Espresso (/ɛˈspɹɛsəʊ/ italian: /eˈsprɛsso/) is coffee brewed by forcing a small amount of nearly boiling water under pressure through finely ground coffee beans. Espresso is generally thicker than coffee brewed by other methods, has a higher concentration of suspended and dissolved solids, and has crema on top (literally cream, a creamy foam on the surface of the coffee).