A question for our British posters

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

Why do British people drink their coffee with milk instead of half and half?  I've noticed this at work when we get British people, that they almost always ask for milk.  I'll tell them we have creamer around the corner, but offer them a carton of milk to use if they want it, and while some of them take the creamer, a fair amount opt for the milk.

So, I was just curious.  Is half and half in coffee an American thing?  Or is the use of milk in coffee a British thing?

[Obnoxiously Slutty Girly Girl]

Why do British people drink their coffee with milk instead of half and half?  I've noticed this at work when we get British people, that they almost always ask for milk.  I'll tell them we have creamer around the corner, but offer them a carton of milk to use if they want it, and while some of them take the creamer, a fair amount opt for the milk.

So, I was just curious.  Is half and half in coffee an American thing?  Or is the use of milk in coffee a British thing?

Isn't tea the British thing?

[Franzl]

We use milk in Germany as well.

[afleitch]

Places like Starbucks give you the option, but I'm mostly a tea drinker anyway

[Barnes]

Yuck, creamer. Milk all the way!

[Platypus]

In Australia, it's exclusively milk. We laugh at Americans for using 'creamer'. What the  hell is it, anyway, and why not use perfectly good milk like you're meant to? It seems to fall under the same (large) category of American dairy mistakes as cheese in a can and that plastic stuff on Big Macs.

[Teddy (IDS Legislator)]

Why do British people drink their coffee with milk instead of half and half?  I've noticed this at work when we get British people, that they almost always ask for milk.  I'll tell them we have creamer around the corner, but offer them a carton of milk to use if they want it, and while some of them take the creamer, a fair amount opt for the milk.

So, I was just curious.  Is half and half in coffee an American thing?  Or is the use of milk in coffee a British thing?

I don't drink a lot of coffee, but I'd say it's an american thing, though you can find both in Canada, I don't know what "half and half" is. We do have them little creamer cup thingies though, but a lot of them just have milk, usually homo.

[Countess Anya of the North Parish]

Yuck, creamer. Milk all the way!

i prefer milk in my coffee instead of cream as well.

[Cubby]

Half & Half is much better than milk when you're having coffee. If you just put in milk then you have to add the sugar separately if you want it. With Half & Half you take care of both at once. I don't like coffee with just milk in it.

[Countess Anya of the North Parish]

Half & Half is much better than milk when you're having coffee. If you just put in milk then you have to add the sugar separately if you want it. With Half & Half you take care of both at once. I don't like coffee with just milk in it.

but you get real milk when you use real milk instead of half & half. it tastes very different with good real milk.

[Хahar 🤔]

but you get real milk when you use real milk instead of half & half.

Thank you, Captain Obvious.

[Countess Anya of the North Parish]

but you get real milk when you use real milk instead of half & half.

Thank you, Captain Obvious.

why thank you. my day would be horrible without your pointless comments. i was actually referring to the taste. my bad. i didn't type it the right way. pardon me.

[Tender Branson]

I also drink coffee with milk, about 2/3 coffee and 1/3 milk (without sugar).

BTW: What is a "Half & Half" and a "creamer" ?

[Obnoxiously Slutty Girly Girl]

If I drink coffee, I drink it without any dairy products (or sugar) in it, unless I'm having a latte or cappuccino.

[Cubby]

Half & Half is much better than milk when you're having coffee. If you just put in milk then you have to add the sugar separately if you want it. With Half & Half you take care of both at once. I don't like coffee with just milk in it.

but you get real milk when you use real milk instead of half & half. it tastes very different with good real milk.

I guess it depends on what kind of milk you use. Skim milk wouldn't be good enough as a half & half substitute, while 2% milk probably would be.

BTW: What is a "Half & Half" and a "creamer" ?

They are both forms of milk that lots of people put in coffee to dilute the somewhat harsh taste of plain black coffee. In my opinion it makes it much, much better, but everyone has their own system. I once heard a doctor say that drinking plain coffee without any milk/half & half over long periods of time can cause ulcers. Creamer is milk with a much higher fat content than regular milk. (I think)

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[Countess Anya of the North Parish]

i use the 2% milk.

[Gustaf]

You put that in your coffee? I've never heard of it being done in Sweden, although not being a coffee-drinker, I'm very ignorant on the subject.

[Franzl]

In Australia, it's exclusively milk. We laugh at Americans for using 'creamer'. What the  hell is it, anyway, and why not use perfectly good milk like you're meant to? It seems to fall under the same (large) category of American dairy mistakes as cheese in a can and that plastic stuff on Big Macs.

Is Australian self-esteem that low?

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

BTW: What is a "Half & Half" and a "creamer" ?

It's half milk and half cream.

[Swedish Rainbow Capitalist Cheese]

I sometimes take half cream half milk in my tea, gives it a very nice taste so I can see why Americans like it in their coffee.

But yeah it's mostly American. Here people seem to have milk, or in some rare cases cream, but never both, that's just weirdos like me. 

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Something about not wanting a heart attack, I think.

[minionofmidas]

Why do British people drink their coffee with milk instead of half and half?  I've noticed this at work when we get British people, that they almost always ask for milk.  I'll tell them we have creamer around the corner, but offer them a carton of milk to use if they want it, and while some of them take the creamer, a fair amount opt for the milk.

So, I was just curious.  Is half and half in coffee an American thing?  Or is the use of milk in coffee a British thing?

One is as it's supposed to be, the other is a just-about-bearable substitute for the other (and is much more easily stored, so if coffee is the only use you have for milk and you're not drinking a lot of coffee, then, well, yeah.)

"Half and half" is a strange term, though.

Also, of course, filter coffee is the only accepted use for that vile-when-drunken-pure stuff. Try using it for a cappuccino, or for tea! Of which the Brits drink a lot.

BTW: What is a "Half & Half" and a "creamer" ?

"Kaffeesahne", ie Dosenmilch.

[minionofmidas]

Half & Half is much better than milk when you're having coffee. If you just put in milk then you have to add the sugar separately if you want it. With Half & Half you take care of both at once. I don't like coffee with just milk in it.

Urgh, wait a second... sugared cream?

A lot of people put sugar in their coffee... though I don't (not filter coffee, anyhow)... but no to of them like the exact same amount, so this seems a ridiculously unpractical concept.