The Finesse of Latte Art

When I was first starting out with latte art, I had no idea what to expect. I love coffee but didn’t realize the intricacies involved when pouring latte art. My boss told, “Make 200 cappuccinos and by the end, you might be close to perfecting one.”

Now, I’m not sure how many “caps” I made to get to the point I am today, but it was a lot.

So, how do you draw latte art? Two things you need to understand: 1) Getting good milk 2) Breathe with your eyes. Do those two things and you’re well on your way.

Let’s explore.

It’s All About the Milk

Chirps. Do you know what chirps are? They’re those strange noises the steam wand makes while dipping it into a milk pitcher to determine frothiness.

Getting the perfect milk is all about feel. You barely dip the steam wand into the milk, turn the pressure up, slightly raise the wand to the surface…Now here is where you make or break your milk. If you raise it too high, you’ll get some aggressive chirps. You don’t want aggressive chirps. You want the nice and easy chirps. So nice and easy come to the surface.

As the milk begins to froth, it will raise up as it begins to change density. You must raise the wand with this change and gather around 5-8 more chirps. With me?

Once you’ve gained the proper chirps, the milk should be a silky smooth. Now you’ll place the wand further into the milk pitcher, place your other hand on the side of the pitcher, and feel for temperature. No one wants a cold latte. Turn the steam wand off.

Gathering Your Milk to Pour

After you’ve got your milk nice and silky and up to temp, tap the pitcher on the counter lightly to get rid of any excess bubbles. Next, swirl the milk around and determine the level of frothiness. If needed, dump out a little off the top (can become more frothy than the rest) and get your espresso ready.

Pouring the Milk

Some coffee shops pour the espresso from a shot glass and into the cup they’re going to pour in. Some places like keep the crema of the espresso and pour directly into the cup. I prefer to pour the shot into a cup, as it helps create a smoother cup.

Hold the cup with the handle pointing towards you (so the drawing will be centered), drop the milk into the center of the espresso. As you reach about 50% milk and 50% espresso, tilt the cup backward, increase the flow of milk, then ever so easily, begin gently moving your pour hand side to side. Continue to move away from the back of the cup. As you approach the front, you’re about finished. Lift your hand slightly and pour through the cappuccino.

You’ve now poured a delicious, silky-smooth, artistic cappuccino.

There are also different patterns you can draw. We’ll explore that in an upcoming post. Cheers!

Tips

It’s all feel and you need a steady hand. Breathe with your eyes and take it slow. You can’t rush your drawing, or it will show in the milk, or the drawing itself.

Also, don’t be afraid to compliment the barista on the drawing you received from them. Most people, I fee,l just dump sugar in and stir without even looking at the design. It takes some talent to draw, let them know it!

For those wondering who I learned latte art from, here’s a video from the man himself: Hiroshi Sawada.