Why is there so much crema on my espresso?
I buy fresh beans of lighter roasts, grind a few minutes before extraction, pull a double shot normale, and end up with a lot of crema, I mean a lot!
Right when I'm done, the top 90% of the shot is crema moving around like the head on a fresh Guinness. After it dissipates for 30-60 seconds, I'm left with roughly a centimeter of crema of light color.
Crema is a pretty bitter flavor, so I wonder if there is something I'm doing to cause this type of extraction, and what can I do to improve on my technique?
Best Answer
Crema is basically carbon dioxide fizzing up the coffee oils. By the description you're giving, it is likely to be too much. Your beans could be too oily and/or too fresh. It could be a combination of the type of beans / blend / or the way it's roasted.
Just as a guide, it is best for the beans to rest for around about a week after it's roasted. And if your beans end up soaking in oil, that is not good!
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Quick Answer about "Why is there so much crema on my espresso?"
Freshly roasted beans form more crema on espresso. This is because the coffee bean oils are still out-gassing from the roasting process. If your local coffee house roasts their own beans, you may notice they have a more pronounced crema than one that doesn't roast on-site.Should you remove crema from espresso?
If you have trouble stomaching a shot of bitter espresso, consider a move that might feel wrong: Skim and discard the pale, frothy top layer\u2014the crema\u2014then sip again. The crema is, for many, an object of desire\u2014mysterious to arrive and quick to disappear.How do you get crema out of espresso?
And for a good mouthfeel, a dense crema with a velvety texture is widely considered ideal, but many baristas do favour a lighter crema with a good shot of espresso. Ideally, you only want a small amount, around a 10th of the shot - but if you prefer more, there's no reason why not.What is the acceptable amount of crema in an espresso coffee?
A crema that lasts for under a minute may indicate a problem. The ideal crema is not too thick or too thin: most baristas aim to have a crema that takes up about 1/10 of the espresso. It's important to note that good espresso coffees can produce bad cremas and bad coffees can produce good ones.Crema Explained
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