Coffee latte art is simple and you can learn it in no time!

In fact, the competition in latte art is never about technique (after all, everyone’s level is about the same at this level). The difference between the champion and other players is that he controls more details . - Liu Qiang

For many baristas, every cup of latte art is a gamble. If they win, they will be happy, and if they lose, they will be angry. Why not keep a calm mind and let yourself influence your attitude towards latte art? Still struggling to find a way? Let Mr. Liu Qiang, the judge of the 2017 "Weist Cup" Coffee God Latte Art Competition and the champion of the 2017 World Latte Art Level Competition, tell you how to take every step well:

"Weiquan Cup" Guangzhou Station Pre-match Training——Teacher Liu Qiang's careful explanation

I think latte art is like "painting" or "writing". The first is the conception (you have to know what you want to express); the second is the tools (to prepare for your subsequent expression); and the last is the technique (to make the idea come true).

Latte art is a system of espresso, milk foam, cup, and technique. If you find that your sense of lines is not as good as others when making the same pattern, it may not be a technical problem, but more likely due to differences in oil state, milk foam state, and fusion technique.

In the competition, the machines and coffee beans are the same. Whoever handles the espresso and milk foam better will be ahead of the opponent and will find it easier to produce ideal graphics.

The difference between a jar and a cup

There are many types of milk jugs. Everyone will choose the jug that suits them best, needless to say. As for coffee cups, there are two types: one with a tall body and a small mouth like a takeaway cup;

The other is the daily latte cup, which has a short body and a large mouth. The latter has softer latte art and better lines, and is widely used in competitions.

Espresso for latte art

My personal understanding is that the concentrate is high in concentration, rich in fat and delicate. If the beans are too fresh or not roasted well, it may cause caking and stratification; some concentrates look good after extraction, but become thinner and harder after shaking, and are not suitable for latte art. I would choose beans that are roasted within two months and have a darker roasting degree.

During the extraction process, it is not necessary to have a very slow flow rate to achieve a better oil state. According to the normal production standards, you can get a concentrate with rich oil and good fluidity. In the competition, the front and middle sections are usually extracted to obtain a higher concentration. Only when you extract according to the production and the oil state is not good, it is necessary to change some parameters appropriately to meet the needs (such as increasing the amount of powder to increase the concentration).

How to make milk foam

When steam is injected into milk, the volume of the milk increases. The steam drives the liquid to rotate, cutting large bubbles into small, dense bubbles and making the milk and milk foam blend evenly.

If the milk foam you whip easily separates, it may be because the bubbles are too coarse, the milk foam is not cut enough, or the fusion is not uniform enough. Normal milk is refrigerated at 4°C and is heated to 60-65°C. The whipping method and the total time for whipping are certain. Try to whip it as quickly as possible, spend more time whipping, and the milk foam will be better. Use up the whipped milk foam as soon as possible to avoid separation.

Latte art

To sum it up in one sentence, it is "high fusion, low output". The degree of fusion determines the size, proportion and placement of the pattern.

To ensure that the milk foam can float on the grease, it is necessary to reduce the distance from the nozzle to the liquid surface and increase the flow rate appropriately to release more milk foam and facilitate drawing. Of course, if the grease and milk foam are handled perfectly, it is also possible to draw with a small flow rate.

Highlights:

• Chinese barista wins Italian latte art championship!

• The most popular latte art video: Victoria's Secret Angels

• Every barista has a dream of becoming a champion. Fairness and justice are the best way to respect them.

Finally, I would like to share a coffee latte art wheel designed by Liu Qiang’s team.

The latest version will be officially announced soon, so stay tuned!