Tl;dr: For the espresso lover, crema is essential to a perfect shot. This creamy froth on top of a perfectly pulled espresso shot adds aroma, texture, and flavor while also making your shot look and taste amazingly rich.

Crema is one of those coffee terms that can be confusing for many coffee lovers. The source of the confusion is the underlying question of how important is crema to a shot of espresso. Some espresso aficionados say it is essential, while others say it’s not as important. The best way to solve this confusion is to give crema a little attention and explanation.

Join me as I share with you everything you need to know about crema. I’ll give you hints about how to make a decadent crema layer and let you in on why many coffee lovers cannot enjoy espresso without this golden froth. If you have questions, reach out to one of the Curated Coffee and Espresso Experts for free advice anytime.

A Brief History of Crema

Crema is a very espresso-specific feature. It was first seen on espresso brewed in a high-pressure machine made by Achille Gaggia. His espresso, because of the pressure in the machine, finished with a delicate, golden foam.

The Italian coffee machine maker advertised his machines as making a “natural cream coffee.” It was a hit, even though no cream was used. Eventually, the word crema came to define the foam that is found on the top of an espresso shot.

What Is Crema?

Before delving into the how and why of crema, it is helpful to understand what it is. Achille Gaggia sold his espresso makers as creating natural cream coffee. So there is a lot of misconception that crema is dairy- or milk-based.

Crema is formed during the extraction of espresso under high pressure. This delicate foam is made of oils from the coffee beans, emulsified coffee grounds, and carbon dioxide (CO2) gas. All of these are released from the espresso grounds during extraction. The pressure necessary to force hot water through compacted grounds allows for this conglomeration of ingredients that result in the delicate foam indicative of a properly extracted shot of espresso.

When talking about crema, many people wonder about the CO2: Where does it come from, and how does it end up in your espresso? Carbon dioxide is the same gas that is used to carbonate everything from sparkling water to beer. In espresso, the CO2 is a naturally occurring compound that forms during the roasting process.

When beans are roasted, the heat creates a chemical reaction that allows for the formation of CO2. When water is passed through fine ground beans at high pressure, the CO2 is stripped from the grounds and ends up in the espresso. Carbon dioxide is what allows the oils and emulsified coffee grounds to create a foam.

Equipment Needed to Make Crema

There really is only one tool that you need to make crema for your espresso: an espresso machine that operates at high pressure.

Most coffee experts will tell you that crema — and, frankly, a properly extracted shot of espresso — is achieved at a pressure of at least 9 bar. Most steam- or hand-pressed espresso machines do not create enough pressure to meet this requirement.

If crema is your goal, you will want to invest in an espresso machine that creates pressure using a pump. These espresso machines use a mechanical pump to force hot water through your compacted espresso grounds. This higher pressure extracts more of the flavors, oils, and CO2 necessary for a shot of espresso with crema.

The other advantage of pump-operated espresso machines is consistency. The pump should work the same way every time, so your espresso should always have very similar qualities.

Other tools that help make crema are a tamper, a burr coffee grinder, and a scale for measuring your grounds.

What Are the Best Beans for Espresso Crema?

The beans that you select for your espresso can also have an impact on the quality and formation of crema. If you are trying to achieve the best crema, here are some bean qualities that you should consider.

First, always use freshly roasted and freshly ground beans. When beans are fresh, they are more likely to impart the rich flavor that you want in an espresso. Freshly roasted and ground beans also have more oils and CO2 available for forming crema. If you cannot use freshly roasted beans, a good way to improve your crema quality is to buy quality beans and store them in an airtight container. This will extend the freshness of the beans. And always make sure that you grind your beans just before brewing.

Speaking of grounds, the size of your coffee grounds also will impact the quality of the crema produced during brewing. This will take a little practice to get right, but in general, fine to extra-fine grounds will result in the best crema and most flavorful espresso. You will want to experiment a bit to find the grind size that works best for your espresso machine. Then stick with that size so your espresso and crema are perfectly delicious every time.

Finally, if you want a particular coffee bean that tends to produce a nice crema, consider a robusta bean. These beans have a full flavor, tend to be a bit oilier, and produce a thick yet delicate crema. If the flavor of the robusta is too much, blend with a lighter-flavored bean to make the ideal blend for your espresso.

How to Make the Best Crema

Now that you know a bit about crema, I would like to share the steps you should follow to make the ideal espresso with the consummate crema layer.

Keep in mind that this is a general list of steps, and you may need to modify this process slightly to match your particular espresso machine.

1. Turn on your espresso machine and run a purge cycle through the portafilter. This will clean the machine and warm all of the parts.
2. Grind your coffee beans.
3. Remove the portafilter and add 16 to 18 grams of fine or extra fine ground coffee to the filter basket.
4. Level the grounds in the filter basket.
5. Tamp the grounds into the filter basket using a tamper or the back of a spoon.
6. Return the portafilter to the group head of the espresso machine, making sure it is securely set.
7. Place an espresso cup or shot glass under the portafilter to collect your espresso.
8. Start the machine, and allow the pressure to pull your espresso shot. This may be as simple as hitting the start button on automatic and super-automatic machines, or you may need to take more steps if using a manual espresso machine.

The Crema Variables

Crema is one of the features of a good espresso that can be variable depending on the beans, your espresso machine, and even the water that you use in your brewing process.

Crema is a fairly bitter part of espresso. It can be quite a bit more bitter than the espresso it floats on. Some people love the bitterness, and others prefer to stir it into their espresso shot. But, in the world of coffee perfection, a good crema will enhance your espresso and bring flavors you may miss without its presence.

You can consciously alter the quality of the crema on your espresso by making simple alterations in your extraction process. For example, beans that are roasted just a little less tend to produce a crema that is less bitter and may even feel creamier.

Another way to vary your crema is to modify water temperature. If you like a bit of crema but want to minimize the sharpness, water that is just a bit cooler can give you a nice layer of crema without the strong bitterness.

Of course, one of the easiest ways to change the quality of the crema extracted in your espresso is to alter the extraction time. A slightly shorter extraction time will result in a thinner crema that may not be as acrid. It may also have a slightly lighter color.

Factors that can impact the quality of your crema in a negative way include using too much coffee grounds, using water that is too hot, or over-extracting by extending the time too long. In all of these instances, your crema will turn out very heavy and more bitter than most of us would prefer.

Is Crema Important for the Ideal Espresso?

Crema can be considered an important indicator that a shot of espresso was “perfectly” extracted. However, the idea of perfection is subjective. The qualities of a perfect espresso for me may be very different from the quality you enjoy. Crema may or may not be part of this perfection.

You should really focus on creating an espresso that is balanced in its flavors. This tends to be a more driving factor in espresso perfection than the presence of crema.

Final Thoughts on Crema

When Gaggia stumbled upon crema in the development of his high-pressure espresso machine, the coffee world changed, and espresso lovers became focused and driven toward extracting the ideal espresso with flawless crema.

Crema is a wonderful part of espresso, but it is not for everyone. If you are new to brewing espresso and want to try extracting espresso with crema, I hope that this guide has helped you get started.

If you have thoughts about crema or want to learn more about extracting your ideal espresso with crema, please reach out to one of the Curated Coffee and Espresso Experts for free advice. We love helping others experience the joy of a great cup of espresso.