# Dairygold Butter.....variations in taste.



## Tintagel

I have been a regular user of Dairygold butter spread. In the past year or so I have noticed that the quality of the product can vary. Sometimes there is even a tainted taste from it. 

Compared to similar products it is expensive. I am not sure if I want to support this hit and miss product anymore.  

Is there a product that is very similar without the margarine taste?


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## Early Riser

I am fond of this one. Carried in some supermarkets - Im not sure how widely:


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## michaelm

Why not just buy real butter at €2.19/lb?  Just put it in a butter dish in a kitchen press.  I wouldn't go for any of those spreads(pastes).


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## odyssey06

Tintagel said:


> I have been a regular user of Dairygold butter spread. In the past year or so I have noticed that the quality of the product can vary. Sometimes there is even a tainted taste from it.
> Compared to similar products it is expensive. I am not sure if I want to support this hit and miss product anymore.
> Is there a product that is very similar without the margarine taste?



Bertoli Olive Oil spread, spreads straight from the fridge, think it's usually €2 a tub. I don't detect the margarine taste you get from Flora etc.


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## Bronte

I can't stand anything but real butter. One of Ireland's best products. And a natural product compared to the spreads.


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## noproblem

The products in the plastic boxes do lose their taste, don't take too long to go off either when opened, but don't ever call them butter, they're not.


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## TrundleAlong

Real butter doesn't spread very well. Bertoli Olive Oil spread tastes like olives.

Dairygold went from €2.79 a tub to €2.99 a tub. We have on three occasions in the past year complained about it's taste and have stopped using it as a result.


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## Gordon Gekko

Real butter spreads fine at room temperature and tastes great (Kerrygold in particular). But it’s not exactly good for you.


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## mathepac

Evidence please @Gordon Gekko 

Butter in moderation and as part of a balanced diet probably has more health benefits than the manufactured non-dairy spreads. Most of the discredited studies condemning red meat and dairy products as health risks were based on populations consuming beef and dairy from herds fed on corn, steroids and antibiotics as growth promoters (US, Australia, Brazil, etc). Grass-fed bovines, like our Irish cattle and milk cows,  produce some of the cleanest, best and healthiest products in the world.

Palm oil anyone?


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## Gordon Gekko

Don’t get me wrong, I’m a serious fan of real butter, but there is a truckload of evidence to show that saturated fats (such as those found in butter) are bad for your heart.


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## Leo

Gordon Gekko said:


> Don’t get me wrong, I’m a serious fan of real butter, but there is a truckload of evidence to show that saturated fats (such as those found in butter) are bad for your heart.



Much of that has been refuted in the last few years on the basis of more robust scientific studies rather than the outcome of ~100 year old work based purely on hypothesis that did not include any human experimental evidence. If you're going for spreads, best choose one with as low a level of trans fats as possible, as these are proven to reduce HDL while raising LDL.


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## Monbretia

My father had a bypass maybe 25yrs ago or so, surgeon told him afterwards eat no spreads only butter but not too much of it, he's now 87 and while he has health issues the heart ain't bad at all!


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## Gordon Gekko

I was told that the best approach is to eat neither!


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## noproblem

Typical of the Irish, it's either a feast or a famine. We should learn from others and take the good advice of real experts, "unless you've allergies a little of everything will do no harm to anyone".


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## Leo

noproblem said:


> Typical of the Irish, it's either a feast or a famine.



In fairness, the vast majority of the avoid X at all costs advice doesn't originate here.


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## noproblem

Leo said:


> In fairness, the vast majority of the avoid X at all costs advice doesn't originate here.



Maybe not, but it doesn't take long for the media outlets to plaster all this gobble-de-gook in front of us.


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## Leo

noproblem said:


> Maybe not, but it doesn't take long for the media outlets to plaster all this gobble-de-gook in front of us.



So it's more typical lazy media across the globe then, nothing uniquely Irish about it.


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## Tintagel

I remember buying a tub of either Lidl spread or SuperValu spread that came close to DairyGold for less than half the cost. Unfortunately I cannot remember which one it was. I absolutely gag on the taste of margarine, even a hint of it and the product is used for cooking.


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## cremeegg

mathepac said:


> Grass-fed bovines, like our Irish cattle and milk cows,  produce some of the cleanest, best and healthiest products in the world.



Ah Bless. Reminds me of the good old days and the smell of the Angel Dust


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## joe sod

TrundleAlong said:


> Real butter doesn't spread very well. Bertoli Olive Oil spread tastes like olives.
> 
> Dairygold went from €2.79 a tub to €2.99 a tub. We have on three occasions in the past year complained about it's taste and have stopped using it as a result.


 
Yes I noticed how expensive Dairygold got a few years ago, but worse the flavour is gone very bland, I think they must be reducing the butter content or some other ingredient. I have tried some of the other supermarket own brand spreads but all are margarine in taste and are too cheap to be realistically good. The only exception in my opinion and the only one I eat all the time is Dunnes "Gold Spread", its superior in taste to Dairygold and priced at 1.70euros so not too cheap but still a very good price. Its like the old Dairygold and i specifically shop in dunnes stores exclusively for this product oh and Hafners sausages.


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## jdwex

I read somewhere that butter can taste a bit different, depending on time of year the cows were milked..


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## Easeler

Ya the milk tastes different in the summer when cows are out on grass on a fine summer's days. That milk straight from the cow chilled is serious stuff city slickers wouldn't be able to handle the stuff.


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## joe sod

galwaypat said:


> Ya the milk tastes different in the summer when cows are out on grass on a fine summer's days. That milk straight from the cow chilled is serious stuff city slickers wouldn't be able to handle the stuff.


 
yea but that does not explain the deterioration in taste of dairygold, modern production techniques iron out all those  factors to have a consistent tasting product, Dairygold is consistently bland now winter and summer.


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## Easeler

Are you sure its the butter, it might be yourself maybe get yourself checked out you might have a thyroid problem.


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## mathepac

joe sod said:


> and Hafners sausages.


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## WaterWater

galwaypat said:


> Are you sure its the butter, it might be yourself maybe get yourself checked out you might have a thyroid problem.


No with Dairygold it is hit and miss. Sometimes you can purchase two tubs for €5. One can taste fine but the other can taste "off". We have even checked the batch number, one can be O.K. but not the other.
The product is too expensive to have to deal with this.


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## Bronte

https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and...at-s-really-in-your-block-of-butter-1.3705573

See, if it’s not real butter, eg Kerrygold or the Aldi butter, then it’s stuff with loads of ingredients, colourants, additives etc. with a fake taste.


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## Monbretia

You could make your own spreadable butter   Just mix softened real butter with some oil of your choice, if you like olive oil you could use that or whatever oil you fancy.


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## Early Riser

Monbretia said:


> You could make your own spreadable butter   Just mix softened real butter with some oil of your choice, if you like olive oil you could use that or whatever oil you fancy.



Or 5 secs at the lowest power setting in the microwave!


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## Bronte

Early Riser said:


> Or 5 secs at the lowest power setting in the microwave!


Just don’t put it in in the packaging!


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## joe sod

Bronte said:


> https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and...at-s-really-in-your-block-of-butter-1.3705573
> 
> See, if it’s not real butter, eg Kerrygold or the Aldi butter, then it’s stuff with loads of ingredients, colourants, additives etc. with a fake taste.



yea i tried the aldi brand "kilkeely gold" or something, i have to say it was actually good but it was a bit more expensive then about 1.30euros, now it is 0.9euros or something but not nice anymore , so obviously they cheapened the product less butter and more gook. As I said the only one that passes the test is Dunnes "Gold spread"


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## Early Riser

If I am getting this right, the complaint is that spreads don't taste sufficiently like butter. Then why not buy butter? 

Is it not like booking a tent for the holidays and then complaining about sleeping under canvass rather than in a good hotel? Except that, in the case of butter versus spread, there is relatively little cost difference.

Or am I missing something?


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## Tintagel

Early Riser said:


> If I am getting this right, the complaint is that spreads don't taste sufficiently like butter.


No. It's about the variations in the taste of Dairygold butter spread. Sometimes it tastes as if it was tainted. The consistency is no longer there.


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## Early Riser

Tintagel said:


> No. It's about the variations in the taste of Dairygold butter spread. Sometimes it tastes as if it was tainted. The consistency is no longer there.



Fair enough. Perhaps my confusion arise from the description "Dairygold butter spread". Dairygold is a "dairy spread". It is not butter  or a "butter spread" and should not be marketed as such. In fairness, I don't think the producers do. The Food Safety Authority have set out criteria for the various terms :

https://www.fsai.ie/publications_GN_fat_spreads/


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## joe sod

I've noticed that dairygold spread has deteriorated in taste compared to years ago. It's less buttery ,more like margarine in taste.  Very disappointed in this product now its not worth the premium price


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## odyssey06

joe sod said:


> I've noticed that dairygold spread has deteriorated in taste compared to years ago. It's less buttery ,more like margarine in taste.  Very disappointed in this product now its not worth the premium price


Well don't buy Dunnes Family Favourites Taste of Butter. I thought it would be like Dairygold... it's not... it falls off the knife in a clump.


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## Brendan Burgess

Hi Joe

Have you reported this to Dairygold Customer Care? 

Brendan


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## Horatio

Tintagel said:


> I have been a regular user of Dairygold butter spread. In the past year or so I have noticed that the quality of the product can vary. Sometimes there is even a tainted taste from it.
> 
> Compared to similar products it is expensive. I am not sure if I want to support this hit and miss product anymore.
> 
> Is there a product that is very similar without the margarine taste?


Lidl do a butter & spreadable butter mimic of the dairgold range & are just fine. Not much cheaper but perfectly fine quality & consistent as far as I can see.


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## joe sod

Brendan Burgess said:


> Hi Joe
> 
> Have you reported this to Dairygold Customer Care?
> 
> Brendan


No, just looking for confirmation on whether other people think the same. I think alot of brands slowly change their products hoping that people won't notice if they do it over a long period of time.  Dairygold today and Dairygold a decade ago are 2 different products in my opinion


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## joe sod

Horatio said:


> Lidl do a butter & spreadable butter mimic of the dairgold range & are just fine. Not much cheaper but perfectly fine quality & consistent as far as I can see.


Yes I've actually tried the Lidl one, the pricier one and yes it is very good, actually better than Dairygold now


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## SlugBreath

Dairygold has now gone over €3.50 a tub. It is actually more expensive now than a block of real butter. I have been buying real butter in the summer when it is more spreadable.....unfortunately not so during the winter.

I will try the Lidl variant.


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## mathepac

Connacht Gold Softer Butter, it contains milk and 2% salt.


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## Nutso

SlugBreath said:


> Dairygold has now gone over €3.50 a tub. It is actually more expensive now than a block of real butter. I have been buying real butter in the summer when it is more spreadable.....unfortunately not so during the winter.
> 
> I will try the Lidl variant.





			https://www.amazon.co.uk/Replacement-Washing-Machine-Brushes-Whirlpool/dp/B07YG7J5BF/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=butter+crock&qid=1668173275&sr=8-5
		


Try a butter crock such as the attached.   It keeps butter soft and fresh all year around.  I swear by mine.


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## tom1ie

I was an avid dairygold user, until I noticed the taste and consistency had changed. 
I queried this with dairygold and asked had they changed the ingredients/ratios. I eventually got a reply saying nothing had changed, but I changed to real butter. 
I now get the Tesco own brand block of butter with only natural ingredients that I keep in a butter dish at room temp. 
Superior to dairygold spread and much kinder on the pocket.


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## Clamball

Use the Connaught Gold spreadable or the Kerrygold spreadable.  These are real butters which are designed to be soft.  If you find them too hard do complain to the companies.


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## ClubMan

This thread should be renamed "I CAN believe it's not butter".


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## ClubMan

Clamball said:


> Use the Connaught Gold spreadable or the Kerrygold spreadable.  These are real butters


The Kerrygold one is only 50% butter with added oil. Yuck.


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## becky

ClubMan said:


> The Kerrygold one is only 50% butter with added oil. Yuck.


There are 2 types of kerry gold Spreadable and Softer. I found the softer not very soft. I buy the own brand version of butter but I only really use it for baking.


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## joe sod

tom1ie said:


> I queried this with dairygold and asked had they changed the ingredients/ratios. I eventually got a reply saying nothing had changed, but I changed to real butter.


They are lying because they have definitely changed it, Of course since they own the brand so they only have to comply with what the ingredients say on the label, they don't have to detail if they changed the type of butter or oil used. I think only huge brands like Coca Cola will only respond to consumer pressure if there is an outcry


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## ClubMan

Kerrygold  Spreadable Butter (454 g)
					

Kerrygold Spreadable 454g




					shop.supervalu.ie
				





> Ingredients
> Butter (50%), Water, Rapeseed Oil (20%), Salt (1.3%), Colour (Carotene)











						Connacht Gold Spreadable (454 g)
					

Connacht Gold Spreadable 454g




					shop.supervalu.ie
				





> Ingredients​Butter (*Milk*) (64%), Rapeseed Oil (29%), Water, Salt


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## mathepac

mathepac said:


> *Connacht Gold* *Softer* *Butter,* it contains milk and 2% salt.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Connacht Gold Spreadable (454 g)
> 
> 
> Connacht Gold Spreadable 454g
> 
> 
> 
> 
> shop.supervalu.ie


Different product entirely from the one I quoted above.


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## Clamball

Your right.  The top one is a spread not a butter.   I did think that Kerrygold has a similar product to the Connacht gold one in Ireland.  

Watch out for this Connacht gold one as well



			https://www.tesco.ie/groceries/en-IE/products/266434010
		


This has Butter (*Milk*) (64%), Rapeseed Oil (29%), Water, Salt as ingredients


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## ClubMan

mathepac said:


> Different product entirely from the one I quoted above.


I was replying to the person who mentioned the other one.


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## Clamball

Sorry we are all cross posting. 

Would recommend the Connacht Gold Softer and the Kerrygold Softer (if available).  Not the Connacht gold spreadable or the Kerrygold Spreadable.


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## joe sod

just looked at dairygold ingredients now, there is a bit of subterfuge because on one side it has
*Ingredients  *Cream, Palm oil, Rapeseed oil, Salt , Colour (Carotenes)

then on the other side of pack it says    *Blended spread 63%*

so it doesn't say butter 63% but "blended spread" , but what is "blended spread" and what is the actual butter content , I still don't know?
However the fact that they need to add colour (carotenes) is a bit suspicious


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## odyssey06

joe sod said:


> just looked at dairygold ingredients now, there is a bit of subterfuge because on one side it has
> *Ingredients  *Cream, Palm oil, Rapeseed oil, Salt , Colour (Carotenes)
> 
> then on the other side of pack it says    *Blended spread 63%*
> 
> so it doesn't say butter 63% but "blended spread" , but what is "blended spread" and what is the actual butter content , I still don't know?
> However the fact that they need to add colour (carotenes) is a bit suspicious


Pretty sure it has always had carotenes added for colour.

Butter is just cream and salt... so does that mean it is 63% cream?


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## joe sod

odyssey06 said:


> Pretty sure it has always had carotenes added for colour.
> 
> Butter is just cream and salt... so does that mean it is 63% cream?


Im pretty sure it doesn't, I actually found an old packet of  Dunnes own brand spread in the bin, half the price by the way

it has a similar type ingredient layout, however it has *Blended Spread (73%)*

then under ingredients it has *Cream(Milk) (35%)*
This is the piece of information missing from the Dairygold packet the actual Cream or Butter content but I bet its much lower than the 63% and could be as low as 35% but we still don't know because they have hidden it in the "Blended Spread" item


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## peemac

joe sod said:


> No, just looking for confirmation on whether other people think the same. I think alot of brands slowly change their products hoping that people won't notice if they do it over a long period of time.  Dairygold today and Dairygold a decade ago are 2 different products in my opinion


Yes, that is exactly how it works.

Small changes over a long period so that the consumer doesn't notice.

They don't pretend not to do this, but don't exactly publicise it.


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## Clamball

joe sod said:


> just looked at dairygold ingredients now, there is a bit of subterfuge because on one side it has
> *Ingredients  *Cream, Palm oil, Rapeseed oil, Salt , Colour (Carotenes)
> 
> then on the other side of pack it says    *Blended spread 63%*
> 
> so it doesn't say butter 63% but "blended spread" , but what is "blended spread" and what is the actual butter content , I still don't know?
> However the fact that they need to add colour (carotenes) is a bit suspicious



This means the overall fat level is 63 %



joe sod said:


> Im pretty sure it doesn't, I actually found an old packet of  Dunnes own brand spread in the bin, half the price by the way
> 
> it has a similar type ingredient layout, however it has *Blended Spread (73%)*
> 
> then under ingredients it has *Cream(Milk) (35%)*
> This is the piece of information missing from the Dairygold packet the actual Cream or Butter content but I bet its much lower than the 63% and could be as low as 35% but we still don't know because they have hidden it in the "Blended Spread" item


And this means the total fat is 73 %

Looking at the Dunne’s site, the newer version is 72 % fat.


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## joe sod

Clamball said:


> And this means the total fat is 73 %
> 
> Looking at the Dunne’s site, the newer version is 72 % fat.


The Dunnes brand is "Gold Spread" is not an old brand but selling now , it has *Blended Spread (73%) *but *Cream(Milk) (35%)* so obviously oils etc are the blend thats brought it upto to 72%, again no problem with this as it is upfront about what its spread is made of and is priced accordingly. It doesn't say 72% fat, it says 35% Cream(Milk) therefore that is the total butter content , everything above board here.

Dairygold just says *Blended Spread (63%) *but nothing else, if it was the case that it was 63% butter or Cream there is no doubt thats what would be on the label


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## ClubMan

I'll stick to plain (well, added salt) old butter myself.
If necessary I'll leave some in a warmer room to keep it spreadable.


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## Purple

ClubMan said:


> I'll stick to plain (well, added salt) old butter myself.
> If necessary I'll leave some in a warmer room to keep it spreadable.


I never use spreads. Butter only.


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