Why isn’t Summerhill Goat Milk homogenized?
Homogenization is a process by which the fat particles in milk are broken down and evenly distributed through the milk. Goats’ milk is naturally homogenized, meaning the fat particles are smaller than that of cow’s milk. However, the cream in pasteurized goat milk may separate and rise to the top. That is why we recommend gently shaking your goat milk before serving it. You can also spoon the cream off of the milk, creating your own “lower fat” version of our whole milk.
Is Summerhill Goat Milk free of artificial hormones?
Yes. We do not use rBST or any other growth hormones on our goats. We help our goats produce rich delicious milk the natural way – by feeding them well, by caring for their good health and by giving them lots of room to exercise and play.
Is Summerhill Goat Milk free of antibiotics?
Yes, our milk is always free of antibiotics. In fact, each tank of milk is tested to ensure that it is free of antibiotics before the pasteurization and bottling process begins.
Is Summerhill Goat Milk organic?
Our goal is to keep our goat milk all natural. When you purchase a bottle of Summerhill Goat Milk you are always getting pure goat milk. We do not add or remove anything from the milk that our goats produce. Nor do we standardize or homogenize our goat milk. However, at this time, our milk is not certified organic. Although what our goats eat is always natural and pure, we have found it very difficult and very expensive to purchase good quality organic hay, which is the staple of their diet.
Why and how is Summerhill Goat Milk pasteurized?
We pasteurize our milk to ensure that it is free of bacteria or other harmful organisms. Pasteurization also enables you to enjoy our milk for longer periods of time, as pasteurization increases the shelf life of our goat milk from 3-5 days (raw) to 21 days (pasteurized). We use a HTST (High Temperature Short Time) system. It heats the milk to 161 degrees for 15 seconds. Not only does this system use much less water, power and energy than other methods– we think the milk tastes the best this way.
What about Ultra-Pasteurization?
We want to preserve as much natural goodness in our goat milk as possible, therefore our milk is NOT ultra-pasteurized. Ultra-pasteurizing is a process in which the milk is heated to 280 degrees and held there for 2 seconds. While ultra-pasteurizing our milk would give it a considerably longer shelf life, we do not like the “burned” taste it gives the milk.
What about Raw (Unpasteurized) Goat Milk?
While we think our milk tastes absolutely delicious straight from the goat, we do not sell our milk in raw form. We are confident that our Pasteurized Goat Milk is a delicious alternative.
How long is Summerhill Goat Milk good? Do clumps mean it has spoiled?
For the best taste and nutritional value we recommend that you consume our goat milk by the date stamped on the side of the bottle. Once the bottle is opened, we recommend that you finish it within a few days. The best way to keep Summerhill Goat milk fresh is to always keep it cold. Like cow milk, goat milk will smell and taste bad if it has spoiled.
Clumps and chunks in the milk are very normal. It is merely cream that has clumped together. (see the section on homogenization). The amount of cream in goat milk varies by the season. Because we wish to keep our milk pure, we do not add or remove anything from the milk that would prevent this separation. Shaking or stirring the bottle should reduce or remove the clumps. You can also spoon the cream off of the milk, creating your own “lower fat” version of our whole milk.
Can I freeze Summerhill Goat Milk?
Unopened goat milk can be frozen for several weeks. However, the consistency of the milk may change when you thaw it. We also recommend that you drink it quickly, as it will spoil more rapidly.
Do I need to be concerned about the plastic bottle?
Our bottles are made of High-density polyethylene (HDPE). They contain no PETE or BPA’s. We have found our bottles to be a good alternative to cartons which can affect the taste of our goat milk and to glass which would dramatically raise the price of our milk. |
