4 Things You Didn’t Know About Latte Art

If you are a latte or a cappuccino lover, then it's safe to assume that at some point you've looked at the lovely design made on top and thought to yourself, "How do they do that?"

Pouring steamed-milk and coffee designs on top of your milky coffee beverages isn't exactly rocket science, but it can be tricky to get your hands around the fluid dynamics of milk and coffee.

So what is Latte Art?

Latte art involves creating various patterns and designs on the surface of a finished latte or cappuccino by pouring steamed milk into an espresso.

Who started Latte Art?

Although people have been drinking milk and coffee together for centuries, David Schomer started the latte art craze in the mid 1980s. Inspired by a photograph he once saw at a cafe in Italy, Schomer developed the much popular rosette pattern in 1992.

The rest is history.

Latte Art is the science of milk

Do you think that you can just pour regular milk into your cup of coffee and make an awesome piece of artwork?

Nope!

The milk used in making latte art is microfoam which is made by passing steam into milk and rapidly heating it - which is also known as the denaturing of milk. The fact that we can make different shapes with milk has all got to do with science.

Techniques of Latte Art: Free pouring & etching

There are mainly two techniques which are used to make latte art: free pouring and etching.

Free pouring is more common in cafes as it does not take too long to prepare. It does require a lot of practice though, to enhance the skills to design your favorites on the go!

Basically you need to master how to carefully employ the right flow, height, and angle of the microfoam to make the shape you want.

On the other hand, etching requires baristas to draw on the surface of the finished drink with external tools.

Usually, latte art created with etching has a shorter lifespan than free pouring as the foam dissolves into the latte more quickly.

Many skilled baristas prefer free pouring over etching - they think it’s a hassle to create latte art by etching as they believe it serves for a cosmetic finish that is made to cover up a bad cup of coffee.

3D Latte Art is actually a real thing!

Did you know there’s something called 3D latte art as well? In 2012 a barista named Kazuki Yamamoto became viral for starting this cool trend of 3D latte art.

This is done by using foam to sculpt various 3D designs such as octopi, cats, or even giraffes by creating the right consistency of milk foam.

Only having a look at the foam climbing out of its cup (literally) makes you want to reach out for another!

There’s also a World Latte Art Championship!

Oh yes, there’s a World Latte Art Championship!

The World Latte Art Championship highlights artistic expression that challenges baristas in an on-demand latte art creation.

Each competitor is required to pour one free-pour design for first round, two identical free-pour latte arts for the next round, and a “designer” latte that can integrate the use of etching tools and other ingredients for the final round.

Competitors are judged based on the visual attributes, creativity, identical patterns in the pairs, contrast in patterns in their creation and their overall performance.

Ready to start your training?

Now that you know of all the creativity, hard work and love that goes into your cup of latte with intricate designs on top, don’t be shy to pass your compliments to your barista.

Or better yet, enroll into our barista classes or latte art training to make yourself a delicious drink and mind blowing latte art designs!

Start your Coffee Career today!

Kaffeine Coffee School offers Nepal’s ultimate coffee education experience, with a complete curriculum, experienced instructors, and quality equipment for you to practice on!

Start your coffee career with Kaffeine Coffee School today by calling us at 977-1-4413425  or visiting us at www.kaffeinecoffeeschool.com.