- Origin: Italian
- Availability: Common
Crema forms when the dissolved CO₂ from freshly roasted beans escapes the puck under pressure and emulsifies with coffee oils on the way out of the basket. A thick, persistent crema usually signals a fresh bean and a well-extracted shot, but its color and density vary with roast level: darker roasts produce more crema, while light Scandinavian-style roasts can pull almost crema-less. It is the visual signature of a properly pulled shot.