Plant milk performance

How well different plant-based milks behave when steamed. Some texture well and produce stable microfoam; others stay flat, separate, or produce coarse bubbles.

Why it matters — Plant milks are now a major part of the Australian café menu. Barista-formulated versions are specifically engineered to stretch and texture similarly to dairy.

Good to know

• Oat barista (Oatly, Minor Figures, Milklab Oat) is the current best performer — closest to dairy in texture.
• Soy is the older reference — works well but tastes more savoury. Almond and coconut texture less reliably and curdle more easily with acidic espresso.