Quick answer
The commonest milk wine problems are cloudiness, weak curds, a bitter or medicinal taste, too much sweetness or sharpness, and spoilage. Cloudiness usually comes from squeezing the cloth or rushed straining, and can be fixed by straining slowly through paper. Weak curds come from too little citrus or low-fat milk. Bitterness comes from burnt caramel, pith or too many cloves. Sweetness and sharpness can be adjusted at bottling. Any bottle that smells sour or fizzes has spoiled and must be thrown away.
Key takeaways
- Cloudiness usually comes from squeezing or rushing, and can be fixed by straining through paper.
- Weak curds come from too little citrus, low-fat milk or milk that was not hot enough.
- Bitterness comes from burnt caramel, white pith or too many cloves.
- Sweetness and sharpness can be adjusted with syrup or citrus at bottling.
- Sour smells, mould or fizzing mean spoilage: throw the bottle away.
Cloudy milk wine
Cloudiness is the commonest complaint. The usual causes are squeezing the straining cloth, ladling the curds roughly, using a cloth with too open a weave, or straining before the curds have firmed up overnight. Low-fat milk can also leave a haze.
The fix is to strain again, slowly, through paper coffee filters or filter paper, without pressing. Several filters in parallel speed things up. Let the bottles rest afterwards, as fine sediment continues to settle over weeks.
A slight haze is cosmetic and does not make milk wine unsafe, but it usually comes with a duller flavour. A bottle that turns cloudy after being clear is different, and may be spoiling.
- →Cause: squeezing the cloth.
- →Cause: straining too early.
- →Fix: strain slowly through paper.
- →Then: rest and decant.
Weak or no curds
If the milk does not curdle firmly, the usual cause is too little acid. Add a little more strained lime juice and stir gently once. Low-fat milk and milk that was only warm rather than boiling also give weak curds.
Very fine curds are hard to strain and tend to pass through the cloth. Rest the mixture longer, up to a full day, so they can settle, then strain very slowly through paper.
Next time, use full-cream milk, bring it fully to the boil and make sure you have the juice of at least four limes per bottle of arrack.
- →Cause: too little citrus.
- →Cause: low-fat or lukewarm milk.
- →Fix: a little more lime juice, longer rest.
Bitter, medicinal or harsh tastes
A bitter, acrid taste usually means the caramel was burnt. This cannot be fixed, and a badly burnt caramel ruins a batch. Stop caramelising at deep amber in future.
A bitter citrus edge comes from the white pith under the peel. Pare the peel thinly next time. A medicinal taste usually means too many cloves or spices steeped too long. Resting softens it a little, and blending with a milder batch helps.
A harsh, spirity taste is normal in freshly strained milk wine and fades with rest. If it persists after a month, the arrack may have been rough; a little more syrup and vanilla can round it out.
- →Burnt caramel: cannot be fixed.
- →Pith: bitter citrus edge.
- →Cloves: medicinal note.
- →Harsh spirit: fades with rest.
Too sweet, too sharp or too strong
Sweetness, sharpness and strength can all be adjusted at bottling. If the milk wine is too sweet, add a little strained lime juice. If it is too sharp, add a little sugar syrup. Taste after each small addition.
If it is too strong, a little cooled sugar syrup or boiled and cooled water brings it down, though water also dilutes the flavour and can shorten keeping. If it is too weak, a splash of arrack strengthens it.
Make adjustments in small steps, and note them for next year. It is easy to add, impossible to take away.
- →Too sweet: a little lime juice.
- →Too sharp: a little syrup.
- →Too strong: syrup or water, carefully.
- →Too weak: a splash of arrack.
When milk wine has spoiled
Spoilage is the one problem that cannot be fixed. A bottle that turns cloudy after being clear, grows mould, smells sour, cheesy or yeasty, or fizzes when opened has been contaminated and should be thrown away.
Spoilage is usually caused by dirty bottles, a poor seal, curd left in the drink, too little sugar or alcohol, or storage somewhere hot. Water left in bottles after washing is another common cause.
Prevention is simple: clean everything carefully, strain well, seal tightly and store in a cool, dark place. A well-made milk wine is a very stable drink.
Getting help
Older relatives and experienced cooks are the best source of advice, and most are delighted to diagnose a problem batch. Lankan Stays & Trails can point December visitors to cooking experiences in Colombo where cooks discuss these questions.
Keep notes on each batch, including the arrack, milk, citrus and timings. When something goes wrong, the notes usually show why.
Remember that every family has had a bad year. The tradition survives because each failure teaches something.
Frequently asked questions
Why is my milk wine cloudy?
Usually because the cloth was squeezed, the curds were disturbed, the cloth weave was too open or the curds had not firmed before straining. Low-fat milk can also cause haze. Strain again slowly through paper coffee filters, without pressing, and let the bottles rest.
Why didn't my milk wine curdle properly?
Most often there was too little citrus juice, the milk was low-fat, or the milk was not boiling when added. Add a little more strained lime juice and stir gently once, then rest longer. Next time use full-cream milk, fully boiled.
Why does my milk wine taste bitter?
Burnt caramel is the most likely cause and cannot be fixed. White pith left on the citrus peel gives a bitter edge, and too many cloves give a medicinal taste. Resting softens mild bitterness, but a burnt batch is best discarded.
Can I fix milk wine that is too sweet?
Yes. Add a little strained lime juice at bottling, tasting after each small addition, until the balance is right. A little extra arrack also makes it taste less sweet. Make changes gradually, as it is easy to add but impossible to take away.
Why is my milk wine fizzing?
Fizzing means yeast or bacteria have contaminated the bottle and started fermenting the sugar. The milk wine has spoiled and should be thrown away. Prevent it with clean bottles, careful straining, a tight seal and cool storage.
Is cloudy milk wine safe to drink?
A slight haze from rushed straining is cosmetic and does not by itself make milk wine unsafe. But a bottle that turns cloudy after being clear, smells sour or cheesy, grows mould or fizzes has spoiled. When in doubt, throw it away.