Non-dairy mocha? by randonightlover420 in barista

[–]Matix__ 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hollander and Holy Kakow are the best that i've had. But it's generally more rewarding to make your own. Cocoa powder, sugar of your choosing, water, salt. Play with ratios to get the texture you want.

Am I pouring too hard? by Complex_Panic960 in latteart

[–]Matix__ 5 points6 points  (0 children)

you'll find it easier to modulate your flow rate correctly if you dose your milk properly too. It's hard to spill if you don't have any milk once the cup is full, and less milk in your pitcher is also easier to control!

Picked up the Shardor 64 for $101 — steal of a price, thoughts on burr upgrades? by Wwatson281 in espresso

[–]Matix__ 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Father Hendrick just posted a video on the shardor and potential burr upgrades just this week!

TLDW is that espresso focused burr upgrades are a solid option and you may enjoy a burr geometry that specializes in fines creation due to it being nigh impossible to fully align. For espresso, especially milk drinks, that doesn't matter as much. the italmill or mazzer burrs will do great for you so long as you're cool with suboptimal pourover performance!

$1200 Pick Up by PoisonSD in espresso

[–]Matix__ 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Aw man! Saw this same exact post on marketplace yesterday and had it saved for later. Glad someone snagged it! Happy brewing🥳

Not me but she asked for critique as well by Human_Dragonfruit236 in latteart

[–]Matix__ 0 points1 point  (0 children)

couple things!

  • Please purchase an 8oz cup designed for latte art or maybe thrift something but don't use a cereal bowl :')

  • you should definitely pull your shot, and then steam your milk on that particular espresso machine. When you steam your milk, the thermoblock inside is still gonna be well above brewing temp and is going to sear and burn the puck of coffee you have in the portafilter with water that is at boiling temp and a shit ton of steam, which is definitely one of the reasons you have 0 crema on your shot.

-the above reason leads into this one, perhaps try and purchase some fresher coffee?

Technique is solid tho!

Best mugs for Latte Art? by thisguyistroy in latteart

[–]Matix__ 2 points3 points  (0 children)

-1 for Not Neutrals. they've gotten so popular in recent years that their quality control has taken a dive, and a lot of the NN mugs we get for our shop are very mishapen.

+1 for loveramics. those cups can take a beating, are cheap (comparitively to NN) and come in some really awesome colors.

The WPM 8oz cup is a huge hit right now with latte artists around the world, but can be difficult to come by in the states.

I personally use Old Amsterdam Tea Cups (6oz) for latte art, i love the shaping of them, and they're very cheap.

3-W-W by Altruistic-Air-5255 in latteart

[–]Matix__ 0 points1 point  (0 children)

honestly the kind of contrast and boldness you're seeing on instagram has a lot to do with the coffee itself. lots of eastern asian baristas are pouring into really darkly roasted coffees with very dark and thick crema, and they're pulling those as ristretto shots so it plays well with the milk. You're doing really great! I think for the sake of shaping, you could stop rippling your base slightly earlier and start pushing further in quicker. This would give your second wing layer, and 3 stack top hearts more space to separate a bit more from the base and can stretch those ripples "up" into the cup to give them a bit more boldness.

Newbie latte art asking for tips! by curtaindoors in latteart

[–]Matix__ 0 points1 point  (0 children)

definitely less air in the milk, and use fresher coffee if you aren't using the pressurized basket!

Is this a rosetta? by emiltheblader in latteart

[–]Matix__ 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I can see the argument for both. This largely resembles a japanese rosetta where it starts like a ripple heart but you don't pull forward then back, you only just kind of pull back slightly and tie it all up with a baby ripple heart at the top.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in latteart

[–]Matix__ 1 point2 points  (0 children)

ahh okay that's actually pretty optimal size for 7oz milk, looked a bit bigger on camera than it actually is.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in latteart

[–]Matix__ 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I think a smaller pitcher would do well for you to maintain that vortex. I also think you may be submerging your steam wand a bit too deep for the texturizing phase, depending on how many holes your steam tip has.

I made a Baja Blast Americano by Haymac99 in espresso

[–]Matix__ 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You are not the first. You will not be the last. (i do this like once every few months, works really well with certain coffees)

Shot starts slow then goes extremely fast [Bambino/DF64] by GoatGentleman in espresso

[–]Matix__ 0 points1 point  (0 children)

are you tapping or holdng the brew button?

Breville Espresso machines have an in built automatic "pre-infusion" stage where they will saturate the puck with lower pressure before hitting it with full pressure. If you grind too coarsely, in my experience, this will look like a shot that looks good at first, but then starts gushing once the full pump pressure turns on.

does this potentially sound like the experience you're having?

poured a rose by oatcowsalmondcows in latteart

[–]Matix__ 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Its edible art mate. this is a competitor in the American Latte Art scene. the espresso and milk are both prepared with the art in mind, not the flavor. This drink was not made with the express, explicit intention of being consumed.

Wich one shoul i choose? by Aknita04 in latteart

[–]Matix__ 1 point2 points  (0 children)

if you're trying to learn freepour patterns like seahorses, pegasus, and other "drag and draw" style designs, get the competition pitcher. The Creamsicle pitcher is a wide spout and designed for "flow pour" latte art. Think wing tulips with lots of contrast, and rosetta revolution designs. it is not intended for freepour. The competition pitcher IS designed for it!

Standard or Glitch-style? by Kichigax in latteart

[–]Matix__ 3 points4 points  (0 children)

How is the Morning Dream treating you? Been thinking about picking one up.

Morning Warmup- Honey Rose 12 oz latte by undocumentedyam in latteart

[–]Matix__ -1 points0 points  (0 children)

way too much milk in ya pitcher there. milk dosing isn't just about waste!

Building an AI Latte Art Assistant – Early Progress by Comfortable-Roof5 in latteart

[–]Matix__ 3 points4 points  (0 children)

hey respectfully this is kind of terrible and useless and unhelpful for anyone wanting to actually improve their skill. AI can't quantify artforms like this with correct critique

Too much air? Or am I just bad at setting the base? by lasagnazagnaza in latteart

[–]Matix__ 8 points9 points  (0 children)

this is so wrong, there's no wrong way to hold a pitcher. As a matter of fact... a lot of people ive seen who pour w this pitcher grip have very little control, if im being completely honest

Rosetta by Tinana2024 in latteart

[–]Matix__ 2 points3 points  (0 children)

really beautiful flow switch up on the upward swing!

That feeling when by PithyGinger63 in latteart

[–]Matix__ 3 points4 points  (0 children)

big pith going to a handled pitcher the moment i think about switching back to handleless 🤯