Got told my latte art was 'aggressive' and it actually helped

I've been making coffee at home for about 3 years now and thought I was doing pretty well with my pours. Last month a barista friend watched me steam milk and said my technique was 'too aggressive' because I was tearing the surface. She showed me how to keep the tip just below the surface and let it stretch slower. After maybe 2 weeks of practicing that way, my microfoam is way smoother and I'm actually getting shapes instead of blobs. Has anyone else gotten random feedback that changed their whole approach?

3 comments

3 Comments

spencerm461mo ago

Actually you want the tip just under the surface the whole time, not just below. I used to do the same thing and my foam was all big bubbles. That little adjustment makes a huge difference.

kim1911mo ago

Wait what? You're telling me it's supposed to stay under the whole time? I've been popping it up and down like I'm making soup or something. No wonder my foam looks like dish soap bubbles half the time.

josephl671mo ago

Watched my buddy do this at a coffee meetup and his foam looked like a bubble bath gone wrong.