4-Hole Steam Tip Test - Bunn ES-1A

I am borrowing a 4-hole steam tip to try on my Bunn ES-1A espresso machine. The machine's stock tip has 2 holes. My initial impression is that it actually allows too much steam out - too quickly. This causes instant large (undesirable) bubbles initially.

The latte art pour is very weak - partially due to the camera's tripod being literally under foot as I tried to pour! You can see that the milk was textured pretty well, although I really had to work at dissipating the large bubbles.

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• Espresso
• Latte
• Latte Art
• Milk
• Steaming

[oboerista]

Thanks, Jasonian.

The machine is a small HX machine w/ a 4 ltr. boiler. With these 4 hole experiments, I have discovered that the holes are MUCH larger on the 4 hole tip. Tour call is spot on - no vortexing. I'm going back to the 2 holer.

Thanks - and SOMETIMWES I can get som e nice latte art... but am not consistent yet. Will be practicing, though!

David

[oboerista]

David - -Thanks for your comment! Actually, I am fairly well read & practiced, and the had the tip surfing the surface for stretching... but the steam volume didn't allow me to find that sweet spot. Once up to about 100F, I did plunge the tip down.  It's a new tip & is so dramatically different from my 20hole - there'll be a learning curve.

Thanks,

David

[vasiasm]

You lack of steam power. Try to start when the thermastat opens or before it opens to get all the steam is capable your machine to produce . WITHOUT ROLLING ACTION OR TURBULENCE YOU CANT DO MICROFOAM .

[TexasCoffee]

I was never able to get that tip to work either. I had the same problems with Nuova Simonelli's 4-hole tips in the Mac Digit & Oscar I had. I ended up sticking tooth picks in two of the holes and voila, instant success!

Tex

[Jasonian]

It seems to me that there is simply not enough steam pressure to work well with the 4-hole tip.

The milk isn't being forced into a vortex in the least. Stick with the 2-hole.

Also, don't make excuses for the weak latte art. It's technique, in this case. Fast wiggles don't allow the milk's flow velocity to work. Pour faster, wiggle in wide sweeping motions so the milk moves in a pendulum motion in the pitcher. Keep the tip of the pitcher close to the crema.

Practice practice practice.

[DavidBarista]

The problem here was mainly in technique. 4 hole tip might not be best for that machine but it looked like you just stuck it in the milk and let it rip. Be gentle when you incorporate air and get it untextured and spilling a bit more