Wow this is a huge tip. Question for anyone - video says to bury the wand a little lower and not to the side...but earlier in the video it says to tilt the want to 3oclock. Is it a 2 phase approach then? Swirl for a little bit at 3oclock then bury the wand with no tilt to get the roll vortex?
I am not able to get my milk texture right despite using 5 % fat milk.i use 120 ml of milk in 20 oz pitcher..its way down the spout .2 I have a basic morphy single boiler machine whose steam wand is very thin..
Thank you! You are the only person to explain that you don’t want the milk to swirl. It’s more of an up and down rolling action. I have watched countless videos on this topic and this is the first to mention this. This is huge. Thank you!
Ok. You've blown my tiny little mind. Like most other comments here, I feel like the tip about vortex vs swirling is so simple but game changing. Explains why my milk texture is always thin with too thick a foam at the end. Stuck at work but can't wait to get home and try! Subbed.
This is the first video out of tens of videos I've seen that actually shows the difference in texture when you create a swirl versus a vortex. Found this so relevant, thanks so much!
Swirl vs Vortex. That’s the most important for me in this video as I was only doing a swirl and couldn’t avoid too much foam when pouring exactly the way you showed in this video. Thanks a lot.
And this is why I’m subscribed to this channel. Out of the maybe hundred videos I’ve seen about milk steaming, not a single one explains this swirling vs roll difference which is a key component on home espresso machines. I’ve seen that most tutorials are just for commercial equipment and no one really shows this because it just doesn’t happen on those commercial machines since they have tons of pressure, but us home users have smaller machines with smaller capacity and for what it seems, this is a very common mistake. All this time I have been swirling instead of rolling, the difference is clear, when rolling, the milk has this paint like texture which is exactly what I was not getting when swirling. Thank you very much for these videos.
Thank you so much - I've been improving my latte art a lot recently and found that THIS element of getting the milk right and incorporated makes all the difference in the world. Gonna do a video on next level latte art designs sometime soon.
this guy NAILED it. everyone talks about "swirling the milk... rubbish!! he pins it down by differentiating between swirling (wrong) and rolling (hell yeah!!!) - thanks charlie. you finally made my gaggia classic pro complete...
Omg. I've watched quite a few videos and read quite a bit. The roll being vertical to incorporate the bubbles VS the swirl 100% helped me. I finally made a perfect heart today with beautiful texture! Thank you!
This is the only tutorial that mentioned about purging the wetness to get a dry steam. I wished I watched this much earlier. Took me months to realize. So much detail in a video, from milk, to machine, pitcher and etc. Thanks.
Mate, I just came back to watch this again because of how much it's helped me. Managed to get some incredible micro-foam after this. The spin vs vortex thing needs a video of its own!
Literally what I was going to comment as well. I have made some really good drinks, but just trying to dial in on my latte art now. Did these techniques help you out any?
Good lawd! I've been swirling for MONTHS even after watching countless other HowTo videos and wondering why I'm still having such trouble with getting the right consistency. Watched this video ONE time and instantly saw a dramatic improvement. ❤️ Incredible that nobody else seems to mention this key aspect. Add me to the hundreds of folks over multiple years thanking you for pointing out the roll vs. swirl. You are a legend.👌
I've been seeing dozens of milk steaming video on TH-cam and once watching yours I realized that I've been doing it wrong the whole time (swirling instead of rolling). I heard the terms rolling many times before but until you show the difference of the result, I didn't know that I've been swirling all along. Thanks a lot.
I echo Mohit Massey's comment. I have been swirling more than rolling. I was having the exact problem that you explained. Thank you so much for clarifying the correct way to prepare milk for latte art!
The BEST video. I had been purging my steam wand but it doesn't seem for long enough. Taking some time helped. The vortex vs swirl was a huge game changer. Still got some way to go but this instantly made a big difference first try. My milk used to come out like the one you demonstrated with a big clump of foam at the end!
Great video. Lots of good points made. You don't need a $100 pitcher to create latte art! And this is the first video I've seen differentiate between the roll and vortex. Good job!
Thanks, I'm glad you liked it. I also fell for the pitcher trap and spent a lot of money on mine. I really like it and don't regret the purchase, but I was a little disappointed when my latte art didn't immediately become amazing :D
Gotcha! Great videos. This is the first video I have found that explained why my milk was sinking right to the bottom of the cup and not creating any designs even when I was close to the crema. Of course, at the end of my pour the giant blob of foam came out. It’s mainly that swirl vs roll thing as well as stopping it at the right temp before the milk gets too hot and separates. Thanks!
This was well explained! I can't wait to try it out. Thanks for posting! I forgot to include that I too was swirling the milk, not rolling! That is likely the reason I am not getting foam. Thanks for the specific info that so many of us obviously needed!
Fantastic content - especially calling out "swirl" vs "roll" - which other videos don't seem to distinguish between the two! I like (use) unsweetened almond milk, so adding these video tips to up the game with my Gaggia Pro - thanks again! I also use a cheap $8 Amazon12oz pitcher - perfect size!
wow Found your channel right at the beginning and shall look no further. Thanks for starting with the milk and.foaming technique. thank you for being straight forward...looking forward to the next lesson
Thank You! need to learn this for new job & personal interest. sorry confused, first we are told to tip wand all the way to 3 o clock or 9, then you say keep wand as straight as possible, sorry, so confused. Beginner that knows lil', Thank You Charlie :)
It depends on the machine you use and how much power it has, but the important part is to have a roll where the bottom and top layers of milk are being combined. That will give you silky smooth milk. So whichever position gives you that, just hold that position and don't move around too much. I hope that helps.
Just bought my first home espresso machine with a working steam wand! Like many people here I really appreciate the distinction between rolling and swirling - I always get that thick layer of foam and never knew why. Hopefully I'll be able to make the microfoam correctly now, many thanks from Australia!
Waiting patiently for your video on milk alternatives! Would also love to see a video on achieving microfoam without a steam wand, I've been able to get close with microwaving and then using a mini electric hand whisk, just not totally there and part of the challenge is that I'm restricted to Almond Milk
I'm working on it. What other alternatives would you want to know about? So far I've got almond and oat milk to a good level. Hazelnut milk was gross even though I love it cold, when you heat it it separates...
Another good video. Thanks. I don't envy you using that machine. I had a Silva for almost 10 years. It's a very difficult machine to use and, frankly, it doesn't have the power required to steam milk properly. That said, it's a very good "school" because it forces you to learn the machine inside out to get the best results. I recently upgraded to an ECM Synchronika and I can't believe the difference. You're clearly serious about coffee - treat yourself to an upgrade as soon as you can. You won't regret it.
Hehe thanks, I'd love to but I don't have the money and most coffee machines are 2-3x the price in Japan. Hopefully I can pick up something better one of these days.
I save steam while purging the wand by opening the valve a little bit first. This drives out water without using a lot of steam. After about 3-5 seconds, I open the valve more. I’ve never run out of steam on my single boiler.
Yeah depending on the machine and how big the boiler is, you can have plenty. The Silvia one is pretty big, but I found often that it ran out of power just when I needed it to incorporate the milk. Gotta get that upgrade 😅
I own a Breville Barista Express for last 2 months. I couldn't get the milk frothing to the perfect ever to create a latte art. What's the ideal steam temp coming out off the wand? And timewise how long should I froth?
I own a barista express as well. I'm not sure what temp the steam is coming out of the machine. I've seen in many other videos that the temp of the milk should finish between 60 and 65 degrees Celsius. With my machine, it takes me about 70 seconds, give or take, to finish steaming.
It really does take a long time to get the steam going on that machine. I recommend once you turn on the steam dial, to wait for it to have a strong steam flow. Then quickly switch off the steam, put your jug in, and turn it back on before the machine does it's steam purge cycle. It can feel like a bit of a rush but I've had some very good latte art on the barista express when I've done it this way. I hope it helps, and let me know how you get along!
I thought I would love oatmilk as l love oatmeal. So far I hate it. I will try this and some creamer and see if it's any better! Can you steam the creamer with the milk?
Just started out a couple of months ago and seemed like the foam was always inconsistent. Last two days doing the vortex rather than swirling has made a huge difference. Many videos actually seem to state the opposite. Makes you wonder whether if these folks claiming to be experts actually know what they are doing.
Ryutaro! You found it! You're the first of my students to find my TH-cam Channel. Well done, you always were a smart guy. You know my email address, send me a mail and I'll come and check out your latte art ;)
I tried the roll this morning. My milk looked good, had a nice shine on top with no bubbles, I gave a nice swirl in the pitcher before pouring. But then when I pour it all still mixes into the espresso until the very end when I just got a few blob dots on top that were too thick to do any art with. Any idea what I could do differently? Do I need to inject more air perhaps? Thanks!
It's hard to tell without seeing what you're doing. Your espresso might be too old and not have a thick enough crema. Best to use coffee about 2 weeks off the roast date and a little darker. Also make sure you are incorporating the milk well - that means getting the air in early with small bubbles, and moving the milk all around so the air is evenly distributed. Good luck! nIf its still tough join my discord group and send a video ;)
@@homecafecharlie thanks, I’ll try again. I buy my espresso freshly roasted - my current bag was roasted about 2 weeks ago. Stupid question - what’s a discord group and how do I join? I’ll post a video there if I still can’t get it to work. Thanks!
I will try to do it soon. I had planned to do it when I was visiting the UK because there are a lot more options with barista blend almond milk and oat milk, but of course I cancelled my flight. My other work has gotten busy but I'm trying to find time to do 1 video per month, and will try to get it out there soon ;)
I own a Gaggia Classic Pro (one without pannarello wand)...it has the traditional steel wand... I use whole milk and a 20 oz pitcher...I hook the wand along the spout, but I never seem to get any micro foam at all... just a light layer of foam that pours out as a small blob at the end... do you have any tip for me and my machine?
Try using a smaller frothing jug like a 10-12 oz pitcher and you will have a more combined milk. From experience I know that using a bigger Frothing picture like a 20 ounce one can affect h Th e roll of the milk coursing it to not combine as it should! I hope this helps
I've been swirling too though it has worked. I would think a rounded bottom pitcher would roll better. (At least rounded on the inside). I've never seen one but I'd be curious if it was better. I will roll more. And get a bigger pitcher too. Super short video that actually gets to the point and is memorable. All instructional videos should be like this. And why are the insides of pitchers flat anyway?
Hi Ritchie - the cups I'm using now are the NotNeutral Lino, the Loveramics Egg and ACME Flat White cups. I use Kruve Propel for espresso now which you'll see in upcoming videos, super gorgeous cups. I have a bit of an unhealthy coffee cup obsession though...
Great video for us home users with budget machines. Question. If I upgrade my home machine to a pro machine / commercial machine will I need to adjust my technique where the roll vs swirl is concerned?
This should work now matter what machine! A commercial machine will just do all of this much faster, so you have less time to get it right, but in return you get a much more evenly aerated foam.
@@homecafecharlie OK just wondered as the roll contradicts a lot of other videos that swirl the milk so I assumed this rolling was a “hack” for less powerful home units. This video has REALLY helped me on my Delonghi Dedica I’m getting perfectly textured milk and my pours are starting to come on. I’ve managed a couple of wonky Tulips.
Charlie, Do you now of any difference between the single hole steam wands and the three hole ones? I have the three hole on my vintage Microcimbali. Haven't found that sweet spot to get the vortex consistantly yet and wonder if it would be better if I replace it somehow with a single one. I could bend the wand to a different angle if that helps (maybe more downward). Also when I practice with soap and water should I be able to get the thicker creamy paint like effect to all the fluid in the pitcher? It ends up worse than my mile... Great video and think your right on.
Don't switch out for a single hole. It sounds like most likely you need to adjust your position. Try not to pull into much air and point down enough to get a good roll. Try 1/2 way from the middle to one side. Good luck!
@@homecafecharlie Sorry to bother but your presentation makes the most sense to me and I still have a question. I am wondering if I am not getting enough steam pressure since it seems I can not get a volume of air that make the microfoam ( heavy stiff foam is easy for cappuccinos ) I get mice steamed milk that is a bit creamyier but nothing that floats to make art with. It just mixes nively with the espresso. when I pour. I try many angles and positions to get the vortex but so far not enough to get the air that makes the foam really incorporated into the milk. I get the whorlpool but that doesn't integrate the larger bubbles in the foam. The foam I make just sits on top of the seamed milk/ Any ideas?
When I purchased my Rancilio Silvia v.3 it came with a triple hole wand tip. This was supposedly an upgrade from the v.2, that had a single hole steam tip. Due to the number of complaints that the company received, it ended up sending v.3 owners a single-hole tip that is, indeed, much better.
@@roymassen2061 hmm, sounds like you need to add more air. Incorporating the milk is most important once you have a decent amount of air, so try and get that little hiss sound at the beginning. Not too much, and you don't want to hear a sort of gargling sound. Add the air slowly, that should be the best way to get a decent microfoam
Hi Charles. My home machine has a short steam wand which has a detachable plastic cowl which has two small pinholes and slides over the wand. I can't decide whether frothing works better with this cowl on or off. Any tips?
Is it the Gaggia Classic or a Delonghi machine perhaps? If it's an auto frothing wand, it's better with it off so you can control how much air goes in for yourself. Hard to know what to suggest without knowing for sure which machine it is, but let me know and maybe I can give you some tips
Hi Charlie. I am yet to understand what it means when a coffee menu reads: Single, double, or Triple. Does it mean the size of the coffee mug or cup (The volume of the drink) or does it mean one espresso shot or two to three in one cup or mug? In a nutshell, is it the number of shots or the volume of the coffee drink?
Really depends on the cafe. A double should mean a double espresso, roughly 36-40g. But there's no clear definition outside of Italy so cafes can do what they want!
Hi Charlie i would like to ask how to ensure the milk is silky smooth with micro bubbles cant even see , i still dont quite understand the roll and the swirl difference . Is it i put the wand just below the tip line , then slowly get the jug down to inject air then once i think i got enough foam , what you mean by put the wand downwards ？ What i get is i still can do latte art , just once i put the milk into the coffee base little bubbles appear and the coffee creamer and milk cant incorporate perfectly , which ends into uneven brown and white shadows , n the milk not shiny enough , instead its looks little bit dull , my friend said i can get the creamy foam but just the foam and milk get seperated ， may be thats what you mentioned about swirl instead of roll , so how can i get the perfect roll then ？
Hi Nancy. Great question. The first thing I would do is definitely don't use creamer. Creamer is mostly vegetable oil and sugar and throws off the balance of fat, protein and sugars. What I mean by a roll is that the milk is being pushed down to the bottom, and then up by the steam power. If your tip is in the wrong position, you will get a lot of air at the top, but it will not incorporate the non-aerated milk at the bottom. Try pointing the wand tip straight down, hooked into the spout, and then off to one side by a few degrees. I hope that helps!
thanks your reply, i think i already put the wand following your guide, hook at the sprout, straight down, then tilt to the right little bit, just i dont know where i should put the wand after i get enough foam to let the roll continue to wipe out all the tiny bubbles ? I know only adjust little bit is enough to stop injecting air , but sometime if i move the jug back to centre , （as before i tilit the jug to right litte bit) it may inject more air .... now my milk is not shiny and flowing enough , so once i pour the milk into coffee , small bubbles still appear , so i think i dont incorporate well enough the foam and the milk at the bottom...or i dont have enough time for the roll after getting enough foam? Also how to determine if the steam wand create foam for latte, flat white and capacinno? By the sound or seeing the milk level or just by feeling?
So I have a cheaper espresso machine and the steam wand is smaller in length and comes straight down with not as much pressure as a commercial machine. usually 20 oz pitcher is too big in size for the wand to reach the top of the milk to froth so i use a ceramic pitcher that is smaller in size. Do you have any tips on what is best to get that roll rather than swirl? i already tried to tilt the pitch forward and its more of a swirl than anything else
Hmm, a smaller jug is fine, but perhaps get a 12oz metal pitcher - even one from Amazon for $10 would be better than ceramic. Get the right angle (little off centre, and down rather than do the side) then you'll get a better roll. Let me know how you get along!
@@homecafecharlie Thank you so much for the advice! I continued to use a ceramic pitcher for smaller amounts of milk and the metal pitcher for the larger drinks. I found tilting the pitcher towards the right while being a little off centre to be the best method. It gives the best foam consistency helping me to start to learn latte art skills. It can get a bit challenging to get the wand just under the surface of the milk at the beginning of the frothing process though. Any tips on that?
@@pavlyrizk4253 Great question - I got this wrong for a long time but now I have muscle memory for the right place. Take a little time before you turn on the steam to get the right position so it starts bringing in the air right away. For my Silvia it's about 1-2cm below the surface, but when I tried on a La Marzocco Linea that blew up , so you need to adjust for your machine.
It can be done but it's not easy! A few techniques with French press work, and I'm gonna do a video soon about a milk frother that is pretty dope, so subscribe if you wanna see that when it comes out!
I've been trying to get this right for months and haven't been able to get it to work, could the fact that I'm having to use a glass Pyrex jug have a big effect on the outcome?
The problem for me for all types of milk pours is still consistently obtaining the correct micro foam in the jug. Sometimes I do, and often I don't. My machine, the Silvia v.3, with a PID, certainly offers sufficient steam pressure. The milk itself may perhaps be a part of the problem; skim, semi-skim, whole milk? Cold, ice-cold, not cold? The only milk available to us locally is not "fresh"; it comes packaged in a Tetra-Pak container, isn't refrigerated in the supermarket, and has a one-year expiration date.
Woah, I don't know where you live but I've never tried steaming with UHT milk... Really not sure what to suggest, but that's probably having a big effect on your ability to do latte art...
@@homecafecharlie I live in Brazil, and most of those who consume cow's milk in this country of 215 million people have no choice but to purchase UHT milk. Usually, there's nothing else on the shelves. I would venture to say that most Brazilians have never tasted fresh milk. In very large cities, some supermarkets in upper middle-class neighborhoods may offer non-UHT refrigerated milk. But it's 4 times more expensive than the UHT option, so it costs around USD8 per liter. Even the local coffee shops use UHT milk (they don't do latte art).
Hey, i don't want to waste 207ml of milk for a late nor 88ml for a capuccino, but i can't make microphoam with 50-60ml of milk, (i want my espresso to mlk ratio to be somwhat like 1:1 ) is there any way for such little milk to make it microphoam?
You can get a smaller jug, maybe a 300ml one that you can fill very low. Might be right but if you don't put the steam on full power it might be okay and won't make huge bubbles. Give it a shot in a small jug, and see if you can get a consistent roll. Good luck
@@homecafecharlie " but if you don't put the steam on full power " i think thats the key i wasn't thiking about, as it used to either build bad foam or not build at all, also it gets HOT really fast and there is no time for dipping deep so it will shake it. i try it. thanks for the reply.
Well, 'vortex' generally implies a whirlpool-like swirl (phycists, be quiet, I'm not talking to you, I mean in general parlance) so I can see where the misunderstanding has come from! Well, that and the fact that some videos on this topic specifically use the word 'whirpool' and show closeups of the tornado-looking spiral. That said, I like your point and I'm going to give it a whirl. See what I did there?!
i'm new to whole coffee world ( around 1 month since i started working as a barista ), and still i can't pour a simple heart on my latte art for some reasons my foam won't flow to the end of the cup while im pouring it on coffee and it ends up like a clumsy circle at the end, can't figure out what i'm doing wrong i can tell that my steamed milk is good enough for latte because our head barista still can make good latte art with same steamed milks that i make for him in rush hours but i can't, it probably something to do with my pouring technique.
It can be either - depends on the size of the cup, but a standard latte is 2oz or 60ml espresso with 6oz or 180ml or so of steamed milk. The milk has a bit more volume after steaming 😉
i need to subscibe to this guys, 40+ latte art video, i still fail and start blaming the machine, now i know its my fault not to watch this video sooner.. 👍
Yes it's absolutely on the list. It's just very hard to find barista blends in Japan. I had planned to film it in the UK when I went home for summer, but of course that didn't happen last year. Will try to get it up there soon!
Not necessarily deeper, but the position has to be right to encourage a roll. It will be different for every machine, so you might need to experiment a bit to get the right position, and once you do it's best to keep it there and only adjust small amounts up or down. That way you'll get the most consistent results, and that's what we're going for ;)
Thank you for explaining the difference between rolling and swirling the milk. I just realized I was swirling the milk all this time.
Have watched probably 10 videos trying to get milk texture. This tip was the key!
@@steveyoung189 I'm part of this club too! Can't wait to try in the morning
Wow this is a huge tip. Question for anyone - video says to bury the wand a little lower and not to the side...but earlier in the video it says to tilt the want to 3oclock. Is it a 2 phase approach then? Swirl for a little bit at 3oclock then bury the wand with no tilt to get the roll vortex?
Probably been swirling for the last 6 months. Rolling is THE Gamechanger, thanks man
I am not able to get my milk texture right despite using 5 % fat milk.i use 120 ml of milk in 20 oz pitcher..its way down the spout .2 I have a basic morphy single boiler machine whose steam wand is very thin..
Thank you! You are the only person to explain that you don’t want the milk to swirl. It’s more of an up and down rolling action. I have watched countless videos on this topic and this is the first to mention this. This is huge. Thank you!
I'm glad it helped you!
Ok. You've blown my tiny little mind. Like most other comments here, I feel like the tip about vortex vs swirling is so simple but game changing. Explains why my milk texture is always thin with too thick a foam at the end.
Stuck at work but can't wait to get home and try! Subbed.
This is the first video out of tens of videos I've seen that actually shows the difference in texture when you create a swirl versus a vortex. Found this so relevant, thanks so much!
You're welcome!
Swirl vs Vortex. That’s the most important for me in this video as I was only doing a swirl and couldn’t avoid too much foam when pouring exactly the way you showed in this video. Thanks a lot.
Glad it helped!
this is the case for me too thanks a lot :)
Major props for literally having the three things on the THUMBNAIL!
And this is why I’m subscribed to this channel. Out of the maybe hundred videos I’ve seen about milk steaming, not a single one explains this swirling vs roll difference which is a key component on home espresso machines. I’ve seen that most tutorials are just for commercial equipment and no one really shows this because it just doesn’t happen on those commercial machines since they have tons of pressure, but us home users have smaller machines with smaller capacity and for what it seems, this is a very common mistake. All this time I have been swirling instead of rolling, the difference is clear, when rolling, the milk has this paint like texture which is exactly what I was not getting when swirling. Thank you very much for these videos.
Thank you so much - I've been improving my latte art a lot recently and found that THIS element of getting the milk right and incorporated makes all the difference in the world. Gonna do a video on next level latte art designs sometime soon.
A like for the Brasil Café ☕️. My favorite is Pilão
Vortex is the last and most important piece of advise I am missing and nobody else mentioned! Finally no square heart!
Finally!! Someone who shows what a bad/incorrect pour looks like. This helps. Thank u!
this guy NAILED it. everyone talks about "swirling the milk... rubbish!! he pins it down by differentiating between swirling (wrong) and rolling (hell yeah!!!) - thanks charlie. you finally made my gaggia classic pro complete...
Awesome, I'm so glad it helped you!
Omg. I've watched quite a few videos and read quite a bit. The roll being vertical to incorporate the bubbles VS the swirl 100% helped me. I finally made a perfect heart today with beautiful texture! Thank you!
So glad it helped you!
Finally a helpful explanation of what I’ve been doing wrong!!! Roll vs swirl is a game changer! Thank you!!!
This is the only tutorial that mentioned about purging the wetness to get a dry steam. I wished I watched this much earlier. Took me months to realize.
So much detail in a video, from milk, to machine, pitcher and etc. Thanks.
Mate, I just came back to watch this again because of how much it's helped me. Managed to get some incredible micro-foam after this. The spin vs vortex thing needs a video of its own!
Awesome! I'm so glad it helped you!
Awesome, that fluffy foam when you talked about the swirl looks a lot like mine, so I'll try to get a roll instead. Thanks!
Literally what I was going to comment as well. I have made some really good drinks, but just trying to dial in on my latte art now. Did these techniques help you out any?
@@garyfortner I did an awesome ripple heart yesterday, so maybe 😉
Damn, I was also swirling all the time! Great video
Good lawd! I've been swirling for MONTHS even after watching countless other HowTo videos and wondering why I'm still having such trouble with getting the right consistency. Watched this video ONE time and instantly saw a dramatic improvement. ❤️ Incredible that nobody else seems to mention this key aspect. Add me to the hundreds of folks over multiple years thanking you for pointing out the roll vs. swirl. You are a legend.👌
best explanation so far, thank you a lot!
I've been seeing dozens of milk steaming video on TH-cam and once watching yours I realized that I've been doing it wrong the whole time (swirling instead of rolling). I heard the terms rolling many times before but until you show the difference of the result, I didn't know that I've been swirling all along. Thanks a lot.
I echo Mohit Massey's comment. I have been swirling more than rolling. I was having the exact problem that you explained. Thank you so much for clarifying the correct way to prepare milk for latte art!
Another one thanking you for the roll vs swirl tip. I was getting milk in the cup with a mousse on top.
This is the best “how to” on the web. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge with us.
So kind! I'm glad it helped you!
The BEST video. I had been purging my steam wand but it doesn't seem for long enough. Taking some time helped. The vortex vs swirl was a huge game changer. Still got some way to go but this instantly made a big difference first try. My milk used to come out like the one you demonstrated with a big clump of foam at the end!
Amazing, so glad this helped you out! Keep it up and impress all your friends :D
Great video. Lots of good points made. You don't need a $100 pitcher to create latte art! And this is the first video I've seen differentiate between the roll and vortex. Good job!
Thanks, I'm glad you liked it. I also fell for the pitcher trap and spent a lot of money on mine. I really like it and don't regret the purchase, but I was a little disappointed when my latte art didn't immediately become amazing :D
Gotcha! Great videos. This is the first video I have found that explained why my milk was sinking right to the bottom of the cup and not creating any designs even when I was
close to the crema. Of course, at the end of my pour the giant blob of foam came out. It’s mainly that swirl vs roll thing as well as stopping it at the right temp before the milk gets too hot and separates. Thanks!
This was well explained! I can't wait to try it out. Thanks for posting! I forgot to include that I too was swirling the milk, not rolling! That is likely the reason I am not getting foam. Thanks for the specific info that so many of us obviously needed!
Well done video not assuming anything from your audience. Clearly explained. Thank you!
explained so well! now i know why i end up with foam when pouring. thank you so much for this video!
I'm really glad it helped you!
Fantastic content - especially calling out "swirl" vs "roll" - which other videos don't seem to distinguish between the two! I like (use) unsweetened almond milk, so adding these video tips to up the game with my Gaggia Pro - thanks again! I also use a cheap $8 Amazon12oz pitcher - perfect size!
Love it! I also only use unsweetened when I go for almond milk. I don't like the sugary versions
wow Found your channel right at the beginning and shall look no further. Thanks for starting with the milk and.foaming technique. thank you for being straight forward...looking forward to the next lesson
I'm glad it helped you!
Thank You! need to learn this for new job & personal interest. sorry confused, first we are told to tip wand all the way to 3 o clock or 9, then you say keep wand as straight as possible, sorry, so confused. Beginner that knows lil', Thank You Charlie :)
It depends on the machine you use and how much power it has, but the important part is to have a roll where the bottom and top layers of milk are being combined. That will give you silky smooth milk. So whichever position gives you that, just hold that position and don't move around too much. I hope that helps.
Just bought my first home espresso machine with a working steam wand! Like many people here I really appreciate the distinction between rolling and swirling - I always get that thick layer of foam and never knew why. Hopefully I'll be able to make the microfoam correctly now, many thanks from Australia!
I'm glad it helped you!!!
Nailed it, all this time I've been perfecting my swirl, and now I need to get my roll on. Cheers.
Awesome, I'm sure your art will improve a lot with that better incorporated microfoam!
Thank you. An amazing explanation!
Awesome video. I am excited to try now!
Waiting patiently for your video on milk alternatives! Would also love to see a video on achieving microfoam without a steam wand, I've been able to get close with microwaving and then using a mini electric hand whisk, just not totally there and part of the challenge is that I'm restricted to Almond Milk
I'm working on it. What other alternatives would you want to know about? So far I've got almond and oat milk to a good level. Hazelnut milk was gross even though I love it cold, when you heat it it separates...
Yeah me too. Almond, oat, coconut and soya would be good
great video and lesson. I will come back to this one. I only make drinks for me, so I am not picky about the art. Still want to be able to do it.
Another good video. Thanks. I don't envy you using that machine. I had a Silva for almost 10 years. It's a very difficult machine to use and, frankly, it doesn't have the power required to steam milk properly. That said, it's a very good "school" because it forces you to learn the machine inside out to get the best results. I recently upgraded to an ECM Synchronika and I can't believe the difference. You're clearly serious about coffee - treat yourself to an upgrade as soon as you can. You won't regret it.
Hehe thanks, I'd love to but I don't have the money and most coffee machines are 2-3x the price in Japan. Hopefully I can pick up something better one of these days.
Your process is good but i want to know how many seconds for steaming milk for flat white
lovely channel! Thanks for sharing this! Can't wait to try doing latte at home!
I save steam while purging the wand by opening the valve a little bit first. This drives out water without using a lot of steam. After about 3-5 seconds, I open the valve more. I’ve never run out of steam on my single boiler.
Yeah depending on the machine and how big the boiler is, you can have plenty. The Silvia one is pretty big, but I found often that it ran out of power just when I needed it to incorporate the milk. Gotta get that upgrade 😅
Hithere, thanks for video. My family is lactose intolerant. Any pointers for lactose free micro foam?
I made a video on it here: th-cam.com/video/FzZLhQLxu1M/w-d-xo.html
Cool thanks. Any ideas for lactose free cows milk?
I thought I was supposed to swirl it ! Cheers !
I own a Breville Barista Express for last 2 months. I couldn't get the milk frothing to the perfect ever to create a latte art. What's the ideal steam temp coming out off the wand? And timewise how long should I froth?
I own a barista express as well. I'm not sure what temp the steam is coming out of the machine. I've seen in many other videos that the temp of the milk should finish between 60 and 65 degrees Celsius. With my machine, it takes me about 70 seconds, give or take, to finish steaming.
It really does take a long time to get the steam going on that machine. I recommend once you turn on the steam dial, to wait for it to have a strong steam flow. Then quickly switch off the steam, put your jug in, and turn it back on before the machine does it's steam purge cycle. It can feel like a bit of a rush but I've had some very good latte art on the barista express when I've done it this way. I hope it helps, and let me know how you get along!
Okie dokie, I'll try this method for 70 seconds. Thnx both of you.
Around 140 degrees Fahrenheit is the sweet spot
very informative one！explained really well all aspects. Thank you!
Thank you very much
I thought I would love oatmilk as l love oatmeal. So far I hate it. I will try this and some creamer and see if it's any better! Can you steam the creamer with the milk?
I have never tried it as I'm not a big fan of creamer (it's just sugar and vegetable oil). Give it a try and let me know how it goes!
Just started out a couple of months ago and seemed like the foam was always inconsistent. Last two days doing the vortex rather than swirling has made a huge difference. Many videos actually seem to state the opposite. Makes you wonder whether if these folks claiming to be experts actually know what they are doing.
Hi Mr Moritz!! I found your TH-cam account. I was in your International perspectives in icuhs. I work at Starbucks and I’m practicing my latte art.
Ryutaro! You found it! You're the first of my students to find my TH-cam Channel. Well done, you always were a smart guy. You know my email address, send me a mail and I'll come and check out your latte art ;)
I tried the roll this morning. My milk looked good, had a nice shine on top with no bubbles, I gave a nice swirl in the pitcher before pouring. But then when I pour it all still mixes into the espresso until the very end when I just got a few blob dots on top that were too thick to do any art with. Any idea what I could do differently? Do I need to inject more air perhaps? Thanks!
It's hard to tell without seeing what you're doing. Your espresso might be too old and not have a thick enough crema. Best to use coffee about 2 weeks off the roast date and a little darker. Also make sure you are incorporating the milk well - that means getting the air in early with small bubbles, and moving the milk all around so the air is evenly distributed. Good luck! nIf its still tough join my discord group and send a video ;)
@@homecafecharlie thanks, I’ll try again. I buy my espresso freshly roasted - my current bag was roasted about 2 weeks ago.
Stupid question - what’s a discord group and how do I join? I’ll post a video there if I still can’t get it to work. Thanks!
Any idea when you're gonna do the alternative milk video?
I will try to do it soon. I had planned to do it when I was visiting the UK because there are a lot more options with barista blend almond milk and oat milk, but of course I cancelled my flight. My other work has gotten busy but I'm trying to find time to do 1 video per month, and will try to get it out there soon ;)
I own a Gaggia Classic Pro (one without pannarello wand)...it has the traditional steel wand... I use whole milk and a 20 oz pitcher...I hook the wand along the spout, but I never seem to get any micro foam at all... just a light layer of foam that pours out as a small blob at the end... do you have any tip for me and my machine?
Try using a smaller frothing jug like a 10-12 oz pitcher and you will have a more combined milk. From experience I know that using a bigger Frothing picture like a 20 ounce one can affect h Th e roll of the milk coursing it to not combine as it should! I hope this helps
The vortex vs swirl is what I was missing!
I've been swirling too though it has worked. I would think a rounded bottom pitcher would roll better. (At least rounded on the inside). I've never seen one but I'd be curious if it was better. I will roll more. And get a bigger pitcher too. Super short video that actually gets to the point and is memorable. All instructional videos should be like this. And why are the insides of pitchers flat anyway?
I think for consistency flat is fine. The most important thing is wand positioning so you get that roll going. Once you get that it all gets better!
Great Videos with awesome content. Can I ask what cups your using and what colour is it? Thanks
Hi Ritchie - the cups I'm using now are the NotNeutral Lino, the Loveramics Egg and ACME Flat White cups. I use Kruve Propel for espresso now which you'll see in upcoming videos, super gorgeous cups. I have a bit of an unhealthy coffee cup obsession though...
Great video for us home users with budget machines. Question. If I upgrade my home machine to a pro machine / commercial machine will I need to adjust my technique where the roll vs swirl is concerned?
This should work now matter what machine! A commercial machine will just do all of this much faster, so you have less time to get it right, but in return you get a much more evenly aerated foam.
@@homecafecharlie OK just wondered as the roll contradicts a lot of other videos that swirl the milk so I assumed this rolling was a “hack” for less powerful home units. This video has REALLY helped me on my Delonghi Dedica I’m getting perfectly textured milk and my pours are starting to come on. I’ve managed a couple of wonky Tulips.
Charlie, Do you now of any difference between the single hole steam wands and the three hole ones? I have the three hole on my vintage Microcimbali. Haven't found that sweet spot to get the vortex consistantly yet and wonder if it would be better if I replace it somehow with a single one. I could bend the wand to a different angle if that helps (maybe more downward).
Also when I practice with soap and water should I be able to get the thicker creamy paint like effect to all the fluid in the pitcher? It ends up worse than my mile...
Great video and think your right on.
Don't switch out for a single hole. It sounds like most likely you need to adjust your position. Try not to pull into much air and point down enough to get a good roll. Try 1/2 way from the middle to one side. Good luck!
@@homecafecharlie Sorry to bother but your presentation makes the most sense to me and I still have a question. I am wondering if I am not getting enough steam pressure since it seems I can not get a volume of air that make the microfoam ( heavy stiff foam is easy for cappuccinos ) I get mice steamed milk that is a bit creamyier but nothing that floats to make art with. It just mixes nively with the espresso. when I pour.
I try many angles and positions to get the vortex but so far not enough to get the air that makes the foam really incorporated into the milk. I get the whorlpool but that doesn't integrate the larger bubbles in the foam. The foam I make just sits on top of the seamed milk/
Any ideas?
When I purchased my Rancilio Silvia v.3 it came with a triple hole wand tip. This was supposedly an upgrade from the v.2, that had a single hole steam tip. Due to the number of complaints that the company received, it ended up sending v.3 owners a single-hole tip that is, indeed, much better.
@@roymassen2061 hmm, sounds like you need to add more air. Incorporating the milk is most important once you have a decent amount of air, so try and get that little hiss sound at the beginning. Not too much, and you don't want to hear a sort of gargling sound. Add the air slowly, that should be the best way to get a decent microfoam
The swirl vs vortex mention was important.
thanks. useful - tho who uses oz anymore, no idea what 20oz is !
Me neither! It's weird, but I think a lot of pitchers have used this measurement for a while. 20oz is about 600ml.
Thanks it helps a lot
Can you do a video steaming milk with that Gaggia classic pro??
I don't have it anymore! Besides, steaming milk is the same with every machine 😉
I use a Swan hme espresso machinw but the wand is quite short - will this affect the steaming of the milk? How can I overcome this?
It should affect the steaming unless it doesn't go deep enough in the jug. Good luck with it 😝
Legend!
Hi Charles. My home machine has a short steam wand which has a detachable plastic cowl which has two small pinholes and slides over the wand. I can't decide whether frothing works better with this cowl on or off. Any tips?
Is it the Gaggia Classic or a Delonghi machine perhaps? If it's an auto frothing wand, it's better with it off so you can control how much air goes in for yourself. Hard to know what to suggest without knowing for sure which machine it is, but let me know and maybe I can give you some tips
Hi Charlie. I am yet to understand what it means when a coffee menu reads: Single, double, or Triple. Does it mean the size of the coffee mug or cup (The volume of the drink) or does it mean one espresso shot or two to three in one cup or mug? In a nutshell, is it the number of shots or the volume of the coffee drink?
Really depends on the cafe. A double should mean a double espresso, roughly 36-40g. But there's no clear definition outside of Italy so cafes can do what they want!
@@homecafecharlie Thanks! It makes sense now.
Hi Charlie i would like to ask how to ensure the milk is silky smooth with micro bubbles cant even see , i still dont quite understand the roll and the swirl difference . Is it i put the wand just below the tip line , then slowly get the jug down to inject air then once i think i got enough foam , what you mean by put the wand downwards ？ What i get is i still can do latte art , just once i put the milk into the coffee base little bubbles appear and the coffee creamer and milk cant incorporate perfectly , which ends into uneven brown and white shadows , n the milk not shiny enough , instead its looks little bit dull , my friend said i can get the creamy foam but just the foam and milk get seperated ， may be thats what you mentioned about swirl instead of roll , so how can i get the perfect roll then ？
Hi Nancy. Great question. The first thing I would do is definitely don't use creamer. Creamer is mostly vegetable oil and sugar and throws off the balance of fat, protein and sugars.
What I mean by a roll is that the milk is being pushed down to the bottom, and then up by the steam power. If your tip is in the wrong position, you will get a lot of air at the top, but it will not incorporate the non-aerated milk at the bottom. Try pointing the wand tip straight down, hooked into the spout, and then off to one side by a few degrees. I hope that helps!
thanks your reply, i think i already put the wand following your guide, hook at the sprout, straight down, then tilt to the right little bit, just i dont know where i should put the wand after i get enough foam to let the roll continue to wipe out all the tiny bubbles ? I know only adjust little bit is enough to stop injecting air , but sometime if i move the jug back to centre , （as before i tilit the jug to right litte bit) it may inject more air .... now my milk is not shiny and flowing enough , so once i pour the milk into coffee , small bubbles still appear , so i think i dont incorporate well enough the foam and the milk at the bottom...or i dont have enough time for the roll after getting enough foam? Also how to determine if the steam wand create foam for latte, flat white and capacinno? By the sound or seeing the milk level or just by feeling?
Ty for this super helpful video!
Great video!!
So I have a cheaper espresso machine and the steam wand is smaller in length and comes straight down with not as much pressure as a commercial machine. usually 20 oz pitcher is too big in size for the wand to reach the top of the milk to froth so i use a ceramic pitcher that is smaller in size. Do you have any tips on what is best to get that roll rather than swirl? i already tried to tilt the pitch forward and its more of a swirl than anything else
Hmm, a smaller jug is fine, but perhaps get a 12oz metal pitcher - even one from Amazon for $10 would be better than ceramic. Get the right angle (little off centre, and down rather than do the side) then you'll get a better roll. Let me know how you get along!
@@homecafecharlie Thank you so much for the advice! I continued to use a ceramic pitcher for smaller amounts of milk and the metal pitcher for the larger drinks. I found tilting the pitcher towards the right while being a little off centre to be the best method. It gives the best foam consistency helping me to start to learn latte art skills. It can get a bit challenging to get the wand just under the surface of the milk at the beginning of the frothing process though. Any tips on that?
@@pavlyrizk4253 Great question - I got this wrong for a long time but now I have muscle memory for the right place. Take a little time before you turn on the steam to get the right position so it starts bringing in the air right away. For my Silvia it's about 1-2cm below the surface, but when I tried on a La Marzocco Linea that blew up , so you need to adjust for your machine.
thx great video
Is it possible to do it without that machine?
It can be done but it's not easy! A few techniques with French press work, and I'm gonna do a video soon about a milk frother that is pretty dope, so subscribe if you wanna see that when it comes out!
Well done
I've been trying to get this right for months and haven't been able to get it to work, could the fact that I'm having to use a glass Pyrex jug have a big effect on the outcome?
Yes for sure, glass traps heat a lot more than a thin metal jug - even a basic £10 one from Amazon would be 1000x better than a pyrex jug.
@@homecafecharlie ah okay, thanks for the help I'll get a tumbler ordered mate
Looking forward to your alternative milk video!
The affiliate link for the Loveramics Egg cup is broken.
I guess they must have stopped selling it 😅
The problem for me for all types of milk pours is still consistently obtaining the correct micro foam in the jug. Sometimes I do, and often I don't. My machine, the Silvia v.3, with a PID, certainly offers sufficient steam pressure. The milk itself may perhaps be a part of the problem; skim, semi-skim, whole milk? Cold, ice-cold, not cold? The only milk available to us locally is not "fresh"; it comes packaged in a Tetra-Pak container, isn't refrigerated in the supermarket, and has a one-year expiration date.
Woah, I don't know where you live but I've never tried steaming with UHT milk... Really not sure what to suggest, but that's probably having a big effect on your ability to do latte art...
@@homecafecharlie I live in Brazil, and most of those who consume cow's milk in this country of 215 million people have no choice but to purchase UHT milk. Usually, there's nothing else on the shelves. I would venture to say that most Brazilians have never tasted fresh milk. In very large cities, some supermarkets in upper middle-class neighborhoods may offer non-UHT refrigerated milk. But it's 4 times more expensive than the UHT option, so it costs around USD8 per liter. Even the local coffee shops use UHT milk (they don't do latte art).
Hey, i don't want to waste 207ml of milk for a late nor 88ml for a capuccino, but i can't make microphoam with 50-60ml of milk, (i want my espresso to mlk ratio to be somwhat like 1:1 ) is there any way for such little milk to make it microphoam?
You can get a smaller jug, maybe a 300ml one that you can fill very low. Might be right but if you don't put the steam on full power it might be okay and won't make huge bubbles. Give it a shot in a small jug, and see if you can get a consistent roll. Good luck
@@homecafecharlie " but if you don't put the steam on full power " i think thats the key i wasn't thiking about, as it used to either build bad foam or not build at all, also it gets HOT really fast and there is no time for dipping deep so it will shake it. i try it. thanks for the reply.
goood job
Well, 'vortex' generally implies a whirlpool-like swirl (phycists, be quiet, I'm not talking to you, I mean in general parlance) so I can see where the misunderstanding has come from! Well, that and the fact that some videos on this topic specifically use the word 'whirpool' and show closeups of the tornado-looking spiral.
That said, I like your point and I'm going to give it a whirl.
See what I did there?!
Hehe give it a spin, and don't spiral out of control! 😁
i'm new to whole coffee world ( around 1 month since i started working as a barista ), and still i can't pour a simple heart on my latte art for some reasons my foam won't flow to the end of the cup while im pouring it on coffee and it ends up like a clumsy circle at the end, can't figure out what i'm doing wrong i can tell that my steamed milk is good enough for latte because our head barista still can make good latte art with same steamed milks that i make for him in rush hours but i can't, it probably something to do with my pouring technique.
It takes a lot of practice but you'll get there!
I always failed when pouring milk although ive used fresh milk already..
Good luck and try everything in this video 😉
dude why do you only have 6k sub! This channel is underrated just like mine!
Underrated by people who’s ratings you respect?
Latte is 8oz with 2oz of espresso? So it’s 10oz in total or did you mean it’s 8oz in total including the 2oz espresso?
It can be either - depends on the size of the cup, but a standard latte is 2oz or 60ml espresso with 6oz or 180ml or so of steamed milk. The milk has a bit more volume after steaming 😉
I was today years old when I learned that whole milk is 4% and not 100%
How many hole does your steamwand tip have? Mine is standart just 1 hole.
Mine too. Hopefully I can get an upgrade soon!
i need to subscibe to this guys, 40+ latte art video, i still fail and start blaming the machine, now i know its my fault not to watch this video sooner.. 👍
Keep trying! It took me YEARS to get half-decent while only doing one or two drinks a day. You'll get there!
Are you still planning on a video for getting a successful result with latte art using alternative milks?
Yes it's absolutely on the list. It's just very hard to find barista blends in Japan. I had planned to film it in the UK when I went home for summer, but of course that didn't happen last year. Will try to get it up there soon!
so the conclusion is i have to put steam wand deeper to make a rotation, isn’ it?
Not necessarily deeper, but the position has to be right to encourage a roll. It will be different for every machine, so you might need to experiment a bit to get the right position, and once you do it's best to keep it there and only adjust small amounts up or down. That way you'll get the most consistent results, and that's what we're going for ;)
I'll give it a try, but normally I just let the Bambino steam wand do its own thing..... not too good for art ...
Welp, just tried the rolling thing.... didn't work at all. At. All.
Can you explain more? Maybe I can help you. Saying it didn't work doesn't give me much to help you with haha
great vid, good tips. but terrible background... err.. music(?)
Oh no I’ve been swirling my milk too 😢
Have you been enjoying for coffee? It’s not the end of the world.
You are a fucking genius
No no not at all, but thank you!
20 wizard of Oz units = 600 mL
Yes but that's just the size of the jug, obviously don't fill it up to the top 🤣
There are people that like skim milk?
I assume so but personally have never met anyone :D
Still looks like...well....not a cappuccino...
That’s because this is milk for *latte* art. And a latte is not a cappuccino.