Barista

FOUNDATION
 Content
- CSP Barista Foundation -
- Page 03 Coffee Beans
- Page 23 Workplace Management & Workflow
- Page 33 Espresso
- Page 45 Grind. Dose. Tamp
- Page 57 Extraction & Brewing
- Page 63 Evaluation
- Page 81 Milk
- Page 113 Latte Art Basics
- Page 124 Coffee Menu
- Page 160 Cleaning, Health & Safety
- Page 173 Customer Service and Cafe Management
Note: click the page number to jump to that chapter.
 New Chapter

COFFEE BEANS

3
Green Coffee
- COFFEE BEANS -

4
 Plant Agriculture
- Coffee Beans -

Coffee plants belong to the botanical genus Coffea in the family

of Rubiaceae and there are somewhere between 25 to 100
species! However only Arabica, Robusta, and Liberica are
commercially produced (and Liberica accounts for less than
ARABICA ROBUSTA 0.5% of the worlds production).

Arabica accounts for 70% of the worlds production whereas Robusta is around 30%. Each of the species has
different taste properties and requires different growing conditions. Both of the plants can grow up to 10 meters
high but are pruned to ensure the highest branches can be reached for harvesting.

3-4 years after the coffee is planted, sweetly smelling flowers grow in clusters in the axils of the coffee leaves.
Fruit is produced only in the new tissue. The Arabica plant is self pollinating whereas the Robusta plant requires
cross pollination. About 6-8 weeks after each coffee flower is fertilised, cell division occurs and the coffee fruit
(cherry) remains as a pin head for a period that is dependant upon the climate. The ovaries will develop into
drupes in a rapid growth period that takes about 15 weeks after flower. During this time the integument takes on
the shape of the final coffee bean.

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 Co ee Species
- Coffee Beans -

ARABICA ROBUSTA
• Lower ca eine content • Twice the ca eine content
• Easily e ected by disease • Resistant to disease
• Yields less fruit • Yields more fruit
• Higher acidity (sourness) • More bitterness
• Citrus avours • Earthy, often rubbery, avour
• Larger size, oval shape • Smaller size, round shape
• Grown at higher altitudes • Grown at lower altitudes

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 Cultivars
- Coffee Beans -

We can think of different coffee species like being different kinds of fruits such as Apples, Oranges and
Bananas. If you go to the store to purchase an Apple you will notice that there are Granny Smith, Red
Delicious, Fuji, etc etc. They’re all the same species (apples) but they are different in their looks and
tastes and this applies to the coffee cherry as well.

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 Varieties
- Coffee Beans -

The correct term for these differences is CULTIVARS, but they are more commonly referred to as VARIETIES.
Some varieties look and taste very different but in most cases the difference that we taste when drinking
different varietals comes from where it was grown, how it was farmed, and the processing method.

8
 Growing Regions
- Coffee Beans -

Coffee is grown around the Equatorial Belt between the tropics of Capricorn and Cancer in 3 primary regions;
AMERICA, AFRICA & ASIA
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 Terroir
- Coffee Beans -

Different altitude, soil content, rainfall, sun, and level of shading, are typically referred to as the
TERROIR of the coffee. Changes in Terroir can greatly effect the sensory attributes of coffee.

10
 Sensory Attributes
- Coffee Beans -

Different TERROIR, SPECIES and VARIETIES all impact the sensory attributes of coffee.

11
Roasted Coffee
- COFFEE BEANS -

12
 Intro to Roasting
- Coffee Beans -

The roasting stage of the coffee supply chain has the biggest effect on the sensory
results of coffee, since before roasting the beans only have flavour potential.

13
 Roast Fundamentals
- Coffee Beans -

Raw coffee undergoes dramatic chemical change during the roasting process, creating over
800 compounds (roughly ⅓ of which are aromatic), as well as becoming water soluble.

14
 Roast Degree
- Coffee Beans -

VEGATAL CHARCOAL

The “roast degree” relates to how much the coffee was roasted, darker
colours mean the coffee was roasted to a further degree.
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 Sensory Results
- Coffee Beans -

SOUR BITTER

The sweetness, body, flavour, and many other attributes of coffee are manipulated by the roast
degree, but the most predominant sensory attribute is taste which is sour with lighter roasts
and becomes bitter with darker roasts.

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 Roasted Co ee
- Coffee Beans -

Roasted coffee continues to change in its composition long after its roasted. To get the best sensory
results from roasted coffee it should be stored correctly and consumed appropriately.

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 Degassing
- Coffee Beans -

Carbon Dioxide, commonly referred to as “gas”, escapes the bean after roasting, rapidly at first but
then slowly over a longer period. Adding water also causes gas to escape rapidly (bubbles), which
can interfere with even water contact (and cause uneven extraction).

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 Flavour Peak
- Coffee Beans -

When the majority of gas has escaped and the majority of aromatic compounds still remains the
coffee will offer its best sensory experience, commonly referred to as the ‘flavour peak’.

19
 Storage Conditions
- Coffee Beans -

MOISTURE, LIGHT, OXYGEN and HEAT can negatively affect coffee. To preserve roasted coffee
it should be stored in an airtight container and placed in a cool dark environment.

20
 Packaging
- Coffee Beans -

Plastic foil lined bags with a 1 way valve system are the best packaging because they
protect coffee from moisture, light and oxygen whilst also allowing the gas to escape.

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 Usage
- Coffee Beans -

When beans are exposed to oxygen they deteriorate quickly. When ground,
even quicker. The best way to use coffee is to buy less more often, limit opening
and closing of its packaging, and always grind on demand.

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 New Chapter
WORKPLACE MANAGEMENT
& WORKFLOW

23
 Grinder Components
- Workplace Management & Work ow -
3.2 (student notes) Equipment Basics | Student Name: __________________________

A coffee grinder typically performs the following functions;

1. Grinds coffee
2. Doses coffee
3. Adjusts coffee particle and size and dose

DOSER ON DEMAND
3.2 (student notes) Equipment Basics | Student Name: __________________________
Anfim Super Caimano S450

Coffee Guru’s preferred grinder choice for the house blend! Compak K3 Touch

Coffee Guru’s grinder of choice for decaf!

1.Hopper
11
2.Adjustment collar 1
1
1.Hopper
22 55 3.Dosing chamber 22
2.Bean stopper
33 4.Fork 33 3.Adjustment collar
5.Bean stopper 44 4.Dose buttons
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6.Leaver 5.Fork
44 77 55
7.On/ O switch

1. Bean Hopper
2. Grind adjustment collar
The main benefit of using a On Demand grinder is its effectiveness
3.
4.
Dosage chamber
Waste tray 1. Bean hopper
of freshly grinding coffee for each extraction.
5. Bean stopper 2. Grind adjustment collar
6. Dosage leaver 3. Doser
7. On / Off switch 4. Waste tray
5. Bean stopper
24 6. On / Off switch
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 Machine Components
- Workplace Management & Work ow -

4 1. On / O switch
2. Pressure gauge
7 7 3. Drip tray
9 9 10 9
5 4. Cup heating tray
8 8
5. Hot water dispenser
6
6 6. Steam wand / arm
2 7. Steam handle / tap
3
8. Group head & handle
1
9. Programable Buttons
10. Info Screen

Espresso machines must produce pressurised, hot water for brewing Espresso, and steam for heating
milk, but also have a range of other functions that vary between different brands and models.

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 Porta lter Components
- Workplace Management & Work ow -

1 1

1.Basket
2 2
2.Spring
3 3 3.Porta lter
4.Handle
4
5
4 5.Spout
5

The diameter for baskets in commercial machines are usually either 54mm or 58mm, but the
depth of the basket can come in a range of sizes to accomodate for different doses (single
baskets range from 7-9 grams whereas double baskets range from 14-25 grams).

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Standard Machine Settings
- Workplace Management & Work ow -

The standard settings for an Espresso machine are;

7 - 11 bar pressure for the espresso (pump pressure)
1 - 1.5 bar for the steam (boiler pressure)

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 Clean & Organised
- Workplace Management & Work ow -

The bar area should be always kept clean and tidy. If you make a mess it
should be cleaned up STRAIGHT AWAY. This will help prevent the following;
✓ Poor customer image
✓ Delays in service
✓ Health and Safety risks

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 Work ow
- Workplace Management & Work ow -

CUSTOMER ORDER POINT GRINDER ESPRESSO MILK & POURING ORDER COLLECTION

START FINISH

For effective workflow the beverage preparation area should be a smooth production line.

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 Mis En Place
- Workplace Management & Work ow -

Mis En Place is a French culinary term that Chefs live by and loosely translates to “items
in place”. We use it to describe setting up everything for service, so that when service
starts it can run as efficiently as possible. When setting up an espresso bar, consider how
neatly and organised everything is at a Subway restaurant and try to emulate that.
Everything you need should be within an arms reach but should not be cluttered.
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 Machine Prep
- Workplace Management & Work ow -

An Espresso machine typically takes 20-45 minutes to heat up and be an

accurate temperature. Once hot, and before making coffee, you should;
✓ Purge for 30 seconds on each steam wand
✓ Flush each group for 30 seconds
✓ Drain some hot water so the boiler is replenished
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 Seasoning
- Workplace Management & Work ow -

Once the Espresso machine has heated up the group handles

and heads should be seasoned to remove any chemical residue.
✓ Pull 2-3 shots per group head
✓ You can use old co ee (cheaper)
✓ Its better to use fresh co ee
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 New Chapter

ESPRESSO

33
Brewing Fundamentals
- ESPRESSO -

34
 Ingredients
- Espresso -

Coffee is made up of only 2 ingredients: roasted (and ground) COFFEE beans & WATER.

35
 Brewing Styles
- Espresso -

PERCOLATION IMMERSION
Passing water through Soaking ground co ee
ground co ee in water

There are only 2 fundamental ways to mix the water and ground coffee together.

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 Extraction Methods
- Espresso -

Yet there are many other VARIABLES that effect the sensory attributes through
brewing, and there is an abundance of devices that control these variables in
unique ways. These are commonly referred to EXTRACTION METHODS.

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 Espresso De nition
- Espresso -

Espresso definition;
A strong black coffee, brewed by forcing hot water through ground beans.
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Basic Recipe
- ESPRESSO -

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 Basic Recipe
- Espresso -

๏ DOSE
๏ YIELD
๏ BREW-TIME

The minimum VARIABLES that must be controlled in an espresso recipe is the DOSE, YIELD, and BREW-TIME.

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 Dose
- Espresso -

BEANS

? 21.5g
EXAMPLE

The DOSE refers to the weight of ground coffee that’s used to prepare the espresso, which can even
be described as what’s put IN the machine. It’s important to be precise so the best practice is to use
scales and to weight the dose every time for accuracy. The dose amount can be adjusted to change
the cost of the beverages and or effect the level of extraction and sensory attributes.
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 Yield
- Espresso -

ESPRESSO LIQUID

35.9g
? EXAMPLE

The YIELD refers to the weight (or volume) of the espresso, is can also be referred to as the BEVERAGE
WEIGHT or simply what comes OUT of the machine. Weighing the liquid (grams) is more effective than
measuring volume (millimetres) due to Crema. The yield can be adjusted to effect the concentration
(strength) and sensory attributes.
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 Brew-Time
- Espresso -

Shorter time Longer time

15s 20s 25s 30s 35s

The BREW-TIME refers to the time it took to extract the espresso, which is literally the water and
ground coffee CONTACT TIME. The brew-time is adjusted by changing the grind particle size, and
different brew-times will result with different levels of extraction and sensory attributes.

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 Tolerance
- Espresso -

๏ DOSE: ± 0.2 grams

๏ YIELD: ± 2 grams
๏ BREW-TIME: ± 2 second

In a busy cafe environment its often difficult to be 100% accurate, so we typically have a TOLERANCE
range that makes it easier to work fast whilst still being relatively consistent with the extraction and
sensory attributes for each coffee we prepare.

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 New Chapter

GRIND. DOSE. TAMP.

45
 Grind
- GRIND. DOSE. TAMP. -

46
 Grinder Calibration
- Grind. Dose. Tamp. -

COARSER grind size FINER grind size

= shorter time = longer time
19 22 25 28 31
Seconds Seconds Seconds Seconds Seconds

Imagine a funnel with rocks (left), pebbles (middle), and sand (right). The smaller the particle size the
slower the water will flow through it, so the time it takes to pass through will be longer, and visa versa.
This analogy represents the grind particle size, the finer the grind size the slower it flows and the longer
the the brew-time, whereas a coarser grind size will flow faster and have a shorter brew time.

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 Adjusting Grind Size
- Grind. Dose. Tamp. -

The top burr is attached to a thread;

TIGHTENING = finer grind
LOOSENING = coarser grind

Most grinders tighten & loosen to adjust the grind size, though the direction may be different.

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 Grind Adjustment Routine
- Grind. Dose. Tamp. -

1. Brew espresso (following the espresso routine, standard dose & standard yield)
2. When it finishes brewing (the pump turns off) observe the brew-time
3. Adjust the grinder collar
4. Bleed / purge the grinder
5. Test the new grind size (Brew an espresso with standard routine, dose & yield)
6. When it finishes brewing (the pump turns off) observe the brew-time
7. Brew a second espresso to test the consistency

Most espresso grinders have ground coffee sitting around the burrs and in the small chute between the
burrs and where the ground coffee exits the grinder (which is called “grind retention”), which needs to
be removed after adjusting the grind particle size.
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 Dose
- GRIND. DOSE. TAMP. -

50
 Dose
- Grind. Dose. Tamp. -

When you program the dose on an on-demand grinder your actually programming the motor to turn on
for an amount of time (not to grind a set weight). Adjusting the grinder collar will adjust gap between the
burrs that the ground coffee comes out (it becomes bigger or smaller). Due to this, the amount of coffee
that’s ground over the set amount of time can change. The only way to be sure the dose is the same for
each extraction is by using scales to weigh it.
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 Dose
- Grind. Dose. Tamp. -

40g 40g 40g

Water Water Water

19g 20g 21g

Dose Dose Dose
SMALLER dose 23 25 27 BIGGER dose
= shorter time Seconds Seconds Seconds = longer time

As you can imagine from the example above the brew-time is also effected by the dose.

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 Water Saturation
- Grind. Dose. Tamp. -

If the water does not evenly contact each particle of ground coffee it will cause an uneven extraction
which can be aggressively sour or bitter (or even both!). Uneven water contact in an espresso extraction
is referred to as CHANNELLING, and is a serious problem that requires significant effort to manage.

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 Distribution
- Grind. Dose. Tamp. -

In order to ensure the water evenly saturates, the ground coffee particles must be
DISTRIBUTED evenly throughout the basket. Good distribution is absolutely critical
to reduce and overcome channelling.

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 Tamp
- GRIND. DOSE. TAMP. -

55
 Tamping
- Grind. Dose. Tamp. -

A LEVEL and consistently FIRM tamping technique will create

resistance to the water flow and assist with even water saturation.

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 New Chapter

EXTRACTION & BREWING

57
 Extraction Process
- Extraction & Brewing -

HOT water is FORCED through a compressed

dose of finely ground coffee. This process
dissolves (extracts) the soluble compounds
and the liquid becomes coffee flavoured.

58
 Monitoring Channelling
- Extraction & Brewing -

The flow of the espresso represents how effective the water is saturating, any sudden or
rapid changes in the speed and or colour of the flow indicates the water is channeling.

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Espresso Brewing Routine
- Extraction & Brewing -
1. Remove group handle and flush group head
2. Wipe basket clean and dry
3. Dose and distribute coffee into basket
4. Tamp consistently, level and ergonomically
5. Clean loose grounds from edges of the basket
6. Insert group handle into the group head and start the pump
*Immediately - as if one continuous motion
7. Observe flow (and stop pump appropriately if doing manually)
8. Serve immediately or use to make espresso based drink
9. Remove group handle, flush group head, and rinse spouts
10.Knockout spent grounds and wipe basket clean
11.Return group handle into group head (to keep preheated)

In order to make consistent coffee, the recipe and the steps involved, which is
called the ESPRESSO BREWING ROUTINE, need to be the same for each coffee.

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 Long Black Routine
- Extraction & Brewing -
1. Add 85° water to cup
2. Remove group handle and flush group head
3. Wipe basket clean and dry
4. Dose and distribute coffee into basket
5. Tamp consistently, level and ergonomically
6. Clean loose grounds from edges of the basket
7. Insert group handle into the group head and start the pump
*Immediately as if one continuous motion
8. Dispense the shot onto the water in the cup
9. Serve immediately
10.Remove group handle, flush group head, and rinse spouts
11.Knockout spent grounds and wipe basket clean
12.Return group handle into group head (to keep preheated)

When making a Long Black or Americano add the hot water first then espresso (never espresso then water).
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Milk Based Beverage Routine
- Extraction & Brewing -
1. Remove group handle and flush group head
2. Wipe basket clean and dry
3. Dose and distribute coffee into basket
4. Tamp consistently, level and ergonomically
5. Clean loose grounds from edges of the basket
6. Insert group handle into the group head and start the pump
*Immediately as if one continuous motion
7. Start Steaming the Milk
8. Fill the pitcher with enough milk for the beverage
9. Purge the steam wand
10. Submerge the wand tip in the milk and turn on the steam
11. Start creating foam
12. Stop creating foam before the milk reaches 40°
13. Texture the milk by creating a whirlpool
14. Turn the steam off so the milk finishes between 60-65°
15. Remove the milk pitcher and clean the steam wand
16. Purge the steam wand
17. Pour the steamed milk to create the beverage
18. Serve the beverage
19. Remove group handle, flush group head, and rinse spouts
20. Knockout spent grounds and wipe basket clean
21. Return group handle into group head (to keep preheated)

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 New Chapter

EVALUATION

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 Evaluation Styles
- Evaluation -

SUBJECTIVE OBJECTIVE
Taste Strength
Touch Extraction
Smell

There are 2 evaluation styles: SUBJECTIVE (opinion) and OBJECTIVE (fact). We use a subjective
method to explore sensations, and we use an objective method to discover facts.

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Objective
- EVALUATION -

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 Strength confirms;
“how much coffee is in the cup”
 Strength
- Evaluation -

EXAMPLE;
01.35% COFFEE SOLIDS
98.65% WATER
OBJECTIVE

Brewed coffee is just coffee flavoured water, with varying levels of concentration. The % of
the liquid that is dissolved coffee solids can be measured and is commonly referred to as
STRENGTH. Brewed coffees with different strengths will have different sensory attributes.

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 Extraction confirms;
“how much coffee came out
from the beans”
 Extraction %
- Evaluation -

Up
EXAMPLE; to 30%
21.06% EXTRACTION water
soluble
OBJECTIVE

Roasted coffee beans are up to 30% water soluble, meaning up to 30% of the roasted beans can be
dissolved in water. The exact % that was dissolved can be measured and is commonly referred to as
EXTRACTION. Brewed coffees with different levels of extraction will have different sensory attributes.

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 Extraction %
- Evaluation -

Up
SOUR BITTER
to 30%
UNDER
EXTRACTED | Lower water
soluble
Higher
| OVER
EXTRACTED
18% (min) 22% (max)
SCA STANDARDS
Generally speaking, we want to extract as much as possible, though it needs to be even from each
particle of ground coffee. But its difficult to extract evenly from all of the particles, so SCA
recommends reaching an 18-22% overall extraction level.
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Subjective
- EVALUATION -

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 5 Senses
- Evaluation -

Humans have 5 unique senses: Touch, Sight, Taste, Smell, and Hear. The 3 that
are important tools for a coffee professional are TASTE, TOUCH and SMELL.

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 Identify & Describe
- Evaluation -

Sensory evaluation (subjective evaluation) is the process of IDENTIFYING

and DESCRIBING the sensations experienced when consuming coffee.

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 Taste
- Evaluation -

SUBJECTIVE

Taste is a specific sense that experiences Sweet, Sour, Bitter, Salty and Umami, but we often use the word
taste to refer to anything that occurs in our mouth. Eg. When someone says “it taste like chocolate” are they
saying it has a bitter-sweet taste, or, are they saying the flavour or maybe even the texture reminds them of
chocolate. Flavour or texture are not taste sensations, so be mindful of this when communicating.

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 Taste
- Evaluation -

SUBJECTIVE

When we evaluate the taste of coffee we consider the QUALITY, INTENSITY and HARMONY of the sensations we
experience. Coffee is predominantly Sour and/or Bitter, but can also have a perceived sweetness if there is
taste balance.

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 Tactile
- Evaluation -

SUBJECTIVE
We use the word TACTILE to describe the feeling (touch) of the liquid in our mouth, with 2 sub-categories:
BODY and TEXTURE. Body refers to the weight of the liquid on our tongue, a heavier body will feel thicker,
whereas a lighter body will feel more watery. Texture refers to the smoothness of the liquid, coffee can
produce silky smooth sensations, or it can be rough or worse dry.

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 Smell
- Evaluation -

SUBJECTIVE

Our sense of smell is used to identify the FRAGRANCE of the dry ground coffee, the AROMA of the brewed
coffee, and FLAVOUR, which occurs when the liquid is in our mouth and the senses of smell, taste and touch
are combined (although its popular to consider flavour to be the combination of only smell and taste).

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 SCA Co ee Flavour Wheel
- Evaluation -

SUBJECTIVE

Flavour wheels are great tools to assist with the often difficult process of identifying and describing
sensations. When using the SCA Coffee Flavour Wheel you start in the centre and work your way
out. The inside of the wheel is more generic whereas the outer ring is more specific.

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 Example

3. Choose between the options in the next section on the outer ring - in this
example we had to choose between PEANUTS OR HAZELNUT/ALMOND
(note: if there is no gap between the otter ring options it means its very difficult to discern a difference
between them, so either can be considered accurate)

2. Choose between the options in

the next section on the middle ring -
in this example we had to choose
between NUTTY or COCOA
1. Choose from the middle ring - in this
example our choice was NUTTY/COCOA
 Espresso Attributes
- Evaluation -

12-14g 12-14g 12-14g

12-14g 12-14g 12-14g

12-14g 12-14g 12-14g

Start Finish
Sour Sweet Bitter
Brewing Brewing
Heavy Body Med Body Light Body
New Chapter

MILK

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Product Info
- MILK -

82
 Milk Composition
- Milk -

Milk is made up of protein, fat, carbohydrates, and some minerals, but is mostly water. The % of
the milk fat directly correlates to the texture of the beverages, higher fat % milks result with more
moist and creamy textures that hold their structure for longer. Full Cream milk is usually between
3-5% Fat.
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 Storage
- Milk -

Milk should be stored in the fridge between 0-4° Celsius. The colder it is (but not frozen)
the longer it will take to heat up giving you more time to texture the milk well.

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 Cleanliness
- Milk -

Pitchers should be clean after each use and milk

should never be reheated for consumption.

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 Minimum Milk Level
- Milk -

The less milk in the pitcher the harder it is to control and ensure all the foam becomes
micro-foam. As a general rule you should fill the pitcher about half way (though you
should never waste milk or re-heart it).

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 Pitcher Selection
- Milk -

There are a range of pitcher sizes, from 300ml up to 1500ml, and you should choose the
appropriate size for the drink(s) that you’re making.

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 Wastage
- Milk -

The appropriate amount of milk waste for each steamed batch of steamed milk is 0ml, but it is difficult
to achieve this every time so the maximum amount wasted should be no more than 90ml.

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Steaming Milk
- MILK -

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Why do we steam milk?
- Milk -

Heating milk converts lactose into glucose: our taste

receptors perceive glucose as sweeter than lactose

To create a dense micro-foam for a smooth mouthfeel

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 Micro-foam
- Milk -

FOAM MICRO-FOAM

Micro-foam is short for microscopic foam, a consistently dense glossy foam with no visible bubbles.

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 Steaming Milk
- Milk -

• HEAT (55-65° Celsius)

• FOAM (make bubbles)
• TEXTURE (make the bubbles smaller)
When we’re steaming milk we’re doing 3 things: HEATING, FOAMING & TEXTURING. But the
heating happens throughout the whole process, so the correct way of thinking about
theses 3 things is: while we’re heating the milk we need to foam and texture the milk,
and we need to finish texturing the milk before its reaches the serving temperature.

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Heating Milk
- MILK -

93
 Serving Temperature
- Milk -

The serving temperature is between 50° to 65° and should not be 70° or above. Once the
temperature goes beyond 70° the proteins start to denature which causes an undesirable
taste and smell for most people.

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 Identifying Temperature
- Milk -

• SIGHT (using a thermometer)

• TOUCH (using the palm of your hand)
• SOUND (listening to the tone)

There are 3 ways to identify the temperature of the milk: SIGHT, TOUCH & SOUND. The most accurate is
using a thermometer, but it can be a bit troublesome to texture the milk well because the thermometer
gets in the road. Due to this its common for Baristas to calibrate their hand to be able to feel when the
serving temperature has been reached. You can also identify the temperature by listening to the tone
(though it’s very difficult to be accurate).
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Foaming Milk
- MILK -

96
 Foam
- Milk -

To create micro-foam you need to add air into the milk by holding the milk pitcher so
that the tip of the steam wand is around the surface of the milk.

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Foaming the Milk
- Milk -

AGGRESSIVE SUBTLE

The tip of the wand can be;

• ON the surface (aggressive foaming)
• AT the surface
• SLIGHTLY BELOW the surface (subtle foaming)

98
Texturing Milk
- MILK -

99
 Whirlpool
- Milk -

To make the foam (bubbles) smaller you need to force the milk to spin rapidly, which can be
referred to as “texturing the milk”. The Centrifugal force from the rapidly spinning whirlpool
causes the bubbles to be split into smaller bubbles. Therefor, the longer the milk spins the smaller
the bubbles become and the better the micro-foam will be.

100
 Pro Tip: always aim to nish making
foam before the milk temperature
reaches 35° Celsius, that way there
is enough time to texture all of the
foam into micro-foam.

As a general rule, for every 1 second of foaming you need about 4 seconds of texturing to achieve micr-foam.
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 Texturing the Milk
- Milk -

The following things need to occur to make all of the milk spin;
• ANGLE: the pitcher and steam arm in an angle that causes all the
milk to spin
• DEPTH: the tip of the steam arm should be at a depth that causes
all the milk to spin around (if its too deep the top won’t spin, if its
too shallow it will continue to make foam)
• POWER: there needs to be enough steam power to cause all of
the milk to spin around

102
Steamed Milk
- MILK -

103
Finished Milk
- Milk -

✓ 55-65° Celsius
✓ Glossy with no visible bubbles
✓ Smooth velvety texture

104
 Tips & Tricks
- Milk -

When you stop texturing and the milk stops spinning the bubbles
will rise to the surface in a gradient, the biggest bubbles will be at
the very top and the smaller bubbles will be closer to the milk.

1. Large bubbles can be broken by

tapping the pitcher on the counter

2. Dry foam can be scrapped off

✴DON'T SWIRL THE MILK UNTIL THE BUBBLES ARE GONE

 SCA Micro-foam Standards
- Milk -

VERY POOR ACCEPTABLE EXCELLENT

UNACCEPTABLE VERY GOOD

106
Pouring Milk
- MILK -

107
 “If the milk is not
spinning its draining”
 Drainage
- Milk -

When the milk stops spinning it starts separating. Although small, micro-foam is still air bubbles,
and as soon as the milk stops spinning it starts separating, the micro-foam will rise to the surface
and the milk will drain to the bottom. When the milk has separated its not possible to effectively
control when pouring the milk to prepare a beverage, so you must always combine the micro-
foam and milk by holding and spinning the pitcher before pouring.
109
“It only takes seconds
for the milk to drain”
 Flow Rate
- Milk -

If the milk is not spinning, its draining.

While you're pouring it's not spinning.
While you're pouring its draining.

The SLOWER you pour The FASTER you pour

= the more separation = the less separation
= LESS FOAM in the cup = MORE FOAM in the cup
Always remember: “If the milk is not
spinning its draining, and it only
takes seconds to separate and
become impossible to effectively
control when pouring”
 New Chapter

LATTE ART BASICS

113
 “The distance between the
Pitcher Spout and the liquid
surface is the most important
thing to control to make Latte Art”
“When the pitcher spout is 8-12cm
above the liquid surface, gravity
pulls the milk & foam through the
Crema to the bottom of the cup
and the surface stays brown”
“When the pitcher spout is closer
than 1cm to the liquid surface,
the foam immediately floats and
pushes the Crema aside”
Latte Art Standards
- LATTE ART BASICS -

119
 Contrast
- Latte Art Basics -

CONTRAST refers to the sharp difference between the white micro-foam and brown Crema. There
should be clear DEFINITION, with no light brown blemishes in the Crema (see above arrow pointed
at a blemish), and no off white marks in the micro-foam. Also there should be an unbroken ring of
Crema around the edge of the cup.

120
 Size, Shape & Position
- Latte Art Basics -

This is quite self explanatory, the pattern will look better if it’s SIZE and SHAPE is proportionate to the
cup, and it's POSITIONED nicely in the centre. As you can see in the image above its quite a bit off
centre, its shape is ok but it could be much bigger.

121
 Symmetry
- Latte Art Basics -

SYMMETRY refers to the “mirrored” effect. If you put a line down the centre does each side look
consistent. As you can see in the image above the right side is quite different than the left side.
(Note: not all Latte Art patterns are symmetrical. If the pattern is not meant to be symmetrical it is
not be graded for symmetry).

122
 Overall Impression
- Latte Art Basics -

The OVERALL IMPRESSION refers to whether it looks like what its mean to be (if its a
heart does it actually look like a heart), the UNIQUENESS and CREATIVENESS of the
design, and how DIFFICULT it is to pour.

123
 New Chapter

COFFEE MENU

124
 Espresso
“A beverage made famous by Italian culture and the
 Doppio

Single Double
Shot Shot Shot
 Ristretto
“Referred to as a ‘restricted Espresso’, typically