Starbucks Baristas: The daily grind
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for someone who never has luck with flat whites, im kinda proud of this white, bubbly, circle-ish thing i made with coconut milk. i know it’s too bubbly but i’m gonna take my small W and be okay with it. (i.redd.it)
submitted by dumbflatwhite
AndrewSaidThis 44 points 2y ago
My non dairy flat whites end up just being lattes often times. I just hope they don’t take the lid off.
canidieyet_ 4 points 2y ago
what is the difference between flat whites and lattes tho? i know fw gets ristretto shots and whole milk, but i don’t see that being any different from a ristretto whole milk latte
iWantToBeARealBoy 10 points 2y ago
Flat whites also get an extra shot
Riptose13 4 points 2y ago
Minimum aeration and you pour it really, really slowly in a single spot to get the dot.
technicolourjpg 2 points 2y ago
that’s pretty much what it is LOL, i was trained to steam with denser foam (~1cm) than a latte (~1/4cm) as well
metaphysicalusername 2 points 2y ago
Huh, weird. When I was trained, I was told to steam the milk less, that’s super interesting
goomy-toons 3 points 2y ago
I was told to steam with denser foam, and then alternate swirling and knocking the pitcher against the counter until any bubbles are gone and it looks like “wet paint.” Usually works pretty well to get the dot, at least with whole milk. I can never quite get the bubbles out of the alt milks.
technicolourjpg 2 points 2y ago
i was trained kinda informally so i’ve probably been doing it completely wrong lmaoo
OneRoseDark 32 points 2y ago
Yaaaaay that looks great, especially for coconut milk! (I'm awful with coconut milk flat whites.) Want some tips?
Tap the milk pitcher firmly on the counter 2-3 times and then swirl it to pop a lot of the milk bubbles. When you do that final lift to stop the pour, do it very quickly so you don't "bleed" outside the dot. Or, pull it across so you get a li'l heart!
Tipping the cup while the shots pull so the espresso slides down the side instead of plopping straight into the middle will also help reduce the bubbling!
Tap the milk pitcher firmly on the counter 2-3 times and then swirl it to pop a lot of the milk bubbles. When you do that final lift to stop the pour, do it very quickly so you don't "bleed" outside the dot. Or, pull it across so you get a li'l heart!
Tipping the cup while the shots pull so the espresso slides down the side instead of plopping straight into the middle will also help reduce the bubbling!
purplebarista 28 points 2y ago
This is why I can’t stand coco milk
iwantmysharpieback 19 points 2y ago
It looks like a pumpkin and made me smile
daughterhood 17 points 2y ago
For coconut milk that’s impressive!
dumbflatwhite [OP] 10 points 2y ago
i’ve been barista-ing for like 2ish months for reference so my experience is ~limited~
croissantboyy 9 points 2y ago
That looks great!!! coconut milk is super difficult to foam right since it doesn't like to foam at all. proud of you!!!
faetalflaws 3 points 2y ago
I used to have a regular who wanted BONE DRY coconut milk cappuccinos.
Ooooof I can’t even begin to tell you how much coconut milk we had to steam for that.
Getting any foam on coconut milk calls for celebration!
Ooooof I can’t even begin to tell you how much coconut milk we had to steam for that.
Getting any foam on coconut milk calls for celebration!
spicypotatogurl 7 points 2y ago
Literally had a woman return a flat white I made because she said it "didn't taste right because the little white dot wasn't on top" and demanded a dot on it. Forgot to mention she requested no foam :)
aGrapeInUtero 5 points 2y ago
Don’t pull the pitcher down so low when injecting air. You want smooth little paper rips and you do not want to hear bubbles being formed. I think maybe swirling your milk in the pitcher a little more before pouring it would also help a bit as it’ll help those bubbles mix back together well as they float to the top of the liquid so quickly. I wish Starbucks harped on milk texture like they should if they want better quality control. At least half of the baristas at my store don’t know how to properly steam milk. The reason I know is because I worked at a local coffee shop where nothing was automatic and quality was everything. Milk texture plays a big role in how the drink tastes.
dumbflatwhite [OP] 2 points 2y ago
yes i feel like the milk steaming thing was rushed over during my training. i know the basic idea but fortunately i have some experienced co-workers to ask for help when im on bar. i still struggle with getting enough foam for cappuccinos & working with non-dairy milks. it’s something i try to work on every time i’m on bar.
aGrapeInUtero 2 points 2y ago
Oh for sure. My trainer had no idea how to properly steam milk. I tried to show her but she kinda just dismissed my attempt lol. Also, a big thing that people don’t do after injecting the air into the liquid is put the steam wand in the pitcher in the right place or angle. You want to create a whirlpool while it’s sitting on the machine and getting to the correct temperature. This is so that the air that you injected is forced to be cut up into tinier and tinier bubbles as it’s spinning around, or micro foam. That’s how you get that glossy, wet-paint texture. Tiny, tiny, tiny bubbles. Another big thing is to hit the pitcher on the counter to be able to pop those bubbles. It’s loud and I often am showered with drops of milk that fly up when bubbles are popped, but we’re constantly getting covered with syrup anyway.
aGrapeInUtero 1 points 2y ago
If you search milk steaming on YouTube, I’m sure you’d find great videos that can help you properly learn
kdotye 3 points 2y ago
You just stretched the coco a little too much but even if you do most of the time you can tap it on the counter with your hand over the pitcher so it doesn’t go all over you and then it’ll be smooth
linipanini 3 points 2y ago
That’s so good, especially for coconut milk!!! It’s really hard to get a good foam for non-daries.
cabbagescraps 3 points 2y ago
always gotta start somewhere!!! nondairy flat whites are a bitch but this looks great!!! keep practicing and you’ll be able to get beautiful dots in no time :)
juju483 2 points 2y ago
Tip: prime your milk 😊
Alternative_Blacks 2 points 2y ago
Great work!
drinkliquidclocks 2 points 2y ago
Does anyone have tips for foaming non dairy? I have normal milk mostly mastered but I cannot for the life of me form any kind of decent foam with almond or coconut 😐 is it possible to get microfoam or will it always be bubbly?
izzytheexpat 2 points 2y ago
Slow and steady wins the race! Then you bring the pitcher down bring it down slowly and aerate it for a second and bring it up slowly again. Make sure you groom the milk by tapping it and when you’re pouring it into the cup start low near the edge of the cup and slowly bring it up then bring it down to make the dot. Hopefully that helps!
I also pour a little bit more milk making sure I have enough to fill the cup.
I also pour a little bit more milk making sure I have enough to fill the cup.
sararhiannon__ 2 points 2y ago
Coconut milk is a bitch, good job!
peachiez_ 2 points 2y ago
coconut milk is so cursed for steaming i hate it
rainydase 2 points 2y ago
Non dairies are tricky to get right so good job!
cdog141 2 points 2y ago
Flat white is a stupid drink
fantasmicck 19 points 2y ago
The iced flat white makes me chuckle like.. okay (-:
boxcarbrains 1 points 2y ago
One trick to the flat white dot is steaming it for a couple secs then slow pour
averidgepeen 1 points 2y ago
You hate flat whites but your name...
dumbflatwhite [OP] 1 points 2y ago
i don’t hate flat whites lol!!!!! i just never have good luck making the white dot.
apartment_town 1 points 2y ago
Coco milk makes me sad. You can perfectly steam it but once you pour it or let it sit for a second, it just bubbles up a fuckton.
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