The Pacific Foods Organic Oat Plant-Based Beveragewas so cloying that I had to spit it out. Its oat flavor was completely masked by its sweetness and—even worse—by its lingering chalky aftertaste. Like the Califia Farms Oatmilk, it also appeared separated, even before I stirred it into coffee. I hate oat milk. Its unappetizing, murky gray color, its thin consistency. The stuff looks more like dirty dishwater than like actual milk. If I’m going to put anything in my coffee, it’s going to be regular cow’s milk. So I’m not sure if my editors were playing a cruel joke or just seeking an honest opinion when they asked me to do a blind oat milk tasting to find the best brand. Keeping an open mind, I begrudgingly accepted the challenge. The Califia Farms Oat Barista Blendhad an off-putting brown tinge and a strong oat flavor that was less balanced than that of the Oatly oat milks. It also separated in coffee, which is a big deal breaker. Minimum life based on 'use-by' date of product. Average life based on last week's deliveries. Life guarantee shown based on delivery tomorrow with the Life guarantee starting the following day. The Elmhurst Milked Oats Barista Edition was so dark (practically beige) that it looked the least like actual milk. But if you’re partial to a sweeter oat milk, this one wasn’t terrible. It didn’t separate in coffee, and it had a light oat flavor.

If you’ve browsed any of our coffee coverage, you know that we take our brew pretty seriously. From pour-overs to espresso machines, and from bean roast to brew strength, we have strong opinions about it all. This week, it’s all things coffee at Wirecutter. Califia’s new launch also coincides with three new additions to its portfolio: Chocolate Oatmilk, Unsweetened Almondmilk and Extra Creamy Oatmilk. These offerings are available at select US retailers and like the brand’s other products, are plant-based, non-GMO, Kosher and free from carageenan and soy. According to a press release, Califia Farms still stays true to its objective of having plants replacing dairy without the sacrifice of taste or quality, and also has a lofty goal to be fueled by "100% renewable power by the end of 2020," says Forbes. Outside of the top three, the oat milks start to be touch-and-go. The problem I had with them is the problem I have with oat milks in general—they just aren’t rich enough to be described as anything close to “milky.” The Planet Oat Oatmilkwas gray and watery. It didn’t curdle in hot beverages, but it was so thin and lightly flavored that it watered down coffee. Not my favorite.

The Oatly Oatmilk was by far the best of the bunch. It has a similar mouthfeel, consistency, and color to whole milk. There’s definitely an oaty flavor coming through, but it’s mild and well balanced. It didn’t overpower when stirred into coffee, and it mixed well without separating. A winner. Califia Farms is a true innovator in the beverage space," Chairman and CEO of Beverage Marketing Corporation Michael Bellas said of the distinction given to the plant-based provider. "Califia continues to expand its line of dairy alternatives with unique and on-trend products like Protein Oat and its latest Barista Blend releases: Mushroom Oat and Hemp."