CEO of Coffea Bryan Kegley talks about lattes Tuesday, June 19, the downtown location in Sioux Falls. Sioux Falls Argus Leader


Pour forward.

Pull back.

And wiggle.

Bryan Kegley, CEO of Coffea Roasterie, said that these are the three secrets to making any latte art design perfect for the next Instagram post or coffee shop hang.

For those who aren't coffee aficionados, a latte is a hot drink made with espresso and steamed milk, and tends to be "milkier" than its close neighbor, the cappuccino.

The "art" part comes in as the steamed milk is poured into a piping hot cup of espresso. The milk mixes into the coffee and a foam gathers on top of the liquid part, allowing baristas to manipulate the pour into designs ranging from hearts, to swans and even the occasional turtle with enough skill.

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Most people first perceive how something will taste by how it looks, so presentation plays a key role in portraying the quality of coffee.

"Latte art comes onto the scene as a showcase of coffee as craft," said Kegley. "We have less of a machine doing everything for us, and we get to involve ourselves in the process and assert individuality and personality."

While the pour doesn't affect the overall flavor, rise in popularity among both baristas and coffee fans alike in the practice comes right alongside the demand for quality coffee in downtown Sioux Falls.

While the science behind latte art can get "nerdy" as Kegley described it, the process requires three main parts — a high quality espresso machine, hot steam for the milk, and some really awkward hand motions.

The downtown Coffea uses a Marzocco espresso machine made by an Italian company, while its locations on Louise and the east side use equipment from Marzocco's sister company, Modbar.

The machines have big steam boilers that heat water to force hot air into the milk. This denatures, or unfolds, the milk proteins so that they can interact with each other more strongly.

The milk proteins have two ends to them, one that's hydrophilic (attracted to water) and one that's hydrophobic (doesn't like water). Since milk is made of mostly water, the hydrophobic ends point inwards toward each other to avoid the water, which in turn create bubbles and allows the milk to froth when the steam is added.

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After the milk is ready, baristas use a free pour method to create a myriad of signature designs by controlling the speed at which the milk is poured and moving wrists in distinct directions.

While national and international competitions for the art form have been established, Sioux Falls will be hosting its first with the inaugural Sioux River Latte Slam, featuring professional baristas from across the region.

But don't worry, there's a category for those that can hardly hit the brew button on their home coffee makers, too.

"Latte art is a good bridge into the coffee world, because art is something that's very relatable to people," said Kegley. "Everybody is an aesthetic person."

The Latte Slam will take place at the East Side Coffea Roasterie (500 S Highline Pl Suite 110) at 7 p.m. on June 23 in conjunction with The Community Outreach to raise awareness of transportation needs in the Sioux Empire.

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