Due to a very limited exposure to chai products, I am ignorant of the various ways to present this beverage. I apologize for my ignorance and humbly beseech my betters for education in the art of making a chai latte, and whether it is possible to pour art in said drink. I did a quick search of bx and didn't find a discussion, but maybe I missed it.

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we generally sprinkle cinnamon over the top of the mug and saucer and present it that way. It is possible to pour about 1/3 full and then cover the surface with cinnamon and then make art in that, but it's very difficult and very subtle, like art on an Au Lait.
Yes, its possible, as Jesse said. Things I've found helpful are to rain the cinnamon down from way above the cup (a bit messy on the counter though) to get a more uniform coverage and give the cinnamon a second to spread out before you start your pour.

The cinnamon is not just visual - it boosts the spicy aroma right off the bat.
yep, the other Jesse said exactly what I was thinking. You can do it but it is tricky. I think it is even a little tougher than an au' lait
i haven't quite got the hang of it yet, but one of my coworkers can! he brews the chai tea separately and in a more concentrated form, strains it into the cup, texturizes his milk with vanilla syrup in it, and pours an awesome heart into the tea. it's pretty rad. :)
Hey there Paul!

Yes...you can do latte art with Chai. The Oregon Chi super concentrate acts similar (minus the crema) to espresso. I have found it works really well and is about the only chai I have been able to pour a rosetta in. Let me know and I will send you some to practice with.
yup. i can manage a fair rosetta in big train chai powder as well

Rob Tuttle said:
Hey there Paul!

Yes...you can do latte art with Chai. The Oregon Chi super concentrate acts similar (minus the crema) to espresso. I have found it works really well and is about the only chai I have been able to pour a rosetta in. Let me know and I will send you some to practice with.
We do our chai by steeping tea bags (cambric style) and vanilla and honey in the hot water while texturizing milk, it's not traditional art, but with a little stiffer foam on top you can do simple art by adding honey out of a squeeze bottle, much like some of the chocolate syrup designs like swirls and flowers. although it's not traditional to the industry like powder and syrup concentrates we get a lot of compliments on how our chai is made.
Man, don't beat yourself up like this.

In any foreign lands where chai is the beverage of choice, I can assure you chai art is non-existent. Chai is a liquid with added milk and filled to the top of the cup with no foam. However, here in the US of A, we tend to want to get tricky with presentation. Chai art is doable. However sprinkling a little cinnamon on top offers a good presentation. Always do something different that the other guys aren't.
When I was working at The Ugly Mug in Ypsilanti we would put a little cinnamon on the bottom of the cup then pour. I found that with practice you can actually get some really nice definition!
YEs! awesome question... Ive done it before, but you can only see it when you look at it from a certain angle. Its like secret latte art. James bond sh*t... ok maybe not
Oh ya, no cin sprinkled in mine. Also im not pouring it into anything but any empty cup. we mix the chai and milk together before hand then steam them togther at my shop.
Dustin DeMers said:
YEs! awesome question... Ive done it before, but you can only see it when you look at it from a certain angle. Its like secret latte art. James bond sh*t... ok maybe not
Ghost rosetta!

No, seriously, steam a chai the way you normally would. Even if it's a 1:1 ratio of chai to milk. And pour with good fundamental technique, and you'll get art. All you need is a color differential, and there's enough in chai from the top of the pitcher to the bottom.

Alternately, prepare two different pitchers of chai, one with more milk, one with more chai. If you pour the darker one into the lighter one, you can get a reverse rosetta.

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