Latte Art

Latte art is the art of pouring steamed milk into an espresso shot to create designs and patterns on the surface of the coffee. It is difficult to create consistent patterns because of the conditions demanded not only by the espresso shot but also by the steamed milk. The beauty of the resulting pattern then is limited to the experience of the barista.

It was developed independently on different countries but was believed to be initially developed in Italy. In the US, it was developed mainly in Seattle around the 80’s and 90’s and was popularized by David Schomer, making the heart pattern his signature.

The physics of latte art is basically the combination of two colloids: the crema, which is an emulsion of the coffee brew and of the coffee oil, and the milk, which is also an emulsion of butterfat in water. Neither of these two is stable so the latte art only lasts briefly.

Making a latte art requires a crema and a microfoam. Before the milk is poured, the espresso shot should have a creamy brown surface – the crema. As the milk rises to meet the cream of the shot, contrast is made to create the design on the surface. Or alternatively, the design is etched on the shot after the milk is poured. Both techniques are due to the fact that after the milk is poured, the foam separates from the water and rises on the top.

Latte art is categorized into two: free pouring and etching. The most common designs for free pouring latte art are the heart and the rosetta. For free pouring, the cup is usually kept level and tilted. The tilt would make the foam rise on one side making it easier for baristas to make their design since the foam is concentrated on a single area.

The barista then wiggles the spout of the pitcher from side as he slowly levels the cup then finishes by making a quick strike on the previously formed pattern.

The other latte art style is etching which utilizes a stick (which is a coffee stirrer of some sort) to draw the pattern on the espresso. Patterns from etching range from simple geometric designs to complicated drawings depending on the skill and experience of the barista.

Another latte art variant is the espresso art which is done by etching design on the crema of the espresso without adding milk on it.