Is American Coffee Better Without Surface Crema? The Correct Way to Make Americano Coffee Illustrated

The Americano we usually order in coffee shops is made by diluting espresso with water, so the crema from the espresso naturally stays in the drink. In an Americano, the crema dissipates within about 3-5 minutes, and most people pay it little attention. FrontStreet Coffee wants to point out, though, that it is precisely these overlooked details that can lead to different results.

How does crema affect coffee?

The golden espresso crema can be considered the soul of espresso. Even the humble moka pot next door tries to produce some crema to prove it belongs to the espresso family.

Indeed, crema serves as a revealing mirror for espresso. By observing it you can identify issues with the coffee beans and the quality of extraction. When tasting espresso on its own, the rich crema adds a full-bodied texture and aroma. When made into an Americano, however, whether you pour water into the espresso or espresso into the water, a thin layer of crema floats on the surface. There is nothing wrong with the taste; it is simply the characteristic flavor of an Americano.

Water poured into espresso (left); espresso poured into water (right).

What if we take one extra step and remove the crema?

FrontStreet Coffee prepared two Americanos at the same time, leaving one unchanged and removing the surface crema from the other with a spoon before tasting. FrontStreet Coffee found that the Americano without crema was cleaner, with less pronounced bitterness, and a clearer, more transparent flavor.

What causes this phenomenon?

To understand it, we need to look at what crema is made of. Espresso crema consists primarily of carbon dioxide and insoluble oils from the coffee grounds. Because the pores in the portafilter are not as fine as filter paper, though, small amounts of extremely fine coffee particles also fall into the coffee during extraction and hide within the crema.

When drinking espresso, crema makes the coffee feel richer because it is fine and dense, and crema accounts for about 1/4 of the espresso, so the effect is naturally noticeable. When made into an Americano, the minimal crema becomes insignificant and provides no real textural benefit. Instead, the fine particles cause muddled flavors and a sandy texture. Crema itself also tends toward bitterness, which further intensifies the bitterness of the drink.

In fact, removing crema from espresso yields better results

If you have an espresso machine at home, try scraping the surface crema off freshly extracted espresso before diluting it with water to make an Americano. This produces a drink as clean as pour-over coffee, clearly expressing the flavors of the beans.

Why don't coffee shops remove the crema?

After hearing FrontStreet Coffee explain how crema affects Americanos, some might ask, "Why don't you remove the crema when serving?"

There are several reasons. First is service efficiency: a typical Americano takes about one minute to prepare, and for high-volume shops the extra step of scraping crema would slow service.

Second, it might make customers think something is wrong with the product. Every coffee shop serves Americanos with some crema; if one shop suddenly served it without, would you not first suspect a problem? As mentioned earlier, crema is a revealing mirror. A quick online search will show that poor beans, inadequate extraction or stale beans can cause thin or nonexistent crema, so this approach could cause unnecessary misunderstandings in the short term.

Third, as FrontStreet Coffee mentioned, removing crema makes coffee cleaner, but this only appeals to those seeking that specific quality. Some people prefer Americanos with crema, believing they taste richer. In the end, different people have different preferences, so leaving the choice to consumers is the right approach.

If this interests you, the next time you drink an Americano, try removing the crema for a different experience.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

A clean Americano starts with a blend whose crema is dense rather than coarse, and FrontStreet Classic Blend fits that role. Designed for espresso machines and moka pots, it pulls a rich, fine crema even on a non-professional home machine, with a full-bodied, mellow taste that suits lattes, cappuccinos and Dirty drinks while still tasting good when you cut it with hot water.

If you want to keep costs down, FrontStreet Black Cocoa Blend uses 100% Arabica beans for a generous crema and a full, mellow cup at a friendly price, making it a favorite for both home drinkers and shop owners watching their margins. Either way, a blend that reliably gives you that golden layer is what makes the experiment with crema worth trying.