Spinnaker007 Senior Member Joined: 24 Apr 2003 Posts: 1,778 Location: Chicago! Expertise: I like coffee
Posted Mon May 23, 2005, 9:08am Subject: Stop torturing yourself.
I have not made any latte lately, except for practicing the latte art once in a while. I have realized that it is almost impossible to get the texture and that sweet taste of the properly steamed milk with a home machine. After reading malachi’s blog of 5/22, that further confirms the average Joe like myself is just kidding with ourselves.
The steaming power of our “average” home machines (I have a TEA) is just not up to the task. Steaming milk for the macchiatos and single cappas, maybe. Nothing bigger than that.
(it is more difficult than with a commercial machine to texture milk well with this particular home machine. none the less... it is possible. and we shall see what other home machines are like, as well as what this machine is like with a better tip).
As I understand it, most of these home machines have restraining tips on them. I believe Chris' Mia came with a nice fat ONE HOLE tip. Stop torturing yourself, indeed. Get a 4 hole tip. I think home machines have tips geared towards slow steamers who are just learning. If you are a pro steamer, maybe you should get a pro steam tip. Just because your 1-2 hole tip is giving you crummy steam power doesn't mean your 1.3 liter boiler isn't powerful enough.
Stop kidding yourself, I say. If you can't steam decent milk on an Isomac Tea, you need to begin laying your blame elsewhere. In all likelihood, if you're just talking about a latté or 2 in a row, the Isomac Tea is as much as or more machine than you'll ever need.
Have you read Dan Kehn's stuff about steaming on these machines? They're really not that much slower than LM Lineas, even for lattés.
All I am saying is that it is very hard to get the texture and the sweetness from the commercial machine with the home machine.
The foam texture from this picture is pretty good as I remembered, but did it taste like the drinks I have from the commercial machines?? Far from it...
This does not seem to be an inherent difference between the "classes" of machine. The Astoria that I'm using for reference, for example, produces great milk. And I've been able to produce very good milk with the Mia - albeit with work.
Each day with these home machines brings the truth into better focus... it's all about the barista.
The reason why I initiated this post is that I have the opportunity to play with a 3 group LM Linea, and the foam is just that much better.
With the home machines, they are only good for small amount of milk. (I can only say about Tea, I have not played with any other machines. But I doubt the difference will be significant.)
Exactly. The flavor and sweetness of the milk, also the mouth feel of the foam. I got a little hot, and lost the main issue. I am still mesmerized by the cappa Ellie from Intelligentsia made for me at the Coffee Fest.
I cheat. Using a Silvia with a one-hole tip, I foam a 3:2 mix of Carb Countdown 2% and unsweetened heavy whipping cream. (You can approximate the carb and fat content of the mix with straight light, or "table," cream but it doesn't foam as well). It is as sweet as anything I've gotten at cafes; the only difference is my lack of latte art pour skills and the fact that a six-to-nine-ouncer with milk steamed before or after the shot just doesn't get and stay as hot as a 12-to-16-ouncer from a big honkin' LaMarzocco--even (or especially) when the latter's in a paper cup and mine's in a preheated china cup. I think the former's lid may keep the heat in longer.
Sandy www.sandyandina.com ------------------- Life's too short to drink lousy coffee, play crummy guitars and write with ballpoint pens.
I didn't mean to attack you, steve, sorry. There may be some truth to the flavor bit. I've only once had a Latté from a Linea done by a pro barista (woes of being in Oklahoma/New Mexico), so i haven't had the chance to really compare the taste differences.
However, I would still strongly contend that this is more an issue of geometry than power. I would bet that it's the steam tip design rather than the lack of power that's getting these home machines down, even on taste. Dan Kehn's steaming comparisons suggest a huge variety of steaming times for different home HX machines with similar boiler sizes...
I'm guessing here that a lot of that taste that you like from the Linea is probably from the speed that it steams. 15 seconds, right? I understand the Tea takes about 30 seconds to steam, right? Maybe you can find a steaming tip that will get that down into the low 20s, and that would improve your milk. I'll be getting a machine in this class in a week or two, and I'll be playying around with steam tips too. I asked malachi if he could as well, so maybe we can all compare notes.
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