How to Pour the Tulip Pattern on a Coffee - Latte Art Lesson

Pouring the Perfect Tulip: A Step-by-Step Guide to Mastering Latte Art

Pouring a beautiful, stacked tulip is one of the most rewarding milestones for any home barista or specialty coffee professional. It looks incredibly elegant, yet it relies on just a few foundational mechanics: a solid espresso canvas, properly textured micro-foam, and the right pouring angle.

Whether you are trying to pour a simple three-tier tulip or pushing for a tightly stacked five-tier design, here is the exact breakdown to help you master the flow, placement, and push technique.

Watch our YouTube video tutorial here instead.

The Pre-Pour Essentials: Great Extraction & The Right Cup

Before you even pick up your milk jug, you need to set yourself up for success with your hardware and extraction.

The Canvas (The Shot): A great pattern requires a high-quality espresso extraction with a thick, healthy crema. Today, we are using our signature Champion Blend, splitting the shot into two 190ml cups. If your espresso shot is watery or lacks crema, your milk will simply sink or bleed out, making crisp lines impossible.
The Shape of the Cup: We are using Acme & Co cups for this guide. A bowl-shaped cup with a rounded interior base is crucial because it encourages the liquid to roll and flow dynamically as you pour, allowing the pattern to expand naturally.
The Milk Texture: You need a glossy, silky micro-foam with a decent amount of structured froth. If the milk is too thin, it won't hold its shape; if it's too thick, it will drop out of the jug in one giant clump.

☕ Shout out to the team at Designer Living Kitchens for letting us film this guide in their gorgeous showroom on the Coffs Coast! If you’re looking for a stunning kitchen fit-out on the coast, definitely check them out.

The Blueprint of a Tulip: Step-by-Step

A tulip is created by pouring a series of individual solid circles (often called "blobs") and pushing them into one another sequentially before drawing a line straight through the centre. Here is the mechanical breakdown of the pour:

    [ STEP 1: SET THE CANVAS ] 🥛 Fill cup 50% from a height to create a brown base.
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    [ STEP 2: DROP THE BASE ]  ✨ Drop the jug tip close to the surface and pour first leaf.
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    [ STEP 3: THE "PUSH" ]     🚀 Gently slide the jug forward to create a crescent shape.
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    [ STEP 4: STACK & CUT ]    🎨 Repeat layers, lift the jug, and cut through the center.

1. Set the Canvas (The First 50%)

Start with your cup tilted at roughly a 45-degree angle. Hold your milk jug about 10–15 cm above the cup and pour a thin, steady stream straight into the deepest part of the espresso. This high-altitude pour pierces the crema, blending the milk underneath while keeping the top surface nice and brown. Do this until the cup is about half full.

2. Drop the Base (The First Tier)

Once the cup is half full, stop pouring for a split second. Bring the tip of your jug down as close to the coffee surface as possible (almost touching the crema) near the side of the cup closest to you. Increase your pour speed slightly. Because you are close to the surface, the white froth will finally stay on top, forming a solid white circle.

3. The Push Technique

As that first white circle forms, gently slide or "push" your jug forward toward the far side of the cup. This movement wraps the brown espresso crema around the circle, transforming it into a crescent or bowl shape that will cradle your next tiers.

4. Stack the Remaining Tiers

Lift your jug slightly, step it back a fraction of a centimeter closer to you, drop back down to the surface, and pour your second circle. Push this second layer directly into the opening of the first crescent.

Repeat this motion—stop, drop, pour, and push—for as many tiers as you want to achieve. If you add a subtle side-to-side wiggle with your wrist as you drop each layer, you’ll introduce beautiful ripples and texture to the edges of each leaf.

5. The Cut-Through

Once you have stacked your final tier (aim for 3 to 5 layers as you practice), your cup should be almost completely full. Lift the jug up high (about 5–10 cm) to thin out the stream of milk, and draw a straight line directly through the centre of your design from back to front. This clean cut folds the circles inward, creating the iconic tulip petals and stem.

Summary Checklist for Practice

Fill up to 50% first: Don't start trying to create art too early. Give yourself a clean, deep canvas.
Get down low: If the white foam isn't appearing, your jug tip is too far away from the liquid. "High to mix, low to paint."
Commit to the push: Each tier needs to be physically nudged forward to make room for the next layer behind it.

Latte art is all about muscle memory, so take your time, practice your milk texturing consistently, and don't worry if your first few attempts look a bit chaotic!

We would love to see how your patterns are coming along. Tag us in your photos on Instagram (@ArtistiCoffeeRoasters) or head over to our website to explore our signature blends and advanced barista tools.

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