13 Tips for the Best Tasting Goat Milk
I'm so glad that I never tasted store-bought goat's milk before we decided to get dairy goats. I knew I loved goat cheese and that was enough to sell me. But store-bought goat milk...how do I say this... store-bought goat milk tastes a bit like spoiled sour cream with notes of wet dog, and just a hint of musty basement. I promise you that fresh, raw goat milk is sweet, delicious, and can be very similar to cow's milk. If you have goats in milk and their milk doesn't taste delicious here are 13 tips for the best-tasting goat milk.
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What does good goat milk taste like?
It tastes a lot like cow's milk. Like cow's milk but with a hint of earthiness and a bit of tang just at the end, it kinda hits your tongue after you swallow. The tang is similar to what you might taste with Greek yogurt or the dominant flavor of goat cheese. This flavor is very mild and is enhanced when the cheese is cultured or aged.
The distinct flavor in goat milk is caused by short- and medium-chain fatty acids. Caprylic acid, capric acid, and caproic acid make up 15% of goat milk, whereas these fatty acids only make up 7% of cows' milk. As the milk is manipulated these fatty acids change their flavor profile. These enzymes are what give goat milk its signature "goat" flavor.
If you're new to goat's milk, I encourage you to find a goatherd and ask if you can taste the milk before you purchase a doe.
If the milk doesn't taste sweet and earthy with just a hint of tang...if it's going more toward the musty basement flavor profile, then I encourage you to try the tips below.
1. Drink it raw
I encourage you to do your own research on the benefits and dangers of drinking raw milk and decide what is best for your family. I have no problem drinking our goat's milk raw, but we know our animals are healthy. Each year they undergo a biosecurity and health screening that would rule out any milk-borne illness that could be passed on to humans. We also practice a strict, hygienic routine when handling our milk. (See my post Our Goat Milking Routine.)
The reason store-bought goat milk tastes different from raw is that it is pasteurized.
What is pasteurization?
In the 1860s Louis Pasteur was asked to find processes to kill harmful bacteria in a number of foods. It was here where he developed the process of pasteurization.
According to the U.S Dairy Industry,
In most milk processing plants, chilled raw milk is heated by passing it between heated stainless steel plates until it reaches 161° F. It's then held at that temperature for at least 15 seconds before it's quickly cooled back to its original temperature of 39° F.
Store-bought goat milk tastes the way it does because heating the milk increases the flavor intensity of those fatty acids mentioned above. It also kills beneficial bacteria and nutrients which change the flavor.
2. Cool the milk fast
Even if you are drinking your goat's milk raw, you will get the best flavor by cooling the milk quickly after milking.
I store our clean, steel milk pail in the freezer. I also throw in a few frozen, granite ice cubes. As the milk comes out of the goat, it hits the cold milk pail and begins to cool immediately. After I'm done milking I get the milk in the house as quickly as I can, especially if it's summer and filter it. Filtering quickly will remove any hair or debris which can also give the milk an off-taste.
After I filter our milk I place it in the freezer for an hour to cool rapidly. Then I put it in the fridge.
3. Drink it within 4 days
After about 4 days you'll notice the milk starts to taste more "goaty". The best-tasting milk is fresh. Use older milk for cheese making or for making soap. (See my post How to Make Goat Cheese)
4. Keep your bucks at a distance
In the goat world, there is a thing called "buck milk" and it tastes terrible! When you run your bucks with your does year-round, the bucks emit a hormone that the females react to by making a response hormone. This hormone affects the taste of the milk and makes the milk taste like a buck smells. If your milk tastes "bucky" it might be time to move your bucks farther away from your does. Or consider only bringing bucks to your farm during the breeding season. (Check out my post Should I Keep a Goat Buck?)
5. Breed
In the past, we've raised Alpines and Nubians for dairy purposes. While our Alpines produced about 1/3 to 1/2 more milk than our Nubians, the Nubian milk is much more delicious. I've heard this comparison in the cow world as well. Holsteins are like Alpines, whereas Jerseys are like Nubians. Nubians and Nigerian Dwarf goats have a high butter-fat content. Their milk is sweet and rich.
For our homestead, Nubians are the ideal goat. We get the benefit of the high-fat content and they produce a decent amount of milk. About 1/2 gallon per day.
If you're unhappy with the flavor of your milk, consider adding some Nubian genetics to your herd.
6. Genetics
Even if you have the same breed of goat, on the same diet, and on the same pasture, there will be subtle differences in milk flavor. Some goats are just muskier than others. If you really hate the flavor of a particular goat in your herd, consider saving her milk for soap making. (Soap-making post coming soon!)
7. Stage of Lactation
After your goat gives birth she will be full of colostrum for her kids. Colostrum is high in protein and nutrients, antioxidants, and antibodies that boost the immune system. Colostrum is low in fat. As the kids draw the colostrum from her, her milk will rise in butter fat. Her butter fat content will be at its peak after around 2 weeks. It will slowly taper down and at around 2 months will stay relatively the same if her diet is consistent. She will eventually dry off if not freshened (bred again).
As her milk changes in butter fat content so will the flavor of the milk.
8. The goat's diet
Nutrition plays a big part in the flavor of milk.
Alfalfa is said to be the most effective at producing delicious milk. We have a hard time finding alfalfa hay around our homestead. I can't rely on it as a continuous source of food for our animals. If you can't feed alfalfa, choose a quality, unmedicated grain meant for goats. Non-GMO or organic mixes are a great choice. A higher protein content, 16% or above is best. You can also use additives to up the protein levels. Pelleted alfalfa or beet pulp are good choices. (See my post The Goat Diet)
Quality pasture is also important for goats and the quality of their milk. Goats are not necessarily "grass-grazing animals". If it's all that's available to them, then they will eat it. They much prefer brush-type foods.
You can also feed black oil sunflower seeds to help with fat content.
9. Minerals
Mineral deficiencies can also cause negative flavors in goat milk.
A Vitamin B12 deficiency can make the milk taste bitter. (As can a large parasite load.)
Copper deficiencies can give a salty flavor to the milk.
Make sure your goat has access to goat-specific minerals 24/7. Goats need higher copper levels than most "all-stock" mineral blends offer.
Talk to your vet about the addition of copper bolus', vitamin B supplements, calcium, and selenium supplements.
10. Clean equipment and surroundings
Common sense cleanliness can also ensure that your milk has the best flavor. Learn proper sanitizing techniques for dairy equipment. Keep the milking area and stanchion clean and free of manure, dust, etc.
Filter your milk as soon as possible.
Keep your doe's udders shorn to prevent hairs from falling into the milk.
Keep stalls clean and fresh so that udders stay clean.
Wash udders thoroughly before milking.
11. Healthy goats
Healthy goats give the best-tasting milk. I wouldn't want to drink milk from a sick goat, or a goat with a high parasite load.
Make sure your goat is robust and healthy before consuming her milk.
12. Mastitis
Mastitis is an infection of the udder.
Learn the symptoms of mastitis: swollen udder, red udder feverish udder, hard udder, thick chunks or snot-like substance in the milk, blood in the milk, an udder that is sensitive to touch, salty-tasting milk.
Learn how to prevent and treat mastitis. (blog post coming soon)
13. Dietary additions
Some dietary additions can give the milk an off taste. Any vegetable in the onions family, onions, garlic, chives, shallots, etc. While I've not experienced this, I've read that some people think kelp can change the milk flavor.
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