With consumers opting more and more for nut milks (or ‘mylks’) over animal products, we tasted three different brands of almond milk made fresh and with a conscience right here in Hong Kong. Whether you’re lactose intolerant or are looking for ways to wean yourself off dairy, here are some of the best options to go for when it comes to homegrown.

1. Nut & Co 

Tatler Asia

This independent operation was set up by Anthea Murray after she moved to Hong Kong and was struggling to find good almond milk. What started out as a small passion project making almond milk for herself and her friends turned into an e-commerce business that now also supplies local cafes. Nut & Co, like the other brands in our taste trials, use 20% almonds in their blend and eschew the use of additives, thickeners, preservatives and processed sugars. The almonds are activated (soaked in water before blending) to optimise the nutrients in the resulting milk.


Ingredients
Straight Nut: Organic Australian almonds, Himalayan rock salt, filtered water
Creamy Nut: Organic Australian almonds, organic date, organic vanilla, Himalayan rock salt, filtered water

Price
HK$52 for 750ml

Where to buy
Nut & Co milks can be delivered five days a week, with orders being taken until 4pm the day before desired delivery. However, currently they only deliver to Hong Kong Island addresses with a charge of HK$50. www.nutandco.com


T.Dining says…

Nut & Co’s Straight Nut tasted and felt the lightest out of the three we tried, with the almond flavour being less pronounced than expected. For a smoothie where you do not wish the almond to overwhelm the fruit or other ingredients, this is the ideal pick. The Creamy Nut was the preferred version among the tasting panel, and we liked the added vanilla for an extra touch of luxury. This version is also one of the better options for those who enjoy having nut milks in their coffee, as it foamed up quite well in a milk frother. Nut & Co’s bottles are made from FDA grade and BPA-free plastic.

2. Nutty Concept 

Tatler Asia

Driven by the desire to promote dairy-free alternatives in Hong Kong, mother-of-two Florence Ng set up Nutty Concept not only for her own health but for her children’s. Citing chemicals and artificial flavourings commonly found in shelf-stable commercial offerings as the antithesis of what they’re trying to do, Nutty Concept uses the cold press method to extract maximum nutrients from their Californian almonds. They also keep most of the nutty ‘bits’ in the bottle—you’ll notice a higher volume of telltale brown speckles in this compared to the other brands. 


Ingredients
Original: Activated almonds from California (20%), medjool dates, Himalayan salt, filtered water
Unsweetened: Activated almonds from California (20%), Himalayan salt, filtered water

Price
HK$45 for 320ml

Where to buy
Nutty Concept almond milks are available through online orders and are delivered every Monday; they deliver to most areas in Hong Kong, including Discovery Bay. The recyclable glass bottles can be returned to their collection partners, such as Pop-Up By Social Club in Admiralty—they’re working on an alternative drop-off point in Sai Kung as well. www.nuttyconcept.hk


T.Dining says…

Out of the three brands, Nutty Concept’s fared best in our milk frother test, creating a thick and fluffy microfoam that would please many a cappuccino aficionado. The difference between the original and unsweetened versions is quite pronounced; the original seems to use more sweet dates than the other brands, as it tasted significantly richer and was overwhelmingly dessert-like when tasted on its own. We recommend the original in coffee, and the unsweetened for having with granola or in smoothies.

3. Spicebox Organics 

Tatler Asia

A favourite source for organic spices, herbs and grains, Spicebox Organics also produce their own range of nut milks. Punam Chopra, the founder of the Mid Levels- and Kennedy Town-based stores, explains that the demand for freshly-made nut milks—as opposed to pre-packaged, shelf-stable options—among her regulars informed her decision to start selling. The milks are not frozen, pasteurised or processed and the shelf life is 4 days. Freshly-made nut milks are available with two days’ notice.


Ingredients
Organic almonds from Kashmir (20%), water, organic medjool dates, Himalayan pink salt

Price
HK$70 for 500ml

Where to buy
The milks are available to order via Spicebox Organics’ website (allow two days advance notice), or you can call the stores in advance to reserve your bottle(s).

Spicebox Organics (Mid-Levels), 137 Caine Road, Shop 1, Golden Valley Mansion, Caine Road, Mid Levels, Hong Kong; +852 2559 9887
Spicebox Organics (Kennedy Town), 39-45 Hau Wo Street, Kennedy Town, Hong Kong; +852 2191 0886


T.Dining says…

We loved how the milks come in thick, flat-sided glass bottles which can be reused and repurposed. The organic almond milk did have a very slight plastic aroma at first sniff, but the texture was creamy and went down beautifully when it was fresh out of the fridge. This milk has a good balance of sweetness from the dates and barely discernable saltiness from the Himalayan pink salt. Out of the three we tried, this fared worse when used in a milk frother and served with coffee. Chopra recommends using the almond milk in smoothies—given how we liked it straight, this is sound advice. 

 

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