Espresso: Almighty Crema

Crema! A Sign of Good Espresso, or a Symptom of Bad Espresso

The presence of cremaCrema is a dense foam that floats on top of a shot of espresso. It ranges in color from blond to reddish-brown to black. Blond crema may be..., the foam on your espressoA small coffee beverage, about 20 ml, prepared on an espresso machine where pressurized hot water extracted through compressed coffee.: In its most stripped-down, basic form, this is..., means you are in the ballpark … within range of having the variables of temperature, pressure, tampingCompacting coffee grounds for espresso into a portafilter basket, usually by means of a tamper. Proper tamping technique is critical to proper espresso extraction: a tamp should be..., etc. under control. That is, unless your machine has a crema-enhancing attachment. But even then, you might still have honest crema, and you should be able to tell by “diagnosing” it. Crema is a part of the espresso beverage. Espresso is not meant to be all crema, nor should it have less than 1/10th crema. Crema is part of the visual lure of espresso, the aromatics, the mouthfeelHow a coffee feels in the mouth or its apparent texture, a tactile sensation : A major component in the flavor profile of a coffee, it is a..., the flavor and long-lasting aftertasteAftertaste refers to lingering residual sensations in the mouth after coffee has swallowed. It might be distinguished from "finish" which is the final sensations of the coffee while... or espresso. In its technical definition, crema is gas bubbles suspended in a liquid film, that has high “surface tension” between the water molecules. Crema should be compact and persistent: it should last 2 minutes before the suspended water molecules drain, the entrapped gas is released and the liquid underneath shows through.

Crema Diagnotics: Hopefully this chart will help a bit. Oftentimes, symptoms that appear in crema might be several problems and treating one cause will simply reveal another problem. Also remember that the taste of espresso trumps appearance (duh!) so if you have a 15 second shot with fading, light cream, but you love the flavor, to heck with how the crema looks!

Is the crema a very light tan/yellow color? Did the extractionRefers to the process of infusing coffee with hot water. Hot water releases or "extracts" the flavor from the roasted, ground coffee. The term is used mostly with... take under 15 seconds? (Light crema can also indicate low water temperature). Problem: Underextraction. Solutions: Increase extraction time by grinding coffee finer, or tamping harder. And did you use enough coffee? Increase fineness of grind to extend extraction timeTemperature: Check water teamperature. Was the machine, the group, the coffee handle all warmed up properly? Unlikely but possible cause is that you homeroast, and the coffee is too fresh … was the coffee rested long enough to degas? Many people prefer 48+ hours of restingEither the resting of parchment coffee after drying, or for the home roaster, post-roast resting.: Resting might refer to "reposo", the time after drying the parchment coffee, when... after roasting for espresso use.
Does the espresso have a very light tan dot in the middle of extremely dark crema color? Did it take 10 seconds for the first drops of espresso to appear? Did the espresso come out in drops, never becoming a stream? Did the extraction take over 30 seconds? Problem: Overextraction. Solutions: Make the grind a little coarser, back off on the pressure when you tamp the coffee. Did you use too much coffee? The range is 7 to 11 grams per single espresso.
Did the espresso have great crema color, then visibly drop 1/4 inch or more in the cup as it sat for the first 1 minute? Was the surface of the espresso marked by very large, unstable bubbles in the crema? Is the crema pale? Problem: Fast extraction, or light roast too. Solutions: This might be a combination of short extraction and lighter roast. You will also get a less persistent crema if you use robustaAteng is a common name for Catimor coffees widely planted in Sumatra and other Indonesia isles.: Ateng, with several subtypes, is a common name for Catimor coffees widely... in your blend … you have more crema perhaps but it fades sooner.
Does the crema have a rich dark color of tightly compacted foam? And/or does it have darker striations producing a “tiger skin” effect? Problem: None! Solutions: This is how I like my espresso to look. But remember, espresso is a matter of taste and my “perfect espresso” might be a bit overextracter for some people. In BrazilBrazil is a coffee giant . As Frank Sinatra sang, "they grow an awful lot of coffee in Brazil".: Brazil is a coffee giant . As Frank Sinatra... they like a quick extraction time and a lighter roast than most of us West Coast Californians would prefer… to each their own. But when I see the modest amount of dark speckling over substantial amounts of crema, tightly compacted and persistent crema, with perhaps a lighter swiggle in the middle from the last drops of the shot … I anticipate something good.
Does the espresso have a thin crema with large oil globules? Did it take a really long time to produce 1 oz of liquid? Did it come out of the coffee handle one drop at a time? Problem: WAY Overextracted Solutions: Make the grind coarser, back off on the pressure when you tamp the coffee. Did you use too much coffee? The range is 7 to 11 grams per single espresso.
Does the espresso have grit in the cup after you finishSimilar to aftertaste, but it refers to the impression as the coffee leaves the palate. Aftertaste is the sensations gathered after the coffee has left the mouth. We...? Problem: Grind too fine Solutions: Make the grind coarser.
The problems you cannot see: bad taste! Bitterness in espresso is a popular complaint. Before you blame the coffee, you need to make sure the machine is clean. A very bad, acridA general negative flavor term, from defect bean, bad roast, or bad brewing: Unpleasantly sharp, astringent or bitter to the taste or smell bitterness results from machines/coffee handles that are dirty. A thorough cleaning of a neglected machine can be a considerable undertaking. I cleaned a La San Marco for 2 days straight trying to remove the cause of my bitterBitterness is one of 5 basic tastes: Sour, Sweet, Salty, Bitter and Umami (savory flavors). There are many types of bitterness, hence not one avenue to tracking down... espresso. When the machine is clean, you should be able to do a dry-run with no coffee in the portafilterThe part of an espresso machine which holds the filter basket, into which coffee grounds are placed.: The part of an espresso machine which holds the filter basket,... (meaning, run hot water into the cup through the coffee handle) … then let the water cool and taste it. If it tastes good, your machine should be clean.