Following yesterday's post on A2 milk I decided to follow it up with a head to head milk challenge.
A2 with the Beta Casein difference up against Bannister Downs, a top notch local.
First things first - milk preference is ENTIRELY subjective - we all like different things in milk so I will report on two thing - the observable facts and my subjective experience of the final results.
I purchased one litre of each milk at Sister's IGA in Joondalup. Each had the same 'best before' date, 12 July.
I measured 200ml of each - enough for a small flat white.
My first test was odour - milk that has a strong 'milky' smell often overpowers the coffee - neither had a strong odour, in fact the A2 was almost odourless. The Bannister Downs had a very slight fresh milk smell.
I had not intentionally considered colour as a factor - until I looked at each jug side by side. There was a distinct difference with the Bannister Downs having a slight creamy colour and the A2 an almost pristine white. I'm hoping it shows up in the photo but the colour difference, although slight, was apparent to the naked eye.
I poured two shots in identical stainless steel cups and then commenced steaming the milk.
The very first difference I noticed was the time to heat - the A2 'ran hot' as in it heated up much faster than the Bannister Downs. (I ran the steam wand for 10 seconds before each to try and minimise differences in temperature and pressure).
Both gave a fine creamy, glossy microfoam although I'd have to say that the A2 seemed slightly finer.
It did not seem to be as easy to intergrate the foam into the milk with the A2 and this shows in the final pours with the Bannister Downs being much more responsive for latte art purposes.
However - it is the taste that is critical for me. Mrs Grendel and I both tasted the results and it is a split verdict.
The Bannister Downs was distinctly creamier and richer and I would suggest that it might have a higher cream proportion - both colour and mouthfeel suggest this.
The A2 however had a much lighter taste and did not dominate the coffee at all which surprised and pleased me.
The Bannister Downs did have a more prominent flavour profile, which while pleasant, would not necessarily allow some more subtle coffee blends to strut their stuff.
The Verdict
I liked the A2 better with this coffee - it is a high quality milk for sure but you are likely to suffer from 'sticker shock' at a price of $3.04 for a litre.
Mrs Grendel liked the Bannister Downs and noted in particular its additional creaminess. The price also is a little easier to swallow at $1.99 for a litre.
As I discussed yesterday, A2 milk is claimed to have a number of health benefits for people with particular conditions. On the current evidence I would not be able to support that it can actually do what is claimed in that respect, however that doesn't mean that it is not a high quality dairy product.
On balance I think the Bannister Downs has the edge - costing 1/3 less with a creamy profile and good balanced palate it is a great local milk. The A2 is interesting and while I personally preferred it I would have a very hard time justifying the additional expense for the very slight difference in the cup.
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My regular is Harvey Fresh full milk which textures well and tastes good, but I have pampered myself this weekend with Bannister Downs, my flat white of Brazil Palan Alto/Ehtiopian Natural Dima blend came up a treat with the natural sweetness and creamy texture of this great milk. Must run, time for a short mach!!
I've used Bannister Downs and the A2 milk and would have to say I came to the same conclusions as you.
It may just be that I like what I'm used to, but I've found the BD milk easier to texture and pour with than the A2. Compared to Brownes, Masters etc they are both far superior milks though.
One thing to also note is that they claim that there is no permeate used in the A2 milk which is another reason for the higher quality.
For my coffee though after going through 4L of A2 as a trial, I'm back to Bannister Downs :)
I suspect that the real reason that the quality in A2 milk is (or seems) higher is because Jersey and Guernsey cows are the primary choice for A2 production. These breeds produce milk that is higher in cream content and using this milk without ultra-fine filtering (skimming to produce permeate) means that you end up with a much richer product. This seems to me to be more important than the A1/A2 protein issue.
I had assumed that Jersey cows also produced higher levels of lactose, but on further research I have found that they are actually lactose deficient compared to Holstein/Fresian breeds.
The end result is that the Bannister Downs willpossibly be slightly less creamy, but sweeter than A2 milk.
Unless its changed, the A2 is produced outside of Western Australia. This was the discussion I had with a rep and contributes to the higher cost. Comparing to BD this is a negative. it has the advantage of the eco packaging and local source. Also I like the fact that BD is a vertical business; they own and control land/ cows/ milking/ processing/ packaging and distribution here in WA. Both taste good and choice is always great. I used A2 at the Austrlaian Open Barista Championships this year and was really pleased with it. Agree A2 is perhaps a bit cleaner/ crisper and the BD richer.
Thanks for the confirm on the flavour profile Em. It's been a while between milk tasting sessions for me (I think 1987 was the last proper one I was at!) so I need some more practice.
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