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A

Coffee Glossary

Acidity
Acidity is a desirable characteristic in coffee. It is the sensation of dryness that the coffee produces under the edges of your tongue and on the back of your palate. The role acidity plays in coffee is not unlike its role as related to the flavor of wine. It provides a sharp, bright, vibrant quality. Without sufficient acidity, the coffee will tend to taste flat. Acidity should not be confused with sour, which is an unpleasant, negative flavor characteristic. Also, acidity has nothing to do with pH factors. Coffees are low in acidity, between 5 and 6 on the pH scale.

Americano
A shot or two of espresso that has been poured into a glass filled with hot water.

Arabica
Coffea Arabica, a coffee bean developed for wider latitudes. The most common cultivated species of coffee in the modern market. Arabicas have a wider taste range, between varieties. They range in taste from sweet-soft to sharp-tangy. Their unroasted smell is sometimes likened to blueberries. Their roasted smell is perfumey with fruity notes and sugary tones. Arabicas are delicate, they require cool tropical climates, lots of moisture, rich soil, shade and sun. They are subject to attack from various pests, and are extremely vulnerable to cold, and bad handling.

Aroma
The fragrance of brewed coffee. The smell of coffee grounds is referred to as the Bouquet.

Automatic Drip
Coffee brewers that automatically heat and filter water the coffee.
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Bag
A burlap sack of coffee. In various countries it is a different weight. For example: Brazil a bag is 132 pounds. Colombia it is 154 pounds. In Hawaii it is 100 pound. (132 lbs is the most common.)

Barista
A lucky person who drinks coffee as a profession.

Batch Roaster
A machine which roasts a given quantity at one time. It does not continually roast beans. There is an identifiable start and end time to the roasters capabilities.

Bitter
The taste perceived at the back of the tongue. Dark Roasts are intentionally bitter. Over-extraction (too little coffee at too fine a grind) can cause a bad bitterness.

Bland
The pale flavor often found in low grown robusta coffees. Also caused by under-extraction (too little coffee or too course a grind).

Blend
A mixture of two or more individual varietals of coffee.

Body
The tactile impression of the weight of the coffee in the mouth. May range from thin to medium to full to buttery to syrupy.

Bright
Tangy acidity is often described as bright.

Briny
The salty sensation caused by excessive heat after brewing (truck-stop coffee).

C

Caffe Americano
Espresso that is cut with very hot water to fill an American size cup.

Caffe Mocha
This can be prepared a variety of ways. Basically this is a chocolate caffe latte. Always a risky venture when taken from an unknown vendor. Qualities of chocolate syrup and strength vary widely. Often prepared with whipped cream on top and/or swirls of flavored syrups of the butterscotch and chocolate nature

Caffe Latte
Espresso with steamed milk often topped with foamed milk. In Italian "latte" means milk. At Starbucks, ask for a no-foam Latte, because they are just as likely to give you a Cappuccino. It is all about portions of foam and milk. Even the sacred Torrefazione has a problem with this. A latte is Milk and Espresso. It is not foam and espresso. The steamed milk should never hide a bad shot of espresso. The milk should be hot but not scalding. If your Latte is tepid, like some high-brow places like to pass it off saying it is prepared for "immediate consumption", send it back. The Cafe Latte is a hot drink.

Caffe Amaretto
A caffe latte with almond syrup added. (Most espresso bars offer an array of flavored syrups that can be added to coffee or used to make Italian sodas.)

Caffeine
The drug contained in coffee. A bitter white alkaloid derived from coffee (or tea) and used in medicine for a mild stimulant or to treat certain kinds of headache.

Cappuccino
Cappuccino gets its name from the Italian order of Catholic Capuchin monks, whose hooded robes resemble the drink's cap of foam in shape and color. The frothed milk from the top of the steaming pitcher is spooned on top to "cap" the cappuccino and retain heat. The proportion of espresso to steamed and frothed milk for cappuccino is usually 1/3 espresso, 1/3 steamed milk and 1/3 frothed milk on top.

Cupping
While tasting wine is called "tasting", tasting coffee is called "cupping".

Crema
The caramel colored foam that appears on top of a shot of espresso during the brewing period. It soon dissipates after brewing. If your Crema is gone then you waited too long...or you received a bad shot! The crema makes a 'cap' which helps retain the aromatics and flavors of the espresso within the cup - the presence of crema indicates an acceptable brew.... Crema is due to colloids and lipids forced out into an emulsion under the pressure of a espresso machine.

D

Demitasse
A small (1/2 size) cup used for serving espresso. It is a French term meaning 'half cup'.

Doppio
A double shot of espresso. Also see solo.

Double
Two shots of espresso (1.5-2 ounces). Doppio in Italian. Average Price: 1.75-2.00

Dry
Applied to cappuccinos meaning no liquid milk in the espresso, just foam.

E

Earthy
The spicy "of the earth taste" of Indonesian coffees.

Espresso
A brewing method that extracts the heart of the bean. It was invented in Italy at the turn of the century. A pump-driven machine forces hot water through fine grounds at around nine atmospheres of pressure. It should take between 18 to 23 seconds to extract a good shot. This will produce from 3/4 to one ounce of great liquid. This produces a sweet, thick and rich, smooth shot of espresso. Comes from the Latin word "Expresere" which means "to press out."

Espresso Breve
Espresso with half and half.

Espresso Lungo
A shot that is pulled long for a bit of extra espresso. While many believe this maximizes the caffeine, in most shops this merely produces a bitter cup.

Espresso Macchiato
Espresso with a minimal amount (or "mark") of steamed milk on top.

Espresso Ristretto
Literally "restricted" espresso. A shorter draw. The goal being a thicker and more flavorful espresso.

Exotic
Unusual aromatic and flavor notes, such as berry or floral.

F

Flavor
The total impression of Aroma , Acidity , and Body.

French Press
A device for making coffee in which ground coffee is steeped in water. The grounds are then removed from the coffee by means of a filter plunger which presses the grounds to the bottom of the pot. Also referred to as a plunger pot.

French Roas
Dark Roasted. Taste bittersweet but not like burnt charcoal.

Froth or Foam
Milk which has been made thick and foamy by aerating it with hot steam.

G

Grande
Any espresso drink (single or double) in a 16 ounce cup.

H

Hard Bean
Coffee grown at relatively high altitudes, 4,000 to 4,500 feet. Coffee grown above 4,500 feet is referred to as strictly hard bean. This terminology says that beans grown at higher altitudes mature more slowly and are harder and denser than other beans and are thus more desirable.

L

Latte
A shot or two of espresso that has been poured into a cup filled with steamed milk and topped off with foamed milk (about a 1/4").

M

Mocha
A small irregular bean. Has a unique acid character. Generally shipped from Mocha Yemen. It is sometimes mixed with coffee shipped from Mocha Yemen.

Monsooned Coffee
Coffee deliberately exposed to monsoon winds in open warehouse to increase body and reduce acidity.

P

Peaberry
Normally, each coffee cherry contains two beans. Occasionally, a cherry will form with only one bean. These are called peaberries and are frequently separated and sold as its own distinct varietal. New Guinea is one of the more popular ones.

R

Robusta
One of the species of coffee in the modern market. Robustas taste range is neutral to harsh. and are often described as tasting grain-like, oatmeally. Their unroasted small is often described as raw-peonutty. Their roasted smell is often likened to burnt rubber. Robustas are hardier plants, capable of growing well at low altitudes, less subject to problems related to pests, and rough handling. They yield more pounds of finished goods per acre at a lower cost of production.

Ristretto
This is the strongest and most concentrated espresso drink. It is made with about half the amount of water but the same amount of coffee as a regular espresso. It is pure, intense, and wonderful in taste. Ristretto in Italian means "restricted."

S

Single
A shot of espresso (3/4-1 ounce). Average Price 1.25

Short
Any style espresso drink (single or double) in a 10 ounce cup.

Skinny
An espresso drink prepared with non-fat milk.

Solo
A single shot of espresso. Also see doppio.

Soft Bean
Describes coffee grown at relatively low altitudes (under 4,000 ft). Beans grown at lower altitudes mature more quickly and produce a lighter, more porous bean.

Spicy
The flavor of particular spices.

Stale
Coffee that has been exposed to oxygen for too long. It becomes flat and has a cardboard taste.

Sweet
Smooth and palatable coffee that is free from defects and harsh flavors.

T

Tall
Any espresso drink (single or double) in a 12 ounce cup.

Tone
The appearance or color of coffee. i.e. "This light toned coffee resembles the brown robes of the Franciscan Order."

V

Varietal
The term used for the coffee that comes from a geographical region. A Sumatra, Kenya, Costa Rica or a Java are varietals. As in wine...soil, climate and cultivation methods affect the taste of your coffee. The term varietal is actually a misnomer, since Arabica coffee plants are basically of the same species, unlike wine grapes which come from different species of grape vines.

W

Wet
The opposite of dry, meaning a cappuccino with a small amount of liquid milk added to the espresso in addition to foam.

Winy
A flavor reminiscent of fine red wine. Kenya is one of the most notables.

   
 
 
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