less bitter but Arabica beans tend to be more expensive. On the other hand, Robusta beans will give the coffee a nuttier and they are cheaper taste but they can be bitter.
To reduce the bitterness of the coffee it would also be better to use a light roast. This is because beans with a dark roast will tend to taste more bitter and beans with a light roast will give a smoother taste but they can sometimes be slightly sour.
Using beans that are from multiple different origins can also reduce the bitterness of the coffee. This is because beans that are sourced from a single origin will often give a very sharp taste that can be bitter. Whereas, beans that are a mixture of beans from different origins will tend to give a more balanced taste.
Using coffee beans that have a grind size that is more coarse and less fine can also reduce the bitterness of the coffee. This is because a coarser grind will cause less of the coffee to mix with the water since it will be easier for the water to pass through it and less of the coffee will come into contact with the water.
You could also make the coffee using more water. By doing so the coffee will be less concentrated when mixed with the water causing it to be less bitter.
Additionally, as mentioned above, once you have made the brewed coffee you could add milk to it.
Use an espresso machine instead
Espresso is the mixture that you get when hot and pressurized water is pushed through finely ground coffee.
Ideally, it would be best to make the milk-based coffee drink by using an espresso machine.
The reason for this is that espresso is very concentrated and rich. This means that when you add milk to it the drink will be about the same size as a regular brewed coffee but it will be creamier while still having a strong coffee-like taste.
Whereas, if you make brewed coffee using water and then add milk to it afterward it will taste less creamy, it will have a weaker coffee-like taste and it will be a large drink.
Espresso machines will also tend to come with milk frothers which you can use to quickly steam the milk and then add it to the espresso once it is made.
Another benefit of using an espresso machine is that there are a number of different types of milk-based coffee drinks that you can make including:
- Cappuccino
Cappuccino is where steamed milk and milk foam are added to espresso. Cappuccino has a strong coffee-like taste and it is also creamy.
- Latte
Latte is where a lot of steamed milk and a small amount of milk foam is added to espresso. Latte has a creamy and slightly coffee-like taste that is less strong than cappuccino.
- Mocha
Mocha is where chocolate syrup and steamed milk is added to espresso. Mocha has a chocolatey, creamy and coffee-like taste.
- Breve
Breve is where half and half milk and cream is added to espresso. Breve is very creamy with a slight coffee-like taste.
There are a number of different types of machines that you can use to make espresso including automatic espresso machines, semi-automatic and pod-style espresso machines.
To make espresso using an automatic espresso machine you put coffee beans into the machine and then press a button to make the espresso. The machine will then grind the beans and make the espresso for you. Once the espresso is made you can then use the milk steamer that the machine will come with and steam the milk then add it to the espresso.
Automatic espresso machines allow you to make fresh-tasting espresso without having to put a lot of effort into making the espresso yourself.
The Automatic espresso machine that I would recommend the most would be this one.
To make espresso using a semi-automatic espresso machine it will be necessary for you to grind the espresso, push it down into a container called a portafilter and then to put the portafilter into the machine and to press a button.
Semi-automatic espresso machines give you the most control over the taste of the espresso but they require the most amount of effort.
The semi-automatic machine that I would recommend the most would be this one.
To make espresso using a pod-style machine you just put a pod into the machine and press a button. You can then steam the milk using a milk steamer that will come with the machine and then add it to the espresso. There are some pod-style espresso machines that will steam the milk automatically for you so all you need to do is to pour the steamed milk into the espresso once it is done.
Pod-style machines are the fastest and easiest machines to use and they require the least amount of maintenance. However, they will give the least fresh coffee out of the three options but the espresso does still taste good.
The pod-style machine that I would recommend would be this one on Amazon since it features an automatic milk frother and it has been well reviewed by many users.
