Why is the Crema from My Coffee Machine So Thin?

Why Is Your Espresso Crema So Thin?

The process of crema extraction during espresso brewing has always been a therapeutic sight to behold. Especially when you see that thick, golden foam after extraction, latte art enthusiasts couldn't be happier.

But if one day you discover that your extracted crema is sparse, thin, or practically non-existent, the problem likely lies in these areas!

1. Coffee Beans Are Not Fresh

When coffee beans are no longer fresh, their carbon dioxide content is insufficient to "support" a rich crema! There are two reasons for staleness:

One is that too much time has passed since roasting, exceeding the optimal flavor window. Generally, espresso beans have a 60-day flavor period. After this time, aroma, flavor, and carbon dioxide have mostly dissipated. If you use them for extraction, the resulting crema will naturally be thin!

Another factor is storage issues! Even if your beans are within their flavor period, improper storage—such as uncovered lids or unsealed packaging that allows significant air exposure—will accelerate the degassing process. Just one night is enough to turn aromatic coffee beans into flavorless ones.

Therefore, when purchasing beans, it's best to check their roasting date and store them properly. This way, waste and brewing failures can be significantly reduced~

2. Coffee Machine Pressure Adjustment

Many home coffee machines have pressure valves within easy reach, like the one FrontStreet Coffee uses. While convenient, they can be accidentally touched, causing problems with the next cup.

So if you encounter thin espresso crema, check the pressure valve to see if it's set to the correct pressure value to minimize errors. (Standard is typically 9-10 bar)

3. Grind Too Coarse or Insufficient Dose

Grind that's too coarse, or using significantly less coffee than the portafilter's standard capacity—these are the two easiest issues to identify! When you press the extraction button and see coffee flowing out too quickly, it indicates that one of these parameters (or possibly both) has problems, creating too large gaps for water to flow through or causing channeling effects.

Espresso extracted under these conditions will be light in color, have thin crema, and taste quite bland! For coffee dose, we should use the portafilter's recommended weight as standard. For grind that's too coarse, you can use a 20-second extraction time as a benchmark!

Traditionally, the espresso ratio has been accepted as double the liquid weight to coffee grounds. Following this principle, check if your extraction time is under 20 seconds. If so, it indicates the grind is too coarse, creating too large gaps for water to pass through, resulting in naturally short extraction time, which requires readjusting your grind!

4. Water Temperature Too Low

During extraction, if the water temperature doesn't reach the required 90+°C, thin crema will occur. Of course, just like coarse grind, the final espresso will also show signs of under-extraction!

Generally, insufficient water temperature occurs during the warm-up phase when the machine is first turned on. At that time, water temperature isn't very precise. That's why FrontStreet Coffee waits 20 minutes after turning on the machine before starting espresso extraction.

5. Light Roast Beans

Because light roast coffee beans have a harder texture, they require higher extraction intensity than dark roast beans. Therefore, if you apply dark roast extraction parameters to light roast beans, you'll likely experience "espresso splattering."

Therefore, light roast beans still need to be adjusted to appropriate parameters! Even with accurate parameters, their crema won't be as rich and thick as dark roast crema. After all, they naturally have less carbon dioxide~

What Type of Beans Are Suitable for Coffee Machines?

Since most home espresso machines aren't as stable in function as commercial ones and produce fewer cups, this puts more demands on our parameter control. Therefore, FrontStreet Coffee recommends using more stable espresso blend coffee beans. Espresso blends combine coffee flavors from different regions and use medium or darker roasts, giving us a higher margin for error in extraction.

FrontStreet Coffee's bean menu offers four espresso blends for everyone to choose from, ensuring only beans roasted within 5 days are shipped, guaranteeing they arrive in their optimal flavor window. Besides the mellow Warm Sun Blend mentioned above, FrontStreet Coffee's espresso menu also includes three cost-effective nutty blend coffee beans, with rich texture and intense aroma equally suitable for making flat white coffee.

Balanced & Rich—FrontStreet Coffee Premium Blend

Colombian Washed Coffee Beans (30%) + Brazilian Natural Process Coffee Beans (70%)

Adding Colombian coffee to the classic Brazilian nutty profile creates an espresso with dark chocolate flavor and caramel sweetness, full of roasted aroma. When combined with steamed milk, it presents chocolate, cocoa, and cream textures—like drinking a sugar-free Ovaltine hot beverage.

Classic & Full-bodied—FrontStreet Coffee Commercial Blend

Robusta Washed Coffee Beans (10%) + Colombian Washed Coffee Beans (30%) + Brazilian Natural Process Coffee (60%)

The espresso has rich golden crema and nutty aroma. When made into a flat white, it offers a fragrant coffee bitterness, but more prominently a creamy, full-bodied texture. After swallowing, the bitterness dissipates, leaving a pleasant aftertaste.

Slightly Acidic & Rich—FrontStreet Coffee Basic Blend

Yunnan Washed Arabica Beans (30%) + Brazilian Natural Process Coffee Beans (70%)

Yunnan small bean coffee with gentle acidity pairs with Brazilian Cerrado's rich aroma, creating an espresso with flavors of caramel, nuts, and subtle plum acidity. When combined with milk, it presents a relatively balanced and smooth texture.

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473