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Barista Steam Tips
How to use a steam wand to make milk foam and latte art.
Published December 17, 2021
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Chandra Melo
Coffee experts@The Coffee Lab
When making milk-based espresso drinks like lattes, cappuccinos, mochas, and more, milk that has been steamed to perfection is the main goal for most baristas. Before you get started, it’s important to understand how milk is steamed to make sure that you get the perfect microfoam. Learning how to use a steam wand and the steam wand tip to get your perfect latte or cappuccino milk will make it easier for you to create the perfect drinks at home, with no need to go to a coffee shop again!
Before You Start
Before you start steaming milk, there’s a couple of things to check. Make sure that you are using cold milk and that the pitcher you are using is completely rinsed of any previously steamed milk you’ve made. The milk should be cold as this will allow you more time for steaming. Along with this, it will make creating the microfoam easier since when the milk is more than 37 degrees Celsius, the foam will create small bubbles that will be difficult for you to get rid of afterward. This is why it’s difficult to steam milk that has already been steamed since it isn’t able to handle the second steaming and the structure of the foam will be lost.
Once you’ve made sure that you have the right milk, it’s important to check the position of your pitcher and steam wand before you turn the steam wand on. The position of the wand will play a major role in how easy it is for you to create a big whirlpool in the pitcher. You should make sure that the wand’s position is in the middle of the pitcher vertically, and horizontally in the side of the pitcher. This position will ensure that the milk creates a whirlpool, and all you will need to do is move the pitcher up and down while steaming.
Creating Foam
You want to be able to create the foam during the beginning of the process, which is why the first step after putting in the steam wand is to lower the pitcher and create the foam. Milk foam will be created once the tip of the steam wand comes to the surface of the milk. The longer you keep the tip of the steam wand close to the surface of the milk, the more milk foam you are going to create. For latte milk, for example, you should keep the tip at the surface for just a second or two. On the other hand, for making cappuccino milk, the tip should be at the surface for a little longer, around 2-5 seconds.
Creating The Whirlpool
Once you have created enough foam, you will need to put the tip further underneath the surface of the milk, allowing it to just heat the milk up for the rest of the process. During this stage, you are aiming to create a whirlpool in the pitcher, which sucks in any larger air bubbles and makes sure that you are left with milk that is silky, velvety, and smooth.
Getting the Temperature Right
Before you shut off your steam wand and finish the process, the last step is to make sure that you have the correct temperature for steamed milk. 55-65 degrees Celsius is the correct temperature for steamed milk. It’s important to pay attention to the temperature as this is going to be one of the first things that you’ll notice when drinking your coffee or the first thing that your customers will notice if you are a barista. Nobody likes their steamed milk to be too hot or too cold. It’s a good idea to get used to how hot the pitcher is going to feel when it is at the correct temperature. While you can use a thermometer to get started with measuring the temperature, after a while, being able to check using your hand on the pitcher will save time. At around 55-65 degrees, the pitcher should be at a temperature where it won’t burn your hand, but you don’t want to touch it for any longer than necessary.
This temperature range is important as anything below is likely to be quite lukewarm especially if you don’t drink the coffee right away. On the other hand, anything higher and the proteins in the milk will begin to denature, which has an effect on the structure of the milk and can cause a burned taste.
Mixing and Pouring the Milk
Once you have shut off the steam wand, it’s time to act quickly when it comes to pouring. It’s important to pour the milk immediately or at least as soon as possible since otherwise, the milk and foam are going to separate, leaving you with just foam on the top. For the best results, pouring straight away will keep the milk and foam together. If you can’t pour straight away, rotate the pitcher to keep the milk moving, which will help avoid separation. If there are any air bubbles in the pitcher, gently tap it down on a hard surface like your kitchen counter before pouring, which will help to remove any bubbles and ensure that the milk is smooth. The final step after making milk foam is to always wipe the steam wand clean after using it. If you don’t, the milk residue will burn onto the steam wand, leaving a hard, disgusting brown layer that can be difficult to remove.
How to Use Your Steamed Milk for Latte Art
Now that you know how to make the perfect steamed milk for lattes, you might want to move up to making latte art. Latte art can be fun to do and will take your coffee drinks to a whole new level. If you’re interested in creating patterns in your coffees, here are some tips to keep in mind for better latte art.
Steaming the Milk
Don’t expect to be able to make perfect latte art the first time that you steam milk. Getting the milk right for latte art can take some time to practice, so keep going with the above steps and get as much practice as possible until you are confident that you can make the milk just right.
Make the Base Before Adding Art
One of the main things that people forget when making latte art is the contrast. If there is no contrast, even the most perfectly poured latte art patterns and designs are going to look like a mess. To avoid this, you should pour very gently first, in a way that allows the milk to go through the crema. This leaves you with a dark brown mixture of coffee and milk where you can pour your art.
Get Closer
Once you have perfected this canvas, it’s time to start pouring your latte art. To be successful, you should get as close as possible to the surface of the liquid. Do this by leaning your cup. Keeping your cup straight will make pouring latte art more difficult as you will either be too far away or will find it difficult to control your pattern as you’ll be pouring too fast. When you keep the cup at an angle and make sure that you’re as close as possible, you will notice that there is no rush in creating your latte art and you will be able to pour more slowly with more control. Make sure that the way you are holding the cup is comfortable for you. Some people find that holding it with the handle works best, while others prefer to hold it at the side or from the bottom.
Record Yourself
Recording yourself pouring latte art can be helpful for perfecting this skill. This is because in the moment, it’s not always easy to analyze what went wrong and what you can improve on next time. However, when you film yourself pouring latte art, you can go back and watch yourself afterward to see if you were actually close enough to the surface, or if you haven’t gotten close enough to the surface early enough, for example.
Keep Practicing
Finally, don’t be disheartened if your first few attempts at latte art come out looking like a mess. It takes a lot of time and practice to get good at latte art, especially if you want to get to the point where you can make perfect latte art without having to give it much thought. Getting good at latte art is going to require some determination on your part and remember that it might take a few weeks or even months to get your patterns and artistic creations absolutely perfect. For many baristas, it can take several years for them to get really good at latte art.
If you want to make perfect lattes, cappuccinos, and other milk-based espresso drinks, learning how to make perfect steamed milk and milk foam is the first step. Once you have mastered the technique to make milk foam, you will be able to start learning latte art.
About the author
Chandra Melo
Marketing as job, barista as passion. An authentic coffee lover, looking for the next fantastic cup of coffee that I will fall in love with. Coffee, for me, is more than a beverage. It's about community and connection - how can all the world consume the same fruit? And differently? How can we have so many different tastes? I also don't know. And because of this, I feel in love each day more for this world. Happy to share and make a change in the coffee community.
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