So I'm new to the concept of thermoses. I purchased my inaugural thermos today, along with a can of Ghiaridelli hot chocolate mix and a quart of 2% milk. I intended to make a quart of steaming, delicious hot chocolate to enoy throughout my night of astronomical observing up in the chilly mountains. Well, I cleaned out the new stainless steel thermos the best I could (poured some boiling water into it, etc.), made the hot chocolate in a small pot straight out of the dishwasher, and put the resuling hot chocolate in the thermos. I tasted the hot chocolate a couple of times during its heating, and thought it tasted good. Well... later on in the evening, I pulled out my thermos, poured a cup, and prepared myself for tastebud bliss. But the hot chocolate... just didn't taste good. It tasted a bit sour, like the milk was bad (it wasn't). It also made me feel a little queasy after drinking it, though perhaps it was only psychosomatic. I opted out of the other three cups in the thermos, and decided not to offer anyone else any. Now, here's my question: does hot milk go bad? Certainly, if you leave milk on the counter overnight, it spoils; but this is due to the action of aerobic bacteria that need oxygen. In a sealed thermos, there isn't much oxygen, so the milk shouldn't spoil... or should it? Am I a retard for storing milk-based hot chocolate in a thermos for a couple of hours? Should I stick to water-based hot chocolate in the future? What did I do wrong?!?! - The Chocolate-Deprived Astronomer
or someone just sold ya a piece of shit thermos.. ehehhe.. Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!
I've had thermoses make drinks taste like metal before, and i'm guessing thats what happened with your thermos.
Reformed, that is normal. Hot chocolate in a thermos tastes a bit sour after a while, don't know why though. I have experienced this many times through my horrible schoolyears filled with endless meaningsless outdoors days. Haven't tried with only milk though, try that and mix in the chocolate when you are going to drink it, maybe it tastes better then..?
Spoil, curdle -- whatever. If you get the milk too hot (nearly boiling) it will curdle, right? I don't think I did that... but it was steaming pretty good when I took it off the stove. - Warren
Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! :bugeye: Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! good lord, the enzymes in the milk are going to have a hey day with the lining of the thermos...
chroot The only reason I can think is that you somehow managed to get something acidic into the milk causing it to curdle. Get out the litmus paper. Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!
Warren, Do you still have the all the paperwork (directions, warrenty, etc) that came with the thermos? If so, look and see if it says something about it there. If not, perhaps there is a costomer service number you can call so you can ask them directly. If anyone should know they should. Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!
Well, I made hot chocolate again last night -- with skim milk and a different kind of chocolate. It came out nice. I have the feeling the other chocolate I bought just didn't taste good...... - Warren
How about if milk just plain goes bad unless you freeze it? I doubt if you can stop the 'aging' of milk otherwise.
Warren: Good, glad it worked out. Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! One last thing before I jump out of this thread. This is something I try to keep in mind when dealing with any perishable type food - when in doubt throw it out.
A silent flew prawl of an nigth bird whose dropings proved that the absolute randomnes doesn't exist and that all is in the hands of a small mean god who is full of mischief and enjoys candid camera moments which only he can see....
