The world of coffee competitions gives rise to many trends that, over time, end up influencing the industry. Some of these techniques are easily integrated into the daily routine of coffee shops; others, however, are more difficult to replicate and remain mainly in the competitive arena. One of the most interesting in recent years is Freeze Distilled Milk .
This technique involves freezing the milk and then partially thawing it, retaining only a small portion of the resulting liquid. The aim is to reduce the water content and concentrate sugars, fats, and proteins, thus obtaining a much sweeter and creamier milk.
The result can be surprising: a latte with more texture, more natural sweetness, and a much more intense mouthfeel.
The origin of the technique
The technique became popular in2017 thanks to Ben Put, a Canadian barista and co-founder of Monogram Coffee.
Before its appearance, milk in coffee was often treated as a secondary ingredient. With this technique, it began to be understood as an element that can also add complexity and significantly alter the sensory experience of the drink.
What happens when we freeze milk
Milk is composed of approximately:
- 87% water
- 3–4% fat
- 3–4% protein
- 4–5% lactose and minerals
When milk is frozen and then thawed, the first components to be released are fats, proteins, and minerals, while water thaws later.
If, during the process, we only keep the first part of the thawed liquid, we obtain a much more concentrated milk.
Depending on the percentage recovered, normally between 30% and 50% of the initial volume, the result will have a higher or lower concentration of sugars, fats, and minerals, which directly influences the final flavor of the beverage.
However, it is an expensive technique: much of the milk is discarded to obtain only a small amount of the concentrated liquid.
How this technique has evolved
Based on this initial idea, new techniques have emerged that seek to further concentrate the solids in milk.
One of the best-known examples is that of competitor Anthony Douglas, winner of the World Barista Championship in 2022, who used cryodrying or freeze-drying.
This process consists of:
- Freeze the milk
- Apply vacuum to remove water
- Obtain solid concentrates
- Subsequently rehydrate in controlled proportions
The result is milk with a very high level of control over texture and sweetness.
Other techniques used in competition
In addition to freeze distillation, other strategies are also used in competitions to modify the milk profile:
- Ultrafiltration, used in some commercial milks to increase protein content.
- Blends of milk with different fat contents.
The case of Spain
At the 2026 National Barista Championship, winner Andrés Paparoni, Academy Operations Manager & Trainer at The Nomad Academy, used this technique for his milk-based drink.
In his case, he worked with 30% thawed milk, using lactose-free milk and combining it with a blend of Chiroso and Eugeniodes.
The result was a beverage with notes reminiscent of melted ice cream, rum with raisins, and cherry, demonstrating how manipulating milk can completely transform the experience of a cup.
Are you brave enough to try it?
Freeze Distilled Milk proves that even an everyday ingredient like milk can become a field of experimentation.
It may not be an easy technique to apply in the day-to-day running of a coffee shop, but it does raise an interesting question:
To what extent can we transform the flavor of coffee by also working with milk?
Ivette — Director of The Nomad Academy