gag me with a pitchfork!

[Judith]

Before getting too deep into goats I visited a small commercial organic goat dairy. The bred was primarily alpine. I purchased some cheese, yogurt and some spreadible cheeses. GROSS!!!!! I could not believe how "goaty" everything is. The smell is just nasty. I really wanted to get into raising and producing on a large scale but I have to admit that I can not stand the taste of goat product. Do you think it was just the dairy? Or do I just not like goat? Everyone I have spoken to says goat milks should be sweet and delicious. HMMMM.....

[lyceum]

That would definitely be the buckiness coming through on the goat milk products. Most larger dairies run bucks with does while milking. If you keep the buck seperate, the milk will not taste goaty at all and neither will the cheese.

Carisa

[Lada]

I don't know about commercial production, but I've made ice cream, yogurt, cheese, and we drink the milk and nothing ever tastes goaty. The only time it did was after the girls came back from their "conjugal visit" so I do think it has something to do with a buck being around them.

[hoofinitnorth]

It doesn't have to be the bucks but it could be. I have not had that experience and I have milked goats that were living with their bucks for breeding.

It could be their diet, or most likely, the way they are handling the milk. I would try another dairy's products. Why not call the dairy and tell them your experience?

[Judith]

My Hubby said the same thing you guys are. That it should not taste goaty. And boy does it ever. I could have stuck one of the kids in my mouth and had less goat flavor! I'm not a fussy eater at all so hubby got a real good giggle out of my gagging and sputtering Goats have been milked forever so one would think it would be tasty! I'll try another dairy

[KimM]

My goat's milk is sweet, creamy, and has great flavor! I went to the ODGA conference last year and there were samples of homemade goat cheeses and fudge everywhere, it was ALL sooooo good. No goaty flavors at all.
I have bought goat cheese from Sam's Club and WalMart and yes, it was disgusting.

[KimM]

OMG! Thanks for the visual!!!!!

Originally Posted by Judith

My Hubby said the same thing you guys are. That it should not taste goaty. And boy does it ever. I could have stuck one of the kids in my mouth and had less goat flavor! I'm not a fussy eater at all so hubby got a real good giggle out of my gagging and sputtering Goats have been milked forever so one would think it would be tasty! I'll try another dairy

[Vicki McGaugh TX Nubians]

The larger the volume of milk, the more need for a bulk tank. Bulk tanks have agitators at the bottom of them that stirs the milk so the bulk tank chills the milk quickly. This agitation breaks the fatty acid chain in the milk, and that is where the capric acid breaks down and causes the flavor of the milk. It's rarely anything but that.

You can do this yourself with clean milk. Pour half of it in the fridge, put the other half in a blender...blend for a minute. Pour in the fridge and get the milk out in a week. The smell and taste of the blended goat milk is awful, which in turn makes awful cheese. The milk that wasn't agitated and set for a week is still creamy and delicious.

If your milk is awful, condense it down into cheese and you have an awful product. Vicki

[Goat Servant]

If I had bad product I'd sure want to know about it, wouldnt you?

[chamoisee]

Some people are more sensitive to goaty flavor than others. I used to fool people with our goat milk, but I myself could not drink it. Of course, I can't really drink milk anyway, and I hate the taste of anymilk...but I could always tell it was goat milk even if the flavor was very mild.

[catdance62]

I agree with the Vicki--I think in a large, commercial dairy they treat the milk a lot different (out of necessity) than small producers do just because of the volume involved. My goat's milk has NEVER tasted "goaty", but of course I keep my bucks far away from my does and am only dealing with a small home-dairy sized amount at a time so can chill it immediatly, no agitation involved.

[DairyGoatSlave]

hehe thanks for the image

[madness]

Interesting info Vicki! I always wondered why store bought goat milk was so gross while home goat milk is delicious. I figured it was the pasteurization but it's essentially a homogenization thing. Hmmm.

My husband can't stand store bought goat products (milk, cheese, yogurt, etc) but he loves stuff from our own goats. Try a small homestead!

[Judith]

the dairy that I purchased from is well known in our area and very famous for their award winning cheeses. I am wondering how long the milk was in the bulk tank for though. With only 50 goats it might sit for a bit. I do know it is pasturized . But the cheese actually smells like there is a buck in the fridge. I can smell it as soon as I walk in the front door. There is no odor to the creamed cheeze or the yogurt. Both of them are OK at first bite and then a couple minutes later this horrible animal after taste. The gouda is so strong i can't even nibble it. I will try a home farmer and see what happens. it would be aweful to sell product if I can't do my own taste testing I love the goats that is for sure.. But it might just be me. maybe I am goat intolerant ( horrors..)

[SheriM]

I have had a problem with my goats' milk tasting goaty sometimes, but other times it's great. I blame it on my handling. We consume very little of our milk. Most of it goes to feeding bottle babies or making soaps and lotions, so I'm not always as quick as I should be to get it chilled down and I think that's a major factor.

[hoofinitnorth]

Helianthus - I agree that some folks are more sensitive. I notice if the milk starts to get goaty right away, but it will take a few more days for my husband to notice - IF I DON'T TELL HIM. Of course, if he notices I'm not drinking it, he gets suspicious!

I have had a few times when it tasted slightly goaty to me, more as an aftertaste. The bigger problem I have had is the milk tasting like colostrum for a good 2.5-3 weeks after freshening. BLECH! I can really taste even the tiniest amount in the milk and it is just "wrong". It's clearly colostrum, as I've tasted that distinct flavor right at freshening. You never forget it.

[Beulah Gardens]

You need to try a different breed. First I want to tell you that I have an Alpine that I LOVE but my family hates her milk... we cross her w/ a Nubian buck and her babies give awesome milk BUT it never fails that if someone gets into the fridge for a glass of milk and gives a full body shudder, they guzzle the rest and say " Yep, that's Girl's milk, she's like licking a saddle." She gives a lot of milk and it is easy to hide in pudding and icecream so I keep on milking her along w/ the rest of my gals. I'd try a few others before saiying you hate goat milk just yet.

[Backfourty,MI.]

We bought some semi soft goat cheese at sam's & thought it was terrible! Haven't tried another brand yet but want to.
What do you that eat goat cheese put it on or in?

[QoTL]

The first time I tasted goat cheese (last year, not sure what kind but it was soft) I swear I felt like I had just licked a nasty buck.. It was SO AWFUL. I even tried cutting a very tiny piece, drowning it in mayo, and putting it on bread.. NOPE. didn't help. I didn't have the heart to tell the people who gave it to me though, since they LOVE their cheese.

It was so terrible, and I could still smell it on my breath an hr later!

I have tasted the milk from my own doe though (not much, just a sip so far) and although it doesn't taste quite like cow's milk to me, it doesn't have a nasty flavor or smell, and certainly no buckiness. I'm not sure if it was because it was fresh from the goat or not, but it more reminded me of warm cow milk left on the counter and having gotten a bit warm.. that was it. Not nasty. And I haven't drank goat's milk since I was small, so I'd tell ya if I hated it

btw- I don't have a buck.

[DairyGoatSlave]

iv olny had goat milk ice cream to be honest, i.... hate cheese and am not a fan of milk, pluse my babys are getting all of it right now..i sure hope its not bucky, i have a really sensitive taste