Crema – not creamer! on coffee is an important part of the espresso making process, but often misunderstood.
So do you want crema, or is it a by product of what you’re doing to be discarded?
What is Crema?
Crema (pronounced “crem-ah”) is the golden brown foamy layer that naturally forms when an espresso shot is poured. It is formed when the hot water emulsifies the coffee bean oils and gets saturated with C02 which floats to the top.
It appears only on coffee made using pressure, such as in a Nespresso machine using pods, or in an espresso machine you’d find in a commercial business. You will not find it on drip coffee or cold brew coffee as these coffee-making techniques do not involve pressure to extract the liquid from the coffee beans.
Baristas seem to agree that the appearance of foam is a good indication of the quality of the espresso; Whether you leave it on and it’s the best part of the coffee, mix it or scrape it off its completely a matter of taste!
The argument is that crema is packed pull of Co2, which makes it bitter. Scraping it off or mixing it gives you a more delicate balance of flavours – but purest who love their espresso straight up will argue that bitter finish is what the espresso is all about!
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