Can you roast coffee specifically for oat milk?

You can’t deny that the alternative milk craze is everywhere these days, from your local supermarket to your favourite café, people are obsessed! One that we can’t ignore when it comes to coffee is, of course, oat milk. With their barista range, these are really changing the game. More and more people are making the switch both for dietary requirements and for flavour.

But how does this affect us as coffee roastery? Are some roast styles more suited to oat milk? Have we seen more requests for coffees explicitly roasted to suit the flavours achieved with oat milk? Today, we are spilling the beans. Let’s get cracking.

 

Oat Milk

 

How is oat milk affecting the coffee industry?

Nowadays, when you pop to your local café for a brew, 9/10 times you will see oat milk listed as the alternative option to dairy. But why is oat milk the industry choice when so many alternative options exist? From almond to soya, oat has become a landslide winner for a dairy-free alternative. But why is this? We think there are three main reasons.

1. Barista Style Oat Milk

When it comes to coffee and non-dairy milk, it can sometimes cause a bit of bother. This is mainly due to the lack of protein, which is naturally high in cow’s milk as an animal has produced it. This is vital to the milk steaming process as this is what creates that lovely foamy texture we all expect in our cappuccino.

However, with Barista Style Oat Milk, they fixed this issue by they cleverly fixed this issue by increasing the fat content. This helps the milk to stretch and create the perfect velvety texture!

2. Nutritional Benefits

Another reason why people reach for oat milk is because it is so good for you! It is packed to the brim with iron, vitamins and minerals and has more oomph than other alternative milks.

 

3. The Taste

Finally, this is probably an obvious one. (It wouldn’t be popular if it tasted terrible!) The praise given to oat milk is down to its smooth, subtle, oaty flavour and consistency. Unlike soya and almond, it has quite a thick texture, almost on par with cow’s milk. Alternative milk drinkers applaud this and make it a favourite.

Does oat milk change the roasting process?

Now, let’s get down to the exciting bit! For years, the way coffee has been processed and roasted is partially down to the way the coffee will be brewed. For an espresso, you will always want to roast it on the darker side, as it is less acidic, which prevents that bitter taste from forming in the cup.

A similar hypothesis is forming when it comes down to roast styles mixed with oat milk. One coffee supplier states that a denser bean with a balanced flavour is best when combined with milk. The lighter texture and sweeter notes create harmony in the cup, with the milk enhancing these flavours rather than watering them down.

Too much acidity doesn’t mix well when milk is added, and with this in mind, roasting professionals have started to adapt their techniques and processes to this.

The primary way to stop overly acidic flavours from developing is to prolong the roasting process past that first crack by at least 60-70 seconds. This will cause the beans to have a medium profile with caramelised sweet flavours. Most of the acidity will melt away, making these beans perfect with milk.

Which Two Chimps Coffees are best with oat milk?

Luckily for you lovely lot, we have three coffees which pair perfectly! When roasting our coffees, we never push them as far as the second crack. This leaves you with burnt, bitter beans that have lost all the incredible qualities of speciality coffee beans.

First up is our best-selling, orange-labelled coffee. This is the darkest we ever roast, prolonging that roasting period by 2 minutes 30 seconds after the first crack. This creates a smooth dark chocolate body, topped with a swirl of caramel.

You still get that punchy flavour people want from their coffee, just without that burnt bitterness found in commodity (supermarket) coffee. Paired with a splash of oat milk, you’re onto a winner!

 

Add to basket!

The perfect morning coffee

Start your day right with a mug of our blue-labelled brew! This zingy medium-dark coffee has a fantastic blend of flavours, with the roasting period tipping at the 1-minute 45-second mark past that first crack.

With a cheeky toffee base, silky smooth chocolate and a subtle lemony acidity, it’s precisely what you need to zap you awake. These flavours create total harmony in the cup with the creamy, oaty flavour from the milk, making this hard to resist.

 

Shop here!

A smooth medium roasted coffee

Finally, let’s take a look at our green-labelled coffee. Roasted 2 minutes and 48 seconds after that first crack, this silky-smooth brew is a personal favourite.

With a milk chocolate base, topped with a sweet drizzle of caramel and a hint of cherry fruitiness, it’s truly something else when combined with oat milk!

 

Take me to the coffee!

Searching for an excellent recipe to put oat milk to the test?

 

Vegan Iced Coffee Recipe

Jordyn Williams

Jordyn Williams

Coffee Roaster

Meet the chimp behind this article!

Jordyn joined Two Chimps in September 2023 to start his career in coffee roasting. Since learning to roast the amazing coffee at Two Chimps, he is a firm believer in the stronger roast style and continues to enjoy testing out new coffees from different areas of the world.  

What Jordyn does outside of the treehouse: 

In his free time, Jordyn is a dad to a four-year-old girl who keeps him on his toes. When he’s not taking her out on her bike or colouring in Bluey paintings, he’s dreaming about the days when he can go golfing for some peace.

Jordyn says…

“I’m really glad I made the decision to join the Two Chimps troop and start my coffee roasting career. I love experimenting with different coffees and sharing them with our customers. I’m a firm believer of “you can’t buy happiness, but you can buy a coffee and that’s kind of the same thing”.”

What to read next?

Best selling coffee gift set More info

The difference between speciality coffee and supermarket coffee

Blogs
Two Chimps Valentines Coffee More info

Fall in love with our limited-edition Valentine’s coffee!

Blogs
Stirring espresso in latte glass More info

A little look at our coffee habits

Blogs

Join the troop