UNDERSTANDING CREMA AND WHAT IT TELLS YOU

Crema — the rust-colored foam that sits atop a fresh espresso — is mostly emulsified oils and CO2 released from the beans during extraction. It is a useful diagnostic, but a misleading one if read alone.

A thick, persistent crema can suggest fresh beans and good extraction, but it can also indicate stale Robusta or over-pressurized pre-ground supermarket coffee. Thin crema can mean stale beans, but also a naturally low-crema-producing varietal or an older bag pulled at lower pressure.

Treat crema as one signal among several. The shot's smell, taste, and how it dissolves in the cup tell you more than the foam ever will.