You can add milk to pour over coffee once it has been brewed to sweeten the taste or lessen bitterness. You can use a variety of cows milk or plant milk in your coffee. You cannot add milk into your pour over coffee machine as it is only designed to use water – the milk can cause sludge in the machine.
The following will explore whether to add milk to pour over coffee, which milk is best and the pros, cons and affects of milk in coffee.
Can You Make Pour Over Coffee with Milk?
You can make pour over coffee with various kinds of cow and plant milk alternatives. You can only add milk to pour over coffee once it has brewed. Pour over coffee devices are not designed to heat milk, only water, as milk heated to those temperatures can cause a scald and sludge in the vessel which is hard to clean.
What Is Pour Over Coffee?
Pour over is similar to drip coffee and the method involves pouring hot water over coffee grounds and allowing it to drip through a filter into a vessel. Coffee grounds are placed inside a paper filter, hot water is poured over to allow the grounds to bloom and then coffee is steeped for a few minutes as it drips through.
How Do You Make Pour Over Coffee?
- Place your filter on top of your vessel and put your coffee grounds in the filter.
- Pour hot water evenly over the coffee grounds.
- Leave for 30 seconds for them to bloom.
- Keep pouring the rest of the hot water.
- Wait for a few minutes until it has finished brewing and remove the filter.
- Serve.
How Do You Remove Bitterness from Pour Over Coffee?
- Milk – cows’ milk, plant milk, or cream. The fat content reduces bitterness.
- Sugar or syrup – the sweetness counteracts the bitterness.
- Salt – surprisingly, salt brings out coffee flavour without bringing out bitter tastes.
- Light roast – darker roasts taste stronger.
- Time – brew for a shorter time.
- Fresher beans – staleness can lead to bitterness.
Which Cow’s Milk Can You Add to Coffee?
- Whole milk
- 2% milk
- Semi-skim milk
- Skim milk
- Low fat milk
- Lactose-free milk
- UHT/long life milk
Which Plant Milks Can You Add to Coffee?
- Soy
- Oat
- Almond
- Rice
- Coconut
- Hazelnut
- Cashew
- Flaxseed
- Hemp
Which Milk is Best in Coffee?
The milk you choose in your coffee is completely down to personal preference and tolerances – if you can drink lactose, or if you are on a plant-based diet. If the milk contains more fat, it will taste creamier and smoother in coffee. Milks with less fat can be less bodied and have a more watery or thin consistency.
Can You Use Milk in a Pour Over Coffee Maker?
You should not put milk inside a coffee machine, instead add it to your mug after it has brewed. You can heat milk separately on the stove, microwave or using a foamer. Heating it to the temperatures in the coffee machine would scald it and make it taste bitter, and create an oily sludge that could block the machine.
How Do You Clean Milk Off Coffee Equipment?
As milk is dairy and contains a lot of fat, if used in a coffee maker and not cleaned properly it can smell sour and bad and create lots of bacteria. You should clean your coffee maker after each use to prevent any build-up. Disassemble the machine and soak the coffee equipment to soften dried milk and scrape it off.
What Are the Pros and Cons of Adding Milk to Coffee?
Pros:
- Adding milk to coffee reduces the bitterness by balancing out the acidity. This means
- Milk reduces the acidity in coffee so if you suffer from acid reflux or stomach problems it can make it smoother and easier on your body.
Cons:
- Black coffee has a lot less calories, so if you are on a diet try your coffee without milk.
- Heathline states that milk may actually prevent some of the antioxidants in coffee from getting into your body. Milk contains a protein called casein which can act as a block for antioxidants. The more milk, the less antioxidants your coffee may contain.
How Long Should You Brew Pour Over Coffee?
The process of making pour over coffee should take around 3 minutes. The coffee grounds need to bloom for 30 seconds after pouring the hot water, then the rest of the coffee is slowly poured through. It takes around 30-60 seconds for all the water to drip through the filter and then the coffee brews for a couple of minutes.
What Is the Difference Between Pour Over and Drip Coffee?
Pour over and drip coffee are similar in their brewing methods – both involve pouring water over coffee grounds and letting it drip through a filter. The main difference between the two is that with pour over coffee you have more control over how fast the water is poured over the grounds, which you cannot control with an automatic drip machine.
The more water you add at a time, the longer it is in contact with the grounds, making a stronger brew. And vice versa – adding less water so it filters through grounds more quickly leads to a milder tasting coffee.
What Are the Pros and Cons of Pour Over Coffee?
Pros:
- Coffee is smoother and less acidic as the grounds are only saturated once and the water can slowly extract the flavors.
- You have complete control over your brew and can tailor it to your taste preferences.
- You can brew more than one cup at a time.
- The filter will catch any oils or bits to prevent sediment and bitterness.
Cons:
- Takes more time and manual effort than using an automatic machine.
- The vessel can be difficult to clean on the inside and you may need a tool such as a long-handled brush.
Hi, I’m Jen Williams, chief editor and writer for ThirstPerk.com.
I’ve been drinking coffee and tea for most of my life, but it wasn’t until I started working at Thirstperk.com that I became an expert on the subject. I’m a total caffeine addict who has spent hours upon hours reading about and experimenting with the different types of coffees out there in my search to find the perfect cup of joe.
I’ve been a tea lover for as long as I can remember as well. I grew up in a house with a mom who loved to drink herbal tea, and I think that’s where my love for tea first began. These days, I’m always on the lookout for new and interesting teas to try, and I love experimenting with different brewing methods and flavoring combinations.