OK... I live in Michigan. I mention it because I make regular trips out to MadCap Coffee where I must say that I have had some of the best espresso of my life. As a result of trying to replicate that experience (without having to travel 100 miles!!) I now own a Rocket Giotto Evoluzione and a Mazzer Mini Electric A. And I must say I am pulling wonderful shots on it... really lovely espresso, heavy body and sweet.

The problem I am having is concerning milk... when I have latte's at places like MadCap or whatever... it's always like the milk is soooo creamy that it BECOMES a part of the espresso. It is like the ENTIRE drink is creamy and thick.

However, when I make microfoam, steamed to 145 degrees, it looks the same as a place like MadCap (I am able to pour some decent latte art...) but instead of being totally creamy throughout the latte it kind of "separates" and sits at the top and can be sipped off within a few sips. Then all that remains is like milky coffee. Not thick like the first few sips and definitely not thick like other places.

I am wondering... is it the milk? We use organic whole milk from our grocery store... MadCap uses milk from a dairy (they are quite proud of this). Is this the difference... or is there something I can do?

Thanks for your help.

The easiest thing to do is to try another milk. Microfoam comes from technique but also the quality of the milk. The ratio of protein to fat as well as the quality of the protein is important. Many have stated that in the winter the microfoam suffers and that coincides when cows feed from stored feed instead of fresher feed and possibly grass in some places (but don't go by me... I just learned to rope a chicken and know very little about cows... ).

I would second trying a couple of different milks for two reasons. One, top notch milk has great flavor. It tastes creamy and rich, and it can even have a thicker mouthfeel by itself. Two, really fresh milk steams much better for me. I also thought that I was making good latte art from my Publix milk, but when I recently bought some milk from a local dairy at a farmers market, the quality of my microfoam increased a lot with the same technique. Much smoother and shinier.

Regular milk (from Publix) is good. Oraganic milks are better, but sometimes hit and miss (one organic milk from Kroger was awful). Local-ish small dairy milks are incredible.

One other thing that I might try is buying smaller bottles of milk. I think that my milk steams the best right after I open the bottle. Seeing as the only whole milk I buy is for coffee, I've started buying several quart bottles. That way, no bottle is open for more than a couple of days. It is more expensive, but I think it's worth it. Mentally keep track of your microfoam for a little while and decide for yourself if you agree.

As others have said, try a different brand of milk. Some will not foam well, what is the fat content of the milk? The cafe may be using whole milk, if you use skim the difference will be night and day. At the end of your stretching, which should only take around 15 seconds, you have to get a good swirling vortex running to fully incorporate the microfoam in the milk to get that thick silky body.

Yeah, I guess I should have mentioned we're using whole organic milk. I feel like I froth fairly decently, folding in the air just below the surface (that unmistakable sound) up to about 100 degrees and then plunging the wand in to create the vortex and bringing it to 145.

It's just that when it pours, which seems nice at first... It starts to feel thinner and thinner as I/we drink it.

Sounds like I need to find a better source for milk. I have tried a few times to find a local dairy... It's pretty rough where I live to find a dairy that's close.

mini wrote: Local-ish small dairy milks are incredible.

From the age of about two, until well into high school iirc, there was an independent dairy farm about 4 blocks away from our home (and another about three miles away). Both had drive through service. Not all that special on the surface, except that this was in the San Fernando Valley! I still remember the rattle of the empty bottles in the metal, welded-wire carrier as it sat on the floor of the '51 Dodge when we would drive over to exchange the empties and pick up 6 more quarts.

You might try stopping the the air incorporation at a lower temp. I do it by feel so haven't used a thermometer in a while but if memory is decent around 70 to 80 sounds about right. You're not really trying to hit any particular temp...rather creating micro bubbles. The stretching is more temp specific. Try stopping around 135 to 140 it might help...there is such a thing as stretching too much.

The ideal of going out for coffee and enjoying it in a certain atmosphere, that taste cannot be replicated at home even if you have the exact same coffee at home.

It's not so much that I am trying to replicate the taste.. it's really that I am noticing the difference in viscosity of the milk in these places and the lack thereof at home.

Of course it could be the milk but it could also be your technique, I tried 3 or 4 different types of milk only to come to the conclusion I could make creamy microfoam with all fresh and not low fat milk types.

The problem was my technique, it really makes a big difference how you steam your milk, stretch long enough but also start the texturing at the right time creating a really nice twirl for as long as you can temperature wise.
After this I swirl the pitcher around on the tabletop, all these steps make a noticable difference in the cup for me.
Even after watching I don't know how many video's on how to steam milk it feels like I am doing it my own way, a little difference in the timing makes a huge difference.

I have a Rocket as well, this is what I would do;

I would take a wooden toothpick or something similar, take of the steaming tip and plug one of the two wholes with the toothpick (do you have a two hole steamtip?)
Then I would take a large pitcher and fill it with more milk than you need for two cups, this gives you more time to react to what happens in the pitcher because everything happens slower.