# Espresso crema bubbles: good / bad / why ?



## uma_bica (Mar 28, 2012)

First of all, sorry if this has already been discussed in another thread (I couldn't find it).

At work, where we're a bit limited by our equipment (no grinder and only a Gaggia Baby), I occasionally get quite a few bubbles on the crema - some rather large.

Now, the espresso doesn't taste bad (could be better, but that could also be the grind, beans and a few more variables), but I was wondering if the bubbles are an immediate indicator of poor quality. Unfortunately I have to grind the coffee at home so it might have been ground - at most 1/2 days before the shot has been taken. It just happened at lunch time (this time it had been ground "only" .. a few hours before) so I remembered to post here.

Any opinions? (at home I barely get any bubbles and if so, they're quite small)


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## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

Is the machine fitted with the high pressure/crema basket? If so, this is designed to produce larger than normal crema as the manufacturer thinks the user associates big crema with great espresso. Also, the older the coffee, the less the crema using a standard portafilter basket. Take the basket out and see if there is a plug at the base of the portafilter.


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## autopilot (Apr 4, 2013)

Is it a pressurised basket? My Gaggia had a pressurised basket with the 'perfect crema' device and my cream was usually very bubbly.

Edit: beaten to it.


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## uma_bica (Mar 28, 2012)

I assume the basket is just the regular (double) one - pretty sure it's nothing fancy. Answering the second question, no, there's no plug, just the double spout.

I forgot to mention that we (still) have the original tamper - we're waiting for a decent one to be shipped (but MadeByKnock seems to be taking ages to get that going ...). The tamping is all but decent. I've been trying to make it as even as possible but it becomes hard to do it with that plastic thing ... Could that be a reason?


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## uma_bica (Mar 28, 2012)

uma_bica said:


> I assume the basket is just the regular (double) one - pretty sure it's nothing fancy. Answering the second question, no, there's no plug, just the double spout.
> 
> I forgot to mention that we (still) have the original tamper - we're waiting for a decent one to be shipped (but MadeByKnock seems to be taking ages to get that going ...). The tamping is all but decent. I've been trying to make it as even as possible but it becomes hard to do it with that plastic thing ... Could that be a reason?


If with pressurized one you mean the (odd) one in here

http://www.jamesgleave.com/2012/07/134/filter-basket-on-gaggia-classic/

then no, it definitely looks like the this one:

http://www.jamesgleave.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/20120723_144822-Medium.jpg


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## bronc (Dec 10, 2012)

I've read somewhere that this might be due to using coffee which hasn't degased completely. Not sure if it's true, though.


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## uma_bica (Mar 28, 2012)

Yeah, I read the same. The coffee has been roasted on the 22nd and opened yesterday - ground right after opening the package. I thought, though, that degassing occurs only during the first few days but I'll do some search about that. Thanks for mentioning it.


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## shrink (Nov 12, 2012)

Some coffee's just seem to do this. I get quite a lot of gas off of the hasbean coffee's and quite often a bubbly dark crema. as long as the drink tastes OK, I don't let it bother me too much.


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## uma_bica (Mar 28, 2012)

shrink said:


> as long as the drink tastes OK, I don't let it bother me too much.


I agree. I was more curious if this could be a clear sign that there was still some potential to extract a better flavor from the coffee. I vaguely reading somewhere a while ago that these bubbles were a sign of poorly (or something on these lines) extracted coffee. Just can't remember where I got that from ...

Btw, the coffee is the House Blend from Redroaster.


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