# Hibiscus Tea + Soy Milk = Nasty White Flakes **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 9, 2009, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hibiscus-tea-soy-milk-nasty-white-flakes/488864 "2009-03-09T19:44:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![caveman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/caveman/32/7242_2.png) [@caveman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/caveman)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2009, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hibiscus-tea-soy-milk-nasty-white-flakes/488864/1 "2009-03-09T19:44:17Z")
I was making tea for my wife and myself last night when we observed a strange reaction between her herbal hibiscus tea and a bit of vanilla soy milk I added to it. We’d never tried it before, but she wanted to try it, inspired by my cinnamon tea with milk. Instead of billowing and mixing with the tea as I poured it in, the milk vanished to the bottom of her cup, and when stirred, brought flaky white bits to the top. Apart from the different variety of tea, everything was the same: we were using identical cups, water poured from the same pot, and the same carton of milk. What happened to the soymilk in her tea? ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2009, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hibiscus-tea-soy-milk-nasty-white-flakes/488864/2 "2009-03-09T19:47:06Z")
Hibiscus has a very citrusy characteristic - I wonder if something in its composition (or mixed in with the tea besides the hibiscus) had a curdling-type effect on the soymilk. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2009, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hibiscus-tea-soy-milk-nasty-white-flakes/488864/3 "2009-03-09T22:02:43Z")
> [@Ferret\_Herder](#): > > Hibiscus has a very citrusy characteristic - I wonder if something in its composition (or mixed in with the tea besides the hibiscus) had a curdling-type effect on the soymilk. Agreed that the soymilk probably curdling, due to the intrinsic acidity of the tea. It’s like pouring it into weak lemon juice. ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2009, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hibiscus-tea-soy-milk-nasty-white-flakes/488864/4 "2009-03-10T13:40:58Z")
How was the hibiscus tea, by the way? It’s never occurred to me to try it hot. Did you have it with sugar, or straight (aside from the milk)? ---
**Author:** ![zweisamkeit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zweisamkeit/32/4360_2.png) [@zweisamkeit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zweisamkeit)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2009, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hibiscus-tea-soy-milk-nasty-white-flakes/488864/5 "2009-03-10T14:59:24Z")
I’ve noticed that _some_ soy milk brands will do this in coffee, but then others will not and instead blend in smoothly. ---
**Author:** ![caveman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/caveman/32/7242_2.png) [@caveman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/caveman)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2009, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hibiscus-tea-soy-milk-nasty-white-flakes/488864/6 "2009-03-10T22:46:14Z")
> [@Balthisar](#): > > How was the hibiscus tea, by the way? It’s never occurred to me to try it hot. Did you have it with sugar, or straight (aside from the milk)? Without curdled milk, it’s quite tasty. I like mine very sweet, usually with splenda. Less sweet is okay, but it can be a bit harsh, similar to lemonade that’s under-sweetened. ---
**Author:** ![rock\_party](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e19b73/32.png) [@rock\_party](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rock_party)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2009, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hibiscus-tea-soy-milk-nasty-white-flakes/488864/7 "2009-03-11T00:57:27Z")
Yum…tea-fu ---
**Author:** ![WarmNPrickly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d78d45/32.png) [@WarmNPrickly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WarmNPrickly)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2009, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hibiscus-tea-soy-milk-nasty-white-flakes/488864/8 "2009-03-11T01:07:34Z")
I didn’t realize that soy milk would curdle this way. Do you suppose I could make soy paneer? Er, is that what tofu is? ---
**Author:** ![WarmNPrickly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d78d45/32.png) [@WarmNPrickly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WarmNPrickly)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2009, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hibiscus-tea-soy-milk-nasty-white-flakes/488864/9 "2009-03-11T01:14:32Z")
I’ll be damned, that IS what tofu is! I can make my own tofu now. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2009, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hibiscus-tea-soy-milk-nasty-white-flakes/488864/10 "2009-03-11T01:31:38Z")
[You might like these instructions.](http://www.justhungry.com/2006/03/milking_the_soy_1.html) ---
**Author:** ![WarmNPrickly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d78d45/32.png) [@WarmNPrickly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WarmNPrickly)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2009, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hibiscus-tea-soy-milk-nasty-white-flakes/488864/11 "2009-03-11T01:39:05Z")
It really isw just soy milk paneer. I suppose I could do it with magnesium chloride, but I bet lime juice would work just as well and it’s easier to find. ---
**Author:** ![madrabbitwoman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c37758/32.png) [@madrabbitwoman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madrabbitwoman)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2009, 9:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hibiscus-tea-soy-milk-nasty-white-flakes/488864/12 "2009-03-11T09:12:50Z")
> [@WarmNPrickly](#): > > It really isw just soy milk paneer. I suppose I could do it with magnesium chloride, but I bet lime juice would work just as well and it’s easier to find. I always prefered lemon juice myself. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2009, 10:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hibiscus-tea-soy-milk-nasty-white-flakes/488864/13 "2009-03-11T10:12:51Z")
I remember having a problem like this with some soy milks when the liquid was too hot.