Steaming milk is one of the core tasks of a barista and something I've often been asked about by many people making coffee at home recently. I hope this guide helps to explain the process, some of the science behind it, and answer the most common troubleshooting questions.
For more info and advice on steaming milk:
How To Steam Milk For Latte Art (Lance Hedrick): • HOW TO STEAM MILK FOR ...
Milk Steaming For Latte Art (Chris Baca): • Milk Steaming For Latt...
Milk Texture: How To Get Beautifully Silky Steamed Milk (Seven Miles): • Milk Texture: How to g...
My video on the creation of Barista Mylk: • Creating A Better Dair...
This video features Barista Mylk which is a blend of plants that works like milk that I helped to develop. Barista Mylk is available in North America from Myracle Kitchen and the rest of the world from Rebel Kitchen.
Get 20% off with the discount code HOFFMANN20 via the links below:
Rebel Kitchen - rebel-kitchen.com/discount/HO... - includes stockist info
Myracle Kitchen - myracle-kitchen.com/discount/...
USA trade enquiries:
East coast: Odeko and Barista Underground
West coast: Tectonic Coffee Roasters & Shoreline Supply Co.
If you're in Canada, get in touch with @Myracle_Kitchen on Instagram to get your hands on some.
Timestamps
0:00 Intro
0:35 Steaming technique overview
2:08 Theory of the steaming process: heat
3:16 Blowing Bubbles and Texturing
3:55 Step by step guide
7:07 Run-through in real-time
9:08 Science of milk foam
11:35 Foam troubleshooting
14:21 Temperature
16:25 Alternative milks
17:26 Steam wand tips: pressure vs flow
18:50 James' cappuccino & outro
Links:
Patreon: / jameshoffmann
Limited Edition Merch: www.tenshundredsthousands.com
My Books:
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Things I use and like:
My video kit: kit.co/jimseven/video-making-...
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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
"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 😂
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! :)
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 😅
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
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?
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!”
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 🥰
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. kzhead.info/sun/Z9yFiNltsZScjYE/bejne.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.
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".
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!
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
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 figured this all out on my own over the years but hearing it explained so carefully is like poetry
it’s 3 am and i’m watching a video on milk
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!
James: Wanna see me make a cup of cappucino? James: Wanna see me do it again?
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’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 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.
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
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.
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.
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'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 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
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 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.
This video is really great because I understood the science behind the process. Thank you!
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!
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!
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!
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.
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!
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.
Watch once, tried once, and succeed. Excellent video🎉
James, you are a gifted communicator - explaining science well and simply. And great coffee tuition too 👍. Thank you
Really great description of surfactants
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
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.
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.
they so clearly have extensive knowledge in their subject that viewers are inclined to be interested too. i love videos (and educators) like these
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).
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! 🙏🏼
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.
Brilliant and Hallelujah! Finally an explanation and demonstration that is clear, thank you so much James! I absolutely loved the clear glass pitcher with water demo. You are amazing! Thank you for helping me up my coffee game.
I really enjoy the way you explain the how, what and why of things in an easy to follow and intelligent way. As well as delivering a lot of information.
Thank you for the shoutout in the caption!
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!
This is quite literally the best steaming guide out there. The shots with water helped explain the process much better than any other videos I watched 💯
I’ve been a barista for about five months with no “proper” training so this was super helpful in brushing up on technique. Thanks!
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'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!
I have been waiting for a video from you on how to steam milk. I am so glad you showed that tip on how to practice steaming.
After watching dozens and dozens of videos of milk steaming I simply can say this is the best one in KZhead till this moment. Also loved the basic science of proteins, surfactant and denaturalization of proteins. Even though long it was always interesting.
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!
Holy cow, I was thinking the other day about how you didn't have one of these. I'm delighted now!
Wow, James Hoffman makes a talk on steaming milk very interesting, packed with clearly explained science. I learnt so much from his short talk. He’s eloquent, articulate, passionate about his subject and able to explain complex science in ways that are highly accessible to non science people!! I didn’t think I could listen to a presentation on steaming milk for nearly 20 minutes but he had me enthralled and 20 minutes went by very quickly. Thankyou I learned a lot n will put his suggestions into practice AND understand why the process is working - or not!!!!
Thank you, James. Using the pour spout to line up the wand, and letting the foamed milk rest for a moment were the two essential keys for me. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
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. 👍🏻
Your content is the perfect mix of practical and scientific information. Thank you for helping me make better coffee!
I have learned so much from your channel over the last couple of years. your delivery paired with your wealth of knowledge is superb...your coffee is delicious too, thank you for both.
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!
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!
Best coffee teacher on the innernet 🤓
This was exactly what I was looking for. I have just transformed all my work coffees from just a necessary drink to something enjoyable. Cheers
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!
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.
I ordered my new Breville Barista Pro a couple of days ago, and it will be delivered in a couple of days. Your videos seem to be very straightforward and logically laid out. I’m sure they will help me get up to speed much quicker than trial and error alone. Thank you! Oh, and I’m a new subscriber to your channel!
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!
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
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.
Amazing, the first tutorial that I have watched that explains froth volume and when to transition from frothing to stretching. Thank you James
This guy is the best. Great info, proper amount of detail, explanations that are very understandable. Thx!
I've been struggling to steam milk for the longest time and I just thought it was my machine. I watched this video, ingested the coffee science, and this morning I made the most perfect cortado at home. Thank you James
So... what is the preferred milk for steaming? I get full fat buffalo milk usually. Should I change?
That you can practice with detergent is my biggest takeaway. amazing!
It also tastes better than soy.
James this is the only video I’ve watched, followed, and had great results!
Technique AND the science behind it: perfection in content, well delivered! Thank you.
As someone who works in a coffee chain and does this all day every day, I really liked the amount of detail you put into this video and it helped me feel more confident that I'm doing things right and I know what I'm on about when I teach other people how do to this stuff. Also, as someone who works in a coffee chain, ask me about the amount of customers that demand their milk based drinks be "extra hot", or burnt, or ultra-burnt until I'm scalding myself just making it, because the customer is always right. One customer demands their almond milk cappuccino be "200 and wet", that is, 200F (boiling is 212 for reference) and with no foam. I don't know how you even go about drinking that.
Time to quit or your frustration will bite you on the long run.
Baristas everywhere need to take after Italy and just flat-out refuse to serve burnt milk.
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 ;-)
at 70, Im just beginning to learn this art. THANKS FOR YOU 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.
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
Excellent, comprehensive video. Great overview on what you're trying to achieve and then practical details on how to texture milk. Thanks for explaining how free glycerol interferes with foaming. I had one carton of milk that I could not foam no matter what I did with it--it made me doubt my approach/technique. It bothered me enough that I went back to the store and bought a different brand/carton. Same technique and I got the texture that I wanted.
OMG James! Out of the 800M videos on KZhead, this is the best one! I've messed up steaming milk more times than I'd like to admin, BUT this morning, I steamed some milk after watching this video and BOOM it was fab!. I've been one of your coffee customers for the last 6 months and I'm really happy with the different monthly blends I get.
This is the clearest instruction and most information I have seen in any video on this topic to date, very well done, you! Just got a Gaggia Classic cant wait to try these tips!
useful primer! i also appreciated the lack of sponsorship break, didn’t mind james repping a product in actual use.
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.
This would be the best demonstration and explanation I've ever seen
Absolutely everything I need to know. Unboxed the machine. Will begin tomorrow. Thank you for being so succinct and detailed.
This video made my coffee to the next level thanks to James, 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?
This is awesome! The using of a glas jug to show the motion was such a good idea and makes everything more clear (pun intended). Having chapters and well edited and lit visuals plus the lots of nice explanation at the end makes this by far the best video I have watched! Thanks
The info about knowing when it's just the milk not being good was new to me. Thanks for that!
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!
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
"what are your struggles with milk steaming?" well yes my problem is having enough money to buy the thing for the milk steaming
Just buy a french press? :D You can get those for like 5€
@JL since I have my Cafelat Robot, my old budget espresso machine only got used for steaming. The other day it shorted out our electricity circuit so I used the french press/cafetière instead. My wife liked the texture from that even better. Very rich, velvety and foamy. And it's super easy. No problems using plant milk either.
same thing I was gonna comment lol
There are a bunch of electric milk steamers which are $40. More than a manual one but, still, that's what I used before I could afford an expensive espresso machine with included steamer.
Bellman stovetop steamer is pretty cheap and works just as well
I’ve definitely had the “milk fizz” and was absolutely stumped. Thank you for the explanation!
This was by far the best steaming video I saw so far. Your technique worked right from the beginning.
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