Fresh Milk in Rooms

[Jackster]

This is my first year at running my B&B, and am loving every minute so far! I have having a devil of a time trying to keep the milk I supply in each room, fresh. I have tried putting in a very cold jug of milk as they arrive (which obviously doesn't last too long). I have tried small metal flasks which made the milk turn to a wonderful yoghurt in next to no time. And finally, I have tried the thermos mugs from Out of Eden. They didn't work either. Unfortunately, not one guest has mentioned the lumpy milk they have for their early morning cuppa! I don't learn of the disaster until I clean their rooms. I have now resigned myself to using those awful little UHT milk and creamers. How does anyone else ensure their guests have fresh milk overnight??

[Jamjar]

Hello Jackie. I've only just started doing B & B on a formal basis too, having got my Star Rating in June. I have to say I am v.disappointed in how few posts there are on this forum. I do feel it could be so beneficial to everyone to be able to exchange ideas, problems, solutions, suppliers, etc.etc.
I have bought 3 small (not small enough but the smallest I could find) vacuum flasks which I fill with cold milk - if I remember I put the flasks in the fridvge too. These I put in guests' rooms as late as possible. I use the leftover milk myself in the morning and have never found it to be "off". Like you I have those little UHT milk thingies. In fact I dislike all pre-packaged foodstuffs and won't use them.

[Martin]

Firstly, good for you for providing fresh milk.

We use very small metal vacuum flasks, and prepare them and put them in the rooms at around 4pm. Only very occasionally do we find yoghurt in the flask the following morning.

We've actually just ordered the Out of Eden ones as the metal ones are looking less than perfect, so are hoping that we have more success with them than you have.

The only other thing we do is to keep the flasks in the fridge for guests checking in that evening, so they stay chilled for as long as possible.

And it goes without saying that the milk we put in them is fresh from the bottle, not the remnants from breakfast service!

Good luck.

Martin.

[Sue: White Horse Walking Holidays]

I've got all my drinks stuff in a guest lounge between the bedrooms and store milk and drinks in a small (silent) fridge. Perhaps you could put one on the landing or somewhere so guests can access cold milk from there as required?

[Jackster]

thanks for the feedback. I had tried putting the metal flasks in the fridge and giving them to the guests upon arrival but that didn't work. Martin, I also tried the Out of Eden flasks but they also gave yoghurt in the morning. So far, no one has complained about the UHT milk and in fact it has saved me from the hassle of rushing to the fridge to fill up the cold flasks with the milk upon arrival of the guest. A fridge is not an option alas, as one room is on the ground floor and the other two are on the first floor.. hey ho, as they say. Also, I agree with you jamjar about the lack of feedback on the forum........

[Christine]

I, too, use vaccuum flasks and have never had a problem with milk freshness overnight. I prepare the flask by pouring in iced water, with crushed ice (we have a dispenser on our freezer, which is great because ice and iced water is always on tap), and leaving the flask to stand for about 5 minutes before emptying it and adding the milk. Jacqui, are you sure that your flasks aren't standing next to a heat source or in sunlight? That might be the problem.

As for the UHT milk, I hate it, won't use it and always ask for fresh milk when we stay away.

[info@overwood.net]

We use the Millac Maid semi skimmed milk pots in the rooms, and have done for many years, which is almost the same taste as fresh milk. We offer our guests fresh milk, which is put in clingfilm covered jugs, and we have provided a fridge on the landing outside the bedrooms for keeping it cool.

If your milk is going off overnight in the flasks and it was fresh, it could be because there is some invisible residue left in the flask. Milk deposits can be a devil to remove completely. Always wash out the flask with boiling water and bicardonate of soda, and sterilise periodically with Milton or similar product

[David]

:d/ Hello there, we supply fresh milk and it is very much appreciated by guests. we also have 2 rooms on the ground but guests are quite happy to go onto the landing where there is a small fridge. I put small milk jugs inside the fridge for them to use. Also if you inform them on your website blurb and also when they arrive.Also the odd bottle of wine will appear if allowed of course.

[Jeanie]

I have a fridge in the breakfast room that my guests can use and there is always milk and juice plus cold fresh water for them to help themslves at any time. It is also a great help to me if all breakfast requirments are kept there.

[Beechgrove Jane]

Hi- this is my first attempt to post a message anywhere! I feel so strongly about having fresh milk when I stay away, that we have made a small fridge available to our guests, and also put local bottled water in there. Guests can also use it for babyfood, or their own drinks as I am not licensed, and this undoubtedly brings us good recommendations and return trade. It also gave us extra points towards a silver award.

[Clanville Manor]

Hello everyone! I am new to this forum but not new to B&B-14 years since I started with one room, now four! Like everyone else on this post, I have tried all the options and for the last five or so years have kept a fridge in the dining room with fresh milk and small jugs, putting the Dairystix milk (from UK farmers) on the room trays. Not many people use the fresh but the fridge also doubles up as storage for guests' cold items or medication etc.

[Martin]

Well, we're finding the Out of Eden flasks absolutely fine. No yoghurt yet.

Cheers,

Martin.

[Valerie Harber]

Hi,
Milk in rooms.
Our guests always say how lovely it is to have "real Milk". We have a small beer fridge in the hall, which is on a small sofa table. We place a jug of milk for each room. Guests can tap on our kitchen door for more should they need more. This stops them taking milk belonging to other rooms. We did try the tiny "silent" fridges, but they are not silent at 2am. The Fridge also allows guests to store items if they are staying longer than one night.
Flasks don't really work, as they drip al over the place.
Calvins Mum.

[Der Alte Fritz]

I think that there are two aspects to this.
1) You want to provide fresh milk, good for you. But you also need to provide a back up in case the guest ends up with yoghurt in the morning. We use the Dairy sticks which look like the paper tubes of sugar you often see, only they contain milk. That way all bases are covered. (You cannot rely on guests to tell you anything that goes wrong - it is the great British way to say nothing and never darken your door again.)
2) You need to be careful that you do not upset your EHO. Dairy is a high risk product, you need to show that you have a thorough and proper cleaning method for any flasks that you hand out to guests. Which means putting them through a high temperature dishwasher and as the other poster advised a thorough scrubbing and cleaning with Milton.

With public fridges, especially if guests are using them for medication, you need a full disclaimer notice.

[joyful]

You can get small white quiet fridges these days quite reasonably. Don't make the mistake I did and buy any old small cheap fridge, they hummed in the night and I had to replace them with silent ones. I think it is the most appreciated part of the visitors stay! Medication, chocolate, milk, it all goes in the fridge.

[_Judith]

I provide a fridge in the breakfast room for guests to use, some come with picnics for the next day and I can leave fresh milk, juice and water in there for people to help themselves to also provide UHT milk in rooms if they do not want to come out once settled, both work well.