Coffee Glossary
A comprehensive glossary of coffee terminology — from acidity to yield, organized by category.
Brewing Basics
Agitation
Any physical disturbance applied to the coffee-water mixture during brewing, such as stirring, swirling, or turbulent pouring. Agitation accelerates extraction …
Bloom
The initial wetting phase of brewing where hot water releases trapped carbon dioxide from freshly roasted coffee grounds. A vigorous …
Brew Ratio
The weight relationship between ground coffee and brewing water, typically expressed as 1:15 to 1:17 for filter methods. Ratio directly …
Bypass
Water that passes through or around the coffee bed without fully extracting soluble compounds, diluting the final brew. Bypass can …
Drawdown
The total time it takes for brewing water to drain through the coffee bed in a gravity-fed percolation method. Drawdown …
Extraction
The process of dissolving soluble compounds from ground coffee into water. Proper extraction targets roughly 18-22% of the grounds' mass, …
Immersion Brewing
A brewing method where coffee grounds steep fully submerged in water for a set duration before being separated by filtration. …
Percolation
A brewing method where water flows through a bed of ground coffee under gravity or pressure, continuously contacting fresh solvent. …
TDS
Total Dissolved Solids, a measurement of the concentration of dissolved coffee compounds in the brewed liquid, expressed as a percentage. …
Turbulence
The chaotic, non-laminar movement of water through the coffee bed caused by pouring force, agitation, or brewer geometry. Controlled turbulence …
Coffee Types & Grading
Arabica
Coffea arabica, the most widely cultivated coffee species, prized for its complex acidity, sweetness, and aromatic diversity. Arabica accounts for …
Commodity Coffee
Coffee traded on futures exchanges (ICE) as an undifferentiated bulk product, typically scoring below 80 on the SCA scale. Commodity …
Defect Count
The number and severity of physical imperfections found in a 350-gram sample of green coffee, categorized as primary (Category 1) …
Excelsa
A variety of Coffea liberica (sometimes classified as Coffea excelsa) grown mainly in Southeast Asia, valued for its tart, fruity, …
Green Coffee
Unroasted coffee beans that have been processed, dried, hulled, and sorted but not yet subjected to heat transformation. Green coffee …
Liberica
Coffea liberica, a minor commercial species grown primarily in the Philippines, Malaysia, and West Africa. Liberica beans are distinctively large …
Peaberry
A natural mutation where a coffee cherry develops a single rounded seed instead of the usual flat-sided pair. Peaberries occur …
Robusta
Coffea canephora, commonly called Robusta, is the second most produced coffee species, known for its high caffeine content, earthy flavor, …
Screen Size
A grading measurement based on the physical size of green coffee beans, determined by passing them through metal screens with …
SHB
Strictly Hard Bean, a classification for coffee grown above approximately 1,200 meters (4,000 feet) in Central American grading systems. SHB …
SHG
Strictly High Grown, an altitude-based coffee grade used in Honduras, El Salvador, and Nicaragua for beans cultivated above approximately 1,200 …
Specialty Grade
Coffee scoring 80 points or above on the SCA 100-point cupping scale, with zero Category 1 defects and fewer than …
Processing Methods
Anaerobic Fermentation
A controlled processing technique where coffee is fermented in sealed, oxygen-free containers to produce unique flavor compounds. Anaerobic fermentation yields …
Carbonic Maceration
A fermentation technique borrowed from winemaking where whole coffee cherries are placed in CO2-flushed sealed tanks, triggering intracellular fermentation. The …
Coffee Cherry
The fruit of the coffee plant, containing the coffee seeds (beans) surrounded by skin, pulp, mucilage, parchment, and silver skin …
Fermentation
The microbial breakdown of sugars in coffee mucilage and fruit by bacteria and yeasts, producing acids, alcohols, and aromatic compounds. …
Honey Process
A hybrid processing method where the skin is removed but varying amounts of mucilage (the sticky 'honey') are left on …
Mucilage
The sticky, sugar-rich layer of pectin and simple sugars surrounding the coffee seed beneath the fruit skin. Mucilage composition and …
Natural Process
A dry processing method where whole coffee cherries are dried intact on raised beds or patios, allowing the fruit to …
Parchment
The thin, papery endocarp layer that encases the coffee bean beneath the mucilage, also called pergamino in Spanish. Coffee is …
Pulped Natural
A Brazilian processing innovation where the cherry skin is mechanically removed but the full mucilage layer is left on during …
Silver Skin
The thin, papery spermoderm directly adhering to the coffee bean surface, often visible as chaff that separates during roasting. Silver …
Washed Process
A coffee processing method where the fruit skin and mucilage are mechanically removed and fermented away before drying, producing clean, …
Wet-Hulled Process
A processing method unique to Indonesia (called Giling Basah) where parchment is removed while the beans are still at high …
Roasting
Agtron Number
A standardized measurement of roasted coffee color using a spectrophotometer, ranging from 25 (very dark) to 95 (very light). Agtron …
Charge Temperature
The drum or environment temperature at the moment green coffee is loaded into the roaster, which determines initial heat transfer …
Degassing
The release of carbon dioxide from freshly roasted coffee beans over hours and days following the roast. Degassing impacts brewing …
Development Time
The duration between the start of first crack and the end of the roast, often expressed as a percentage of …
Drum Roaster
The most common roaster type in specialty coffee, featuring a rotating horizontal drum heated by gas burners beneath or behind …
Endothermic Phase
The initial portion of the roast where coffee beans absorb energy for moisture evaporation and chemical changes, causing the bean …
Exothermic Phase
The stage of roasting where chemical reactions within the bean begin releasing energy as heat, starting at first crack. The …
First Crack
An audible popping sound during roasting, similar to popcorn, occurring around 196-205C (385-401F) when internal steam pressure fractures the bean …
Maillard Reaction
A complex chemical reaction between amino acids and reducing sugars that occurs during coffee roasting between 150-200C, producing hundreds of …
Profile Roasting
The practice of designing and replicating specific time-temperature curves to achieve target flavor outcomes, using data logging software and precise …
Rate of Rise
The speed at which the bean temperature increases during roasting, measured in degrees per unit time (typically degrees Celsius per …
Second Crack
A second, quieter popping phase during roasting occurring around 224-230C (435-446F) when the bean's cellulose matrix begins to fracture. Second …
Flavor & Cupping
Acidity
A desirable, bright, lively quality in coffee that is perceived on the sides and tip of the tongue, not to …
Aftertaste
The flavor that lingers on the palate after swallowing or spitting coffee, also called the finish. A long, pleasant, evolving …
Aroma
The smell of brewed or steeped coffee after water is added, evaluated during cupping by sniffing the broken crust. Aroma …
Balance
A cupping attribute assessing how well a coffee's flavor, acidity, body, and aftertaste complement each other as a harmonious whole. …
Body
The tactile weight and texture of coffee on the palate, ranging from light and tea-like to heavy and syrupy. Body …
Clean Cup
A cupping attribute that evaluates the absence of defective or distracting flavors from first sip to finish. A clean cup …
Cupping
The standardized sensory evaluation protocol for assessing coffee quality, where coarsely ground coffee is steeped in hot water and tasted …
Fragrance
The smell of dry, freshly ground coffee before water is added, evaluated as the first sensory assessment in the cupping …
Q-Grading
A rigorous certification program administered by the Coffee Quality Institute (CQI) that qualifies individuals to grade coffee using standardized SCA …
Sweetness
A fundamental positive attribute in coffee where inherent sugars and sugar-browning byproducts produce a pleasant, sweet perception without added sweetener. …
Total Score
The cumulative cupping score on a 100-point scale, calculated by summing individual attribute scores for fragrance/aroma, flavor, aftertaste, acidity, body, …
Uniformity
A cupping attribute measuring consistency across five cups from the same sample, evaluating whether each cup tastes identical. High uniformity …
Equipment & Tools
Blade Grinder
A coffee grinder that uses a spinning metal blade to chop beans into irregular fragments. Blade grinders are inexpensive but …
Burr Grinder
A coffee grinder that crushes beans between two revolving abrasive surfaces (burrs), producing a uniform particle size. Burr grinders are …
Coffee Scale
A precision digital scale used to weigh coffee dose and water during brewing, enabling accurate brew ratios. Specialty coffee scales …
Distribution Tool
A leveling device placed on top of a portafilter basket and spun to distribute ground coffee evenly before tamping. It …
Dosing Funnel
A cylindrical ring that sits on top of a portafilter basket to catch stray grounds during dosing, preventing mess and …
Gooseneck Kettle
A kettle with a narrow, curved spout that gives the user precise control over water flow rate and placement during …
Knock Box
A sturdy container with a padded crossbar used to knock spent espresso pucks out of the portafilter after extraction. It …
Portafilter
The handled, detachable basket holder that locks into an espresso machine's group head and holds the ground coffee during extraction. …
Puck Screen
A thin metal mesh disc placed on top of the coffee puck inside the portafilter to promote even water dispersion …
Refractometer
An optical instrument that measures the refractive index of brewed coffee to determine its Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) concentration. TDS …
Tamper
A hand tool used to compress ground coffee evenly into the portafilter basket before espresso extraction. Proper tamping creates a …
WDT (Weiss Distribution Technique)
A puck preparation method in which thin needles are stirred through ground coffee in the portafilter basket to break up …
Origins & Terroir
Altitude
The elevation above sea level at which coffee is grown, typically measured in meters above sea level (masl). Higher altitudes …
Auction Lot
A competition-grade coffee lot sold through a curated auction platform where roasters bid for top-scoring coffees. Auctions like Best of …
Cup of Excellence
An annual international coffee competition and auction program that identifies and rewards the highest-quality coffees from a participating country. Coffees …
Direct Trade
A sourcing model in which roasters buy coffee directly from producers, bypassing traditional exporters and importers. Direct trade emphasizes personal …
Estate Coffee
Coffee grown, processed, and often milled on a single large farm (estate) that controls every step from cultivation to export-ready …
Microclimate
A localized set of atmospheric conditions—temperature, humidity, wind, and sunlight—that differs from the surrounding area. Microclimates within a single farm …
Micro-Lot
A small, carefully separated batch of coffee from a specific section of a farm, processed distinctly to highlight unique characteristics. …
Shade-Grown Coffee
Coffee cultivated under a canopy of taller trees rather than in full sun. Shade slows cherry ripening, promotes biodiversity, and …
Single Origin
Coffee sourced from one country, region, or specific farm, as opposed to a blend of multiple origins. The term signals …
Terroir
The complete set of environmental factors—soil composition, climate, altitude, and surrounding vegetation—that give a coffee its distinctive regional character. Borrowed …
Traceability
The ability to track a coffee from the specific farm, lot, or cooperative where it was grown through processing, export, …
Varietal Character
The distinct flavor profile attributable to a coffee plant's genetic variety, independent of terroir or processing. For example, Gesha is …
Espresso
Channeling
An extraction defect where pressurized water finds a path of least resistance through the coffee puck, over-extracting that narrow channel …
Crema
The golden-brown, emulsified foam layer that forms on top of a well-extracted espresso shot. Crema consists of CO₂ gas trapped …
Dose
The weight of dry ground coffee loaded into the portafilter basket for an espresso shot, measured in grams. A standard …
Lungo
An extended espresso shot pulled at a ratio of roughly 1:3 to 1:4 (e.g., 18 g in, 54–72 g out), …
Naked Portafilter
A portafilter with its bottom and spouts removed, exposing the underside of the filter basket during extraction. Also called a …
PID Controller
A Proportional-Integral-Derivative controller that maintains precise and stable brew water temperature in an espresso machine. PID-equipped machines typically hold temperature …
Pre-Infusion
A low-pressure soak phase at the beginning of espresso extraction that gently saturates the coffee puck before full pressure is …
Pressure Profiling
The practice of varying water pressure during espresso extraction rather than maintaining a constant 9 bars. Pressure profiling allows baristas …
Puck Prep
The sequence of steps performed to prepare the coffee bed in the portafilter basket before espresso extraction, including dosing, distributing, …
Ristretto
A short, concentrated espresso shot pulled at a ratio of roughly 1:1 to 1:1.5 (e.g., 18 g in, 18–27 g …
Shot Time
The total duration of an espresso extraction, measured from the moment the pump engages to when the desired yield is …
Yield
The weight of liquid espresso collected in the cup, measured in grams. Together with dose, yield defines the brew ratio—the …
Industry & Trade
C-Price
The benchmark commodity futures price for Arabica coffee traded on the Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) as Contract C. It is quoted …
Direct Trade
A sourcing philosophy where roasters purchase coffee directly from producers, establishing ongoing relationships that bypass conventional supply chain intermediaries. Unlike …
Fair Trade Certified
A certification system that guarantees coffee producers receive a minimum price floor and a social premium above market rates. Fair …
FOB Price
Free On Board price—the cost of green coffee loaded onto a shipping vessel at the port of origin, before international …
Green Buyer
A professional who sources and purchases unroasted (green) coffee beans on behalf of a roasting company or importing firm. Green …
ICO (International Coffee Organization)
An intergovernmental body established in 1963 under the United Nations to promote international cooperation on coffee trade, market transparency, and …
Lot Number
A unique identifier assigned to a specific batch of green coffee, enabling traceability from farm or cooperative through processing, export, …
NCA (National Coffee Association)
The US coffee industry trade association, representing importers, roasters, retailers, and allied businesses since 1911. The NCA publishes the annual …
Organic Certified Coffee
Coffee grown without synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, or herbicides, verified by an accredited certifying body. In the US, USDA Organic certification …
Rainforest Alliance Certified
An environmental and social sustainability certification that requires farms to meet standards on ecosystem conservation, worker welfare, and farm management. …
Sample Roast
A small-batch, standardized roast of green coffee used for cupping evaluation and quality assessment. Sample roasts follow protocols that minimize …
SCA (Specialty Coffee Association)
The global trade organization for the specialty coffee industry, formed in 2017 from the merger of SCAA and SCAE. The …
Coffee Culture
Barista
A trained professional who prepares and serves espresso-based coffee drinks. The term comes from Italian, where it simply means 'bartender,' …
Coffee Ceremony
A ritualized coffee preparation and serving tradition, most famously practiced in Ethiopia and Eritrea, where green beans are roasted, ground, …
Cupping Table
A dedicated workspace where coffee professionals evaluate multiple samples side by side using a standardized cupping protocol. The cupping table …
Fika
A Swedish cultural tradition of taking a deliberate coffee break, usually with pastry, for relaxation and social connection. Fika is …
Home Barista
A coffee enthusiast who invests in commercial-grade equipment, specialty beans, and barista techniques to prepare cafe-quality coffee at home. The …
Kissaten
A traditional Japanese coffee house that serves meticulously hand-brewed coffee, often single-cup siphon or pour-over, in a quiet, contemplative atmosphere. …
Latte Art
The practice of pouring steamed milk into espresso to create decorative patterns—such as hearts, rosettas, and tulips—on the drink's surface. …
Light Roast Movement
A trend in specialty coffee favoring lighter roast profiles that preserve a bean's origin character, acidity, and fruit-forward flavor notes …
Second Wave Coffee
The era of espresso-bar culture and coffeehouse chains that popularized espresso-based drinks and created coffee as a social experience. Second …
Single-Dose Grinding
The practice of weighing and grinding only the exact amount of beans needed for one brew, rather than filling a …
Specialty Cafe
A coffee shop that serves specialty-grade coffee (scoring 80+ points) with an emphasis on quality sourcing, skilled preparation, and customer …
Third Wave Coffee
A movement that treats coffee as an artisanal food product rather than a commodity, emphasizing single-origin sourcing, light roasting, and …