u/gintea_balance

My first ever attempt at a milk washed coffee: started with a base hazel color of pour over coffee followed by mixing it with cherry crush, salt, lemon, bitters, and milk. Once the pink milk had curdled, filtered it through V60 to get a clear amber like liquid - that's tasting more like kokum flavored coffee than cherry flavored coffee.
Since it was the first time, i didn't measure anything- but now that i know how it works i can make more attempts to get different profiles intentionally!

Milk washing is a very old mixology technique that uses proteins present in milk to clarify and smooth out harsh spirits and cocktails. By mixing an acid rick cocktail infused with milk, the resulting curd binds to bitter compounds and straining it gives a very clear drink!

Edited to add:
There are two major techniques like this: milk washing and fat washing. I have done fat washing before using butter (but that's for a different post, I need to make pics). Hadn't done milk washing so tried that today.

Milk washing is essentially when you mix any flavoured liquid (typically cocktails or juices, but also coffee) with milk and an acid that will curdle the mixture. Today I added bitters, a crushed paste/juice of cherries for flavour (you can use star anise, cinnamon, etc also), and salt+lemon for acid.

The acid will cause the milk to curdle, and the casein proteins in the milk will bind with the typical bitter compounds like tannin, and the sediment from the crushed fruits. When you filter through a fine material (like the v60 paper, if you use cloth you will have to do multiple times I think) - only the clear whey is passed through and the texture, mouthfeel (I remember what Boyle said :D ) are totally different with no leftover bitterness/oily taste and no texture of milk.

It really is amazing, and I will make pre measured attempts to create specific profiles!