The Absolute Best Milk Is From A Lesser-Known Brand With High-Quality Taste

Milk is a delicate liquid that can differ vastly depending on how it's produced and by whom. While it's up for debate whether skim milk is actually healthier than 2% or whole milk, the brand of milk you buy is arguably just as impactful when it comes to its taste and overall quality. With this in mind, while you might think the milk world is a meritocracy, it's actually one of the lesser-known brands of milk that is head-and-shoulders above the rest. We reviewed and ranked 15 different American milk brands, and Maple Hill Organic Milk topped them all as a result of its incredibly deliberate and natural approach to farming and dairy production.

Started in New York State back in 2003, Maple Hill Organic Milk began as just one farm run by two novice farmers — Maple Hill founders Tim and Laura Joseph — but has since started sourcing its milk from 150 small family farms across the country. Beyond this focus on family farmers, Maple Hill is dedicated to producing organic milk from 100% grass-fed cows, a formula that results in arguably the richest, most delicious cow's milk you can find on the market today.

The strength of Maple Hill's organic formula can be seen best in the two styles of milk it offers; both Maple Hill's whole and 2% milk are made with nutrition in mind and, to avoid the many dangers that exist with raw milk, are ultra-pasteurized before they're sold. This methodology — along with the company's strong desire to pay farmers well for the milk they produce — is why a half-gallon of Maple Hill milk often costs upwards of $7.00, a price much higher than many of the more popular brands of milk you'll find at the store.

While Maple Hill's organic milk is what made the brand as popular as it is today, the dairy company has also expanded beyond its premier product into other similarly quality-assured offerings. Maple Hill produces butter, Greek yogurt, cream on top yogurt, and kefir (a type of fermented milk often used as a substitute for buttermilk), all of which are similarly produced from cows that are grass-fed.