Exploring the World of Coffee: A Glossary

Coffee is a craft with its own language and traditions, but it can be complex and intimidating for newcomers. This guide helps you navigate this fascinating world with confidence.

A

• Acidity: Bright, sharp taste sensation in coffee, often described as tangy or crisp.

• Aeropress: Portable coffee brewing device using pressure and paper filter.

• Affogato: Espresso poured over vanilla ice cream.

• Altitude: Elevation where coffee is grown, affecting bean flavor complexity.

• Aperitivo: Italian coffee ritual combining espresso with small snack.

• Arabica: Premium coffee species known for superior flavor, grown at higher altitudes.

• Aroma: Fragrance and smell of coffee before and after brewing.

• Aromatics: Volatile compounds creating coffee's distinctive smell.

• Astringency: Dry, puckering sensation in coffee caused by tannins.

B

• Barista: Professional coffee maker and café staff trained in preparing espresso-based drinks.

• Batch Brew: Large-volume coffee preparation method using drip or filter brewing.

• Bean Density: Measure of coffee bean compactness affecting roasting.

• Bean-to-Cup: Process of creating coffee directly from whole coffee beans.

• Blend: Coffee made from multiple bean origins mixed together.

• Bloom: Initial gas release when hot water first contacts fresh coffee grounds.

• Body: Sensation of weight and texture of coffee in the mouth.

• Brewing Ratio: Proportion of coffee grounds to water.

• Burr Grinder: Precision grinding device with two rotating surfaces.

C

• Caffeine: Natural stimulant found in coffee beans.

• Cappuccino: Espresso drink with steamed milk and milk foam.

• Chaff: Thin skin removed from beans during roasting.

• Chemex: Pour-over coffee brewing method using a distinctive glass container.

• Cherry: Fruit containing coffee beans before processing.

• Cold Brew: Coffee steeped in cold water for extended periods, typically 12-24 hours.

• Cortado: Espresso with equal parts steamed milk.

• Crema: Golden-brown foam on top of an espresso shot.

• Cupping: Professional coffee tasting and evaluation method.

D

• Dark Roast: Beans roasted longer, producing darker color and bolder flavor.

• Decaf: Coffee with caffeine content significantly reduced.

• Dialing In: Adjusting brewing parameters for optimal extraction.

• Drip Coffee: Brewing method where hot water passes through ground coffee into a container.

E

• Espresso: Concentrated coffee brewed by forcing hot water through finely-ground beans.

• Espresso Machine: Device forcing hot water through compacted coffee grounds.

• Extraction: Process of removing soluble compounds from coffee grounds.

• Ethiopian Yirgacheffe: Renowned coffee region known for floral, complex beans.

F

• Filter Coffee: Brewing method using paper or cloth filter.

• Flavor Notes: Specific taste characteristics detected in coffee.

• Flat White: Espresso with steamed milk, less foam than a cappuccino.

• French Press: Manual brewing method using a plunger to separate grounds from liquid.

G

• Green Beans: Unroasted coffee beans.

• Grinding: Process of breaking coffee beans into smaller particles

• Grind Size: Coarseness of ground coffee, affecting brewing extraction.

H

• Hand Brewing: Manual coffee preparation methods like pour-over.

• Hard Bean: High-altitude grown coffee with denser structure.

• Honey Process: Coffee processing method leaving some fruit mucilage on beans.

• Humidity: Moisture's impact on green coffee bean quality.

I

• Immersion Brewing: Method where coffee grounds are fully submerged in water.

• Intermediate Roast: Between light and medium roast levels.

• Italian Roast: Very dark roast with intense, burnt flavor profile.

J

• Java: Colloquial term for coffee originating from the Indonesian island.

• Jebena: Traditional Ethiopian coffee pot used in coffee ceremonies.

K

• Kalita Wave: Pour-over coffee brewing device with flat-bottom filter.

• Kenya AA: High-grade Kenyan coffee bean classification.

• Kona Coffee: High-quality coffee grown in Hawaii's Kona region.

L

• Latte: Espresso with steamed milk and light foam.

• Liberica: Rare coffee species with unique, woody flavor profile.

• Light Roast: Beans roasted for shorter time, maintaining more original flavor characteristics.

• Lungo: Long espresso with more water volume.

M

• Macchiato: Espresso marked with small amount of milk.

• Microfoam: Extremely fine, smooth milk foam used in latte art.

• Moka Pot: Stovetop espresso brewing device.

• Moisture Content: Water percentage in green coffee beans.

N

• Natural Process: Coffee beans dried with fruit still attached.

• Nitrogen Flushing: Packaging technique preserving coffee freshness.

O

• Over-extraction: Brewing coffee too long, resulting in bitter taste.

• Organic Certification: Verification of pesticide-free growing practices.

P

• Peaberry: Single, rounded coffee bean inside cherry.

• Portafilter: Handled basket holding ground coffee in espresso machines.

• Pour-Over: Manual brewing method using a filter and steady water pour.

• Pressure Profiling: Varying espresso machine pressure during extraction.

R

• Roast Levels: Spectrum from light to dark determining coffee flavor profile.

• Ristretto: Concentrated, short espresso shot.

• Robusta: Coffee species with higher caffeine, more bitter taste.

S

• Single Origin: Coffee from one specific geographic location.

• Specialty Coffee: High-quality beans scoring 80+ on professional rating scale.

T

• Tamping: Compressing ground coffee in an espresso portafilter.

• Terroir: The environmental context where coffee is grown, including soil, climate, altitude, and topography.

• Turkish Coffee: Unfiltered coffee prepared by boiling finely ground beans.

U

• Under-extraction: Brewing coffee too briefly, resulting in sour taste.

V

• V60: Conical pour-over coffee dripper.

• Varieties: Different subspecies or cultivars of coffee plants.

W

• Washed Process: Coffee beans stripped of fruit before drying.

• Wet Hulling: Indonesian coffee processing method.