Keeping fresh milk without a fridge

[Plum]

After some mentions on this forum I have been trialing Filtered Milk. I don't have a fridge, I don't want the hassle of trying to find ice to put in a cold box and I am not a fan of the taste of "long-life" milk.

Last Friday July 22 at midday I opened my 1 litre bottle of semi skimmed "filtered milk" (available from most supermarkets) I've kept it low in the boat but not in the bilges and have been using it for tea, coffee and porridge. I have just used some in my tea at mid afternoon July 26 and it is still good after 4 days! Remarkable, given we have had daytime temperatures from 20 to 28 degrees. The bottle was empty so will not know if it would have survived longer. On July 27 I opened another bottle purchased on July 24 and I am still using it on August 31 so another 4 days having had temperatures between 19 and 24. The next trial will be to find out how long an unopened bottle will last, not in a fridge, as that will mean I can have multiple bottles on board at the start of a holiday. It tastes just like normal semi skimmed milk. ?

www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk

 

[Adios]

cravendale?

 

[Plum]

cravendale?

Yes but not sure if there are other brands.

www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk

 

[Praxinoscope]

For an overnight store of milk I built a small cool box into one of the lockers, which I use with a couple of cool blocks, for longer storage I use one of the bilge lockers which keep it fresh for a few days.
What is this ‘semi-skimmed’? Only full milk on my boat!

 

[Poignard]

My wife and I are quite happy with longlife milk but if you don't like it and must have shortlife, have you thought of using an earthenware milk cooler?

These work on the principle of cooling by evaporation.

 

[Praxinoscope]

But UHT doesn’t store as well as long once it is open.
We do keep a couple of cartons of UHT on board as back-up.

 

[Refueler]

An old trick ... I heard it was used by Egyptians in time of Pharaohs .... Place bottle in bucket of water, with a towel or similar draped over and end in the water - so water wicks up as towel dries ...

Personally - I know many don't like it .... but I try to find shop selling proper dried milk powder ... not the reduced cream / fat rubbish you usually see.

 

[Chiara’s slave]

My OH must have fresh, it’s part of our marriage deal. Even on a 24ft open deck cat we had a fridge. If we cruised dinghys we'd probably go for the earthenware solution, but whatever is the big obstacle to a fridge these days. Compact, cheap, light on power, and with the price of solar, for us it's a no brainer.

 

[TC Tuckton]

But UHT doesn’t store as well as long once it is open.
We do keep a couple of cartons of UHT on board as back-up.

My experience also. It's annoying when I have to open a litre of UHT without the prospect of using it all the same day.
Sainsbury's do UHT milk in half litre containers and in France you can get it in 250ml containers.

 

[Chiara’s slave]

Tempting fate here? Soy and oat milk can come in 250ml lots as well, keeps well too. We have that on cereal, but never in tea?

 

[Praxinoscope]

Tempting fate here? Soy and oat milk can come in 250ml lots as well, keeps well too. We have that on cereal, but never in tea?

YUK & Double YUK!

 

[VicS]

and for me . At home as well

.

 

[Praxinoscope]

My experience also. It's annoying when I have to open a litre of UHT without the prospect of using it all the same day.
Sainsbury's do UHT milk in half litre containers and in France you can get it in 250ml containers.

If you can get a wholesalers card such as ‘Bookers’ they stock the small UHT milks and creams that are used in hotels etc, unfortunately I don’t have access to one now. They were ideal on the boat.

 

[Chiara’s slave]

If you can get a wholesalers card such as ‘Bookers’ they stock the small UHT milks and creams that are used in hotels etc, unfortunately I don’t have access to one now. They were ideal on the boat.

Thats a good plan as a backup. Could save my marriage one day.

 

[Buck Turgidson]

If you can get a wholesalers card such as ‘Bookers’ they stock the small UHT milks and creams that are used in hotels etc, unfortunately I don’t have access to one now. They were ideal on the boat.

These are available in most supermarkets in Switzerland and I've found them in Spain too! I always have some in my cupboard at home and some on the boat.

 

[michael_w]

Fully skimmed UHT tastes better than the semi-skimmed or full fat.

 

[Adios]

I wonder why UHT lasts less than the filtered. Both should have eradicated the bacteria and both will be susceptible to new bacteria again when opened.

 

[Adios]

www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk

had a chuckle on your home page "the majority of the time I have sailed alone. Not because I am antisocial but because I enjoy the solitude" some might say that's like saying "Not that I don't like people, I just don't like them near me" ?

Only kidding though, I'm totally with you on solo sailing for the uninterrupted experience.

 

[Sandy]

I use UHT and it usually keeps for a week once opened. From time to time I leave an open carton on the boat between visits.

I prefer full fat as you use less in a coffee/tea

 

[Zing]

For the first time in my life I have no milk in the house, since only a few weeks ago. Black tea and coffee. I prefer it. I don’t know why it took me so long. It’ll make your life easier too.