Espresso machine no longer able to produce proper microfoam?

#1: Post by **thedarkness** » May 28th, 2020, 9:04 am

Hey all, I've had this issue now for a week or so and I thought it might've been bad milk, but we've gone through several new containers with no different results.

The machine produces plenty of steam, and technique hasn't changed.. but upon finishing the steaming and pulling the wand out, dozens of little bubbles open up in the milk seemingly from nowhere. Almost like pouring a coke into a cup and watching the bubbles rise rapidly to the surface. This has never happened before and I've been making excellent microfoam capable of fine latte art for many years.

My question: is there something maintenance or repair wise that would alter the way my machine produces steam? Could this be a sign of too much moisture coming through the wand?

Machine is an ECM Technika IV Profi.

Thanks for your help

#2: Post by **civ** » May 28th, 2020, 9:54 am

Hello:

thedarkness wrote: ... had this issue now for a week ...
... gone through several new containers ...

I'm not a microfoam wiz, I just steam milk for my morning lattes and don't particularly care for latte-art.
But in my experience, I'd say that what you are seeing could be due to one of a few things or a combination some:

1. Milk
Have you tasted the milk? Did it taste even slightly off?
You could try another batch or brand of milk.
In these stay-inside days, chances are all the containers were purchased on the same day and are from the same batch.

I once went through four different 1lt. cartons of whole milk, all from the same batch and purchased on the same day.
They all had milk that tasted very slightly off once steamed and the reaction to steaming was different to what I usually saw/noticed.

2. Cleanliness
Are pitcher and wand (particularly inside the tube/tip) clean?

3. Boiler water
Have you descaled lately?
When did you renew boiler water last?
To many people it's not immediately obvious that the steam comes from that same water.

4. Temperature
Have you checked the boiler temperature setting?
Have you checked the milk temperature when steaming it?

Hope this helps in getting to the root of the problem.

Cheers,

CIV

#3: Post by **Nunas** » May 28th, 2020, 11:07 am

This issue keeps coming up and it's inevitably one of two things. With newcomers, it's a lack of practice. With experienced folks, it's the milk. Rarely is it the machine. I've had several jugs of milk in a row not foam properly, then, suddenly all was well. This happens periodically and is related to milk being an organic product. I've also found that some brands of milk (not in Canada) simply foamed poorly.

#4: Post by **BaristaBoy E61** » May 28th, 2020, 11:32 am

I always have a second pitcher heating up on the cup tray and pour the steamed milk from one pitcher to the other that was on the cup tray, sometimes more than once. Lastly I pour into the pitcher that I will try to create late art with, only up to its optimal level for pouring. I find this 'Milk Sharing' technique 'tames' virtually any milk.

However, if the milk tastes 'OFF' - all bets are off!

May 28th, 2020, 5:15 pm

civ wrote:Hello:

I'm not a microfoam wiz, I just steam milk for my morning lattes and don't particularly care for latte-art.
But in my experience, I'd say that what you are seeing could be due to one of a few things or a combination some:

1. Milk
Have you tasted the milk? Did it taste even slightly off?
You could try another batch or brand of milk.
In these stay-inside days, chances are all the containers were purchased on the same day and are from the same batch.

I once went through four different 1lt. cartons of whole milk, all from the same batch and purchased on the same day.
They all had milk that tasted very slightly off once steamed and the reaction to steaming was different to what I usually saw/noticed.

2. Cleanliness
Are pitcher and wand (particularly inside the tube/tip) clean?

3. Boiler water
Have you descaled lately?
When did you renew boiler water last?
To many people it's not immediately obvious that the steam comes from that same water.

4. Temperature
Have you checked the boiler temperature setting?
Have you checked the milk temperature when steaming it?

Hope this helps in getting to the root of the problem.

Cheers,

CIV

Thank you for your suggestions. I will thoroughly clean the wand to be sure thats not an issue. I clean it every time I used it, of course, but I suppose I really should remove the tip and ensure the insides are spotless.

On topic of boiler water, I use the machine several times a day, every day (especially now since this COVID nonsense started up) so the boiler water routinely gets exchanged. I also use a water softener and filtration so I think the internals are likely quite clean anyways.

I have not checked the steam temperature, but I haven't noticed a change in the time it takes to steam a pitcher of milk to correct temps so I assume that hasn't changed. Worth a look though.

Lastly, the milk suggestions are probably my next course of action. I have not noticed a difference in taste in the milk, but all the bags HAVE been the same brand and type of milk from the same supplier, so if they changed something in their processing it could reflect across multiple new cartons indeed. I will try a different milk product.

May 28th, 2020, 5:17 pm

Nunas wrote:This issue keeps coming up and it's inevitably one of two things. With newcomers, it's a lack of practice. With experienced folks, it's the milk. Rarely is it the machine. I've had several jugs of milk in a row not foam properly, then, suddenly all was well. This happens periodically and is related to milk being an organic product. I've also found that some brands of milk (not in Canada) simply foamed poorly.

Thanks and I hope you're right. Although I've tried multiple different bags (Canada) of milk, they've all been the same supplier just with fresher dates... so its entirely possible that something changed up the supply chain. I'll try a different brand.

#7: Post by **civ** » May 28th, 2020, 6:04 pm

Hello:

thedarkness wrote: Thank you ...

You're welcome.

thedarkness wrote: ... thoroughly clean the wand ...
... clean it every time I used it ...

I many times forget to clean up and let the milk dry on the tip from one day to the other.
But that has never been an issue as it isn't that days go by without a clean-up.

thedarkness wrote: ... should remove the tip and ...

Make sure the inside of the tube is clean.
Sometimes a bit milk/foam gets sucked into the bottom half of the wand as you close the tap.
It is good practise to fire a couple of shots of steam after steaming. it will usually get rid on anything that went up the wand.

thedarkness wrote: ... milk suggestions ...

Like it's been said by other members here, that is the most likely suspect.

thedarkness wrote: ... all the bags HAVE been the same brand and type of milk from the same supplier ...

As I thought: the same batch.
Makes sense that they all show the same problem.

Try a bag/carton from a different batch (there should be number/ID on the label) and also a different brand just to rule out some new/different process in your usual brand.

You'll sort it out soon enough.

Cheers,

CIV

#8: Post by **civ** » June 4th, 2020, 4:27 pm

Hello:

civ wrote: You'll sort it out soon enough.

So ...
Just what was going on with your milk and the steaming?

Cheers,

CIV

June 7th, 2020, 9:12 am

It was indeed the milk!! Bought a different brand and it's fine.

My wife has been buying milk for general use for months and it still doesn't froth right after many many bags. The manufacturer must've changed something.

Thanks for the input everyone. I guess I'm buying milk separately just for my coffees now!