steaming milk on a la pavoni espresso machine for latte art

[brooklynshot]

To get the best shot and better crema I suggest very freshly roasted coffee no more than 2 weeks old but at least 3 days old, coffee not roasted too dark - about a full city or full city plus roast level - not black and not oily, also it MUST be ground with a decent burr grinder - it makes all the difference in the world - try having your favorite coffee shop grind some for you and use it the next day. Tamper from espressoparts, and the bottomless portafilter was homemade using a hole saw.

[jaideux]

@brooklynshot You speak and I listen! I now have my own green beans from Sweet Maria's that I roast myself in a popcorn popper (not black and oily!), have a Porlex burr hand grinder that arrived from OE today...and a little wooden tamper (so cute) from Thomas Cara, Ltd. My beans may be a tad too fresh...but I did seem a little crema today! My microfoam (I can't believe I called it microfilm last post...so embarrassing) is still lame though...:(. But thanks for input, Oh Coffee Mentor!

[jaideux]

hi I have watched this wonderful vid many times and now just got your tip in the mail from orphan espresso! I do now have better microfilm but still almost no crema...i think my La Pavoni needs a naked portafilter. Do you sell them? Or do you think it is because I am a neophyte...or perhaps it's my beans....And what about a tamper...did you make your own as well?

[Xiia0Sn00pY]

you dont seem to know how to control your movements. your just shaking vigourously

[brooklynshot]

@Xiia0Sn00pY hmmm - thanks for your ... uhhm... helpful post... I will try to control my vigorous shaking in the future. :>)

[borisburkhart]

how do u get the coffee so dark in the cup? as when i do it its light brown colour!

[brooklynshot]

@borisburkhart Try a different coffee, or maybe your grind is too coarse.

[ymharshe81]

where to buy this single hole tip?

[dannyreijo]

where can i buy a naked portafilter? I have the copper machine though

[brooklynshot]

@dannyreijo Try orphanespresso - expensive but nice, or cut your own using a hole saw.

[dannyreijo]

What a beautiful sound, Nightmares is very good coffee chill music, i am deeply impressed. Thanks for the tip on the acorn nuts too man, ill definitely be making some : )

[Tinks599]

Here is why your video is better than many: You don't screw around and get to the heart of what I'm looking for. Good editing makes this five minutes worth of actual good content...instead of 45 seconds of good content and the rest crap. Thank you.

[kentcowthe]

Where to buy a naked portofilter? i live in Denmark does sellers in UK does not post to DK :/ and who is the artist for this awesome music?

[brooklynshot]

@kentcowthe try orphan espresso or make your own using a hole saw. The music is nightmares on wax

[sonnakabana]

PERFECT!!! That's the way it should be done.



[dominic23wong]

Interesting in how you showed how to make those latte art because I'm always wondering how baristas in the cafe would do it. It's very strange that I feel with custom tip very unfortunately the beautiful sound of frothing milk has lost.

[brooklynshot]

@dominic23wong The sound is less because there is only one hole in the steam wand.

[aluminiumsloep]

try to make Elvis

[lutherdriggers]

Wow great video. I (now) make my coffee almost exactly the same way, except I still use the 3-hole tip and the milk turns out fine (pun intended) just like yours... now if I could only pour like you!

[freakeystyley34]

Thanks for this video, I just did the same mod for my gaggia factory and the milk is 100 times better just on my first time trying!

[tearingmonkey]

I have La Pavoni EPC-8 cup Europiccola, will the Single Hole Steam Wand Tip you sell fit this machine?

(I notice you have the Professional model)

[brooklynshot]

@tearingmonkey The tips fits both models - I have installed them on the EPC-8 and EPC-16. I have tips available if you want one.

[tearingmonkey]

@brooklynshot Got your custom tip and am so impressed with the difference in microfoam. Why doesn't Pavoni just make the single hole, the 3 hole seems counterproductive. Thanks for coming up with the hack. Now I just have to work on my crema

[NoobsSuckx7]

very helpful thankyou

[brooklynshot]

@NoobsSuckx7 You are very welcome!

[yelmarbm]

Wow! I never thought a La Pavoni machine could do that. I'll be buying one of your custom tips from orphanespresso. The tiger mottling on the crema is amazing. Does the naked portafilter help? Are you using a single or double basket? Any Fellini strokes? Some advice to get pulls like yours would be hugely appreciated. Thank you.

[brooklynshot]

@yelmarbm I'm using a double basket. The naked portafilter helps... you get a bit more crema - no spout interference... and you can see how you did on distribution and tamping. I use about a 10 second preinfusion and one fellini stroke in the middle of the first pull. So about 1 1/2 pulls.

[stuartlwilliams]

what kind of filter holder is that?

[brooklynshot]

@stuartlwilliams

It is a bottomless or "naked" portafilter.  I cut my own using a hole saw and a drum sander.

[Kapka6]

very nice

[markpianoman]

I'd love to see if you can make latte art with the Rancilio Silvia!  I have such trouble with it, and I think the biggest problem is the 90 degree angle of the steam wand.

[brooklynshot]

@markpianoman : You can make good latte art with a silvia but the stretching takes a bit longer and you need to use a small amount of milk ...about 6 or 8 oz to get decent swirling. If it has any sort of auto frothing attachment take it off and try steaming with only the metal tipped wand end with the little hole.

[markpianoman]

I have the Rancilio Rocky grinder and the Rancilio Silvia espresso machine (version2). I haven't been successful yet in making latte art. I think the biggest problem is the straight down angle of the steam wand. I like how your steam wand is so angled as to do a better job "swirling." Really enjoyed your video!

[tonyyuille]

@markpianoman you can change the steam arm for the new one is much better and moves 360 deg

[Superpus2007]

What kind of milk do you use?

[brooklynshot]

@Superpus2007 - I use 2% milk.

[brooklynshot]

@Superpus2007 I use 2% milk

[sierraalfa1]

Hi,

Pleased contact me , because i would like to order a singel whole steam tip if that's possible.

regards Sander Heij

[cjedenmark]

name of sond pipes honour

Nightmares on wax smokers delight

[MatanFliesher]

for a home machine that was pretty nice bro :)

[phycaster]

whats the name of the song???whos is it by???

[fazekaslaszlo]

nice!!!

[FurlowFurlow]

Never sink wand to bottom, always keep it just under the surface, what tends to happen if you sink the wand is that even if you did have nice foam to start with, the volume tends to increase alot because the milk rolls more at the bottom and the foam rises and starts to settle at the top, the water in the milks drops to the bottom and then the air in the foam at the top just starts increasing in volume. Although you can use this to your advantage when doing cappa's.

[FurlowFurlow]

heres what i do, I put the wand to the back of the pitcher and make it roll more vertically the around in a circle, the tip wand is pretty much resting against the edge and I then tilt the pitcher alot, about 30 degrees so the tip is shooting into the side of the pitcher. I find this helps lots as it limits bid bubbles and makes steaming cappuccino (4-5oz milk) alot easier as it tends to not heat up so quickly and can add air right up to nearly turning off.

[FurlowFurlow]

I'm looking to get one of these after my pump espresso machine broke, I thought i'd go with a good long lasting machine. I did the same with my stove top steamer, I really don't understand why they bother with 2,3 or 4 hole all they do is seam to cause problems. As you are dealing with more than one jet of steam and keep your on both whilst the milk is heating up quicker than with one is very hard. I found that 2mm was the best which is about 5/64 inches, maby a tad smaller would help.

[sherceg777]

I made a tip with a 1/16 hole, but I had much better results with a 3/64 hole. The micro-foam was twice as good. Did you try 3/64? If not try it and see what you think.

[uranthe67]

How can I contact you? I am interested in getting the one hole steam tip. Do you sell it?

[brooklynshot]

You can contact me directly by email using my contact information on this site. If you want to buy one you can get it from orphanespresso - just go to their site and search for brooklynshot.

[luongdung]

Hmmm those espresso look so good. Are they a ristretto or just a normal double?

[brooklynshot]

They are just normal double shots, but pulled with fresh home roasted beans - with fresh beans the crema just keeps on coming!

[luongdung]

I also use home roasted beans, but I don't get good result like yours. Even though the crema is thick, but it's lighter and doesn't have much of "tiger mottling" on top of the crema. I might have to work more on water's temperature and pressure.

[FurlowFurlow]

get a good grinder (stepless), dont overfill portafilter and make sure your shot is around 20-30 seonds. Most baristas say 2 in 25 (2 shots in 25 seconds), but that is a ruff guideline and what ever tastes best around here is what you want to use. shots that go in under 10 seonds tend look alot more yellow than dark brown/orange.

[grevasy]

probably the best espresso related video about!! What made you decide on the La pavoni over the Elektra equivalent?

[brooklynshot]

I went with the Pavoni due to cost - I was able to get a used machine locally for a few hundred less than an Elektra. I've used both and they each have their own unique qualities - I like the looks of the Pavoni better but the Elektra base is more stable.

[m00ters]

Ive never had an espresso. Are they sweet?

[brooklynshot]

Espresso is not exactly sweet ...as in a sugary taste unless you add sugar. However a properly extracted espresso shot pulled "ristretto" can be a wonderful experience, full of chocolate overtones and a thick mouth feel. Adding milk, properly steamed can bring out the natual lactose sweetness in the milk and results in a drink that won't require sugar.

[bonzaibb12]

which brand off espresso beans do you like best ?

[brooklynshot]

I home roast. But I also get Gorilla, Black Cat, Gimmie and Counter Culture.

[bonzaibb12]

Thanks

[fredsheygate]

Where did you get the naked portafilter and how did you make the steam tip

Fred

[brooklynshot]

I made the portafilter with a hole saw and a drum sander. I posted on coffeegeek about the tips. You can also get on from orphanespresso. Look under brooklynshot in both places.