The secret of a perfect crema

The secret of a perfect crema

The machine is naturally also an important factor in making a coffee or espresso crowned with a delicious crema. However, apart from the machine, other factors are decisive for making a “Schümlikaffee” as it is called in Switzerland:

The thick, golden-brown foam (Crema) which is formed on the prepared espresso, is made up of oils, proteins and different types of sugar, and contains a major part of the espresso aroma.
The oiler a coffee blend is, the less stable the crema. For this reason espresso coffee blends often contain a certain percentage of Robusta beans. Generally Robusta beans will give a better crema than Arabica because Robosta only contain around 10 percent oil in comparison to the quality, highly-aromatic Arabica beans, which contain around 16 percent.
The freshness of the Coffee beans will also affect the Crema and If the espresso cups are not clean and if they have grease residues on the insides, the crema will also collapse more quickly due to the lowered surface tension.