What Non-Dairy Starbucks Fans Should Know About Oatmilk Cold Foam

Starbucks, one of the world's most popular coffee shop chains, has always been quick to innovate when it comes to its beverages. This is one of the reasons why people love their drinks so much. There aren't many coffeehouses that offer such a wide range of options to cater to people's diverse tastes and dietary preferences. Despite their popularity, Starbucks also has its fair share of secrets. Apart from their secret menus with unlisted drink recipes, there are many things about Starbucks' ingredients that people may not be aware of. For instance, did you know that you can add a cold foam-inspired oat milk froth to any drink that you want, at any time you'd like?

Oat milk cold foam isn't new at all. This dairy-free alternative to the standard cold foam, which is typically made from heavy cream and low-fat milk, has been a part of many recipes for a long time, and featured in past Starbucks drinks like the Nitro Cold Brew or the Cold Brew with Cinnamon Oat Milk. While oat milk cold foam isn't explicitly available on the menu anymore, you can achieve a similar drink experience by asking your bartender to add frothed oat milk to any drink you desire. 

In addition to being a dairy-free option, which is a blessing for those with lactose intolerance, Starbucks' oat milk froth sets itself apart from other cold foams with its creamy texture that closely resembles the standard frothed dairy milk. This similarity is owed to its thickness and creaminess which is similar to dairy. Flavor-wise, oat milk produces a richer foam compared to other types of plant-based milk, like almonds.

Unfortunately, oat milk falls short of dairy foam in a couple of ways. Its froth doesn't reach the same heights, and the foam dissipates more rapidly. This is because cow's milk contains proteins and fat that are ideal for frothing, whereas oat milk is mostly water and lacks the necessary proteins to maintain the froth for long. That's why you should sip the drink right away when you get it while the froth's still around. If you hold onto the drink for too long, the cold foam may be gone by the time you take a sip.

While it's not quite a one-to-one copy of dairy, it seems like oat milk froth is as close as you can get to having a dairy-free foam-like experience without compromising either on the texture or the taste. Ask your bartender to add it to your drink the next time you hit your local Starbucks!