Brewing Methods
Pour-Over
A manual brewing method where hot water is poured over ground coffee in a filter. This method allows for precise control over the brewing process and is known for producing clean, flavorful cups of coffee.
French Press
An immersion brewing method using a cylindrical container and a plunger with a metal mesh filter. Coffee grounds steep in hot water before being separated by pressing the plunger, resulting in a full-bodied brew with more oils and sediment.
Espresso
A brewing method that forces hot water through finely-ground coffee under high pressure. It produces a concentrated shot of coffee with a layer of crema on top, serving as the base for many coffee drinks.
AeroPress
A versatile, portable coffee maker that uses air pressure to force water through coffee grounds. It allows for quick brewing and various grind sizes and steep times, producing a clean cup with low acidity.
Cold Brew
A method of brewing coffee using room temperature or cold water over an extended period (12-24 hours). This results in a smooth, less acidic concentrate that can be served cold or hot.
Moka Pot
A stovetop coffee maker that brews coffee by passing boiling water pressurized by steam through ground coffee. It produces a strong, espresso-like coffee.
Siphon (Vacuum Pot)
A brewing method using two chambers where vapor pressure and vacuum produce coffee. Known for its theatrical brewing process and clean, crisp flavor profile.
Kalita Wave
A pour-over method that uses a flat-bottomed dripper with three holes for a consistent, even extraction. It promotes a balanced cup with good body and clarity.
Cold Drip
A method for making cold brew by slowly dripping cold water over coffee grounds. It differs from immersion cold brew by producing a cleaner, brighter cup.
Cuccuma (Neapolitan Flip Pot)
An Italian drip coffee maker that predates modern drip coffee makers. It offers a unique flavor profile and brewing experience.
Chemex
A pour-over brewing method using a distinctive hourglass-shaped glass flask and proprietary filters. It produces a clean, bright cup with clarity of flavor due to its thick filters.
Clever Coffee Dripper
A filter cone with a stopper that allows coffee to steep before dripping. This design aims to extract more flavor by combining immersion and filter brewing methods.
Clover Brewer
A high-tech, high-end, single-cup brewing machine. It offers precise control over brewing variables and was once popular in specialty coffee shops.
Drip Method
A brewing method that allows hot water to settle through a bed of ground coffee. It’s commonly used in automatic coffee makers and produces a clean, balanced cup.
Coffee Beans and Processing
Arabica
The most popular coffee species, known for its sweet, soft taste and higher acidity. It’s grown at high altitudes and is more challenging to cultivate than Robusta.
Robusta
A coffee species with higher caffeine content and a stronger, harsher taste than Arabica. It’s more disease-resistant and is often used in espresso blends for its crema-producing properties.
Single Origin
Coffee sourced from a single geographic location, such as a specific farm, region, or country. It often showcases unique flavor characteristics of that area.
Blend
A mixture of coffee beans from different origins, roast levels, or varieties. Blends are created to achieve a specific flavor profile or consistency.
Green Coffee
Unroasted coffee beans that have been processed and dried but not yet roasted. They can be stored for extended periods without losing quality.
Roast Profile
The specific time and temperature progression used when roasting coffee beans. It greatly influences the final flavor, aroma, and color of the coffee.
Wet Process (Washed)
A method of processing coffee cherries where the fruit is removed before drying the beans. This typically results in a cleaner, brighter flavor profile.
Dry Process (Natural)
A method of processing coffee where the entire cherry is dried with the bean inside. This can impart fruity flavors and a heavier body to the coffee.
Honey Process
A hybrid coffee processing method between natural and washed, where some mucilage is left on the bean during drying. It creates a sweet, balanced cup with moderate acidity.
Pulped Natural
Similar to honey processing, it involves removing the outer skin of the coffee cherry while leaving some mucilage on the bean. This method leads to a balanced cup with a slightly heavier body than fully washed coffee.
Geisha (or Gesha)
A high-quality coffee variety known for its floral and jasmine-like aroma, and often a sweet, tea-like flavor profile. Originating from Ethiopia, it’s now grown in various regions including Panama and Colombia.
Varietal
Refers to a specific subspecies of coffee plant, such as Bourbon or Typica. Each varietal has unique flavor characteristics influenced by genetics and growing conditions.
Pacamara
A hybrid coffee variety known for its large bean size and complex, often fruity, flavor profile. It’s commonly grown in Central America.
Bourbon
An heirloom botanical variety of Coffea arabica, discovered on the island of Bourbon (now Réunion). It produces relatively low yields but is prized for its high quality and complex flavor profile.
Typica
One of the oldest and most traditional coffee varieties, known for producing some of the best Latin American coffees. It’s valued for its excellent cup quality but is susceptible to diseases and low-yielding.
Peaberry
A natural mutation where only one bean develops inside the coffee cherry instead of two. Peaberries are often separated and sold as a premium product due to their rounded shape and potentially more concentrated flavor.
Cherry
The fruit of the coffee tree, typically containing two coffee beans. Each cherry goes through a series of processing steps to extract and prepare the beans for roasting.
Chaff
Flakes of the innermost skin (silverskin) of the coffee fruit that cling to green coffee after processing and loosen during roasting. It’s typically removed after roasting as it can affect flavor if left in large quantities.
Parchment
A thin skin that covers wet-processed coffee beans after the coffee cherries have been skinned, the pulp removed, and the beans dried. It’s typically removed during the hulling process before export.
Bean Belt
The equatorial region across the world with ideal coffee growing conditions. This area typically lies between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn, encompassing parts of Central and South America, Africa, and Southeast Asia.
Catimor
A coffee varietal developed in Portugal in 1959 that combined the Timor and Caturra varietals. It’s known for its high yield and disease resistance, particularly to coffee leaf rust.
Catuai
A coffee varietal developed in Brazil in the 1950s by crossing Caturra and Mundo Novo varietals. It’s widely grown due to its high yield and ability to thrive in various climates.
Mundo Novo
A coffee varietal created from a natural cross between Bourbon and Typica. It’s named after the place in Brazil where it was discovered and is known for its good cup quality and high productivity.
SHB/SHG (Strictly Hard Bean/Strictly High Grown)
A classification for coffee beans grown at high altitudes, typically above 4,500 feet. These beans grow more slowly due to the altitude, resulting in denser beans that are often associated with higher quality and more complex flavors.
Fly Crop
A smaller, secondary harvest that occurs after the main coffee harvest. The quality and yield of fly crop beans can vary significantly from the main crop.
Flavor and Tasting
Acidity
A desirable brightness or sharpness in the flavor of coffee, often described as citrusy, winey, or tangy. It’s considered a positive characteristic in specialty coffee and is more prominent in light roasts.
Body
The perceived weight or thickness of coffee in the mouth, ranging from light and tea-like to heavy and syrupy. It relates to the viscosity and weight of the brew.
Aroma
The smell of brewed coffee or ground beans. It’s a crucial component of flavor and can hint at various flavor notes.
Crema
The light-colored, creamy layer that forms on top of a well-pulled shot of espresso. It’s composed of emulsified oils and indicates freshness and proper extraction.
Cupping
A standardized method of evaluating coffee flavor by steeping grounds in hot water and tasting the resulting brew. It’s used by professionals to assess coffee quality and characteristics.
Extraction
The process of dissolving coffee solids and oils from the grounds into water. Proper extraction is crucial for balanced flavor; under-extraction results in sour notes, while over-extraction produces bitterness.
Terroir
The environmental factors, including soil, climate, and altitude, that influence the flavor profile of coffee beans grown in a specific region.
Balance
A coffee’s harmonious combination of acidity, sweetness, and bitterness, with no single attribute overpowering the others. It’s a key indicator of a well-extracted and well-prepared coffee.
Aftertaste
The lingering flavor left in the mouth after swallowing coffee. It can be a positive or negative characteristic depending on the flavor notes and duration.
Complexity
The presence of multiple, distinct flavor notes in a coffee that reveal themselves throughout the tasting experience. Complex coffees are often highly prized.
Clean
A term used to describe coffee with no discernible defects in its flavor. It indicates a pure, unadulterated taste experience.
Finish
The sensory experience of coffee just as it is swallowed. It includes the immediate aftertaste and can reveal additional flavor nuances.
Earthiness
A taste characteristic found primarily in coffees from Sumatra and Sulawesi, where wet coffee has come into contact with earth during drying. It can be perceived as a desirable or undesirable trait depending on personal preference and intensity.
Varietal Character
A tasting term describing positive characteristics that distinguish one coffee from those grown in other regions. It represents a “taste of the place” in the cup and is closely related to the concept of terroir.
Chlorogenic Acids
A group of compounds found in coffee that contribute to its perceived acidity. These acids play a significant role in coffee’s flavor profile and are also associated with some of coffee’s potential health benefits.
Coffee Taster’s Flavor Wheel
A tool published by the Specialty Coffee Association in 1995 to help describe and categorize coffee flavors. It organizes flavors into groups based on sensory science and is widely used by coffee professionals for cupping and describing coffee.
Fragrance
The smell of dry, freshly ground coffee before water is added. It can provide initial insights into the coffee’s quality and flavor profile.
Equipment and Tools
Burr Grinder
A coffee grinder that crushes beans between two adjustable abrasive surfaces (burrs) for a more consistent grind size. It’s preferred over blade grinders for better flavor extraction and control over grind size.
Blade Grinder
A device that uses a propeller-like blade to grind coffee. While less consistent than burr grinders, they are often more affordable and compact.
Tamper
A tool used to compress ground coffee in an espresso portafilter. Proper tamping ensures even water distribution during extraction.
Portafilter
The handled basket that holds ground coffee for espresso brewing. It attaches to the espresso machine’s group head.
Group Head
The part of an espresso machine where the portafilter is attached and through which hot water is dispensed for brewing.
Kettle
A vessel used to heat and pour water for brewing coffee. Gooseneck kettles offer precise control for pour-over methods.
Scale
A crucial tool for measuring coffee and water accurately, ensuring consistency in brewing ratios.
Refractometer
A device used to measure the total dissolved solids (TDS) in brewed coffee, helping to assess extraction levels and brew strength.
Espresso Distribution Tool
A tool designed to distribute coffee grounds evenly in a portafilter. It ensures an even extraction and improves shot quality.
Doser
A spring-loaded device on specialized espresso grinders that dispenses single servings of ground coffee. It’s designed for high-volume settings but is less common in home use.
Batch Roaster
A machine that roasts a given quantity or batch of coffee at a time. It’s used by commercial roasters to ensure consistency across larger quantities of coffee.
Ibrik
A small pot with a long handle used for making Turkish coffee. It’s typically made of copper or brass and is designed for the specific brewing method that involves boiling finely ground coffee with water and sometimes sugar.
Conical Burrs
A type of burr grinder design where one burr is a cone shape that fits inside a ring-shaped burr. This design is known for producing consistent grind sizes and generating less heat during grinding.
Flat Burrs
A type of burr grinder design where two flat, circular burrs face each other. This design is often found in commercial and high-end home grinders and is known for producing very consistent grind sizes.
Espresso Machine
A device that forces hot water through finely-ground coffee under high pressure to produce espresso. It can range from simple manual machines to complex automatic ones.
Coffee Roaster
A machine used to roast green coffee beans. Home roasters allow enthusiasts to roast small batches of fresh beans.
Milk Frother
A device used to aerate milk, creating foam for cappuccinos, lattes, and other milk-based coffee drinks. It can be manual, electric, or built into espresso machines.
Dosing Tool
A small funnel or cup used to transfer a precise amount of ground coffee into a portafilter without spilling.
Distribution Tool
A tool used to evenly distribute ground coffee in a portafilter before tamping, ensuring uniform extraction.
Knock Box
A container used to dispose of spent coffee grounds, typically featuring a bar to knock the portafilter against for easy emptying.
Milk and Espresso Drinks
Microfoam
Finely textured milk with small, uniform bubbles. It’s essential for latte art and provides a smooth, velvety mouthfeel in milk-based espresso drinks.
Latte
An espresso-based drink with steamed milk and a small layer of foam on top. It typically has a ratio of 1/3 espresso to 2/3 steamed milk.
Cappuccino
An espresso-based drink with equal parts espresso, steamed milk, and milk foam. It’s traditionally smaller and has more foam than a latte.
Macchiato
An espresso “stained” with a small amount of steamed milk or foam, allowing the espresso’s flavor to remain dominant. It’s typically served in a small glass or ceramic cup.
Flat White
An espresso-based drink with steamed milk, similar to a latte but with a higher coffee-to-milk ratio and very little to no foam.
Americano
A drink made by adding hot water to espresso, resulting in a strength similar to drip coffee but with a different flavor profile.
Silkiness
The texture of milk when steamed correctly for latte art. It should be smooth, glossy, and without large bubbles, providing a luxurious mouthfeel.
Free Pour
A latte art technique where patterns are created simply by pouring steamed milk into the espresso without additional tools. It requires skill and practice to achieve consistent results.
Gibraltar
A double shot of espresso with a small amount of steamed milk, similar to a cortado. It’s named after the glass it’s traditionally served in and offers a balanced espresso-milk flavor.
Café au Lait
A French coffee drink consisting of brewed coffee and steamed milk in a roughly 1:1 ratio. It’s typically served in a large cup or bowl for a comforting, milky coffee experience.
Affogato
A dessert-like coffee drink consisting of a scoop of vanilla gelato or ice cream “drowned” with a shot of hot espresso. It creates a delightful contrast of hot and cold, sweet and bitter.
Cortado
A Spanish term for an espresso topped with a small amount of flat steamed milk. It’s similar to a macchiato but with a higher ratio of milk to espresso.
Doppio
Italian term for a double shot of espresso. It’s the standard serving size in many specialty coffee shops and the base for many espresso-based drinks.
Mocha
An espresso-based drink that combines espresso, steamed milk, and chocolate syrup or cocoa powder. It’s a popular choice for those who enjoy the combination of coffee and chocolate flavors.
Ristretto
An espresso shot pulled short, containing less water, for a more concentrated drink. It often results in a sweeter, more intense flavor profile compared to a regular espresso shot.
Red Eye
A cup of drip coffee with a shot of espresso added. It’s known for its high caffeine content and is sometimes called a “shot in the dark.”
Sustainability and Ethics
Fair Trade
A certification that ensures coffee farmers receive a fair price for their beans and adhere to specific labor and environmental standards. It aims to promote sustainable development and better trading conditions for coffee producers.
Direct Trade
A model where roasters buy directly from coffee farmers, often paying higher prices for higher quality and building long-term relationships. It promotes transparency and can result in better compensation for growers, but lacks the formal certification process of Fair Trade.
Shade Grown
Coffee cultivated under a canopy of trees, promoting biodiversity and often resulting in slower-growing, more complex-tasting beans. This method helps preserve wildlife habitats and can reduce the need for chemical inputs.
Organic
Coffee grown without the use of synthetic pesticides or fertilizers. It often overlaps with shade-grown and bird-friendly certifications and requires adherence to specific farming practices that promote environmental sustainability.
Regenerative Agriculture
Farming practices that restore and enhance soil health, increase biodiversity, and improve water cycles. These methods contribute to the overall health of the ecosystem and can lead to more sustainable coffee production.
Bird Friendly
A certification by the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center that ensures coffee is organic and shade-grown, providing habitat for birds. It promotes biodiversity and ecosystem health in coffee-growing regions.
Relationship Coffee
A sourcing model that emphasizes long-term relationships between roasters and producers. It often involves knowledge sharing and quality improvement initiatives, leading to more sustainable partnerships.
Rainforest Alliance (RFA)
A certification program that focuses on promoting sustainable agriculture practices that minimize impact on local ecosystems. RFA-certified coffees are grown using methods that aim to preserve rainforests and support biodiversity.
Carbon Neutral
A designation for coffee producers who have taken steps to offset or eliminate their carbon emissions throughout the production and distribution process. This can involve various strategies, from reforestation to using renewable energy sources.
Cooperative
A group of coffee farmers who work together to process and market their coffee, often sharing resources and profits more equitably. Cooperatives can provide small farmers with more bargaining power and access to resources.
Sustainable Harvest
A trading model that focuses on creating transparent supply chains and fostering long-term relationships between coffee growers and buyers. It aims to improve the livelihoods of coffee farmers while ensuring a stable supply of quality coffee.
Roasting Terms
Cinnamon Roast
A very light roast just past first crack, often preserving the most acidity and origin characteristics of the bean. It’s named for its light brown color, not its flavor.
French Roast
A dark roast level past second crack, often associated with deep, smoky flavors and reduced origin character. It results in a bold, less acidic cup with prominent bitterness.
City Roast
A medium roast level that balances the origin flavors with the characteristics developed during roasting. It’s often considered the ideal roast for showcasing a coffee’s unique attributes.
American Roast
Also known as a “City Roast,” this style results in medium brown beans that offer full flavor, acidity, and varietal character. It’s the roast style traditionally preferred in the U.S.
Full City Roast
Coffee taken to a medium-dark roast which produces some oil on the bean surface. Varietal qualities mellow, body and sweetness increase, while acidity diminishes.
Italian Roast
Coffee roasted to a dark brown color, sometimes approaching black. The flavor is rich and bittersweet, often with a noticeable charred taste.
Espresso Roast
A term for coffee taken to a medium-dark roast where acidity diminishes and bittersweet flavors emerge. It’s also known as a Full-City or Viennese Roast and is commonly used for espresso brewing.
First Crack
The part of the roasting process where the surface of the coffee beans begins to crack. This usually occurs around 380-400 degrees Fahrenheit, as pressure builds up within the bean.
Second Crack
Much like the first crack, this is the second stage of the roasting process and usually occurs around 410 to 445 degrees Fahrenheit. It indicates a darker roast level.
Roast Profile
The specific time and temperature progression used when roasting coffee beans. It greatly influences the final flavor, aroma, and color of the coffee.
Roast Log
A journal or record used to document data and information during the coffee roasting process. It typically includes details such as time, temperature, and any observations, helping roasters maintain consistency and refine their roasting profiles.
Maillard Reaction
The chemical process that turns the coffee bean brown during the roasting process. As the amino acids and sugars in the coffee bean break down, the coffee gets its distinct aroma, flavor, and color.
Batch Roaster
A machine that roasts a given quantity or batch of coffee at a time. It’s used by commercial roasters to ensure consistency across larger quantities of coffee.
Fluid Bed Roaster
A type of coffee roaster that constantly turns the coffee beans using hot forced air. This type of roaster was invented in 1976 by Michael Sivetz.
Grinding and Extraction
Retention
The amount of coffee grounds left behind in a grinder after grinding. Low retention is desirable for consistency and freshness in each brew.
Puck
The compressed cake of coffee grounds in the portafilter after tamping and before brewing an espresso shot. Proper puck preparation is crucial for even extraction and a high-quality espresso.
Pressure Profiling
Adjusting the water pressure during different stages of espresso extraction to influence flavor and texture. It allows for fine-tuning the extraction process to highlight specific flavor characteristics.
WDT (Weiss Distribution Technique)
A technique involving stirring the coffee grounds in the portafilter with a thin tool to break up clumps and distribute grounds evenly before tamping. It helps ensure even extraction and can improve shot quality.
Blonding
The process during espresso extraction where the color of the espresso transitions from dark to light. It’s often used as a visual cue for when to stop the shot.
Channeling
An issue in espresso extraction where water finds paths of least resistance through the coffee puck, leading to uneven extraction. It can result in a combination of over- and under-extracted flavors in the cup.
Distribution
The act of evenly spreading ground coffee in the portafilter before tamping. Proper distribution helps ensure even extraction and can be achieved through various techniques or tools.
Brew Ratio
The relationship between the amount of coffee used and the yield of brewed coffee or espresso. It’s typically expressed as a ratio (e.g., 1:2 for espresso) and can significantly affect the flavor and strength of the final brew.
Brew Time
The duration of the extraction process, from when water first contacts the coffee grounds to when the brewing is stopped. It’s a crucial variable in coffee brewing that affects flavor and strength.
Coarseness
The size of the coffee grounds after grinding. The ideal coarseness varies depending on the brewing method, with espresso requiring a fine grind and French press needing a coarse grind.
Total Dissolved Solids (TDS)
A measure of the amount of coffee solids dissolved in water during brewing. It’s used to assess the strength and extraction of coffee and is typically measured using a refractometer.
Blooming
The process of pre-wetting coffee grounds with a small amount of water before full brewing. This releases carbon dioxide from the coffee, allowing for more even extraction during the main brew.
Preinfusion
A technique used in espresso brewing where a small amount of water is introduced to the coffee puck at low pressure before the main extraction. This helps to ensure even saturation and can improve overall extraction quality.
Dosing
The process of measuring the amount of coffee grounds for brewing. Precise dosing is crucial for consistency in coffee brewing, especially for espresso.
Tamping
The act of compressing ground coffee in a portafilter using a tamper. Proper tamping ensures even density throughout the coffee puck, which is essential for uniform extraction.
Extraction Yield
The percentage of coffee solids extracted from the original dry coffee grounds during brewing. It’s a key factor in determining the strength and flavor balance of the brewed coffee.
Grind Retention
The amount of ground coffee that remains in the grinder after use. Low grind retention is desirable as it ensures fresher grounds for each brew and reduces waste.
Additional Terms
Aged Coffee
Coffee that is stored in warehouses for several years, either deliberately or inadvertently. This aging process reduces acidity and increases body, creating a unique flavor profile.
Chaff
The flakes of the innermost skin (silverskin) of the coffee fruit that cling to green coffee after processing. It loosens during roasting and is typically removed as a byproduct.
Clever Coffee Dripper
A filter cone brewing device with a stopper that allows coffee to steep before dripping. This design aims to extract more flavor by combining immersion and filter brewing methods.
Degassing
A natural process in which recently roasted coffee releases carbon dioxide gas. This process protects coffee from the staling effect of oxygen for several days after roasting.
Green Coffee
The term used for unroasted coffee beans. Green coffee is the state in which coffee is stored and shipped before the roasting process.
Micro Lot
Coffee sourced from a single farm or a specific part of a coffee farm. Micro lot coffees are prized for their unique qualities and limited availability, often showcasing the distinct characteristics of a particular area or processing method.
Monsooned Coffee
A dry-processed, single-origin coffee from India deliberately exposed to monsoon winds in open warehouses. This process aims to increase body and reduce acidity, creating a unique flavor profile.
Parchment
A thin skin that covers wet-processed coffee beans after the coffee cherries have been skinned, the pulp removed, and the beans dried. It’s typically removed just before export or roasting.
Quakers
Defective coffee beans that fail to roast properly, remaining pale-colored. These beans can negatively affect the overall flavor of a batch of coffee if not removed.
Silverskin
The thin, innermost skin of the coffee fruit which clings to dried coffee beans. It either comes off during polishing or floats free during roasting, becoming what is known as chaff.
Strictly Hard Bean
The highest grade designation based on growing altitude in some Central American countries. This classification often indicates beans with denser body and more complex flavor profiles.
Jute Bag
A bag made from vegetable fiber often used to transport green coffee beans. While traditional, jute bags are being increasingly replaced by more protective packaging methods like GrainPro bags for specialty coffees.
GrainPro Bag
A multi-layered plastic bag used for green coffee storage and transportation. These bags are designed to better preserve the green beans and their unique flavors compared to traditional jute or burlap bags.
CENICAFE
The Colombian coffee research organization dedicated to promoting research that benefits the country’s coffee growers and farmers. It plays a crucial role in developing new coffee varieties and sustainable farming practices.
Coffee Leaf Rust
A highly destructive fungal disease that causes yellow and orange spots on coffee leaves. It can severely impact coffee production and has led to the development of rust-resistant coffee varieties.
Q Grader
A person who has been officially accredited through the Coffee Quality Institute to grade and score coffee. Q Graders undergo rigorous training and testing to develop their sensory skills and knowledge of coffee quality assessment.
