# Microfoam = micro luck!



## truecksuk (Sep 22, 2011)

I've been trying to get my 4 year old Gaggia Classic to create microfoam, and I'm beginning to doubt that it is possible to even attempt it







I've been on youtube, coffeegeek, etc, I really can't find anything to help me get the results I want.

I start off by purging the wand, then dipping the wand just on top of the milk, and only opening the valve slightly, and introduce air into the milk.

I then increase the steam, and try to get a whirlpool going until the jug is too hot to hold, just before the milk boils. I pour this over the coffee and sign in disappointment.

What do you guys recommend, or what is your technique!

Kas


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## SlowRoast (Sep 24, 2010)

(just noticed you have a Rancilo steam arm, there's me saying things about panerellos ) The milk shouldn't be close to boiling, which might also be a problem as you degrade the proteins and fats. About 140F is ideal, no higher than 150F.

I follow the same technique, a whirlpool, but so that the milk ends up caving in on itself as it spins.


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## truecksuk (Sep 22, 2011)

I guess the next thing to do would be to buy a thermometer!

SlowRoast (sir) , when you pour, should the texture be so, that the majority of the milk is foam? I'm getting around 70% milk at the moment, and when I pour, the foam plops out at the very end







...!


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## SlowRoast (Sep 24, 2010)

Yes, a thermometer such an essential I think!

Sir? I'm no sir!







But no, you should have a thin layer on top, it sounds a bit like your milk isn't mixing correctly. Practise your milk steaming technique, if you can get it to whirlpool, with a point where it "folds in" on itself, it should work much better. There's a certain angle to tilt at. I'll try taking a video tomorrow.

You're not using semi-skimmed or skimmed milk are you?


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## truecksuk (Sep 22, 2011)

I'm using semi skimmed- apparently its easier to steam


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## SlowRoast (Sep 24, 2010)

It will froth quicker, but it settles quickly and can be difficult to make a good microfoam, it can be done with lower fat milks, but I find it difficult to get a good consistent microfoam time after time. Not to mention it won't taste as good (depending on your pallet). Try good ol' blue top and watch the florettes flourish


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## truecksuk (Sep 22, 2011)

will do, thanks in advance,

I think i'll buy one of those small cartons and start experimenting! - i dont want to anger the missus further, shes had enough of me drinking up all the milk!


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## MikeHag (Mar 13, 2011)

Keep going, keep trying new things, new wand positions, new jug angles, new levels of milk in the jug... less... more..., I've blamed my machine many times but at the end of the day it was (and is!) me doing it wrong.

Have a look at this ... might help, might not!


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## funinacup (Aug 30, 2010)

Sounds like you're sort of on the right track! are you temperature surfing the steam wand? (when the steam light comes on, purge the steam until it goes off, count to ten then start steaming your milk)

Here's a little video I took, not the greatest but think it shows the milk spinning clearly. Hope this helps a bit!


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## truecksuk (Sep 22, 2011)

What counts as a frothing jug? mines mettalic! its shaped like a frothing jug, but not officially a frothing jug... does that even matter?

So far what I've picked up is that I need a Thermometer, and need to switch to full fat- is there anything else you'd recommend?


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## james10 (Feb 28, 2011)

funinacup said:


> Sounds like you're sort of on the right track! are you temperature surfing the steam wand? (when the steam light comes on, purge the steam until it goes off, count to ten then start steaming your milk)
> 
> Here's a little video I took, not the greatest but think it shows the milk spinning clearly. Hope this helps a bit!


Where did you get those cups from?


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## lookseehear (Jul 16, 2010)

A great bit of advice so you don't waste the milk (and subsequently get in trouble with SWMBO!) is to practise frothing with cold water and a tiny drop of washing up liquid. Try different angles and positions of the wand, but you really need to get it churning up!

A note of caution though, make sure you're refilling the boiler and not just continually steaming or you could burn out the element. To do this (if you weren't already aware) open the steam wand and turn the pump on until you have a constant stream of water out of the steam arm.


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## RolandG (Jul 25, 2010)

A thermometer may be useful - I stick to using a guide that once it's uncomfortable to touch the jug with my palm, it's too hot (although I've used thermometers in the past, so I've got a calibration for that...). Cooler won't taste bad - but it gives you less time to get the texture









The gaggia is tough to steam on. I've got the default steam wand, and I've never got the texture as good using it as I have on professional machines - I believe this is just down to lower steam pressure. The gaggia never manages to get the foam and milk quite as thoroughly mixed.

Watch the videos etc., but stick to the basics and just tweek the jug and wand position and see what happens.

Personally, I'd suggest:

1) Start the steam tip a little below the surface.

2) Raise it to the surface for a very short amount of time, just getting a few spits. If you can get good texture with a smallish amount of foam, you can move on to more foam in the future







My flat white's are a lot better than my cappuccinos









3) Dip the wand slightly deeper, and angle the jug so it's tilting toward the steam wand. That gives you a shallow section to try and establish the whirlpool with.

4) Once you can see the surface of the milk swirling, straighten the angle of the jug gently and slowly move the wand lower, so that the whirlpool maintains and includes more of the milk.

Once you're ready, pour immediately - it separates very quickly unless it is very well textured! Pour fairly quickly if you want to get foam into the cup (well that's the start of latte art for you - a whole different topic







).

Btw, how big is your milk jug?


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## cafeco (Jun 15, 2011)

I was having the same trouble with the gaggia. I know what the problem is...

You need to allow the gaggia to heat up for at least 40mins, Ideally 1 hour to get full power in the wand. Before people come on and say 'that's not true, 20mins is fine ' - that's just not the case for my Gaggia (maybe de-scale needed) and most likely others to.

Try it, see how you get on. I've been latte arting on it ever since.


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## jimrobo (Aug 5, 2011)

Rather strangely I just noticed the milk from my local shop which previously was lovely to microfoam has suddenly become a nightmare and impossible to microfoam. Really strange stuff. If I buy tescos it is fine but switch to the local shop stuff and all of a sudden it gos like frog spawn with big bubbles. Wondered if it was a seasonal thing??


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## SlowRoast (Sep 24, 2010)

Hm, just a thought, I'm not so much a scientist, but perhaps it isn't homogenised all of a sudden? I'm not sure, but I've heard something about this and milk steaming!

It really is all about the jug angles though really, as others have said. I tried a new angle at work for skinny cappuccino milk today, I didn't even bang the jug once and the milk had such a shine to it!


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## mike 100 (Jul 15, 2010)

Think is was Glenn who first mentioned the seasonal thing, I think it's to do with what the cows are fed on i.e. grass in spring/summer and silage etc in the winter months, I do find that there is quite a difference with some milks, Cravendale seems consistent though


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## jimrobo (Aug 5, 2011)

Yeh cravendale is the best. Really strange that the stuff from my shop has changed literally overnight though!


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## seeq (Jul 9, 2011)

It is to do with what they feed the cows, also the hours of darkness effect metabolism, etc. seeing as they move the cows from a field to a barn overnight, then the milk will change pretty much overnight!


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## crispy (Jun 6, 2011)

Always had issues with frothing, have found full fat is best... also, I now start with wand in the centre of the wand below the surface until it creates a swirling effect, then bring the tip of the wand up so you get an infrequent 'spurt' noise as the milk is airated... the milk should remain swirling to mix the air into the milk, almost folded as you would with cake mixture...

when the milk temp reaches about 100 degrees f or until the sides of the jug are getting almost too hot to touch... after this the tip is sunk down a little to prevent the spurting but to keep the milk folding... i then steam until about 150, above 160 the milk get denatured and froth ends up like a lump at the end of the pour, this can happen if you stretch the milk for too long also...

it takes time, washing up liquid and water is good for teaching... otherwise practice and more practice, then you can start the nightmare that is latte art...


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