# I've lost my mojo (milk steaming)



## 2971 (May 7, 2012)

I've been doing espresso/cortados at home since 2011 or 2012. I've only ever used lever machines. Originally I had a Ponte Vecchio, then Caravels, and finally I bought a 2003 Cremina off this forum. Initially there were some problems to solve (faulty wiring), but I've been using this to make coffee for almost a year, and it's great. I haven't considered another machine, and really have no interest. After the initial flurry of playing with different machines, I've settled down to just enjoying the coffee.

When I got the Cremina, I really struggled to make good steamed milk. After some reading, I got a friend who is very handy to craft me a replacement steam wand tip, which is bullet shaped, and has a single hole. Suddenly, I was able to make decent steamed milk, and I have been happy ever since.

However, over the last few months, I've noticed that my milk has gradually become less and less consistent. About a month ago, I reached the stage where I couldn't pour latte art with the milk any more, and started trying different things to get the milk to be better, including going back to the stock steam wand tip.

I'm now lost. The machine seems to be performing fine (although the pressure cycle seems to have widened the range of pressures somewhat, but I always pull/steam at the top of the cycle). The steam from the steam wand looks just as powerful as it has always been. I'm using, and have always used Cravendale semi skimmed, because I read somewhere here that the milk was more consistent from season to season.

I always used to be able to produce great microfoam, but now I get an overly aerated foam on top, and just hot milk underneath. I've tried plunging the steam tip deeper, shallower, different tips, different angles, different jugs. I just can't understand how I can have lost the skills I worked so hard to acquire. Or whether perhaps there's something wrong that I haven't noticed.

I'd be interested and grateful for any opinions!

Thanks,

Simon


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## Spazbarista (Dec 6, 2011)

Have you tried cleaning the tip. You can get crap accumulating on the inside.


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## Thecatlinux (Mar 10, 2014)

Why size jug are you using ? Or I should ask how much milk are you trying to steam ?

small quantity should not take too long , after intruding the air at the beginning sink the tip just underneath the surface and then keep the jug still till it comes up to temp .


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## 2971 (May 7, 2012)

I've cleaned the tip. Being a single hole, it's quite a wide bore, and very easy to tell if it's bunged up.

I'm using a small jug. I'm only making cortados, so slightly more volume of milk than I've made of espresso... perhaps 50ml max before steaming. What you describe is how I would normally steam milk, but it's not working.

I am wondering whether perhaps the little rubber washer/gasket thingy is decaying and steam is seeping from between the tip and the wand, but I can't SEE that.


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## Thecatlinux (Mar 10, 2014)

Open your steam wand up for 10 or 20 secs (or however long you normally steam) an see whether the steam drops off


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## 2971 (May 7, 2012)

It gradually drops off a tiny amount. This is a Cremina we're talking about after all. But it's almost unnoticeable to be fair.


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## SimonB (Sep 12, 2013)

Are you using the same amount of milk? I found as I had more practice I could use less milk which makes it harder to do as you have less time, the wand doesn't reach as far in etc.


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## 2971 (May 7, 2012)

Subjectively, I would say yes, but perhaps I should try steaming a larger quantity and see if I do any better...


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## Dallah (Jan 31, 2015)

I know what you mean. I had the same problem for a while. I don't know why but for a month I couldn't get a decently textured milk. The harder I tried the worse it got. So I just accepted it. I relaxed and stopped thinking about it. And then bam. It was back, stop thinking about it, just do it. Worked for me.

It was the advice of an old basketball coach. "I can see you thinking Ridland. Stop thinking, just shoot the ball."

Be in the moment and it all gets better.

Of course that could all be nonsense


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## 2971 (May 7, 2012)

I live in hope


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## Thecatlinux (Mar 10, 2014)

Get some full fat milk and try that , if that stretches ok you know it's the milk and not the machine


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## 2971 (May 7, 2012)

I've made myself something more akin to a latte today. Much larger quantity of milk in my largest jug. I was able to make something approaching microfoam, although I can't pour that quantity of milk into latte art to save my life.

So I'm thinking that this must be a barista problem at the moment, and perhaps the quantity of milk I've been steaming has been creeping down. I might try making an oversized cortado later today, and pouring some of the milk away.


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## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

The secret of foam, for me anyway, is to get a swirl going. I do that, by tilting the jug in towards the machine slightly and position the steam tip just below the surface as close to the edge nearest the machine as possible. With smaller quantities, it is not always required to do the tilt. This short video is a bad example of what I was talking about because it is one handed. But, I also find, a tall skinny milk jug makes life so much easier


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## Spazbarista (Dec 6, 2011)

Depends on your tip really. Mine has 4 angled holes, no need to tilt the jug, it goes in vertically. When I used a one-hole, I had to tilt.


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## Scotford (Apr 24, 2014)

Steam more.


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## 2971 (May 7, 2012)

Scotford said:


> Steam more.


Do you mean steam for longer? Or are you just suggesting I practice more?


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## 2971 (May 7, 2012)

dfk41 said:


> The secret of foam, for me anyway, is to get a swirl going. I do that, by tilting the jug in towards the machine slightly and position the steam tip just below the surface as close to the edge nearest the machine as possible. With smaller quantities, it is not always required to do the tilt. This short video is a bad example of what I was talking about because it is one handed. But, I also find, a tall skinny milk jug makes life so much easier


I don't have anywhere NEAR that much power!


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## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

But the technique is the same


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## DoubleShot (Apr 23, 2014)

That is some vortex you managed there!


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## emin-j (Dec 10, 2011)

dfk41 said:


> The secret of foam, for me anyway, is to get a swirl going. I do that, by tilting the jug in towards the machine slightly and position the steam tip just below the surface as close to the edge nearest the machine as possible. With smaller quantities, it is not always required to do the tilt. This short video is a bad example of what I was talking about because it is one handed. But, I also find, a tall skinny milk jug makes life so much easier


Blimey that is some spin ! What tip are you using please.


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## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

It is a 4 hole tip. A little practice is all you need. People think that less power is easier. Not without technique!


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## 2971 (May 7, 2012)

Incidentally, somehow I found my mojo again. I guess it had fallen down the back of the sofa. Still can't explain it.

Then I got this in my email last night http://hg-one.com/product/cremenia-steamtip-adapter/

Tempted by a foam knife...


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## Wuyang (Mar 21, 2014)

I've considered one of these....All though the price is ridiculous......think there's two versions of it...... I've heard some people have had instant success with them and others it took at bit of practice, but had great results.


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