# Crema dark spots



## Dunk

I seem to be getting sections of darker colour in the crema. The extraction is good about 18g in 32g out in 27-30 seconds and it tastes good. The darker sections do taste rather bitter though. Are the dark sections where it has been over extracted? Any ideas why they appear? Tamping to hard, machine to hot?

Using a rancilio silvia.


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## Xpenno

Picture would be good, it's probably tigerstriping which is ok. Don't worry about bitterness, Crema is bitter.


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## Mrboots2u

Stir the espresso -taste it - if it the drink tastes ok , then it is ok

Ignore the taste of the crema - on it's own ive never found it tasty...


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## jeebsy

Crema is barking on its own


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## The Systemic Kid

Tiger striping is indicative of a good extraction. The darker striping occurs in the early part of the pour. As the pour progresses, the crema colour becomes paler creating a contrast with the darker tiger stripes.


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## Kyle548

Crema is supposed to stripe a little bit and it's usually a good sign if you manage it.

Don't worry about the taste too much though, at the worst you can stir the espresso, although that's never really been my thing.


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## Dallah

Crema tastes like ass. Bitter ass at that. I've taken to creaming it off when I drink espresso and it is worth the effort.

Although stirred in; its does add a certain dry bite to a shot.


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## Dunk

Ahhh that's sounds good. I've popped a photo below its with milk but clearly shows the darker sections. Will grab a photo of the espresso next time I extract one.


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## Kyle548

Oh, in a latte you just need to pour your milk better.

That happens to everyone if they don't have microfoam down like a boss.


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## Dunk

Ohhhhhh, any tips on the pouring?


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## Kyle548

Dunk said:


> Ohhhhhh, any tips on the pouring?


I am extremely bad at milk and only drink black coffee.

I had a go at tiger stripes for you, but it didn't go very well.










Not very much contrast on it.

Also it's a lot more heavy than I would have liked, but it took 4 shots to dial in that far and was pretty smooth actually.


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## DoubleShot

If you want a Latte Macchiato (a drink of espresso coffee with a dash of frothy steamed milk) first pour steamed milk into your mug or tall glass then slowly pour in your espresso through the centre which usually gives a nice layered look (glass is ideal here).


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## DoubleShot

Why is it before and after filming, the shots pulled go as planned?!


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## Mrboots2u

Tiger stripes dont guarentee a quality shot

there are some coffee that will just look different in the cup , a kenyan say wont have a massive crema with tiger striping , it might be a little paler

Doesn't mean shot is bad or under or over extracted ...


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## Kyle548

Mrboots2u said:


> Tiger stripes dont guarentee a quality shot
> 
> there are some coffee that will just look different in the cup , a kenyan say wont have a massive crema with tiger striping , it might be a little paler
> 
> Doesn't mean shot is bad or under or over extracted ...


Age will make a difference in crema too.

Pretty much, crema isn't what makes a shot - it just looks impressive.


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## DoubleShot

Yup, above clip was using Coffee Compass Java Jampit Estate beans (roast date 07/04/15) which I only opened today.


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## Zephyr

jeebsy said:


> Crema is barking on its own


lol, this is good.


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## Dunk

Here we go here is my latest shot. You can see the dark areas round the edge.


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## Kyle548

How old is the coffee?


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## DoubleShot

Isn't that black espresso underneath that the crema hasn't fully covered?

I'd be more concerned by all of that spraying around the sides of the cup!


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## jeebsy

Bottom left there's clear dark bits


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## Obnic

Kyle548 said:


> How old is the coffee?


Bubbly crema can mean your coffee is too fresh - releases lots of CO2 during extraction which can make extraction uneven and sour to taste.


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## Xpenno

Dunk said:


> Here we go here is my latest shot. You can see the dark areas round the edge.
> 
> View attachment 13739


Looks like espresso to me mate









If it tastes good then you're all sorted.


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## Dunk

Kyle548 said:


> How old is the coffee?


I was roasted just over a month ago.

Yeh the plastering round the cup is my bad tamping I guess. Still practicing with the naked Portafilter.


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## DoubleShot

Was going to ask if you're using a naked pf.

See if you can record a video of the extraction then post that up. The experts will be better placed to make suggestions on things you could possibly improve.


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## Kyle548

Dunk said:


> I was roasted just over a month ago.
> 
> Yeh the plastering round the cup is my bad tamping I guess. Still practicing with the naked Portafilter.


Bottomless?

Looks like coffee to me, probably nothing to worry about.

At a month old, coffee is what a lot would consider past its best, however; that might not be helping.

EDIT

**what am I asking, obviously it's bottomless because of the spritzing.


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## DoubleShot

@Kyle548

You say bottomless, Dunk says naked! Both sound saucy, lol!


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## jeebsy

Kyle548 said:


> Bottomless?


Naked is an accepted part of the coffee lexicon


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## Dunk

Try this for a video.


__
http://instagr.am/p/2EMRJGsHDP/


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## Kyle548

jeebsy said:


> Naked is an accepted part of the coffee lexicon


I was asking if he was using one rather than implying he naked was wrong...

Bottomless is also occasionally heard across the land of coffee.


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## Kyle548

Dunk said:


> Try this for a video.
> 
> 
> __
> http://instagr.am/p/2EMRJGsHDP/


Not a bad pull there.

That dripping in the background needs some attention though...


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## jeebsy

Kyle548 said:


> I was asking if he was using one rather than implying he naked was wrong...
> 
> Bottomless is also occasionally heard across the land of coffee.


His post said it was a naked pf.


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## DoubleShot

3 secs into video there's a spray onto the back of the cup, reminiscent of blood spraying onto the walls after The Bride slashes one of the Crazy 88 gang in Kill Bill vol.1!


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## @[email protected]

Just to jump into this thread, I'm having similar results as the op. I'm producing a nice tasting espresso but the crema has a dark bitter residue which I don't get from say a proper coffee shop bought espresso. Read somewhere else that it could possibly be tannins? Mainly drink lattes and flat whites. Beans range from freshly roasted to rested for 10 days. Is it just pouring technique? It's certainly worse if I extract straight into the cup


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## Milanski

If you're pulling 'nice tasting espresso' then don't worry about the colour of the crema.

Some (often darker) beans produce tiger-striping as previously mentioned and is nothing to worry about. It can often be a sign (but not conclusive evidence) of a well pulled shot.


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## @[email protected]

It's not so much the look but that it does have a bitter taste which can, to some extent, spoil an otherwise nice tasting drink, it can even leave a slight stain to the upper lip. Stirring would mix it into the drink but then losing to much crema would spoil any attempt at latte art etc.

The fact that it doesn't seem to occur in a professionally pulled shot suggests that I'm missing something in technique.


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## hotmetal

Are you talking about as espresso or as your usual flattie/latte? If you mean in milk, I would suggest that the milk drinks you've bought in a coffee shop have had the crema mixed in by the high pour when the milk first goes in - before the art is created.


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## jlarkin

@[email protected] said:


> It's not so much the look but that it does have a bitter taste which can, to some extent, spoil an otherwise nice tasting drink, it can even leave a slight stain to the upper lip. Stirring would mix it into the drink but then losing to much crema would spoil any attempt at latte art etc.
> 
> The fact that it doesn't seem to occur in a professionally pulled shot suggests that I'm missing something in technique.


You're nearly then making the same point as Matt Perger in this post http://baristahustle.com/does-latte-art-make-coffee-taste-worse/


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## @[email protected]

Yeah I think that's probably it. Il try mixing more with the high pour. I don't drink straight espressos to much, I take it most people stir in the crema before drinking?


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## Milanski

I only drink espressos but do always stir them with my little ceramic espresso spoon...before throwing them down the hatch.


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## Rob1

Just tried stirring a flat white with a little latte art on top (still need practice) the drink and flavour was overall less satisfying. The flavours were more integrated meaning instead of a hit of dark chocolate with a little sweetness and nice crispness with the occasional hint of vanilla and/or caramel I got a drink that tasted of a very milky chocolate, very smooth and every sip tasted exactly the same. I prefer surprises.


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## hotmetal

I agree with you rob. I quite like it when the microfoam has traces of full strength coffee round the edge for that initial hit followed by creamy caramels.


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