4.

2 Starbucks Milk Steaming

Routine

Starbucks Milk Steaming Routine

Skillfully followed routines are the foundation of your barista craft. By

adhering to the Milk Steaming Routine, you will be able to consistently
create microfoam that looks smooth and glossy in the pitcher. Every
time you steam milk you transform it, changing the texture to an
incredible creaminess and enhancing the flavor, making it taste even
sweeter. Why do we follow the Milk Steaming Routine? Why does the
sequence of steps matter?
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 We will address these questions as we turn our attention to steaming
the milk and making microfoam—the process of preparing the
beautifully smooth substance you are going to paint your masterpieces
with.

Into the Pitcher

The first step to great milk quality is starting with the right volume of
cold milk for the beverage you are making. If you pour in too much, you
will waste milk; too little, you will not have enough milk to meet
beverage standards.

Beginning with the right volume of milk is also critical to the quality of
your microfoam. If you overfill the pitcher, you will likely under-aerate to
avoid having the milk overflow the pitcher. Conversely, if you underfill
your pitcher, you will likely over-aerate the milk to try to create enough
foam volume to fill the cup.

Aerate, Then Steam

When you follow Starbucks Milk Steaming Routine, you learn to always
aerate the milk before steaming it to the final temperature.

When you aerate, you introduce air into the cold milk (“stretching”) as
the volume grows and temperature increases. As you apply heat, the
proteins inside will start to denature (lose their original structure) at
around 100°F (38°C). As proteins denature, air will no longer be
smoothly combined into the foam, which is bad for milk quality and bad
for your latte art. If you keep aerating past 100°F (38°C), it is almost
impossible to create satisfactory microfoam in the finished pitcher. The
foam will stop being fluid, become rigid, and you will end up with large,
stubborn air bubbles that refuse to be incorporated into the milk. If the
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 milk gets hotter than 100°F (38°C) and you observe that it is still under-
aerated, you will not be able to add additional aeration without harming
foam quality.

In addition to following aeration time standards, a good way to gauge

temperature while you aerate is with your hand on the outside of the
metal pitcher. Because your body temperature is 98.6°F (37°C)—
getting close to the aeration temperature cutoff—when you feel the
pitcher (and milk inside) become a similar temperature as your palm,
you know you have approximately reached the point that any additional
aeration will negatively affect the texture of the milk.

Of course, you do not need to (nor should you) aerate for the entire
time it takes until that temperature is hit; follow aeration standards for
the particular drink you are making.

Containers of dairy and nondairy milk that are not being used should
always be returned to the correct refrigerated location. Milk can be a
source of bacterial growth if stored improperly. Dairy and nondairy
alternatives should be consistently refrigerated at below 40°F (4.4°C).
Milk pitchers should be rinsed immediately after each use. Temperature
is not only for food safety but also for beverage quality: by starting with
cold milk, the barista has more time to reach the perfect level of
aeration before the milk gets too hot.
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 Correct Steam Wand Placement

Wand Position Matters During Aeration

The positioning of the tip of the steam wand under the milk’s surface
during aeration will affect the quality of the microfoam and your latte
art. If the wand is too high, you will create big, useless bubbles (like
blowing bubbles through a straw). If the steam wand tip is too low, air
will not be able to be properly introduced for stretching, and you will
end up with simply hot milk. The goal, of course, is the luscious, creamy
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 milk created by microfoam.

And During Steaming Too

After aeration, you will gently guide the steam wand deeper. You should
not be introducing more air at this point—the volume in the pitcher
should not keep rising—as you are essentially just heating the milk the
rest of the way to the desired temperature.

Experiment with the location of the steam wand tip until you see the
milk spiraling like a mini tornado. Foam consists mostly of air, so it is no
surprise that your microfoam will want to rise to the top of the pitcher.
However, if the foam floats to the top of the pitcher, as opposed to
incorporating with the rest of the milk, the foam and milk will separate,
and you will not be able to pour successful latte art.

By creating a whirlpool motion in the pitcher, the small air bubbles stay
evenly incorporated with the warm milk. This creates the beautiful
texture of glossy wet paint that sets up latte art for success.

Once the barista begins to pour correctly textured milk into espresso,
the buoyancy is what allows a latte or cappuccino to have that layer of
foam that floats gracefully on top of the rest of the beverage. (Can you
imagine pouring a rosetta with the sinking weight of cold milk?)
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 Milk Steaming Routine Creates Beautiful Latte Art

By starting with the proper amount of cold milk poured into a clean
steaming pitcher, aerating correctly and paying attention to the position
of the steam wand tip, you will continue to elevate the quality of your
textured milk and unleash new potential for your latte art. A decorated
latte is a temporary work of art; it’s meant to last about as long as it
takes to drink that delicious beverage. Drinks like this should be made
with love and enjoyed by everyone. Over time (different milks and
beverages do this at different speeds) the microfoam bubbles join to
form larger bubbles and eventually burst. The best way to extend the
short life of your decorated lattes is to take photos and share your
passion.
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