Hi,

I have been able to consistently get nice microfoam for my milk. I use a double portafilter. For my first cup, I am always able to get my latte art, but for the second, there almost always not enough microfoam to create the latte art. What would be the problem? And how do I balance between injecting too much air into the milk.

Also, I use a 7oz cup. I realize the foam only starts appearing on top of the cup half way through (ard 3.5-4oz). Is it possible to pour out the foam earlier? Or immediately, if I am making a small volume beverage? What should I do?

Greatly appreciate your help

Swirling and thumping the pitcher after steaming and between pours to keep the foam from settling should help. If you can keep the bubbles mixed in the milk well, this should make it easier. You can also try a larger pitcher, which should help retain some of the foam for the second coffee. Some pros even use 2 pitchers I believe when making many drinks at once, but I'm not sure how that works and for 2 coffees it's probably not worth the hassle.

Also, you did mention your milk coming out well. Are you both stretching and steaming? In other words, do you try to inject some air at the beginning? If so, try to skip that step, just focus on getting your milk rolling and mixing well, and don't bother adding extra air. If it works on your machine, your milk might work out better with the bubbles staying mixed in longer.

If you're making a smaller coffee and still want to pour art, try a smaller cup. A properly sized cup will help a lot with pouring art.

hslh1716 wrote:I have been able to consistently get nice microfoam for my milk. I use a double portafilter. For my first cup, I am always able to get my latte art, but for the second, there almost always not enough microfoam to create the latte art.

Are you letting the milk sit in the pitcher while you drink your first cup, or are you steaming a fresh pitcher for the second? If it's the former, don't do that - foam it fresh before each drink. I'd only use the same milk batch in multiple drinks if I were making them simultaneously or back-to-back before drinking anything.

If you're steaming a fresh pitcherful for the second drink and your technique is consistent, the answer has to be in the steam, the milk, or the pitcher. With any Expobar, you shouldn't be running out of steam and the pressure should be fine for 2 consecutive drinks. I always clean out the pitcher throroughly between foamings (at least, as thoroughly as a clean towel and hot water for 30 seconds will allow - I don't use soap or detergent), dry it and put it in the freezer while I drink cap #1.

As I understood, he seemed to be using a double spouted portafilter to split a shot, and then trying to pour milk for both cappas back to back. The first one goes well, but the second runs out of foam enough to pour art.

If that's the case, I agree completely with your advice - use more milk. There's always some thin milk at the bottom of my pitcher, no matter how aggressively I swirl and texturize. I just pour it out because it's not useful.

I use my 20 oz pitcher to make caps for two. My Lelit has just enough power, but Oscar isn't even breathing hard. And if I have more than 1 guest in line, I rotate both pitchers and make the drinks one at a time.

EspressoForge wrote:Some pros even use 2 pitchers I believe when making many drinks at once, but I'm not sure how that works and for 2 coffees it's probably not worth the hassle.

Is a standard technique (see Why do championships show Baristas using TWO pitchers for steaming? .) I'm by no means a pro, but when I pull a split shot I always use a second pitcher and it makes a big difference. I steam enough milk for two drinks, then pour 2/3 off into the spare empty pitcher, then maybe 1/3rd of that back into the steaming pitcher and do the first cup. Then pour the remainder back into the steaming pitcher to do my 2nd cup. I can get similar foam (and art) on both cups that way. When I don't do that one cup has too thick foam and the other has too thin.

hslh1716 wrote:For my first cup, I am always able to get my latte art, but for the second, there almost always not enough microfoam to create the latte art. What would be the problem? And how do I balance between injecting too much air into the milk.

While it's possible to pour 2 lattes out of 1 pitcher, I've found it much easier to share the milk using 2 pitchers. The lighter foam starts to float to the top the second I stop swirling, and I'm not a quick pourer, so the amount of foam is never going to be consistent from 1st to 2nd cup for me if I use just 1 pitcher.