Crema Explained
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- Опубликовано: 28 июл 2024
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I can say that my entire knowledge about espresso and a lot about coffee all were gained from your videos, Thanks James
Then you’re fortunate indeed. I learned so many bad habits while training in coffee; weird dogma and a lot of junk-science, which took years on bar to unlearn. So many of us are indebted to Mr. Seven in that way, and thank goodness for that.
For real
Jay M I’m sure he’s had his share to unlearn. As to anything else, I’ll let him speak on that.
Every time i see him i think, he is one of the Thunderbirds from the 65‘s 😆
Try mixing crema with pepsi and pouring it back on top of the espresso.
As a scientist who reads and writes about medical literature for a living, I find it surprisingly satisfying listening James discuss coffee/crema in such a rigorous and scientific fashion. You can see the mad coffee scientist in his eyes as he goes through this video haha
Same. I have a background in Chemistry (unfortunately haven't had a chance to use it. Finding a jobs been rather difficult), but ive worked as a barista before and after my studies and this stuff is interesting to watch.
Definitely helps tie theoretical knowledge with practical examples in my workplace which is cool.
@madelfuns a that's not true; coffee research is important because it impacts everything else, from community, farmer, medicine, chemistry, environment, etc. Simple example is caffeine is used in some drugs that cause sleepiness, to elevate that particular side-effect. Coffee can also used in food science and chemistry. The carbondioxide interaction with caffeine or other substances in the coffee can trigger many inovation. may be coffee soda, or used in gastronomy to produce extravagant weird coffee cookie that rivals tiramisu... I don't know!
It can be both - you get to choose what you want it to be. If you want to unweave the rainbow a little bit, and understand some of the whys and hows, then I want to help - but it is by no means mandatory or necessary for the enjoyment of coffee!
@madelfuns a I am sure there are more than plenty of well heeled cocaine users who have been doing just that for decades. They refrain from writing papers for legal reasons.
@madelfuns a research is important for the people who makes coffee, just like research is important for any industry. For patrons of café and supermarket coffee not so necessary.
In 2011 I coached Alejandro Mendez to win the WBC and a very big part of why he won is that we decided to filter out the crema of the espressos. The reason we decided to do this was that I had learned back then, from James Hoffmann of course!, that the sweetest and tastiest part of the espresso was the drink underneath the crema. Before we decided to incorporate the filtering out of the crema into Alejandro’s winning routine, we tasted the crema by itself separated from the drink below many times and it only tasted bitter, so it became evident that it wasn’t contributing to the flavor of drink in a positive way other than making it less palatable and at best making it more complex. So, the judges of the championship found and enjoyed a sweeter and more satisfying espresso than the rest of the competitors. Thank you James for sharing so much coffee knowledge.... we are fortunate for having you in our industry. #respect
True. It reminds me of the words of C. S. Lewis about "sound craftsmen" who "will do those things which that profession exists to do and will in the long run be responsible for all the respect which that profession in fact enjoys and which the speeches and advertisements cannot maintain." Sounds like James. :)
An expresso without the crema or with crema removed is not an expresso. Period. I don´t care how it taste. What´s next? a BBQ contests where you remove the meat?
This is kinda cheating in a way.. you should taste straight from the machine without minus or addition to the shot.. otherwise just add a hint of sugar for sweetness, orange zest for tang, and spice for flavour... Etc.... Obviously that is no longer a comparable espresso with the others competing.
@Pablo Montero evidently you know nothing about an expresso, tipically the expreso needs crema or its not an expresso, if you want to win an F1 competition and you make the car fly i dont care how fast the car is, its not a car. Here is the same, you shouldnt be allowed to take crema off or tamper with it.
@@poxcr I never said that im pleased with a nasty shot with crema, I said that a shot of expresso with the crema removed is not an expresso, call it something else but not an expresso.
When you start your coffee journey you will find James and you won't be disappointed. This talk was more than I expected and showed my son who was watching me how really nerdy I planned on going on coffee. Thank you for setting the bar high for intellectual coffee conversations and exceptional coffee experiences.
100% agree Ross, I'm not new to coffee but I am new to geeking out about it now with more adult money to have the coffee toys. James answers so many questions I have, delves in just deep enough and gets to the point quickly.
I’m surfactant chemist and your brief explanation of surfactants was so good that it lends an added layer of credibility to everything else you say-I already believed everything you said though! As always, thank you for educating me on coffee and delivering such amazing content :)
"adding a layer of credibility" is also what crema does
@@nbougeard Groan!
This video in September 2021 has ads for dawn dish soap.
I hate people that work for the pharma industry.
@@nbougeard Ziiiing
Like the CO2 in a coffee bean, I am trapped in my house.
And with enough pressure and water you too can get out.
if you go out, make sure you're filtered.
@@somedude-lc5dy straight, black, TYVM
At least you can still espress yourself.
:)
This is the most therapeutic thing on the internet. I could honestly listen to you talk about anything for hours. You would make a ridiculously awesome travel vlog host where you travel the world and experience the food, coffee, history, and culture and educate the world on it. I’d watch every episode.
He should do some ASMR stories about coffee
I appreciate how Mr Hoffman advocated for supporting local coffee shops. Kudos!
I love how every once in a while he defies my expectations of how niche he can get.
xD so true, you cannot dislike him!
What !
This is definitely the most in depth I've ever heard anyone talk about Crema before and I love it. Thanks for including all the research as well! Love these technical videos!
James Hoffmann manages to discuss a stimulating beverage in a calming manner. He is the chamomile of coffee experts.
I am learning so much from this channel!
Chamomile of coffee experts! That’s the best way to describe him and his mannerisms 😆
I love his distinguished voice and elegant gesture. Coffee is just the detail.
born in the Bronx ,NY
Yes he’s an excellent object
Hi there @James ! I'm biochemistry student and now I work on my master thesis "Qualitative and quantitative analysis of the most important groups of compounds creating the flavor profile of coffee beans. Determination of the impact of grain firing parameters on this profile". I've done a lot of research and analysis so far. My beans are Blue Mountain, Arusha oraz Typica from Papua NG. Not the best sort but I've roasted them myself and so far that's not as simple as you said here. That's true crema is a colloid of foam/emulsion/sol basically made of surfactants, water and CO2. That stabilizer are mainly melanoids made of sugar and protein/amino acids. More melanoids we have more stable crema is but more stiff; and to be super stable the content of melanoids must be high, their level grows with roasting (I think you know) but paradoxically, however, crema became dry. To make it even more stable fats and free fat acids are needed. When these fats are dispersed slowly and evenly, crema is even more stable but more liquid and smooth too. That's the same fact that we have in cells; more cholesterol, other sterols and fats we have in cell walls more flexible they became.
If you are interested in that topic just text me back. Now I'm into defending a master thesis but due SARS-CoV-2 not all of my experiments are done. I want to continue that work on PhD studies to explore the subject even more and to define most of the factors influencing coffee flavor and aroma.
Greetings from Kraków, POLAND 👋🏻
@James Hoffmann here is a great response!
That sounds kind of fascinating, good luck with your research:)
Good luck!
This is interesting. Is there any way that you could share it if its possible? Cheers!
I feel like your these would answer a few questions I have had for a while. Let us know how it turns out and if it becomes in any way accessible to the public. And good luck continuing your research!
i don't drink, or even necessarily like, espresso. but i still sat here for 16 minutes hanging on every word out of his mouth. i think that's a true testament to how charismatic and intriguing Mr James Hoffmann truly is.
I haven't had espresso before and kind of hoping it stays that way because (1) I don't have the space for yet another coffee contraption, (2) I don't have the money to buy a decent maker, and (3) my wife would kill me if I got yet another coffee thing she couldn't care less about. But yeah, I feel compelled to watch every Hoffman video on espresso.
Dale un hijo ahora
Hell, I don't even drink or care much about coffee, and yet here I am after RUclips decided to recommend several of his videos. I don't know why I'm here, but I definitely don't hate it.
@@CHIMPOaGOGO You can perfectly decent espresso from a 15 quid moka pot.
@@ultrademigod moka pot doesn't generate the pressure required to pull an espresso. It can do brews that are very concentrated and taste kinda-sorta like espresso, but it's still a moka pot coffee.
As a Psychologist/Academic with an interest in coffee, it's so interesting and refreshing to hear someone talk about this subject with such scientific rigour and passion! It's great to not only hear an informed opinion, but one which is backed up by/substanstiated with research. Thank you James
I binge watched this entire channel in one week whilst working from home, 5 videos into my second run I have no regrets whatsoever...
That’s why I drink espresso from a glass. Just for the optics of the crema emerging from the bottom of the drink.
Totally with you on that one, just switched over to glass recently, I think I might enjoy watching the shot being drawn more than drinking it. I know that makes no sense, but I know what I mean.
Back when I was a barista, we only used glasses for short milk drinks such as Cortado. Those looked good, but we always served Espresso in the tiny cups. Such a shame.
For me It's akin to watching a freshly poured Guinness develop its smooth head, I'm suspecting it's not CO2 that is in question but rather Nitrogen, hence the tiny bubbles.
Got a cup of coffee and a 16 minute long James video
I’ve never been happier
As an advertising copywriter, I found that story about Gaggia's Crema Caffe Naturale absolutely brilliant.
I swear you are the David Attenborough of the coffee world LOL. Really enjoy your videos. Thank you!
I wish james was my chemistry teacher.
he should do Kahn academy courses
students in the back won't hear him.
I think, James could teach or sell everything! From soap to car. He makes it in amazing way. Despite of the very informative content, i like the very elegant, smart „show“ with the right sense of humor. But please, at list sometimes, slow a very little down. Whole world i watching you and not all are english native speakers.
@@mistercool3421 Slow it down yourself by using the controls button - the one that looks like a little cog gear...
I would have liked a scene where you showed the differences all together: robusta vs arabica vs dark vs light etc, non fresh vs fresh
I get no more than at most 2 mm crema from premium arabica that is fresh and "roasted to taste" a bit darker.
We, in Belgium, do get excited about the foam on our beers.
0:46 WHY IS THERE A FACE COMING OUT OF THE MASHINE?!
That scared me for a moment :'D
Ich muss sagen ich finde es immer wieder lustig dich unter random Videos zu finden und dann muss ich erstmal das "Wer hier nicht lacht hat keinen Humor" Video schauen :D
@@Faebske 😊
this comment made me laugh
"What face..?"
*clicks*
Aaahh!! 😱
That's the Ghost in the Machine
Thank to James my morning coffee has become an absolute science experiment. My family thinks of it as obsessive and unnecessary, but seeing James delve even deeper into coffee science is just the validation I need from time to time.
🤣🤣🤓😎☕
I feel that.
I love that he took a negative and spun it around by marketing to create a demand.
Love this! Was a barista in a craft coffee shop for 5 years. You did a phenomenal job explaining crema; and the visual demonstrations would be great for someone that’s new to making espresso!
I studied chemistry and this video reminded me of Faraday's lecture of the chemical history of a candle, so much going on, a great lecture that can be expanded into a full chemical physics book. Thank you Mr. Hoffmann
You attended a lecture by Michael Faraday?
I'm a simple man, I see a James Hoffmann video where he is elegantly talking about coffee, I click.
I'm a simple man, I see a simple man enjoy an elegantly crafted James Hoffman coffee video, I like 👍
Ditto, clicked like before I watched....Hoffman....coffee...crema, what's not to like.
There's nothing simple about James Hoffman's attitude to coffee. I find it very complicated and convoluted. From 'what type of water to use' (mind boggles) to watching him make a cup of coffee with the aid of a smartphone and an app. Coffee isn't complicated. But he makes it so.
I like coffee, but I adore tea. I'm English and if anyone said 'if you had to choose between tea and coffee for the rest of your life - which one would you choose?' I choose tea all the way. It's more versatile - it's equally refreshing as it is at warming you up. Coffee doesn't warm you up, it just makes you more alert. That's the difference between tea and coffee.
@@ivotenotocensorship5247 I'm a simple man, I see a simple man coment , I click.
"How things look has an impact"
That's a great point I tend to overlook myself. Cheers for the insight!
For example it’s really important to have latte art when you’re selling a 10oz latte for $5. Otherwise people start to ask questions...
this 15 minutes talking about crema much more informative than 3 days sitting at coffee seminar. thanks james
So brilliant. In Italian we most often say “cremina”, the diminutive of crema.
Love the science, I've never chased it but I do appreciate it when a cup looks good. When I lived in Hawaii we had a fabulous drive through espresso shack, that the guy there loved his art. To this day I've not had a espresso pull like the ones he made for me. I just remember one day he was handing me the cup and said "oh look at the crema on that pull"
Hope you're having a nice day, James, thanks for another video.
I am brewing at home in mocca pot only. For espresso I go to cafe. Since I watch this channel, I see a noticeable improvement in my finished product quality. By a lot. Thanks for that.
My wife tells me that I became obsessed with the process of brewing. It's a pity that she do not speak English. I'd love to show her for instance this video to make her understand how does the coffee obsession looks like... 😂
I can listen to you all day. Your like the Mr. Rogers of coffee. I kinda wanna see you walk into your living room, put on a red sweater then go to your kitchen and start preparing your espresso, Kinda like how Mr. Rogers would put on his tennis shoes.
Dear James, your videos are a source of envy. So well researched and articulated. Not only I learned a great deal about espresso, your productions are impeccable! keep doing great job!
“Let’s get nerdy” … I thought that’s what we did every video 🤣🤣
You are such an inspiration. Seeking for the perfect brew is such a joy with the bunch of knowledge you're spreading. Thanks for everything James
I appreciate your expressions and emotions while exquisitely articulating your subject matter James. I have been thoroughly educated on crema! Well done sir!
"if you've ever ended up with grounds in your mouth, you know they're not a fun time" meanwhile I sometimes chow down on the coffee beans themselves because I don't want to make a whole cup of coffee
My dad told me thats what everyone in college did back in his admission
Mmm, I remember Chocolate covered espresso beans as college fuel :-)
There's no judgement here, I know lots of coffee bean eating folk, but I just can't deal with the all the bits getting everywhere in my mouth!
i dont know man...eating yummy coffee beans and having coffee grounds in your mouth is two entirely different situations,
@@MarkEichin Looking at a pack of Whittard's cocoa dusted, chocolate coated espresso beans while I read this, I can attest to their deliciousness... Just don't pop on Amazon to buy them as the price on there has been jacked up, as have the prices on a lot of coffee products (no doubt a reflection on more people being fussy about having good coffee at home while popping to the coffee shop is less desirable during the Covid era).
James knows exactly what he’s doing teasing us with the elusive chimera that is the Nocturn
If beer foam is anything like crema, then it matters…a lot. Alpha acids from hops get locked in the foam and are extremely important in our aromatic and flavor experience. And, like crema, the longer foam sticks around the better the brewing process was.
"crema retains more of a mystique than say, the head on a pint of beer". Thems fighting words, James.
Especially if you’ve worked at any sort of make shift bar
One tap is way too excited the other you have to fight to get a head out of
"with a head so thick you can float a bottle cap on it" used to be a Sam Adams selling point in their TV ads. And please don't forget, Sam USED to be a rare and highly sought after micro brew that was only sold locally in Massachusetts.
But I digress, point being that the head on a beer was a really big deal especially in the craft beer/microbrew world, before coffee nerds started obsessing over the quality of their crema. ✌️
@@AB-nb2ic I've never heard of Sam Adams but yes, a good head retention is really nice. I think that's why I tend to enjoy nitro beers because they seem to have a firmer, smoother head that hands around for longer. Even talking about it makes me feel a little dirty. So good.
Now wishing I could open a musical cafe called The Roasted Note
The community needs to fund you a kickstarter
16 mins talking about tiny little coffee bubbles and I enjoyed all of them ... ✅☕️
Sipping an espresso with you is on my bucket list.
Fantastic concise review of the history and science of crema. My opinion is that the crema affects not the taste but the mouthfeel of the espresso. While this is purely preferential, I love a thick crema for that silky smooth mouthfeel. Espresso that is drawn very well but sits out and looses the crema, while still warm or even hot, just doesn't have the same rich experience for me!
I’ve never watched a video of yours while using headphones. Really digging how your voice sounds speaking directly to my brain. On crema: I had been getting rid of it on my espresso and americanos and I love finding the differences. I long for a time I can get to a cafe and try again
James Hoffman is ASMR without trying to be ASMR
I will listen to you read my mortgage agreement out loud and love every hour of it.
For Italians I believe its about preference for what we enjoy. We love crema. My Italian father would say "for my preference a good espresso and good red wine is what I prefer for a good life, to have this you must have good "colore, odore, e sapore".
I have had a version of this machine since about a year after they hit the market. It was in my office and it paid for itself in making my daily brew quickly and easily. The variety of coffees was nice and the fact that I did not have to grind and store beans made it a winner. When I left the office I cleaned and descaled them machine and packed it away for a few months before bringing it home. While it cannot replace a real espresso experience, it makes a fine cup of coffee and the “creama” like foam adds to the overall flavor and enjoyment.
Really enjoy the more in-depth talks on the “why’s” of coffee. Cheers James
I like how in the French Press poster, James is the one screwing up and plunging it in all the way on accident
Hi James! Thank you for these wonderful videos! You answered most of my questions at work. Keep it up!
Thank you James for the unbelievable detailed explanation of crema, much appreciate the time and effort put into it. I'm just so glad I don't need to know all about it to enjoy it ! Always enjoy your presentation : ) Cheers !
I'm looking forward to the coffee experimentation to begin! Finally got myself a Rancilio, happy days!
I love how chemistry and physics can be used to describe everyday routine things we hardly put much thought into. Thank you for all of the wonderful time and insight you bring to understanding espresso. I am fascinated with how much you share with everyone.
That's what chemistry and physics are all about, studying nature.
Lovely, beautiful subject... Amazed of how you can talk chemistry with such an ease and make me love it. When I become nerdy explaining espresso to my friends you're the guilty one 😉😎👏
I just finished getting my old gran gaggia out of storage, cleaned out and back into service thanks to y'all, and now I hear my box is part of espresso history. :)
Sometimes I just listen to James on my HiFi to relax. Crank the bass way up..
I just love how this man relates chemistry with coffee. Brilliant
Thanks James, your video postings are so informative, even though I have been brewing espresso for a long time, your ideas and thoughts are really helpful. You are a legend!
For me, I like crema which let you "imagine" a creamy texture, smooth mouthful.
I am just starting my home espresso journey by ec685 and kg89. Thanks @James Hoffmann. You inspired and reminded me a lot. Thanks again.
This channel really is like the Bob Ross of coffee. You're such a reasonable person, I don't think this channel would work with any other person.
But then again, I hope that James is a lot better at making coffee than Bob Ross is at painting
Since I do not have an espresso machine at home, I had once tried to force carbonate the crema-less black coffee by spinning it in a mixer grinder. It did create a lot of crema but it completely altered the taste of the coffee.
mixing it in a blender won't force carbonate the liquid, it just aerates it. Carbonation is more specifically dissolving excess carbon dioxide into the liquid. This can only be done with pressure. Blending or mixing a liquid in the presence of carbon dioxide may create some bubbles of air as the blades slice that get trapped in a foam, but it's not carbonated, again to carbonated you need to dissolve the carbon dioxide in, not just mix it in. Regardless, what you ended up with may have been similar to crema, though the bubbles would be more air than carbon dioxide, and carbon dioxide can affect the taste of certain compounds, it can be a bit of a bittering agent in certain conditions.
Regardless, the foam will have a somewhat distinct flavour, the nature of a foam means there will be a higher concentration of the surfactant compounds in the coffee in the foam that get drawn out from the bulk of the liquid. This may also contribute to the flavour difference.
Great video James. really like the nerdy deep dive into a subject like this! Keep up the great work
After coming back from a trip Europe, I am now starting to get into the whole espresso thing. Love your style of explaining things. Looking forward to watching more of your videos and hopefully producing very good espressos… ☕️
Thanks James for defending robusta coffee. I’m frankly sick and tired of folks saying Arabica or bust. There is a time and a place for robusta, particularly when brewing single shot espresso
I'd like to see some breeding/genetic work done with robusta to improve flavor. If they do, I predict a new wave in coffee.
@@RodCornholio No to genetic work thanks!
More Crema sure, but it tastes gross. Also more caffeine.
@@BensCoffeeRants bitterness is an acquired taste 😛
@@j2simpso I agree, for coffee it isn't always a bad thing to have some bitterness (same with acidity) but ideally it should be balanced. I've had a chemex coffee that lacked any bitterness and it was good, but to me didn't seem like coffee, so it was odd, it was more like tea. Not something I'd want all the time but it was interesting.
Also it does depend on what kind of drink your making, if you're doing a latte or cappuccino the milk will counteract (or dial down) the bitterness vs having a straight shot of espresso.
Never did I think we'd be talking about partial pressures, and gas saturation when discussing coffee.
I love these videos, as a Head Chef coffee is life and I integrate coffee in a lot of what I do... Its beautiful.
I chased max crema for a while whilst trying to create a coffee foam that had all the essence of the bean, without having to add a lot of synthetic products, sugars etc.
I found that after a while the crema turned bitter as you continued to compound it, almost like a palette overload.
But that was for a different purpose.
Keep up the awesome vids
i used to work in a specialty coffee shop in Colombia with origin coffee that had a lighter roast. i would pull some (to my consideration) good, balanced, rich shots that quite often didn't have crema, and i would get massively frustrated about it. it took me some time and practice to learn that crema was not a direct indicator of the quality of my coffee because even without it i was having good results. it's, in a way, very refreshing to hear you discuss around that because more experienced baristas always rave so much about crema that they tend to forget about the variables that make it exist in the first place. as always loved the video, thank you James.
I just feel relaxed when watching this guy explain coffee things. With that I will now start my own espresso brewing journey with the Flair Pro 2. Thanks James, for inspiring.
When making Turkish coffee you boil it twice because as it boils it produces more "cream" which is usually seen as a positive. Of course it also brings out bitter compounds so you probably wouldn't like it. Although that sounds bizarre to me, coffee just is bitter, why run away from it? Also, it is interesting that bits of coffee are also presented as a negative in the video when Turkish coffee is unimaginable without finding the bottom of the cup covered with leftover muddy coffee and filtering it would just feel weird, why would you want coffee in your coffee? It is amazing how wildly coffee cultures can differ.
Bitterness is, for most people, a negative taste, and theres a readon for this. Most poisons in plants are bitter. Tannins in wood, for example, which can be poisonous in moderate-large quantities, are very bitter. So people have generally evolved not to like bitter tastes, however as you grow used to bitterness by eating more bitter foods and drinks, generally youll outgrow the anti-bitterness instinct.
omg on the topic of brewing it twice, wonder if anyone as tried to use coffee instead of water when they're brewing coffee...
I think the "problem" with the distinctive taste of Turkish coffee (probably exacerbated by the double boiling) is not the bitterness, but the phenolic compounds. Some people like them, but most people don't. Those are the aromas that vaguely resemble cloves, or pepper, or cardamom, when they are right, or petrol, or naphtaline, or camphor when they are wrong.
Good follow up to the slow motion espresso shot footage, it's certainly what I was thinking about watching it. Thanks!
New to watching James. He is very fun to watch. Love the info presented in his 'mad scientist' manner. Really well done.
Based on what you've said about crema I have to wonder if its importance lies in making things like lattés and cappuccinos taste good, since it would make the coffee taste slightly more intense (and a touch more bitter) to counter the effect of the sweetness of milks.
If it was less bitter, we wouldn't need to add as much milk to counter the effect of the bitterness of the coffee.
Who funds coffee science by the way? Is it the big coffee chains? Producers like nestle etc.?
Often it is big business. Illy are interesting company because they've clearly invested a lot over the years into research and studies.
I worked for many years in research for a university (not coffee research) and, contrary to the inference, our results were based on science and never faked on behalf of who funded the research.
@@cdvax11 doesn't mean there aren't plenty of people who bias their studies to fit their investors
@@cdvax11 Probably depends a lot on whether the study is made to prove a point or if it's used to make decisions in the company (e.g. how to make cheaper, still tasty coffee for a pod or something).
@@amunak_ I can't imagine any reputable researcher faking results. That's something that happens in the movies, not universities.
Thanks for the mention James! We still remove the crema from our americanos and occasionally will enjoy an espresso with the crema removed too. Excellent explanation of what crema actually is that all baristas (home as well as professionals) should watch.
...and it comes down to the bean! You have a wonderful presentation style. When I listen, it takes me back to the little coffee shop 2 blocks from the American Embassy in Rome!
One thing I noticed, you tried to force carb the beans whole. When you grind them, that agitation at atm pressure should be enough to release it. But if you don’t agitate them, they may have a better chance to retain the co2 for the shot. Can you run the same experiment but force carb after you grind the beans and then brew right away and see if it increases the crema?
James Hoffmann is officially The Coffee Scientist
This channel is so interesting. I've only watched a few videos so far because I only found this channel this morning but I've learned so much about my favourite drink coffee.
Very Informative video , To the point answering many questions with clarity and explanation. Well Done
Thanks James. Question...growing up in a Cuban family, we always used the old fashioned moka pot and made our "crema" or "espumita" by taking the very first drops of coffee that come out (the more concentrated) and beating it into a healthy portion of sugar until obtaining a consistency that when you pour in the remaining coffee, creates a head of foam that resembles crema in how it looks and behaves. Different chemical process to the carbonation you described, I think. Or maybe not really crema in the truest sense. Thoughts?
@Joshua Diaz Many many moons ago, while studying at the University of Urbino, I learned much the same technique from fellow students from Calabria. They called it "Cremino". Put all the sugar in one cup, add the first coffee from the Bialetti / Cuccumela, stir vigerously, then add a spoon of the resulitng gloop to each cup of espresso.
We also used the mini hotplates intended for coffee for cooking spaghetti for impromtu midnight feasts. Being half English, I added the invovation of an electric kettle (tea for the brewing of) to the process, allowing us to get the pasta cooking much faster!
When making cappuccino I would very much prefer my espresso to have some crema, so it can mix with the milk froth. :)
This is precisely the video/information that I was looking for. Thank you, James.
Gorgeous video, and well researched! Might be my favourite from you yet!
I love that James's sweatshirt has coffee stains on this elbows.
Review the Turkish coffee please. Give us your thoughts, how you make it, good/bad things...
I’m keen to see this also
I really want him to do a video on it!
When I’m making my espresso in the morning all of this information will be playing in my head, I have always wondered where the crema comes from, thank you James.
What I like about listening to James talk about espresso is that I always learn interesting but extremely useful facts about coffee, become a better brewer of this divine nectar and laugh out loud at the serious but magnificently humorous way the information is presented.
Absolutely brilliant :-)
Alternate title: James Hoffmann discovers stock footage (and has a great time with it)
There's only so much of my face I can cope with, let alone ask anyone else to.
Most of it is not stock footage! You haven't been paying attention to James's Phantom video.
@Jan Popieluch Right, that session probably provided plenty of material for lots of his future videos. And I’m very happy about that.
Nespresso seems to produce a lot of crema from 5.5g of coffee roasted a year ago yielding 40g of liquid (some would call it water with crema).
No tamping, tiny piezo pump.
I think the pods contain CO2, which keep CO2 levels high, or maybe its nitrogen.... does not matter what gas is it? Right?
I like and admire your earnest, nerdy approach to our favourite drink. I have lived in Portugal for the last 23 years and have developed rather an addiction for the local style roasts. Outside tourist areas an Espresso (bica) is about €0.60 per cup, and knocks spots off Spanish coffee, and while self*brewed coffee is one thing, the societal value of drinking in local coffee shops and discussing (mainly) football with the locals, cannot be overlooked.
During lockdown I was forced to get my daily fix(es) at home, and since SWMBO has forbidden ground roast coffee machines on the grounds that her OCD kitchen cleanliness does not allow for liberal scattering of coffee grains and knocking out of baskets into the sink, I have, as men do, gone for the easy, pristine preparation of coffee via Nespresso capsules. I hesitate to mention these on the site of a purist, but I found the classic capsules to have a very pleasant and distinctive range of flavours, types and roasts, but also a crema to match the best Portuguese coffee Emporia.
I visited the US (I know) and my good friend is a long term coffee lover, who only considers ‘the real thing’ to be worthy. He has several top end Espresso makers, but in our correspondence, I had extolled the practical virtues of Nespresso capsules, and he had invested in a Vertuo machine (not available in Portugal) rather than the classic models, as it is marketed more strongly in the States, where they apparently prefer the option of much longer coffees.
I was incredibly impressed with this machine and. not only the variety of roasts and bean types available, but also the size options, from 40 ml to 430 ml, all from capsules containing different amounts of coffee read by the machine from a barcode imprinted on the rim of the capsule, and spun up to 7000rpm while extracting your cup of joe! And the crema is of impressive proportions. After your treatise at least I now have a good idea why. The classic capsules produce a decent but thinner (vertically) crema, but the Vertuo, no matter whether you are going Ristretto,, Espresso Lungo or half pint mug, produces a crema of wondrous lip smearing proportions. Indeed, I made the mistake of thinking that a Gran Lungo (150 ml) would fit in my 150 ml+ cup, which overflowed with luscious fawn crema., mortally offending SWMBO, who felt forced to mop up the spillage before I could raise the brew to my lips! NB Allow cup capacity of at least 20% greater than the capsule size, as these serious cremas are over 1 cm thick.
Of course, as soon as I returned to Europe, I ordered one from Nespresso UK, and had it sent over to Portugal with a sufficiency of capsules to see me through a couple of months of lockdown, which was prescient of me. I have implored NESPRESSO PT to stock the Vertuo system but they are resolutely sticking with the classic machines and capsules.
This may have sounded like an undisguised ad for NESPRESSO, but I can assure you that I have no interest nor benefit from that company, just that I am now as much of a nerd about their coffee as James is about coffee from first principles. It is all about the amazing crema they produce.
Thanks for the terrific demystifying insights into coffee. Love the videos.
Your video is like espresso, full with richness and complexity, bravo!
Crema definitely helps with Latte Art, and if you do the art right, and swirl the coffee as you do the art layering, you disperse the bitter parts in the crema thus making a more well-rounded and enjoyable drink for many! (I worked as a barista at a local coffee shop for 3 months this year, learned a lot in that time!)
I’m new to espresso making and actually, tasting as well. Since I mostly drink Cappuccino and at this time I can’t get my normal doze in coffee shops, I bought a Brevielle Barista Express and started making espresso at home following videos such as yours. One question I have is, can you describe what is good espresso? How do I know mine taste good when I haven’t tasted many?
Hopefully you figured it out by now but here's my advice. Do you like it? If you do it tastes good. Try brewing a few really bad shots (don't tamp, introduce deliberate channels, overfill the basket, brew too short, brew too long, grind obviously too coarse or obviously too fine) and then contrasting with normal shots that you executed well.
I find that when the shot is neither "really bitter" or "really sour" but in the middle, i like it the absolute best. That's also where the crema is the largest. My roomies asked me if there was milk in the americano i made her - that was one of my favorite shots and to her it probably tasted a lot less bitter than the less ideal shots, without being sour or otherwise acidic
Thank you for the video James! I have a very cheap espresso machine and it’s never ever made any crema at all, now I know why!
Love that if you have an ad you give someone a gift.