Doesn't try to do too much, it has a tasty creamy/malty simplicity to it and it’s refreshingly lower on the sweetness end of the spectrum— because it doesn’t need it to be enjoyable.
All in USA
Thomas Dairy Reduced Fat Chocolate Milk
Lack of cocoa flavor is made up for by the creaminess, which is furthered by the salt quotient— giving it a buttery snap at the end. Would be nice if there were more chocolate aspect, but it’s enjoyable enough as is.
Strafford Organic Creamery Reduced Fat Chocolate Milk
The chocolate settles rather quickly— but it won’t be an issue to consume this one forthwith, it’s delicious. Beautiful aesthetics, strong dark chocolate flavor, thinnish viscosity, adequate cream— all things I wan’t and nothing I don’t.
Kingdom Creamery of Vermont Lowfat Chocolate Milk
Fairly bland (perhaps the darkish color caused me to expect more flavor?) and uninteresting. There’s a milky twang to the aftertaste that trumps whatever cocoa flavor there is.
McNamara Dairy Chocolate Milk
Creamy as heck, feels like egg nog (doesn’t taste like it) and there’s almost a charcoal-like conclusion to the sip that is more intriguing than off-putting. Seems to be lacking cocoa in a major way, but the rest is nicely balanced, creamy, and flavorful.
Pics by Price Chopper Lowfat Chocolate Milk
Decent cocoa flavor and strength, fairly tasty experience— just feels a bit too artificially thickened.
Hatchland Farm "Wicked Good" Chocolate Milk
Feels bland at first taste, but eventually the cocoa shines through. The dialed-back sweetness likely helps the cocoa rise to prominence, but I was also hoping for more salt and cream (though it was decently adequate). Has potential, looks beautiful, but lacks the punchy flavor present in many of the elite chocolate milks.
Hood Chocolate Milk Fat Free Milk
Thin and super smooth— and the positive qualities end there. It’s a sullen-looking gray color that delivers no enjoyable flavor characteristics. A mild sweetness is the only thing that registers on the palate, and although it’s smooth, it feels a little plasticky.
Hershey's Fat Free Chocolate Milk
Strong fake-sweetener taste (which is not an ingredient) that lingers well on into the aftertaste. Had me wishing I kept some Funyuns nearby to destroy the residual flavor in my mouth completely. Not up to the same standards as the other Hershey’s UHT products I’ve had.
Hood Calcium Fortified Chocolate Milk
Fantastically creamy and delicious— could only be improved by having a stronger cocoa quotient. Very enjoyable to drink and feels both indulgent and sophisticated.
Core Power Elite High Protein Chocolate Milk Shake
Thick, chalky, and what sweetness exists tastes artificial and weird, though not completely out of character for Fairlife products. I appreciate that it’s low sugar and (very) high protein and it bears much more semblance to milk than other products in its category— but to drink it for its flavor is not recommended.
Oak Knoll Dairy Chocolate Goats' Milk
Salty, buttery, and decently chocolaty— a marked improvement compared with the Love Goat I had in Bangkok— the only other chocolate goat milk I’ve had. There’s a bit of an aftertaste that seems different from regular cow milk, but it’s not offensive— most people wouldn’t cry “goat” if presented with this (myself included).
Kimball Brook Farm Organic Chocolate Whole Milk
Darker chocolate flavor that settles quickly. I love how the thin viscosity pairs with the cream to make it extremely (and quickly) drinkable. Has a mature flavor that gets better the deeper you get into the pint.
Muscle Milk Original Chocolate
Chalky, metallic, and artificially sweet— there’s not much reason to pursue this for taste purposes (I’m sure most people drink it for other reasons). Leaves an unpleasant aftertaste that is hard to shake.
Shop Rite Chocolate Milk
Its gray color is a harbinger of the lack of chocolate you will soon experience. There’s a salty, milky flavor that isn’t awful— but it’s hard to file it under ‘chocolate milk’ — or at least what that file cabinet should contain.
Hood Simply Smart Fat Free Chocolate Milk
Artificially thick— an attempt at ‘enhancing’ fat free chocolate milk as having a creamy component— but it doesn’t work all that well. The chocolate flavor is a sour one, reminding me of that sour note you get from chocolate syrup. Also leaves a bit of a residue in the back of the throat, further reminding you of the inauthenticity.
Hood Calcium Fortified Chocolate Lowfat Milk
Very powdery chocolate flavor and texture— left lots of tiny grit on the tongue. Otherwise, quite average across the board.
Hood Moo Struck Chocolate Lowfat Milk
Has a slightly sour/boozy note that, when paired with the candyish chocolate quality, does not do itself any favors. It’s also way too sweet, which (by the third sip) became its biggest drawback.
Shaw Farm Dairy Chocolate Milk
Malty and delicious— great balance of flavor and texture. There’s almost a buttery quality to the cream which brings each sip to a rewarding conclusion. One of the best I’ve had in a while!
Oakhurst Chocolate Lowfat Milk
Thin, sweet, and not overly chocolaty. Not offensive, not memorable, mildly nostalgic (as I grew up in Maine swilling this stuff).