I have watched so many videos about foaming milk and this is the first one that actually explains what you are trying to do rather than just showing you the steps without any explanation of what’s happening in the milk. Thanks, James!
First time, I did frothing I naturarly did the best foarm by accident. So over the time I start to watch video to know are to best it until I was not able to do it anymore. Must of the tutorial tell you to put the steamer around 1 cm under the milk and thats exactly why this not working. YOu need to pull it out a bit out on the edge of the surface to introduce the air inside than sink it again until it reach 65 degree. the angle is just to create the vortex.
I've watched a lot of milk steaming guides, but this is the first time I got to see it with a glass pitcher, and it is tremendously more helpful than the diagrams or animated mockups I've seen. I hope the next video will be on how to pour, which is my biggest hurdle at the moment.
Finally, the beginner's guide that knows how to teach. Thank you for the demonstration by using a clear jug!! that's"exactly" what beginners wanted to see. I've learned more from James than from a barista course.
This video has made such a dramatic improvement for me. I've still got a long way to go but I feel like I finally got more detail than just "create a vortex and keep the wand just below the surface".
Watched your video, did everything you explained, first try it worked perfectly, that shiny silky milky heaven with a double shot of espresso. Made my day, thank you James.
That visual in the glass jug is going to be a huge help. I’ve struggled with milk on my Gaggia even since I added a PID to it. Hopefully I’ll be able to keep improving with these tips.
Have you tried the technique of hearing the stream for around 10-15 seconds, purging and then streaming after another 15 seconds before the thermostat kicks in? If you get it right the light never comes on so the machine is constantly producing high pressure stream.
A PID in this case is a modification/hack tool the machine to override the original thermostat settings and control it manually. The water and steam temperature can then be adjusted. The former because some roasts are apparently better at different temperatures. My palate is not good enough to warrant voting the warranty. I have however swapped out the opv spring so running at 9 bar.
@@HsNiccoTutorial There are a few videos on youtube and the timings vary between them. This was the last one I watched. ruclips.net/video/4xLXu5zbfZI/видео.html
On my Gaggia CP I turn the steam on, wait about 20 seconds then purge the wand and start steaming. This means I start steaming milk after no more than 30 seconds after turning the steam on, the steam light won't come on but it works perfectly as the boiler will continue heating throughout the steaming process trying to reach the set temperature for steam. If you wait for the steam light it will stop heating the boiler at that point so it will start slightly hotter than my method but quickly drop temperature as you go.
This is one of those things that I've never done correctly and would always be disappointed in my results. For some reason, instead of researching how to do it better, I just hardly bothered with it. This video described the process very clearly and I could immediately recognize what I had been doing wrong in the past. Really excellent. Thanks so much!
I love how much you went in to the science of steaming milk. That is so often overlooked in milk steaming videos. There are great videos out there, but most of them talk only about technique and don't quite explain why we do things the way we do. This is gold.
I’ve been a barista for two years before becoming a nurse. I knew everything that you have already said yet I still watch the whole video and was comforting 🥹🥰 I have such a passion for coffee that my husband had to buy me a coffee machine at home so I can have that joy of making my own amazing coffee every morning 🥰
At this stage I think I have been getting the steaming right about 75-80% of the time, but couldn't quite figure out why it failed the other times. Your beautifully in-depth explanation has me thinking through the process more clearly and with more purpose. Much appreciated James, your dive into the extra\science of the process, as always, really helps people like me that just want to know... Why?
@@lonestarr1490 Not OP but thought I'd share my issue in case it helps folks. I have a La Pavoni Europiccola and periodically I'd have issues with huge, uncontrolled bubbles at the very beginning that I could never mix into the milk. For too long I thought it was a positioning issue on my part where I'd randomly be off my game. I finally realized I just needed to purge the steam wand for a bit longer at the very beginning of the process; sometimes there's a spitty burst of water in there. Easy fix!
I always wanted to know if it is possible to make a "latte" with just a french press (ignore the fact I don't have an espresso machine). To push my question further, can you make latte art with milk foamed in a french press? Always wanted to learn latte art but I only have a french press
@@tylermilsop check that same James' video on frothing milk with a French press--its title, however, mentions Moka pot, but just take a look, and probably you'll have at least one question answered.
@@tylermilsop In the last year and a half of quarantine I have been practicing making cappuccino with the french press every day. It took a lot of time to get the parameters right with my appliances, but now I consistently make a very good one, with small and compact air bubbles. In my case, what made the difference was to let the whipped milk rest for 45 seconds before pouring. I can't tell about latte art. Thanks James, I have learned a lot from this video!
@@tylermilsop there’s a video he did. Look up moka pot James Hoffman. It’s on another channel. They use a French press to froth a milk and make latte art
My goodness, James. It should be no surprise to anyone, but you simply made the definite instruction video on steaming milk. I acknowledge this is the end game boss of milk steaming guides. I absolutely REVELED in it!
I love how we finish the how to steam milk tutorial and it's less than half way through the video. The coffee science parts are what makes James stand out as a content creator.
I am a student barista and I'll be having my pre assessment tomorrow but I am still having difficulty getting the right micro foam for my latte... watching your video really helped to fine tune my process and I would like to thank you for that... hopefully I'll do well and earn my certificate as a barista 😍🤞
I searched through 5 or so videos trying to learn how to steam milk, and then I landed on this one. I should have started here, your videos are always far and away the best for learning coffee technique (and science!). Thank you!
The explanation of air injection, bubble breaking, jug hitting and jug swirling are soooooo clear. No fuzz, just fact. This video really helps! After this 19min video, I soon turned on my espresso machine, and made a very good latte with beautiful rosette very easily. All because of your excellent video.
I find it quite amazing how much rhetoric James employs to cover these topics. The gestures, the pauses, the careful emphasis in intonation. It's really easy to listen to him
Using the clear jug and water to show what's happening in the milk is super helpful. The step-by-step instructions alone are great, but the water bit was genius.
I'm a barista at a small cafe, and it's comforting to know I'd learned things correctly! I unfortunately still haven't mastered or even become anywhere near good with latte art, as the cafe I work it is more to-go oriented, but this gives me renewed interest in continuing to practice and get even better! Learning about the science going on behind the process was super helpful.
I’m very new to steaming. I’m currently acting as a barista for my church once a month and getting a few sessions of practice in through the rest of the month. I haven’t had a good explanation of top depth until now. This was very helpful and I think I had it completely backwards. I was trying to submerge the top first then spend time at the surface in the latter half. My milk always comes out flat, no matter how long I steam. I look forward to practicing the right sequence and using the water and soap, too! Thanks for the very helpful video!
I have watched so many videos on milk steaming/latte art and god, this is the most detailed and helpful one i have ever seen! Thanks for the tutorial!!
Sunergos' one is also great but I feel the same: This puts all my knowledge (and more) in 20 minutes while I feel like I have watched all videos available online. Awesome work James.
I have a small specialty cafe here in the Philippines and tips from James is really helping me perfect my offerings that even if cafes in my district are literally located side-by-side close at each other, I have a loyal customer following.
I have spammed your videos for the last two days straight. The amount of knowledge and the way you present the content is perfect. I have learnt more about making and enjoying coffee since finding your channel than I have in the last decade of my life. Thank you!
The glass jug was really helpful in showing me where I need to be holding my steam tip. I've been struggling with consistency, and I think this will make a big difference.
James I've been making coffee from my machine (la Scala Eroica) for around 4 years now. I have never been happy with the milk steaming on this machine. After watching this, it was me at fault - needed the tilt aspect and just the tip. Thanks for this!
Thank you!! Steaming the milk has been problematic because I never had a clear understanding of the process. This was perfect. Excellent explanation and demonstration.
man, you saved my day! I just bought my first espresso machine a few weeks ago and had troubles making milk not just hot but fluffy... you needed 9 minutes to get me to a perfect foam!!! Thx so much, you're awesome!! Please keep going your tutorials!
Thank you James for helping me solve my “milk turd” problem. A former chain barista taught be to steam and it left warm milk with a ball of foam on top. Such a difference the first time I got the glossy foam.
I've watched so many videos about steaming milk and this is the first one that's gone into such detail that it's actually making sense now on where I've been going wrong. Adding in the science of it really helps and the temperatures, the gloss vs matte finish and temperatures were incredibly helpful. Very much appreciated!
Dang James could do a whole coffee-themed science course, he's a great teacher! I love the science of food (as a baker, pre-med students, and new coffee enthusiast), and James takes concepts I learn about in super complex ways in classes and makes them accessible!
I have been researching so hard to figure out why there’s big bubbles in my milk when I have done everything right. And James Hoffmann is the only person that explained this! I always learn something new in James’ video each time I watch it.
My new Decent espresso machine arrived 2 days ago, I’m here struggling to get used to all this extra steam pressure, suddenly you release this video? My saviour!
This was exactly what I needed to get started on the right path with my new Breville. Thank you for making the process of foam milking much less intimidating! 🙏🏼
What a great video, James has a calm, informative, knowledgeable, and confident tone to his voice that you just cannot pull away from. His passion just flows from the screen
This was very interesting. It is now obvious that i steamed for too long and the milk tasted awfull because it was too hot !! Thank you James for this very detailed and technical explanation video.
This video and Lance Hedrick’s are the best instruction on the subject IMO. It’s amazing how many I watched before finding these two and ‘getting it’ at last. James’ explanation of stretching for latte vs a cap is new info to me and goes a long way to explaining an ongoing source of confusion - I need to stretch slightly less than I have been. Thanks so much!
This video was SO helpful! I've been struggling to learn how to steam milk at work without burning it or adding a ton if bubbles, so I've been stuck making iced or milk-free drinks... 😂 Looking forward to giving it another go after this!
My god, how well you expound the science of steaming milk, I am amazed. I am a novice to this process, hence looks like I stumbled on an encyclopaedia on steaming. Well done!
This really helped me understand why I am doing what I am doing when I steam milk. I never thought I would be so excited to go steam milk! Great video.
I've just started at a cafe here in Northwest Arkansas (Airship Coffee), and have been frustrating myself with the difficulties around steaming really good milk. (Particularly pouring art.) This video was super helpful! Thanks again, James. 👍🏻
I usually don't leave comments buy your video is the most instructive I have ever seen about this theme, it really shows you have abondant knowledge on the matter. Thank you for sharing with us!
James, thanks. All it took was a few minutes to skip through to the part where you explained it then showed it clearly for me to replicate first time. This is like science man, science.
I'd love to one day see a guide to latte art. I always seem to get the steaming fairly right, or at least good enough for me to be happy with, but I suck at latte art.
Problem solved. Didn't know that whole milk was the reason for my low quality steaming. I tried skim milk and now it is a completely new adventure with awesome micro foam. Thanks for the video!!
@@osamamoin4270 I have been using whole milk since I got the machine 1 year ago. Always having inconsistent milk texture with thick bubbles rising after steaming, no matter what I did. Since I got skimmed milk two days ago, I have poured 3 perfect flat whites with outstanding microfoam and it's becoming a fact each time rather than a simple coincidence.
The step-by-step guide was extremely helpful. I've been really struggling with where to place my wand and how long I should incorporate more bubbles into the milk. Using water to show where it was and what the wand was doing was great!
Just now got around to watching this. I just rarely drink milk based drinks. Conversely my milk foaming leaves much to be desired. Mr James Hoffmann gave the very best class on milk foaming I have ever seen. Thank you sir.
Wow, thought I’d dip into the video for a couple of minutes and ended up watching the whole thing - educational, fascinating and helpful, thanks James. Love the tip on using water and a drop of washing up liquid. Helps me practise without getting through gallons of milk.
I moved from a single hole steam tip to a three hole steam tip and found that I had to use a different technique for the latter in order to get the milk to foam well. The learning curve for the three hole steam tip was also very steep so maybe it would be instructive to have a video to compare steaming techniques and results using 1-hole, 2-hole, 3-hole and 4-hole steam tips.
Very late, but on most home machines, think breville, sage, and any other similar model, the pressure is calibrated to the machine itself, so having a multiple hole tip won't really do much benefit as the pressure won't be as strong
It's a great experience to understand the science behind your motor functions. I've been steaming milk for years and learned it on my own but thanks to you, I know what I know with much more precision! Thank you very much James!
Edited my comment: I practiced James’s technique this morning and BAM, instant win! This dude is awesome, I never bothered to watch a single milk frothing video until til this one !!! 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
Thank you very much for this vid. I've had a coffee machine at home for 18 months. I've watched 100s of vids and this is the only one that has helped me get smooth silky milk. Huge thanks.
Fantastic explanation! I loved the use of the water to illustrate exactly what was going on. I actually watched this video a couple months ago but was still saving up. Just got my espresso machine yesterday and decided to “wing it” on the first milk drink (too excited) and it was basically hot milk. I’ll give this process a shot next time! I find myself coming back to the videos periodically to re-check my understanding on concepts and the videos are so rich, I always learn something new I didn’t catch (or remember).
I must have watched 20 videos on steaming milk, this helped more than any of them and really gave me an understanding of why and what is happening, thank you.
This is EXACTLY how I teach milk texturing. I just did an intro for a new shop owner today and recommended your channel for more info and tips. Spot on James!
here's my easy heuristic for steaming milk: spin the milk as fast as it will go, make the least amount of noise doing it. if it's too loud, bubbles are too big. if it's not spinning fast enough, then you're not incorporating enough air. find that sweet spot.
I've been using my sage espresso machine for one year and struggling with the steam milk, your video explains very well the process and techniques ❤️ you made my day today.
Thanks for the tips! It was really helpful. I'm currently studying and doing a course to became a barista and one of my main struggles is foaming the milk in the correct way and identifying when it's ok or not. You not only explained it very well but also gave very specific tips that I didn't thought about before. And also, the reason behind why we do what we do. Love watching your videos and learning from you! I hope I could meet you in person one day or even study with you if you teach too.
It takes a lot of practice to perfect the consistent milk steaming procedure. I think practice and experience are keys to achieve the perfect milk texture plus James' scientific explanation of what happens behind the scene of the whole process takes us to the next level. My current challenge is consistency, either too much or less foam. Don't stress it out, enjoy the process! Happy steaming!
just started a new job in crosstown doughnuts last week, and we also serve specialty coffee. I had no experience with coffee making and have been finding the milk steaming the hardest part, and this video was so helpful! thank you james!
Sir, I have to say, good teaching is a very rare ability and you definitely have it. Thank you for explaining the whole mystery around milk frothing and I cannot wait to get back to latte art. Now I just need to get a good espresso machine!
This definitely helps! The detail about what's actually going on, for me at least, helps to see where I may be going wrong. All too often when milk/coffee drinks are being made on camera they show about 10 seconds of the milk steaming process and you really have no idea what going on - it could be a conspiracy to keep coming back to coffee shops because we just can't seem to get it right at home ;-)
i just got a job as a barista a few days ago, and so far, i hate steaming milk. this was the in-depth explanation that i needed. im definitely going to try all these techniques at work tomorrow and see how it goes!!
I have insanely heat sensitive hands, so I do not hold the jug at any point that can get warm. I do have a jug with a heat sensitive sticker on the side which roughly tells the temperature of the jug/milk inside.
If you listen to the milk, you can actually hear the temperature change over time. The pitch changes and as it reaches the end point it gets deeper. You can use this to judge the temperature.
Really useful tip. Could you tell me if the sticker is actually fast enough to show those kind of temperature swings? Because I have an analog termometr in my kettle and it usually is about 5 degrees behind the actual temperature.
@@artahis i think that depends on the brand of sticker. Not too sure since ive ditched the one and only sticker ive used. But it terms of the one ive used, it took a few seconds to catch up to the actual temperature. But if we're using wands, that difference in seconds i feel is too drastic. I used to stop steaming when the gauge hit 120° and it would catch up to about 135° (about 50° C going to 57°). Once you get a feel, you start to need it less... plus the sticker "broke" (stayed at 170° regardless of the temperature)
WOW! Amazing explanation of how to steam milk. Thank you so much for your time and effort on explaining and breaking everything down to where I can (as a newbie) understand the process. I will certainly be practicing more on steaming milk but now I will also understand what I'm actually trying to do. Thanks again and keep up with these great videos!
I’ve watched about 6 or 7 videos on this subject matter and a single one, with yours being the exception, that gave specific instructions to have the nozzle sit closer to the top of the milk. I cannot wait to try this and see my results using your method.
Just coming back to say THANK YOU. I've had my bambino since November, but just couldn't crack this. The fix was to get the air in right at the start, not evenly throughout the steaming process. That made all the difference, now when I first pour, its like thick cream, rather than milk followed by foam at the end. Cheers!
I just found this channel, and I've been binging it. Super cool stuff, I really appreciate the level of detail and the real elegance of the explanations. I sort-of understood the idea of surfactants in things like milk but the idea of it wrapping around not-water (and therefore air/fat) really clicked in my head. I'm late to the party on this video, but I do have a question: Does the presence/absence of a squeal at the outset mean anything? If someone begins to steam milk with a long, loud squeal, are they necessarily doing something wrong (or right)? Or is this just kind of an idiosyncrasy in the process that doesn't signify anything?
What a fantastic video!! None of the barista trainings and courses I've taken so far were able to explain everything so well and clear! Thank you so much for providing such quality content for free to all of us ❤
Nah it’s buying better shirts. With all clothing it’s the fit that matters most. How good is the cut and how well it fits the wearer. Whether or not you are skinny matters not. (Also v necks aren’t currently in style. Crew necks)
![ARGENTINA vs. PERÚ [1-0] | RESUMEN | ELIMINATORIAS SUDAMERICANAS | FECHA 12](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/xtI25ENDDSY/mqdefault.jpg)
Only James could put out a 20 minute video on steaming milk and have me watch it all
AND rewind certain parts to fully understand it
@@MrShneedleWoods thank you!
@@LanceHedrick Silky Milky.
… even though I realise at the begining that my machine doesn’t have a traditional steam wand tip.
You're right
This man’s ability to get me even more invested in coffee than I already am every video is unreal.
I don't even drink coffe and I watched it to the end!
his passion is top notch and unmatched! :)
"Let's briefly talk about the science of milk's foam."
That's why I am here. Never disappointed.
Ah yes, in a “Beginners guide to steaming milk” no less 😂
at 70, Im just beginning to learn this art. THANKS FOR YOU VIDEOS
I have watched so many videos about foaming milk and this is the first one that actually explains what you are trying to do rather than just showing you the steps without any explanation of what’s happening in the milk. Thanks, James!
Agreed! It was becoming frustrating for me, the lack of info 😅
First time, I did frothing I naturarly did the best foarm by accident. So over the time I start to watch video to know are to best it until I was not able to do it anymore. Must of the tutorial tell you to put the steamer around 1 cm under the milk and thats exactly why this not working. YOu need to pull it out a bit out on the edge of the surface to introduce the air inside than sink it again until it reach 65 degree. the angle is just to create the vortex.
I've watched a lot of milk steaming guides, but this is the first time I got to see it with a glass pitcher, and it is tremendously more helpful than the diagrams or animated mockups I've seen. I hope the next video will be on how to pour, which is my biggest hurdle at the moment.
Excellent presentation.
Yes, pouring guide please!
I applauded at the suggestion to do it with water and a drop of detergent. Simple, brilliant, a lot cheaper for trial and error!
Baristas hate thermometers bc the hate consistency Smdh. He even talks about specific temps.
Really useful, love the theory and comprehensive insight, thank you
Finally, the beginner's guide that knows how to teach. Thank you for the demonstration by using a clear jug!! that's"exactly" what beginners wanted to see. I've learned more from James than from a barista course.
This video has made such a dramatic improvement for me. I've still got a long way to go but I feel like I finally got more detail than just "create a vortex and keep the wand just below the surface".
Watched your video, did everything you explained, first try it worked perfectly, that shiny silky milky heaven with a double shot of espresso. Made my day, thank you James.
It’s soooo silky! I didn’t know it could be like this. Seconding your “thank you!”
it’s 3 am and i’m watching a video on milk
12:30am for me here tucked in like a good boy
You guys need help. Keep care of mental health it goes a long way.
@@Fluffypyjamasmeh, whatever.
@@cbgbstew4072 yea you too
Me too🎉 but I don’t understand English 😂 it’s a combo?🤧😁
That visual in the glass jug is going to be a huge help. I’ve struggled with milk on my Gaggia even since I added a PID to it. Hopefully I’ll be able to keep improving with these tips.
Have you tried the technique of hearing the stream for around 10-15 seconds, purging and then streaming after another 15 seconds before the thermostat kicks in? If you get it right the light never comes on so the machine is constantly producing high pressure stream.
A PID in this case is a modification/hack tool the machine to override the original thermostat settings and control it manually. The water and steam temperature can then be adjusted. The former because some roasts are apparently better at different temperatures. My palate is not good enough to warrant voting the warranty. I have however swapped out the opv spring so running at 9 bar.
@@NRajah could you elaborate better? What should we do exactly?
@@HsNiccoTutorial There are a few videos on youtube and the timings vary between them. This was the last one I watched.
ruclips.net/video/4xLXu5zbfZI/видео.html
On my Gaggia CP I turn the steam on, wait about 20 seconds then purge the wand and start steaming. This means I start steaming milk after no more than 30 seconds after turning the steam on, the steam light won't come on but it works perfectly as the boiler will continue heating throughout the steaming process trying to reach the set temperature for steam. If you wait for the steam light it will stop heating the boiler at that point so it will start slightly hotter than my method but quickly drop temperature as you go.
This is one of those things that I've never done correctly and would always be disappointed in my results. For some reason, instead of researching how to do it better, I just hardly bothered with it. This video described the process very clearly and I could immediately recognize what I had been doing wrong in the past. Really excellent. Thanks so much!
This perfectly reflects what I was going to write - kudos!
Yea haha saaame
same happened with me 😅This video makes it make perfect sense
@Larry: Well said. Same here.
What were you doing wrong that you learned here to fix?
I love how much you went in to the science of steaming milk. That is so often overlooked in milk steaming videos. There are great videos out there, but most of them talk only about technique and don't quite explain why we do things the way we do. This is gold.
100%
bnffhxjd
I’ve been a barista for two years before becoming a nurse. I knew everything that you have already said yet I still watch the whole video and was comforting 🥹🥰 I have such a passion for coffee that my husband had to buy me a coffee machine at home so I can have that joy of making my own amazing coffee every morning 🥰
At this stage I think I have been getting the steaming right about 75-80% of the time, but couldn't quite figure out why it failed the other times. Your beautifully in-depth explanation has me thinking through the process more clearly and with more purpose. Much appreciated James, your dive into the extra\science of the process, as always, really helps people like me that just want to know... Why?
It has been a year. Have you figured out the last 20-25% and what might have been the issue?
@@lonestarr1490 yeah. He figured out he is not James Hoffman.
@@lonestarr1490 Not OP but thought I'd share my issue in case it helps folks. I have a La Pavoni Europiccola and periodically I'd have issues with huge, uncontrolled bubbles at the very beginning that I could never mix into the milk. For too long I thought it was a positioning issue on my part where I'd randomly be off my game. I finally realized I just needed to purge the steam wand for a bit longer at the very beginning of the process; sometimes there's a spitty burst of water in there. Easy fix!
You got me on whipping milk with a French press already.
I always wanted to know if it is possible to make a "latte" with just a french press (ignore the fact I don't have an espresso machine). To push my question further, can you make latte art with milk foamed in a french press? Always wanted to learn latte art but I only have a french press
@@tylermilsop check that same James' video on frothing milk with a French press--its title, however, mentions Moka pot, but just take a look, and probably you'll have at least one question answered.
@@tylermilsop In the last year and a half of quarantine I have been practicing making cappuccino with the french press every day. It took a lot of time to get the parameters right with my appliances, but now I consistently make a very good one, with small and compact air bubbles. In my case, what made the difference was to let the whipped milk rest for 45 seconds before pouring. I can't tell about latte art.
Thanks James, I have learned a lot from this video!
@@tylermilsop there’s a video he did. Look up moka pot James Hoffman. It’s on another channel. They use a French press to froth a milk and make latte art
@@prm2425 what do you use to make your coffee? espresso machine?
My goodness, James.
It should be no surprise to anyone, but you simply made the definite instruction video on steaming milk.
I acknowledge this is the end game boss of milk steaming guides.
I absolutely REVELED in it!
I love how we finish the how to steam milk tutorial and it's less than half way through the video. The coffee science parts are what makes James stand out as a content creator.
I am a student barista and I'll be having my pre assessment tomorrow but I am still having difficulty getting the right micro foam for my latte... watching your video really helped to fine tune my process and I would like to thank you for that... hopefully I'll do well and earn my certificate as a barista 😍🤞
How did it go?
Yeah how was it?
Where do you need to have a certificate to be a barista?
we need answers, all of us here are holding our breath waiting for an update!
Ayo how did it go
I searched through 5 or so videos trying to learn how to steam milk, and then I landed on this one. I should have started here, your videos are always far and away the best for learning coffee technique (and science!). Thank you!
The explanation of air injection, bubble breaking, jug hitting and jug swirling are soooooo clear. No fuzz, just fact. This video really helps! After this 19min video, I soon turned on my espresso machine, and made a very good latte with beautiful rosette very easily. All because of your excellent video.
I figured this all out on my own over the years but hearing it explained so carefully is like poetry
I find it quite amazing how much rhetoric James employs to cover these topics. The gestures, the pauses, the careful emphasis in intonation. It's really easy to listen to him
Most videos explain the steps to do it, but James explains why you do the steps and it just makes it so much clearer and easier to understand.
Using the clear jug and water to show what's happening in the milk is super helpful. The step-by-step instructions alone are great, but the water bit was genius.
I'm a barista at a small cafe, and it's comforting to know I'd learned things correctly! I unfortunately still haven't mastered or even become anywhere near good with latte art, as the cafe I work it is more to-go oriented, but this gives me renewed interest in continuing to practice and get even better! Learning about the science going on behind the process was super helpful.
put a lid on it and it’s all about the flavour 😃
I’m very new to steaming. I’m currently acting as a barista for my church once a month and getting a few sessions of practice in through the rest of the month. I haven’t had a good explanation of top depth until now. This was very helpful and I think I had it completely backwards. I was trying to submerge the top first then spend time at the surface in the latter half. My milk always comes out flat, no matter how long I steam. I look forward to practicing the right sequence and using the water and soap, too!
Thanks for the very helpful video!
I have watched so many videos on milk steaming/latte art and god, this is the most detailed and helpful one i have ever seen! Thanks for the tutorial!!
Sunergos' one is also great but I feel the same: This puts all my knowledge (and more) in 20 minutes while I feel like I have watched all videos available online. Awesome work James.
I have a small specialty cafe here in the Philippines and tips from James is really helping me perfect my offerings that even if cafes in my district are literally located side-by-side close at each other, I have a loyal customer following.
I have spammed your videos for the last two days straight. The amount of knowledge and the way you present the content is perfect. I have learnt more about making and enjoying coffee since finding your channel than I have in the last decade of my life. Thank you!
The glass jug was really helpful in showing me where I need to be holding my steam tip. I've been struggling with consistency, and I think this will make a big difference.
James, you are a gifted communicator - explaining science well and simply. And great coffee tuition too 👍. Thank you
Really great description of surfactants
James I've been making coffee from my machine (la Scala Eroica) for around 4 years now. I have never been happy with the milk steaming on this machine. After watching this, it was me at fault - needed the tilt aspect and just the tip. Thanks for this!
Thank you!! Steaming the milk has been problematic because I never had a clear understanding of the process. This was perfect. Excellent explanation and demonstration.
man, you saved my day!
I just bought my first espresso machine a few weeks ago and had troubles making milk not just hot but fluffy... you needed 9 minutes to get me to a perfect foam!!!
Thx so much, you're awesome!! Please keep going your tutorials!
Thank you James for helping me solve my “milk turd” problem. A former chain barista taught be to steam and it left warm milk with a ball of foam on top. Such a difference the first time I got the glossy foam.
I've watched so many videos about steaming milk and this is the first one that's gone into such detail that it's actually making sense now on where I've been going wrong. Adding in the science of it really helps and the temperatures, the gloss vs matte finish and temperatures were incredibly helpful.
Very much appreciated!
Dang James could do a whole coffee-themed science course, he's a great teacher! I love the science of food (as a baker, pre-med students, and new coffee enthusiast), and James takes concepts I learn about in super complex ways in classes and makes them accessible!
This must be the most nerdily detailed video about coffee on the Internet and I love it. I've learned so much, thank you James!
I have been researching so hard to figure out why there’s big bubbles in my milk when I have done everything right. And James Hoffmann is the only person that explained this! I always learn something new in James’ video each time I watch it.
My new Decent espresso machine arrived 2 days ago, I’m here struggling to get used to all this extra steam pressure, suddenly you release this video?
My saviour!
Extra pressure, released... Intentional or not?
@@iorathbennett6625 I meant that my previous one had very low steam pressure, so I’m getting used to having much more at my disposal.
@@bittech1 I was pointing out that there was a bit of an unintentional pun, to do with pressure being released! Maybe just me
@@iorathbennett6625 Ooooooooooooh
you can try to do with water washing up liquid if u cant make it foam up then if your ready you can and try it with milk
This was exactly what I needed to get started on the right path with my new Breville. Thank you for making the process of foam milking much less intimidating! 🙏🏼
What a great video, James has a calm, informative, knowledgeable, and confident tone to his voice that you just cannot pull away from. His passion just flows from the screen
As a new barista at a fancy coffee shop I was dying to understand the process more so my results are more reliable thank you!
This was very interesting. It is now obvious that i steamed for too long and the milk tasted awfull because it was too hot !! Thank you James for this very detailed and technical explanation video.
This video and Lance Hedrick’s are the best instruction on the subject IMO. It’s amazing how many I watched before finding these two and ‘getting it’ at last. James’ explanation of stretching for latte vs a cap is new info to me and goes a long way to explaining an ongoing source of confusion - I need to stretch slightly less than I have been. Thanks so much!
Thank you! Appreciate it!
Same experience here, I feel like they both offer slightly different information that helps to form a cohesive whole!
This video was SO helpful! I've been struggling to learn how to steam milk at work without burning it or adding a ton if bubbles, so I've been stuck making iced or milk-free drinks... 😂 Looking forward to giving it another go after this!
Watch once, tried once, and succeed. Excellent video🎉
I’ve been a barista for about five months with no “proper” training so this was super helpful in brushing up on technique. Thanks!
My god, how well you expound the science of steaming milk, I am amazed. I am a novice to this process, hence looks like I stumbled on an encyclopaedia on steaming. Well done!
This really helped me understand why I am doing what I am doing when I steam milk.
I never thought I would be so excited to go steam milk!
Great video.
This video is really great because I understood the science behind the process. Thank you!
I've just started at a cafe here in Northwest Arkansas (Airship Coffee), and have been frustrating myself with the difficulties around steaming really good milk. (Particularly pouring art.) This video was super helpful! Thanks again, James. 👍🏻
I usually don't leave comments buy your video is the most instructive I have ever seen about this theme, it really shows you have abondant knowledge on the matter.
Thank you for sharing with us!
James, thanks. All it took was a few minutes to skip through to the part where you explained it then showed it clearly for me to replicate first time. This is like science man, science.
I'd love to one day see a guide to latte art. I always seem to get the steaming fairly right, or at least good enough for me to be happy with, but I suck at latte art.
check out Lance Hedrick's channel - latte art world champion and the guides are excellent.
Problem solved. Didn't know that whole milk was the reason for my low quality steaming. I tried skim milk and now it is a completely new adventure with awesome micro foam. Thanks for the video!!
Quite interesting... Previously I've heard that full fat milk produces better outcome for latte art.
@@osamamoin4270 I have been using whole milk since I got the machine 1 year ago. Always having inconsistent milk texture with thick bubbles rising after steaming, no matter what I did. Since I got skimmed milk two days ago, I have poured 3 perfect flat whites with outstanding microfoam and it's becoming a fact each time rather than a simple coincidence.
The step-by-step guide was extremely helpful. I've been really struggling with where to place my wand and how long I should incorporate more bubbles into the milk. Using water to show where it was and what the wand was doing was great!
Just now got around to watching this. I just rarely drink milk based drinks. Conversely my milk foaming leaves much to be desired. Mr James Hoffmann gave the very best class on milk foaming I have ever seen. Thank you sir.
Thank you!!!!!! As a novice barista who’s been struggling with steaming, this was extremely helpful!!
Wow, thought I’d dip into the video for a couple of minutes and ended up watching the whole thing - educational, fascinating and helpful, thanks James. Love the tip on using water and a drop of washing up liquid. Helps me practise without getting through gallons of milk.
I moved from a single hole steam tip to a three hole steam tip and found that I had to use a different technique for the latter in order to get the milk to foam well. The learning curve for the three hole steam tip was also very steep so maybe it would be instructive to have a video to compare steaming techniques and results using 1-hole, 2-hole, 3-hole and 4-hole steam tips.
Very late, but on most home machines, think breville, sage, and any other similar model, the pressure is calibrated to the machine itself, so having a multiple hole tip won't really do much benefit as the pressure won't be as strong
It's a great experience to understand the science behind your motor functions. I've been steaming milk for years and learned it on my own but thanks to you, I know what I know with much more precision! Thank you very much James!
Edited my comment:
I practiced James’s technique this morning and BAM, instant win!
This dude is awesome, I never bothered to watch a single milk frothing video until til this one !!!
🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
Thank you very much for this vid. I've had a coffee machine at home for 18 months. I've watched 100s of vids and this is the only one that has helped me get smooth silky milk. Huge thanks.
That you can practice with detergent is my biggest takeaway. amazing!
It also tastes better than soy.
This was a good refresher. It’s been a long long time since I was the go to maker in the office to make drinks. I’ve been wanting to get back into it.
Fantastic explanation! I loved the use of the water to illustrate exactly what was going on. I actually watched this video a couple months ago but was still saving up. Just got my espresso machine yesterday and decided to “wing it” on the first milk drink (too excited) and it was basically hot milk. I’ll give this process a shot next time! I find myself coming back to the videos periodically to re-check my understanding on concepts and the videos are so rich, I always learn something new I didn’t catch (or remember).
Thank you very much for all the chemistry behind the process, James! You're a blessing to the coffee drinking world! Cheers!
I must have watched 20 videos on steaming milk, this helped more than any of them and really gave me an understanding of why and what is happening, thank you.
This is EXACTLY how I teach milk texturing. I just did an intro for a new shop owner today and recommended your channel for more info and tips. Spot on James!
Where are you from?
@@jallowjerry9452 Charlotte, NC
That glass pitcher looks like a great training tool!
I think its just a regular brewing carafe, but you're right, good to use to practice.
The tip with the water and the washing up liquid for practice is a stroke of genius!
here's my easy heuristic for steaming milk:
spin the milk as fast as it will go, make the least amount of noise doing it.
if it's too loud, bubbles are too big. if it's not spinning fast enough, then you're not incorporating enough air. find that sweet spot.
I've been using my sage espresso machine for one year and struggling with the steam milk, your video explains very well the process and techniques ❤️ you made my day today.
Thanks for the tips! It was really helpful. I'm currently studying and doing a course to became a barista and one of my main struggles is foaming the milk in the correct way and identifying when it's ok or not. You not only explained it very well but also gave very specific tips that I didn't thought about before. And also, the reason behind why we do what we do. Love watching your videos and learning from you! I hope I could meet you in person one day or even study with you if you teach too.
It takes a lot of practice to perfect the consistent milk steaming procedure. I think practice and experience are keys to achieve the perfect milk texture plus James' scientific explanation of what happens behind the scene of the whole process takes us to the next level. My current challenge is consistency, either too much or less foam. Don't stress it out, enjoy the process! Happy steaming!
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Holy cow, I was thinking the other day about how you didn't have one of these. I'm delighted now!
just started a new job in crosstown doughnuts last week, and we also serve specialty coffee. I had no experience with coffee making and have been finding the milk steaming the hardest part, and this video was so helpful! thank you james!
Sir, I have to say, good teaching is a very rare ability and you definitely have it. Thank you for explaining the whole mystery around milk frothing and I cannot wait to get back to latte art. Now I just need to get a good espresso machine!
James: Wanna see me make a cup of cappucino?
James: Wanna see me do it again?
This definitely helps! The detail about what's actually going on, for me at least, helps to see where I may be going wrong. All too often when milk/coffee drinks are being made on camera they show about 10 seconds of the milk steaming process and you really have no idea what going on - it could be a conspiracy to keep coming back to coffee shops because we just can't seem to get it right at home ;-)
I've learned more about science from James than I did in my school.
Same.
Come on, most of us can make a baking soda volcano. However I’d imagine my volcano microform could use some work.
i just got a job as a barista a few days ago, and so far, i hate steaming milk. this was the in-depth explanation that i needed. im definitely going to try all these techniques at work tomorrow and see how it goes!!
This is game changer! I was able to do it after watching this video! You don't understand how this changes my life. Thank you
I have insanely heat sensitive hands, so I do not hold the jug at any point that can get warm. I do have a jug with a heat sensitive sticker on the side which roughly tells the temperature of the jug/milk inside.
If you listen to the milk, you can actually hear the temperature change over time. The pitch changes and as it reaches the end point it gets deeper. You can use this to judge the temperature.
Really useful tip. Could you tell me if the sticker is actually fast enough to show those kind of temperature swings? Because I have an analog termometr in my kettle and it usually is about 5 degrees behind the actual temperature.
@@artahis i think that depends on the brand of sticker. Not too sure since ive ditched the one and only sticker ive used. But it terms of the one ive used, it took a few seconds to catch up to the actual temperature. But if we're using wands, that difference in seconds i feel is too drastic. I used to stop steaming when the gauge hit 120° and it would catch up to about 135° (about 50° C going to 57°). Once you get a feel, you start to need it less... plus the sticker "broke" (stayed at 170° regardless of the temperature)
It's very easy. Get a thermometer. Some of the digital instant read ones have a clip that allows you to clip it to the side of the metal cup.
WOW! Amazing explanation of how to steam milk. Thank you so much for your time and effort on explaining and breaking everything down to where I can (as a newbie) understand the process. I will certainly be practicing more on steaming milk but now I will also understand what I'm actually trying to do. Thanks again and keep up with these great videos!
useful primer! i also appreciated the lack of sponsorship break, didn’t mind james repping a product in actual use.
I’ve watched about 6 or 7 videos on this subject matter and a single one, with yours being the exception, that gave specific instructions to have the nozzle sit closer to the top of the milk.
I cannot wait to try this and see my results using your method.
Just coming back to say THANK YOU. I've had my bambino since November, but just couldn't crack this. The fix was to get the air in right at the start, not evenly throughout the steaming process. That made all the difference, now when I first pour, its like thick cream, rather than milk followed by foam at the end. Cheers!
So, just the tip and only for a second? Got it.
Animal 🤣🤣😅
@Chidori457 you probably forgot to tilt a little bit
Just pull out till the screaming stops....
69 likes.
@@lewko1 nice
Absolute gem of a video as usual James. You’ve helped me realize my mistakes and I continue to grow as a home barista as a result.
I just found this channel, and I've been binging it. Super cool stuff, I really appreciate the level of detail and the real elegance of the explanations. I sort-of understood the idea of surfactants in things like milk but the idea of it wrapping around not-water (and therefore air/fat) really clicked in my head.
I'm late to the party on this video, but I do have a question: Does the presence/absence of a squeal at the outset mean anything? If someone begins to steam milk with a long, loud squeal, are they necessarily doing something wrong (or right)? Or is this just kind of an idiosyncrasy in the process that doesn't signify anything?
Watching this solved my steaming issue. Thank you so much! The clear cup and water shot was very helpful.
What a fantastic video!! None of the barista trainings and courses I've taken so far were able to explain everything so well and clear! Thank you so much for providing such quality content for free to all of us ❤
This video made my coffee to the next level thanks to James,
Cheers
Preparation steps: Take Bubbles to a dinner and a movie.
Thank you for the shoutout in the caption!
So, so many thanks James. Think I must’ve tried almost every milk frothing video on RUclips. This is the only one that worked for me.
Technique AND the science behind it: perfection in content, well delivered! Thank you.
How does he manage to make a tshirt look so nice lol
1) be skinnier 2) always opt for the v-neck 3) have James' hair.
Nah it’s buying better shirts. With all clothing it’s the fit that matters most. How good is the cut and how well it fits the wearer. Whether or not you are skinny matters not. (Also v necks aren’t currently in style. Crew necks)
@@tysonking1805 "Also v necks aren’t currently in style"
And?