Does crema make your espresso shot better?
Coffee experts are suggesting removing the top, puffy, caramel colored layer stating it adds bitterness to your espresso. Coffee experts, James Hoffmann, has been scrapping crema off his espresso for years. In a Serious Eats article from 2013, Erin Meister wrote, “True, taken on its own the crema is a dry, ashy, overpoweringly bitter substance that would be unpleasant to drink terribly much of. So skimming it off a shot of espresso achieves a few things, in theory. Not only does it eliminate some of the ashy bitterness, but it also eliminates some of the mouth-coating foam and cleans up the texture on the drinker’s tongue.”
They’ve learned that mixing or leaving the crema gives it a more bitter taste. Removing it will give you a completely different espresso experience.
What do you think?
Source: https://www.foodandwine.com/coffee/coffee-experts-scrape-off-crema