Hello All,

So I have a coffee that is quite perplexing. Its a SOE from Temple (Guatemala - Bourbon varietal). Its roasted a bit darker than anything I typically drink. It has some beans with oil, but nothing crazy and the roast appears even.

The issue is, no matter how I pull it, its crazy gassy (ristretto / normal, fast or slow). It pours with a ton of crema and then when I stir it or let it sit it mostly dissipates, kind of like pouring a soda. Tried rest from 5 days all the way to 13 days and it makes no difference. In fact, I also have the drip version of the same coffee and its also very gassy during pour overs too. It doesn't appear quite as dark, a touch lighter. Temple helped with extraction parameters, etc. then gave up on me. Maybe its supposed to be this way and that's how darker roasts are? Maybe I just don't care for the roast level?

I just cant understand how a high grown washed Guat would act this way (espresso and brew). It vaguely reminds of Vivace, its just been years since I pulled it. I also reminds me of Lionshare, didn't drink it (Sorry, just not my thing).

Here is what it looks like pouring in the cup (not my actual pic, just an example)...



Id swear I am pulling an Italian blend with Robusta, but its anything but.

Has anyone else experienced this?

I would suggest trying what I do with just roasted beans... let the grinds outgas for a time, perhaps a half hour, before pulling a shot just to see if CO² is the culprit.

You may have a one-off bag of beans.

Does it taste bad? Why does the crema matter that much? If it's 13 days off roast and you haven't frozen it or anything, it's just the way the coffee is.

Good point, as usual if it tastes great then maybe it's a case of analysis paralysis. But, isn't this what we do here on H-B?

I knew I read about bubbles somewhere... Here you go. Quote below and the link takes you to a long page of text where you'll have to scroll a bit to find the source - if you care.

"Foam is composed of what are called long-chain surfactant molecules. Persistent foam is present when the molecules remain in unbroken chains, trapping the gas in the liquid. (Perkowitz "Foam") I telephoned food scientist Carl Staub when this phenomenon first occured, and he suggested that the presence of more sweetness in the espresso might be the reason for this breakdown occuring more quickly in the crema." David Schomer

CorvusDoug wrote:Does it taste bad? Why does the crema matter that much? If it's 13 days off roast and you haven't frozen it or anything, it's just the way the coffee is.

Doesn't taste good to me. I never drink roasts this dark so I'm not sure what the deal is or if it's my preferences.

Crema is part of the mouthfeel. So since there is none, it's thin and watery...

I see, I think I misunderstood the issue. It seems strange to me that the crema would dissipate completely so quickly. In my opinion it's from the level of roast and quality of the beans themselves, but I am only speculating.

If you haven't seen it, here's an interesting (albeit outdated) read on espresso crema that you might enjoy: https://www.coffeegeek.com/opinions/barista/10-14-2006

Good luck!

Charlene wrote:I would suggest trying what I do with just roasted beans... let the grinds outgas for a time, perhaps a half hour, before pulling a shot just to see if CO² is the culprit.

You may have a one-off bag of beans.

This!

I guess I don't understand then why even 12 days post roast they exhibit the same thing...

I prefer not to wait 30 minutes for my espresso!

If it's morning scenario it's easy to grind and go about your morning routine, then brew after. It's a pain yes, but pretty much everything we do is a pain for good espresso

I know! Ill grind two in a row. Make one immediately then one 30 minutes later......