Hey latte artists!
So I’m absolutely perplexed about something. I’ve been pouring a few capps a day for the last year or so, and something that continues to happen with frustrating frequency is this: near the middle/end of my pour (right before I drop the pitcher to mark the surface), the crema breaks open at one end of the cup (resulting in a watery spot on the surface of the espresso-milk mixture), tugging the design that I pour off to one side or creating a loosey-goosey surface that results in a loosey-goosey design. I’ve tried a number of remedies, all with limited success. They are:
- Swirling the espresso in the cup, before the pour, to loosen and mix the crema in with the rest of the espresso
- Transferring the espresso from a shot pitcher into the cup to relax the crema before pouring
- Ensuring the milk has enough, evenly integrated air, to create the necessary surface tension
- Ensuring the beans aren’t stale and that they’re producing a good crema when I pull the shot
- Pre-mixing the a little milk with the espresso to get a head start on integrating the two and thereby provide a solid surface for pouring a design
- Pouring nice and softly/slowly in the center of the cup to keep the milk from shooting up the sides and breaking open the crema
I’m using fresh whole milk and really fantastic beans from local (San Francisco) roasters. My Linea Mini has more than enough horsepower to produce excellent microfoam.
Any other tips or guidance? Sometimes I have a solid surface and am able to pour really stable designs, but this is only about half of the time. It’s driving me kind of bonkers.
Thanks in advance!!!