this is always interesting and probably been talked about a dozen times on here, but i'm curious (and new to this community), how do YOU do a cappuccino?

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Double Espresso Ristretto (1.5-.175 oz) in a 5.5-6 oz. preheated cup (my victrola capp cup is my fav).
4-4.5 oz. fresh steamed milk in a short milk pitcher with a dense, wet layer of foam on top.
Preferred ceramic only, but we do have and 8 oz. to go if it's a must.

6 oz cup.
Double shot espresso.
Micro-foamed milk tastiness.

Mmmm!
Steam milk to just 60 degrees centigrade.
Always steam the milk before the espresso
Then make esspresso.
One third coffee two thirds milk.
Stir through the milk first it makes it thicker
Steam milk first, hold the pitcher still for each 5 degrees before dropping the pitcher until to desired temp.
Then pull double shots into a 12 oz round mug, SCOOP foam on top of the espresso.

I just like the straight espresso with nothing but dry dry dry foam.
Micro-foam is essential.....NEVER, NEVER stir your steamed milk with the espresso. Steaming & stretching your milk to the perfect consistency should allow an authentic and correct "capp" pour.

John P said:
Preferred ceramic only, but we do have and 8 oz. to go if it's a must.

6 oz cup.
Double shot espresso.
Micro-foamed milk tastiness.

Mmmm!
Mine's similar to most others' here:
-double espresso, on the ristretto side (18g espresso, 1.5ish oz, 28+/-2 sec)
-in a preheated 6oz ceramic
-steam a couple of oz of a blend of 2% and half and half (we don't stock whole anymore), stretch as long as possible -without blowing the texture - I can usually get a 50% increase
-swirl till shiny, then freepour with an attempt at art
-cocoa powder or cinnamon is an optional garnish
-place the cup on a saucer, add a demi-spoon and serve

This achieves a harmonious blend of espresso and textured milk - which I think is a nice sensory definition for a capp.

Our shop also offers a the "other kind" in 12 and 16oz sizes, but the discussion about the "real thing" always occurs and has generated several converts.
Like many have said:

1.25-1.5oz double shot ristretto into a 6oz ceramic cup
~6oz steamed milk to somewhere around 120-130°F
free pour rosetta, heart, etc. depending on my mood ;)

We don't have any 6-8oz to go cups, so we have to half-fill a 12oz cup if a customer wants a capp to go. I die a little bit on the inside every time I have to do it...


Nicole said:
Steam milk first, hold the pitcher still for each 5 degrees before dropping the pitcher until to desired temp.
Then pull double shots into a 12 oz round mug, SCOOP foam on top of the espresso.

I just like the straight espresso with nothing but dry dry dry foam.

If there's no liquid milk in with the espresso, it's hard to call it a cappuccino. I know the definition is board and hotly debated, but this doesn't fit any definition of cappuccino that I'm familiar with.
I get that all the time, I know it shouldn't be considered a "real capp" but it's really the only thing I have to compare it too. I know what a true capp is, and I know the difference of a dry capp, but I like how when the foam falls and it slowly mingles with the espresso..... so it kind of starts off without any liqud milk and slowly blends. And I totally want to cry in frustration when someone orders a capp to go. Get a darn latte and stop breaking my heart! lol

Adam Wilson said:
Like many have said:

1.25-1.5oz double shot ristretto into a 6oz ceramic cup
~6oz steamed milk to somewhere around 120-130°F
free pour rosetta, heart, etc. depending on my mood ;)

We don't have any 6-8oz to go cups, so we have to half-fill a 12oz cup if a customer wants a capp to go. I die a little bit on the inside every time I have to do it...


Nicole said:
Steam milk first, hold the pitcher still for each 5 degrees before dropping the pitcher until to desired temp.
Then pull double shots into a 12 oz round mug, SCOOP foam on top of the espresso.

I just like the straight espresso with nothing but dry dry dry foam.

If there's no liquid milk in with the espresso, it's hard to call it a cappuccino. I know the definition is board and hotly debated, but this doesn't fit any definition of cappuccino that I'm familiar with.
Nicole, do you ever drink latte macchiatos? I'm sure the definition of this one is even less agreed upon than the cappuccino, but the way I do them is:

2-3oz of dense steamed milk with several large spoon-fulls of microfoam on top in a small cup (something not too far from a demitasse, preferably glass), then pull a shot of espresso on top of the milk and foam. The espresso falls through the foam and initially rests on top of the more dense milk, so your first few sips are almost pure 'spro, followed by an increasingly milky experience. It's a really dynamic drink, and one of my favorites.

From your descriptions of what you like, I bet you would like it a lot.
18 gr, 1.5 oz ristretto single origin el salvador bourbon + just under 4 oz steamed organic whole milk stretched to perfection + white porcelain rattleware 6oz cup on saucer, with demitasse spoon and 100% organic sugar cookie.

If I want art, I pull the shot (25 secs), then steam milk (which takes under 8 secs), and pour shortly after steaming.

If I want that tradition capp look, I steam the milk first.

Either way, the milk to foam to espresso ratio is the same.

I rarely steam for a capp while pulling the shot, because the milk needs such careful attention I don't want to be distracted by the shot pulling.
technically, most of these would be double cappuccini, yeah?
From the Italian NEI to the WBC rules, a cappuccino has a single shot in it. As far as I know, those are the only 'official' descriptions of a cappuccino that I'm aware of. And, as the government of the country that is thought of as the originator of the word and the drink, I'll give them credence, as well as the organisation charged with discovering the most qualified barista on the face of the planet.

Anyhoo, mine is fairly similar to almost all the others described here. I'll pull a two ounce (sometimes slightly longer, depending on the beans) ristretto doppio from 18 to 22 grams (again, depending on the bean) into a Koenitz Coffe Bar 6 oz cup and steam two and a half to three ounces of milk up to about 140-150F while it pulls. I end up with what I describe to most specialty baristi as a 'competition cappuccino with both shots in it', and almost all of them get what I mean.

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