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  • My steamed milk is too thin....help

    Hi all, im having trouble making a good cup of Latte. Im using a Silvia + doserless rocky, my espresso shots are coming out fine but my steamed milk aint working out.

    I flip steam switch after shot, keeping light on, bleed wand, prepare my jug, then steam, the light always on. I use a thermometer and after it hits 60 - 65 degrees i stop and do the jug swirl/tap. Now, every single time i pour this milk into my espresso it comes out way too thin, it just dissappears into the espresso and i never see a white dot at all, and every time i end up with a light brown latte with nearly water consistency.

    What am i doing wrong? My milk is spinning during the steam, i bury the wand after about 10 seconds, and it swirls fine. Ive used both 300ml and 600ml frozen jugs, with nice cold milk, both low fat and high. Every time the milk is pouring out too thin.

    Help me :-)

  • #2
    Re: My steamed milk is too thin....help

    keep the tip a bit higher at the start for longer? If I want it flat I go lower with the tip early, and go slower steam. When i want a bit more, move it higher and a bit more speed.

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: My steamed milk is too thin....help

      I tried again this afternoon and all i got was very hot milk into my espresso. Again, too thin.

      Ill try keeping the tip higher longer, thanks.

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: My steamed milk is too thin....help

        You need to undestand what you want to do with the milk when the tip is higher.

        Start with the milk level with the bottom of the spout.
        Barely break the surface of the milk with the steam wand so that it pushes a little air into the milk.
        It should make a few "ch ch ch" noises.
        Watch the level of the milk.
        It you rise above the bottom of the spout.
        If it does, you know you have added air and increased the milk volume (thickness).

        You can practise changing the level of the tip by using only water.
        When you are ready, try again with milk.

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        • #5
          Re: My steamed milk is too thin....help

          Hi Dragon, I had similar problems when I got my Silvia. With some hints and encouragement from fellow Csers I soon sorted out the problems.
          It was suggested I bend the steam arm out about 15deg to get a better angle for the jug, I did this and it helped.
          I use a 300ml jug when doing single drinks and find the swirl pattern is quite powerful, it drops off a fraction in the 600ml but still works well.
          As tg said, start with the wand just on/under surface until you get the ch/ch/ch sound, this is air being sucked into the milk and stretching it, the longer you do this the more you will stetch the milk. I then go to the side of the jug and find a sweet spot where the milk folds and swirls on the other side of the jug, holding my fingers under the jug until it get too hot to hold to keep it there and the milk should be ready for a latte/flat white/capo. Full cream textures best but skim is fine.
          Keep practicing there is light at the end of the tunnel.

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          • #6
            Re: My steamed milk is too thin....help

            Cheers Greenman, how did you go about bending the steam arm?

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: My steamed milk is too thin....help

              DragonLord
              I suggest you look at these posts
              Remember search is your friend

              http://coffeesnobs.com.au/YaBB.pl?num=1226462504

              http://coffeesnobs.com.au/YaBB.pl?num=1220959662

              KK

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              • #8
                Re: My steamed milk is too thin....help

                Hi Dragonlord, I used a piece of metal tubing slightly larger diameter than steam arm and very gently bent it out to required angle, I held the top section of arm with a pair of shifters to take pressure of steam connection point, it worked well, it gives a better angle and jug access when steaming, Ive also got Silvia sitting in a tray in case of spillage from small dregs tray, this has raised her a fraction for better jug access, its still a bit tight with the 600ml jug.
                Some more good advice on links from KK above, make sure you have nice dry steam before you start texturing. I bleed mine off at about 120C and heaps of water comes out and then again at 140C where wet steam appears initially and then nice dry steam for texturing.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: My steamed milk is too thin....help

                  Thanks for the help guys.

                  I had a latte this morning and i filled up my 600ml jug just over 1/3rd, kept the tip near the surface for longer period then sunk it deeper for remainding time. The milk doubled exactly (although abit too much foam on top).

                  While pouring my milk i did notice it was a little thicker, but mostly towards the top 3rd. So what im getting is, thickness in the top half, and thin hot milk at the bottom. Would this indicate that my whirlpool technique during steaming is not up to scratch?

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                  • #10
                    Re: My steamed milk is too thin....help

                    Try a 300ml jug if you have one as it will be easier to fold the milk over itself.
                    200ml in a 600ml jug is a different "shape".

                    Try to only increase the volume by 1/3 istead of 1/2.
                    Youve obviously put too much air into the milk to get that much volume increase.
                    So less air and more blending of the milk into itself to spread that air through all of the milk.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: My steamed milk is too thin....help

                      Doubling the volume is excessive. For latte, I think the volume should increase by about 20%. Steaming milk to the right consistency for latte is one of the hardest things to get right. I have heard (but never tried) that a good one to practice is using water with a very small amount (the smallest drop) of dishwashing detergent. Also, I see to get better results using a 400ml jug than a 600ml (which admittedly is only enough for one cup). KKs steaming guide that he provided the links for is good advice but I find that turning the steam tap fully one gives me too much steam pressure and get bubbles and/or spilt milk.

                      Once the milk is steamed you should knock it a couple of times (fairly gently) on the bench to remove larger air bubbles and then swirl the milk jug without lifting it off the bench top to polish the milk (it starts to look shiny). With larger quantities using a 600ml jug or more you might want to pour some milk into another jug, pour a latte then add the milk you split off back into the jug and swirl again. This helps maintain a certain quantity of foam and milk in each cup

                      Im far fvrom an expert in this and others may provide further advice. I would recommend doing a home barista course or at least check Youtube videos.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: My steamed milk is too thin....help

                        Cheers, ill try the 300ml.

                        Last time i used the 300ml the milk went all over the place, should i still use full steam power in the 300ml jug?

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: My steamed milk is too thin....help

                          Here, check this youtube vid: I dont own a Silvia so I cant speak for the technique used:

                          http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=NdHb_6Hs738

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                          • #14
                            Re: My steamed milk is too thin....help

                            Another issue can be the milk itself.
                            Here in SA, as the green feed dies off and the cattle eat dried stuff, the milk stops foaming at all, or will foam a small amount with large bubbles and then collapse.
                            I use the A2 milk which comes from Qld way and the cows eat green stuff all year round. Ive only had one or two A2 purchases fail to stretch correctly.
                            Greg

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                            • #15
                              Re: My steamed milk is too thin....help

                              Originally posted by Dragonlord link=1229060735/0#11 date=1229129017
                              Cheers, ill try the 300ml.

                              Last time i used the 300ml the milk went all over the place, should i still use full steam power in the 300ml jug?
                              My machine has more steam power and I dont have a problem with milk going all over the place. You need to keep the wand just under the top liquid milk surface
                              Breaking the surface causes the milk to explode

                              It is your technique that you need to adjust

                              Please try a loose and relaxed hand not stiff
                              One ch ch is enough when you start and no more
                              Full steam power (can go as low as 3/4 steam power)
                              Keep wand just under the liquid part of the milk by adjusting height as you go
                              If you need to angle the wand to keep the milk swirling try turning the jug 15/20 deg and aim the steam wand from the centre position into the bottom corner of the jug (this splits the steam in 2 directions)

                              You will notice an audible difference from high pitch to low dull pitch sound when you are getting close to the end

                              KK


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