Local Product Taste Test: Liberté Yogurt

[Suzanne Podhaizer]

The Panel: Suzanne Podhaizer, Alice Levitt, Judy Beaulac, Diane Sullivan, Joanna May

The Product: Yogurt. We sampled five of Liberté's products, including Honey Goat Fresh Cheese, Lemon, Coconut, Apple Crumble and Pear 6 Grains Yogourt. Each flavor comes in a 6-ounce cup, and costs around 99 cents.

Think you've busted us trying something that's not from Vermont? Well, technically the creamy stuff is made in Quebec, but the milk (for the four bovine versions, anyway) is from our very own St. Albans Cooperative Creamery.

The Verdict:

Judy - Thumbs Up. Although she'll probably keep eating Cabot's non-fat flavors on a regular basis, Judy was pleased with the Honey Goat Fresh Cheese, and surprised by how much she liked the Lemon: "I don't usually like lemon yogurt. Other one's I've had tasted like Lemon Pledge."

Joanna - Thumbs Sideways. Like Judy, Joanna liked the Goat Fresh Cheese — "It's not as goat-y as I was expecting" — and the Lemon, best. She thought the latter tasted like "lemon pie." The 6 Grains fell flat. "The grains are a little soggy," she noted. 

Suzanne - Thumbs Up. Perhaps I'm biased because I regularly consume some of the flavors we didn't try, including the Plum-Walnut and Strawberry. In summer, I eat the Lemon studded with fresh blueberries. I don't like the ones with chunks of fruit or grains, and I don't do low-fat. Unlike everybody else, I thought the coconut was tolerable.

Alice - Thumbs Sideways. Unlike the rest of the group, Alice wasn't wowed by the Lemon yogurt. "I'm finding this a little sharp," she said. She also went against the crowd in loving the chunky Apple Crumble version, saying, "I like the fakeness." But the same sentiment didn't apply to the Coconut. She suggested that "The sweetness of the coconut amplified the sourness of the yogurt."

Diane - Thumbs Up. Diane didn't dig the 6 Grain because "It tastes a little too healthy." The Apple Crumble, on the other hand, "Smells like apple pie. The first bite scared me a little, but I like it." The suntan-lotion aroma of the coconut was a different matter. But overall, Diane gives Liberté an "A for effort."

What do you think of Liberté Yogurt?

[maggieburlvt]

We absolutely love the Liberté Yogurt.  Guests love it for breakfast as a special treat.  We have served the coconut for dessert with fresh fruit.  And, both the coconut and lemon yogurt are fabulous over fresh made unsweetened oatmeal for a luscious winter breakfast.

[Dani]

Although I haven't eaten yogurt in awhile (2 years maybe?) I was always a big big fan of the pear 6 grain.  My favorite!  I like the half-soggy grains, actually.  And the pear is nice and mild.  It feels more like a complete breakfast with the grains.  My fiance loves the grains, too.

[slaphappiest]

Liberte is by far the best yogurt we've found in the area.  In fact we used to pick up a few containers of the plain during trips to Montreal before it appeared in markets down here.

[Haylley Johnson]

I am a huge fan of Liberté, particularly if I am looking for a flavored yogurt. The blackberry walnut is one of my favorites. However, I am not a big fan of the six grain Liberté's. It does not have the same creaminess that the regular flavors have, and really when it comes down to it, creaminess is what I look for in yogurt. I probably wouldn't mind the soggy grains if the yogurt didn't seem a bit watery to me.

Since I'm a creamy queen, if I want just plain, usually I go with Fage because it's super smooth and creamy. It is also really nice and tangy without feeling super fatty. I love that you can get 2% or 0% fat — it's like an innocent guilty pleasure.

[Maggie Dodson]

Sometimes I find that Liberte doesn't fill me up completely, especially early in the morning. So I like to get Fage with honey and add some homemade granola to it. It seems to be the perfect and satiating breakfast (for me!)

[Haylley Johnson]

Do you make your own granola Maggie? if so, what do you put in it? I love making granola and do it really regularly. I'm always on the prowl for a new combination of ingredients!