“Let’s say... for whatever reason... you couldn’t go to your local cafe right now” lol smooth

This guys is the first "expert/professional" I have encountered on these kinds of things (coffee, tea, alcoholic drinks) who is genuinely knowledgable, resorts to science if necessary but mostly going off of his experience without being PRETENTIOUS. Thank you sir.

James, I am a college student and a barista at a local coffee shop, and I can't afford an espresso machine yet I so often crave a cappuccino in my dorm room. I've been making lattes and cappuccinos using a method similar to this for 2 years, and always felt like an impostor for doing so. Therefore, I absolutely adore this video, as it validates my inner coffee snob's secret belief that my cappuccinos are surprisingly good. Thank you for your help in fine-tuning my process!! Also, a side-note on aerating milk with a French press: by using a single cup French press, especially a vacuum-sealed/stainless steel cafetière like the one by Magicafé, you can aerate the milk more carefully, because the reservoir is small enough to allow the plunger to froth the milk without breaching the surface and introducing more air into the milk foam. I 'tear' my hot milk in the French press for about 6 seconds, introducing lots of air, and then froth without breaking the surface for 15-20 more seconds to create microfoam. I've been able to create incredible microfoam using this method. Thanks for your work

I bought a moka pot and a milk frother today, and I tried your method. I'm so overjoyed by the fact that I can just make my own latte at home with a budget below $20. THANK YOU. The coffee is just delicious.

"I just want you to make something that you like"...and that's why I come here 😁

"pressured vessels are scary things, fear them in your life, look after them, treat them well" this goes to my fave quotes list

When I was staying in a tiny town in Sicily the owner of the home we stayed at made our morning coffee with a moka pot and a French press to foam the milk. Delicious.

This video is incredibly validating because my housemate and I, as coffee novices in a uni flat, reached the exact same conclusion (re AeroPress and french press/milk frother) for making pretty decent cappuccinos at home without watching this video. Now, over a year later I've discovered this and I'm kind of elated! Maybe we really did know what we were doing this whole time...

"Make fancy cereal or something." -James Hoffmann, 2020

"You've got time. It's okay." This should be applied to everything I do so I stop rushing through life.

I bought an Aeropress, randomly ended with the same grinder, and I'm stoked about coffee. I went to work, drank instant coffee, and quickly realized how awful it was. I bought a small french press, which I use for frothing milk. It works so well! At the same time, there's an awesome cafe in our office building, which serves as a benchmark. My efforts will never match their equipment, but I'm more than happy about my results. I love coffee now more than ever. :-)

Tip: froth the milk cold in the french press, then take the glass part and gently heat in microwave. The gas expands in the foam and it gets much frothier.

"Today we're not get overly hung up on the definitions of what is a cappuccino? what is a flat white? what is a latte? I just want you to make something that you like" Now that's the sort of mindset that makes a good coffee at home, just going for something that you like. It's not a competition. It's not for a paying customer. It's just for your own palate. I like these videos that focus on the user/taster, instead of just pure proper techniques or to push people to go to a certain industry standards, tbh. Please make more, especially since the lockdowns are not gonna end anytime soon... Just to spice up the many coffee breaks at home.

"This just isn't going to produce great latte art, it's made in a French Press" *Proceeds to make better Latte art than I've ever made with a machine

I just tried the french press/moka method, and I was really surprised by the result. It's so foamy and delicious, I had no idea this was possible so easily. It's actually better than most cappuccinos that can be found in cafés here in France.

For a guy that drinks and loves coffee, his voice is relaxing a soothing.

the sound quality on these videos is insane. Sounds like he’s talking right into my ears and I’m not even wearing earphones 😭

I watched this to learn to make pseudo-espresso, but instead I learned how to make fancy cereal.

I've been drinking coffee everyday for the past 15 years...... And this man has ruined everything..... The man has it down to some quantum physics levels.... I had no idea there could be so much science and complexity to coffee... ☕☕☕... I am truly impressed

I like to call the Aeropress version of an espresso an "aerospresso", but I also call an americano made in an aeropress an "aerocano ". 😁 Thanks for all of the information. Keep up the good work. 😁👍

JAMES BELIEVES IN ME!

he's just like the David Attenborough of coffee world

Handy hint, plant milks often don't "break" as easily as cow milk. It's easy to heat them hot without ruining them. They might split a bit easier, but the "barista" versions seem a bit more resistant to that.

I know this video is like considerably older than recent, but I am thoroughly impressed with how well a homemade French press frother works with an AeroPress "espresso". I was able to make a really decent cappuccino. Thanks for the awesome tips. I am very much enjoying a lunch cappuccino right now.

I love you so much right now. This guide is sssooo needed, when so many of us shouldn't really be leaving the house that often. Hope you and yours are doing okay during this time.

I have been meaning to comment on this video for months. I don't have either the budget or space in my small kitchen for an espresso machine. Off the back of this video, I bought Moka pot and a basic cafetiere for milk foaming. It has completely changed the way I make and enjoy coffee at home. And as an NHS children's critical care nurse, a delightful coffee at home made using this method has been one of the few things that has helped me through these prolonged circumstances. A genuine "thank you" for this, and all your other, content.

Wow, really did not expect to be able to make something this tasty. Had an aeropress and a french press both collecting dust and pulled them out to give this a go! I used a Capresso grinder used for daily drip coffee set to between Fine and Extra-Fine. Awesome instruction and explanation!

I’ve used the Bellman for 8 years and believe it to be the best non-machine option. It produces microfoam at the quality level of a prosumer espresso machine. I don’t find it to be “scary, frustrating, and awkward”. Let me address James’ criticisms (as well as provide a “how to” for users): James: “You have no idea when you have enough pressure to steam milk”. - You set your burner to medium high. In 5 to 10 minutes you’ll hear the pressure relief valve (safety feature) start to hiss. You immediately purge the steam wand then turn your burner to low. It’s ready to steam milk. “There wasn’t enough steam pressure”. - This was likely because James over-filled it with water. You want the water level to be BELOW the horizontal band around the middle of the Bellman... about 1” below. That way there is enough airspace to build up plenty of steam. You would have enough steam for at least 4 drinks in a row (and probably more), but I would wait about a minute between drinks until you hear the hiss again. (At the start, when adding the water, make sure the lid parts are well seated, with their rubber washers in place. Tighten the knob on top firmly) More on pressure and safety: Not long after I first bought the Bellman, I absentmindedly left it on the heat unattended for over 30 minutes... It didn’t explode, but it was dry; all of the steam having escaped through the relief valve. Not recommended; it was hard on the Bellman. I now never leave the Bellman on the burner unattended. I get it filled and heating first thing. I use that time to prep my coffee and take my shot. By then, it’s ready to steam the milk. When I’m ready to enjoy my cappuccino, I take it off the heat. When it’s time for my second one, I turn on the heat and it’s ready again after I’ve pulled my second shot. One more thing: I empty and thoroughly dry my Bellman when I’m done with it for the day.

I’m feeling pretty good about myself. I figured out to use the Mokka pot and Bodum French Press to make a flat white myself. For one glorious, shining moment my husband thought I was a genius.

16:12 loved the emphasis on 'F E A R T H E M' while talking about pressured vessels.

James, I just happened to see this video two years on, and I have to say that I *thought* I had a good Aeropress technique (inverted method, double paper filter, 15g of coffee, 30 second bloom, 2 minute of rest before plunging), once I tried this technique precisely it made SUCH a difference, even from the same beans! That, plus the tip about first spooning off some of the excess foam created by the electric frother (I have a similar machine), and wow what a tasty cup. Significantly less volume in total than my old method, but multiple times more flavorful. Kudos, sir!

Watching James, I’ve learnt a lot about coffee which kinda was expected. What I didn’t expect is to find a new source for good music/tunes to add to my playlists. James Hoffmann, the gift that keeps on giving!

This was absolutely lovely, James. You’re sort of the Bob Ross of coffee.

"I believe in you." This is the kindness I needed this morning. Thank you.

Foaming milk in my french press worked fantastic, thank you! Between that trick and some better understanding of how milk froth actually works from your video "Everything You Need To Know To Steam Great Milk" I was even able to pour a sad excuse for latte art on top of some instant espresso. Considering I only just started drinking coffee about a month ago, that feels pretty great!

Hi James - I've been a coffee lover for a while but ever since I stopped drinking wine and single-batch bourbons, coffee is my new vehicle for experiencing flavor and textures. Your videos are wonderful! I watched back to back several on starters to buying and cupping coffee and one on milk drinks. Love, love, love your sensibilities and delivery on the fun, educating aspects and delightful drinking of coffee. Keep it up! Steve

I just want to say I really appreciate coming across a KZfaq coffee whiz who doesn’t show contempt for what the average person can do/achieve at home and is willing to use and instruct in the usage of “average” equipment also. Thank you. I enjoy coffee - but I’ve been surrounded by a lot of obsessives and snobs, and some of the obsessives purely in their enthusiasm end up showing contempt.

11:26 "I believe in you" Oh god what's this sudden sense of responsibility

Back in lockdown, so I tried this method to make my partner a moccacino. I used the Aeropress for the coffee, and it worked pretty well. I think I need to experiement with grind settings and different beans, but it earned a 7/10 from my parner, who is a notoriously tough moccacino critic! Thanks James! For yet another video to improve my coffee-making skills.

Mate i've been making and drinking this type of coffee for years, I always wondered why it's bitter, you solved my problems by just repeating your steps. Thank you man

"Pressured vessels are scary things. Fear them in your life." 😂😂😂😂 - This made my day - 16:13

I could listen to a loop of James saying "Moka pot" for like ten hours.

Man i love your videos. Ive started drinking coffee because of u. Youre the FIRST coffee master who isnt a snob and actually knows the stuff. And ur explanation is super clear and easy to understand. THANK YOU SIR 🙏🙏🙏

Oh my, I had no idea I was overextracting from my moka pot. :O This changes everything. For me as a coffee newb, overextraction wasn't even a concept. Thank you! I had heard about you but I didn't realise till now that you would be down-to-earth enough to even admit that using a moka pot could be a decent way of enjoying home coffee. This means a lot to me because I will probably never be rich enough to afford an espresso machine. . . Cheers!

I used to do my cappuccinos with a moka and a Bellman for years, until I found out about using a French press (a real one) to do the foam. Much, much quicker this way, and less finicky. I also discovered that putting a paper filter on top of the coffee grounds inside the moka pot creates a little bit more pressure and, magically, I get about 60-70 ml (brewing stops about half way in the upper chamber). But, oh, how I long for the day when I can finally buy myself a proper espresso machine. Still, I think my drinks beat Starbucks, hands down.

In engineering school the name we had for pressure vessels above 10 psi internal was "a bomb"

I got into coffee a year or so back and all we had was a moka pot and a Keurig. Once I learned to use the moka pot I never touched the Keurig again, I eventually got one of those electric milk frothing wands and have used it and the moka pot to make my coffee for a while now, I absolutely love it.

Wow I was one of those people who had a moka pot in their cabinet for years because I had failed repeatedly to make a decent cup in it. After following these guidelines I can now make an excellent cup using this tool. Thank you so much!

I feel comforted by your voice. I will now go and calmly make a cappuccino because you believe I can. :)

One of the things that I love about James is that he has all of the knowhow, the experience, the science, and he has all of the sort snobby coffee opinions (I saw that with immense affection for snobby coffee opinions and plenty of my own!), but it all ultimately comes down to people brewing delicious coffee that they really enjoy. It's nice to feel like I have all of the information and can educate myself but am not being actively judged by the person providing me with that education + entertainment.

There are moments on youtube, when you find something that has probably not much use for you, directly, like in this case i am not a coffee connoisseur, not even close to being one, neither aiming for one, but then the way a story is told, the way something is presented, the sheer charm of expression, of the presenter, the maker, astounds you, grips you and leaves you mesmerised, just the way Mr Hoffman is left mesmerised with a beautiful cup of coffee. You sir are amazing.

Just did this with the Mokapot along with a saucepan and small electronic stirrer/whisk for the milk and 10/10 would recommend. Best cup Ive made with the Mokapot, cooling it off really REALLY improves the taste. In future I may just use the microwave for the milk on 'reheat'...

Love the line "you need a grinder, to make life delicious" 😂😂😂

"You need a grinder to make life delicious" -James Hoffmann

Hi James, I used to froth milk in a french press, and there's a way to make it quite alot more silky - basically you rise the filter above the surface at the beginning to get the air in, then after you dont let the filter rise near the surface. You can feel the pushing action get heavier and heavier, and it seems to act like a polishing motion. As you said I think you can pretty much only make a good cappucino with it...

I'm so excited to come across this video. My caffeine addiction at work has worsened, but now my hours are being cut and going to Starbucks everyday is goin to start being too expensive, especially with an extra shot or two. These seem like a really nice, cost-effective alternative to either buying a latte or even getting the frap drinks or cold brews from the store. I can't wait to get a moka pot and try doing this myself.

When James spooned the foamed milk, I thought he was going to put it into his mouth :)

My biggest dream is to have coffee with him in his kitchen and just listen to him talking.

All I can say is yes, the Bodum frothes milk, yes the mokapot is easy to use , and yes , you can make yourself a decent cappuccino using these basic no brainer methods. Thank you James, you changed my life today ☺️

For me this has become a beloved daily morning ritual - the first thing I do when I get up. It’s perfect for a single person who doesn’t want or can’t afford an espresso machine.

“You need a grinder to make life delicious” I need that on a tshirt right now

Calling them "milk drinks" makes me feel like a big dumb baby who wants his milkies Edit: to be clear, I do, and I liked the video.

Thank-you for your fine appreciation of and teaching about making very good coffee and for reminding me about too hot milk! I lived in southern Italy and the locals taught me to make expresso in the little basic bialetti with Mt Vesuvius literally outside the window. (volcanic inspiration for the mocca process?). Six thimble sized coffee cups would be made from the smallest bialetti pot! One thing I loved and still do (in Australia) is to put 'Vesuvio' (a little mountain) formation of not tamped but finely ground and very piled up into a volcano shape of coffee in the basket. .. Water up to the valve. Medium heat. Creamy and balanced coffee. Delicious.

Even the intro for this specific video is custom!? I just found James's channel and IM LOVING IT! Thank you for being you and doing all of this for us :)

I've been making my "lockaccino" by putting some milk in a little glass jar and shaking the hell out of it - works a treat!

I use a knockoff of the bellman steamer at home. Having had a lot of experience working with several different models of high end espresso machines (and steam wands) in various coffee shops, I have found a way to make it work for me. What I will do is preheat the water before I put it in the pressure chamber (filling it to just below the center line) so that it’ll reach the right pressure much faster. Starting from cold water at full heat on the stove, it’ll take 20-25 minutes. Starting with boiling water in the chamber, it’ll take around 10. In terms of knowing when it’s ready- keep the valve closed as it’s heating. Once the pressure causes steam to escape out of the holes on the handle on its own (while wand valve is fully closed), it’s ready. You will hear the steam suddenly escaping from the handle from a room or two away. You’ll know. As opposed to a regular espresso machine steamer, I have found that this steamer aerates MUCH more. If you want a latte, I kid you not, you may need *one* or mayyyyybe two skips on the surface of the milk. For a wet latte... don’t skip at all. For a cap two to three skips, or more depending on how dry you like it. Other than that- general steaming technique applies. Keep a damp rag nearby. Clear the steam wand by opening and closing the valve for a moment before inserting it into your milk. Submerge it just below the surface. Let it skip on the surface to aerate the milk, then submerge it about two inches below the milk surface, creating a vortex to evenly heat your milk. Heat until the vessel becomes just hot enough to not be able to touch it. Close the wand valve, put down the milk. Take your damp cloth and wrap it around the steam wand completely. Open the valve once or twice and clean the wand (dried on milk in your steam wand sucks). Groom your milk by gently (or not so gently) tapping it on the counter, to remove larger bubbles, and by swirling it to keep the foam and hot milk incorporated before pouring. Pour and enjoy!

The milk frother/heater kettle thing is great for hot chocolate too, they have ones where you can set the temperature as well and have stirrers that don’t foam to heat the milk and mix the chocolate in after it’s warmed up a bit as well as a special opening for dropping the chocolate in.

your aeropress technique is just 100%! its super easy and quick to get a good cappucino at home

James is the most humble coffee expert ever. I love how he relates to the everyman who is aspiring to be a better home barista.

Can confirm: with a burr grinder, an aeropress and a french press for milk foaming, it's pretty close to my coveted (and sorely missed) flat white/cappuccino/whatever! Thanks James :-)

I have a milk frother/heater from Nespresso called Aeroccino which seems to be really quite similar to the one shown in this video, and they're pretty neat I gotta say. The non-froth version is perfect for making hot chocolate, and due to it's coating (Telfon or something similar) the milk doesn't burn or stick.

This video is the reason I ended up buying an espresso machine. It just came up in my feed and even though it was only a couple of years ago, it feels like a lifetime (and much cheaper relationship with coffee) ago. Wow.

I don’t even like coffee all that much. But I have been binge watching James for like two hours. So articulate.

14:02 James: Make fancy cereal or sth Me: Ye, cool... *casually comsuming spoonfulls of milk foam*

I was dubious; I was wrong! This morning I tried the moka method and it blew my mind! I followed the advice for the milk as well and the end coffee was like a really high end coffee shop coffee. I could believe the difference! Thank you so much for sharing this!

Used freshly boiled water and pulled the moka off the heat as soon as it started. Wow. These small changes have elevated the flavor 100%. Thank you!

I just tried the aeropress + French press for steaming the milk. It only bloody worked! Now I can have cappuccino at home. I can't thank you enough.

5:58 "You've got time. It's okay." When I need to hear that, I come here. Thank you, James.

I bought an aeropress and I tried this and it worked out fantastic. So happy. This is now my daily go to.

just gave this a try this afternoon because i'm badly craving cappuccino while I wait to save the money for an espresso machine and this was fantastic! thanks for sharing!

As someone who just started getting into coffee these past few weeks and recently purchased a Moka, this is perfect. Thank you.

When foaming with a french press let the plunger rise above the milk surface for the first few times and then for the rest of the process make sure it reaches almost the top of the surface but never breaks it. This will continue breaking the bubbles that you've introduced without adding new ones. Makes a nice and smooth foam.

I've used the Bellman for about 7 years! It took me, honestly, about a year to get consistently great results. Where I landed is that it needs to get to maximum pressure - which means I wait until the pressure release valve is hissing before I try to steam the milk. Once I got that clear, I've enjoyed it immensely! It's can handle back-to-back drinks to a degree, as long as you keep it on heat. I have done zero maintenance on it, although my unit does seem to wish for some attention (slow steam leaks around the knob), but it is still performing day after day... for 7 years! I highly recommend this steamer for someone who doesn't want to spend $500+ on an espresso set up. I've paired the bellman with the ROK manual espresso machine and both are killing the game 🙌

Thanks for this video, I finally understood how to use my Moka Pot correctly to have a smooth drink - the milk temperature really makes a difference! I just realized that even my Nespresso milk foamer might have had too high of a temperature before! I ended up doing it on the stove plus using my French Press just for the kick and it ended up being better than my other options. Thanks!!!

I’d love a video on decaf: how to maximize the flavor, challenges in using it, differences in extraction etc

Why does it feel like Vision from Avengers is teaching me how to make coffee? 😂 Seriously tho, this guys awesome!

I was definitely doing the Moka pot wrong! Using your method I’ve gotten a lot closer to something decent tasting for sure, thank you!

I love the scientific explanations about milk and the extraction with water. Thanks for this video

The Moka pot has to be one of the hardest brew methods to get right in my opinion. If it wasn’t for James, I’d still be drinking dirt from my moka pot

Next time: How to do coffee without coffee

This is an old one and I’m still learning from this. for the first time I actually heard that the air press inversion is in immersion plus filter method. I’d like to see you talk about immersion - in a saucepan which is where I heat my water - And then filtering through your V60. This is pretty low-tech for you, and won’t sell any machines, but some of us just are on a permanent budget. I love your persona and your work. Thanks for everything!

Great video. Thank you! I have a small Capresso Froth Max milk frother; works really well! Love what you said about not wasting the milk foam. Sometimes, I just spoon it out and eat it like an uber-light mousse!

After watching a lot of this man's videos, I really start to wonder if I've ever had a good coffee in my life, even though I enjoyed it

I don’t even drink coffee, but this was so well put together and explained that it made me want to have a cup of coffee, and also, well done. I really like the simple and straightforward way you explain stuff, because I feel it’s very inclusive for all types of coffee drinkers; from the “snobs” to the novices

we use the 2nd type for milk, cost £20 from lidl and has 8 options for foamyness & does cold foam too! Been using it for years can't be beat imo

I'm pretty much an amateur when it comes to coffee, but I know the difference between a good cup and generic nonsense (most of the time). I used the Aeropress and my Hotel Chocolat Velvetiser with coffee from the Fleet Street Press Co. Once I got the ratio of milk to coffee right, it was perfect. Thank you so much James, really enjoy making this at home :)

I don’t even like coffee, but this makes me relax so much. His voice is so smooth omg...

The first bubble theory of moving the moka away from the heater is absolutely true and I loved hearing it, I loved the whole video and I absolutely enjoy James explain and cover all the detailed information.

I used my areo press as you have shown. Incredible!!! Didn't know of the method!!! Thank you!

Thank you James! I bought the bialeti to do the foam and it works like a charm! Even with soya milk! And the balance with the strong coffee it's superb. Doing the same ratio do drink a plain coffee and lattes is a mistake, you're right!. Just a provocation, I used a mixture of coffee and chicory and I think it makes a more a more body latte. tks again!