"Crema" Breaking Away from Cup?

[n0d3]

Hello,

I've recently discovered that while practising my pours that after I start introducing milk into the coffee and integrating it to lift the crema and start to draw, that the surface tends to break away from the furthest end of the cup as I start to level my cup. As a result the drawn pattern will start to pull towards the centre/sideways/wherever. To better picture this, it's like moving the bubbles from the top of your bubble bath to reveal the soapy water below.

I have no problems getting a good shot or microfoam and whenever I introduce the milk I do it from a sufficient height + a steady stream. I have tried:

1) Not tilting the cup that much
2) Introducing the milk from a lower height and more carefully (better success rate but I have no problems with my current technique at a place where I work casually overseas)
3) Using different milk/espresso/jugs/cups

[n0d3]

Just for reference these are the cups (my own pours) showing my problems slightly (didn't take pictures of the nasty ones, I apologise for the silly Instagram filters).

Right side:



Bottom left and a bit on the right:

[n0d3]

From what I was able to do before:

[kwantfm]

I think they're very impressive pours. I find that the whole pattern doesn't move when I finish the pour with the cutting action. When I start laying out the pattern too early I find that I keep pouring in a single spot at the end of the cut and then the whole pattern starts moving towards that spot. I'm wondering if that is what you are experiencing. If so start pouring the pattern later.

[n0d3]

I think they're very impressive pours. I find that the whole pattern doesn't move when I finish the pour with the cutting action. When I start laying out the pattern too early I find that I keep pouring in a single spot at the end of the cut and then the whole pattern starts moving towards that spot. I'm wondering if that is what you are experiencing. If so start pouring the pattern later.

Hello! I think I know what you're talking about (the sucking action when you leave it at one spot like you do if you want a heart) but the problem that I have is that the whole "canvas" starts to shift such that you can see the coffee below? Somewhat like if you take a spoon and just move the foam out of the way in a finished cup.

FYI if anybody is reading, the problem is with the first two pours, not the last two.

I'm wondering if it has to do with the quality/quantity of the crema? The blend I used to use in the last two pours (the photos) had a much darker/thicker crema.

[ax72]

What about injecting the milk through a narrow tube? I'm thinking of a large syringe similar to the type used to decorate cakes, that pushes the milk through a narrow injector tube into the bottom of the cup.

[n0d3]

What about injecting the milk through a narrow tube? I'm thinking of a large syringe similar to the type used to decorate cakes, that pushes the milk through a narrow injector tube into the bottom of the cup.

Wouldn't that defeat the purpose of free pouring?! I'm trying to troubleshoot my technique, don't think a syringe would be appropriate in this case.