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Permalink Reply by Ron Ingber on April 3, 2011 at 5:16am

Why is this in the "Barista Exchanges & Travel" forum?

You are more likely to get responses if you post questions in the correct forum.

 

Ron, the Country Guy

 

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Permalink Reply by Brady on April 3, 2011 at 6:15am

There are a couple of aspects to your question that we could look at.

 

Best texture results from carefully incorporating your air as soon as possible in the process, then switching to the heating/refining process. This gives you lots of opportunity to smooth out and whip your texture... so long as you don't incorporate any more air.

 

Texture suffers if you overheat the milk... past 150-160F.

 

As long as you aren't incorporating more air, I've not found texture to suffer between 120F-150F... in fact, it gets better for me.

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Permalink Reply by Vickie Balas on April 3, 2011 at 5:07pm

Thanks Brady, I will chat with my baristas about this.  Most of them over texture, so when they pour into a paper cup it is fluffy like cappuccino foam, yet smooth like micro.  I've talked with them about not adding air but for 1 to 2 seconds in the beginning then start the swirl at the bottom to achieve the micro foam.  This process can take 4 to 5 seconds at most.  If done any longer it will be over heated at 160 and to foamy.    

Brady said:

There are a couple of aspects to your question that we could look at.

 

Best texture results from carefully incorporating your air as soon as possible in the process, then switching to the heating/refining process. This gives you lots of opportunity to smooth out and whip your texture... so long as you don't incorporate any more air.

 

Texture suffers if you overheat the milk... past 150-160F.

 

As long as you aren't incorporating more air, I've not found texture to suffer between 120F-150F... in fact, it gets better for me.

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Permalink Reply by Jimmy B on August 29, 2011 at 4:44pm

If you're getting "cappucino"-like foam, I don't think it's over texturing that is the problem, I believe they're adding too much air which is then creating too much foam. If that's not the case, then they're letting it sit for too long. Like the others said, make sure you introduce air in the beginning phase. When I hear someone say texturizing the milk, I think about the process when the barista is DONE steaming the milk...such as tapping the pitcher on the table and then swirling it to get that shiny and silky texture.

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