☕ What Is Coffee Crema? The Science Behind Espresso’s Golden Layer
When you drink an espresso, what are you actually drinking? Before your lips even touch the cup, your eyes and nose experience the magic first — that rich aroma rising from a deep brown liquid, topped with a layer of golden caramel-colored foam. This shimmering reddish-brown layer is what we call coffee crema — or simply Crema in Italian. For many coffee lovers, crema is one of the key indicators of a well-made espresso. “Look at that thick, velvety crema — this shot must be great.” “Wow, it even has tiger stripes — gotta take a photo!” But what exactly is this much-admired crema? In Italian, crema refers to the fine foam that forms when coffee’s natural water-soluble oils and carbon dioxide combine briefly during extraction. It’s made up mostly of tiny bubbles, mixed with small amounts of fat, protein, and other compounds. When water passes through the coffee puck under high temperature and pressure, it extracts soluble materials while emulsifying the coffee’s natural f...