Terminology

 

B - A measurement of size used in some countries. Smaller than 'A'

Bag - A burlap sack of coffee. Coffee is sold by the sack, and averages at 60kg.

Baggy - An undesirable sensation caused by the green coffee being stored in unsuitable conditions. Damp/mothball-y flavour, similar to Musty.

Baked - A poorly roasted coffee that has not had a continual slight rise in temperature during roasting or has been roasted too long is baked. This leads to a flat, undeveloped tasting coffee.

Balance - A tasting term. Coffee that has no overriding characteristic and is thoughtfully roasted would be described as well balanced.

Batch (roaster) - A drum roaster that roasts set quantities of coffee in sequence. As opposed to fluid-bed roaster.

Berry - A fruity flavour similar to red berries found in exotic coffees. Also the term used by botanists for the fruit of the coffee plant.

Bitter - The basic taste sensation detected at the back of the tongue.

Black Bean - a bean that has turned black either as a result of insect damage, immature beans or ground fall beans. Leaves a distinctive taste in the cup.

Blade (grinder) - A grinder that smashes the beans using a set of spinning blades. More inaccurate but cheaper than a burr grinder.

Blend - A mixture of two or more coffees.

Body - The viscosity or weight of the coffee on your tongue.

Bourbon - A varietal Arabica first noticed on the isle of Reunion/Bourbon.

Brackish - Stale brewed coffee or over extraction and poor quality water. General poor brewing standards.

Bright - A coffee with sparkling acidity would be described as bright.

Briny - A poorly brewed or continually warmed coffee that exhibits a salty, flat sensation in the mouth.

Brown Bean - A green bean that is brown due to faulty fermentation, bad washing or over drying. Results in a sour taste and may later turn black.

Burr (grinder) - A grinder with a pair of discs used to grind the coffee beans to required size. Adjustable and has better results as a consequence.

Bunn - The original Ethiopian word for coffee.

Buttery - A smooth or soft buttery feel to coffee in the mouth. Can be associated with richness or caused artificially by to large coffee:water ratio.

 

Caffeine - An odorless, bitter alkaloid responsible for the stimulating effect of coffee.

Canephora (coffea) - The botanical term for Robusta

Caramelly - An aromatic term found in darker roasts that is reminiscent of caramel.

Caturra - A reasonably recent Arabica varietal that has a higher yield and greater pest/disease resistance than older Arabicas. A Bourbon mutation, it also matures quicker.

Chaff - The harmless roasted silverskin of the coffee bean that lifts off during roasting. Is more likely to be found in dry-processed coffees, and is mostly removed during the roasting process.

Chemical - an extremely distatseful and strong characteristic in roasted coffee. Also known as Phenoloic or Medicinal.

Cherry - The common name applied to the fruit of the coffee plant. Each cherry contains either two hemispherical beans or one more rounded bean or 'Peaberry'.

Chocolatey - A characteristic in roasted coffee similar to that of cocoa.

Citrus - A citrus-like flavour found mainly in the coffees of Africa.

Clean - A coffee that carries a distinct flavour and is without defect in the cup.

Complex - Coffee with layers to its flavour which can change through tasting giving an impression of Depth.

CO2 Process- A method of decaffeination where water and CO2 are used to extract the caffeine from green beans.

Crisp - A clean, bright coffee characteristic.

Cupping - the professional process of sensory evaluation of the coffee.

 

Decaffeination - The process of removing the caffeine from the green coffee bean. There are three process currently in use - the European or direct contact method, The Swiss Water Process(TM) and the Zosel or CO2 method. Leaves the bean a dull brown colour.

Degassing - Allowing the coffee to release carbon dioxide caused by the roasting process.

Depth - Subjective term describing the effect of flavours of the coffee in the mouth. Connected with a lasting flavour and mouthfeel that tends to linger.

Direct Contact - Decaffeination process that uses chemicals to attach themselves to the caffeine molecules in order to remove them from the green beans. Also known as the European method.

Dirty - A negative coffee term not to be associated with the positive term earthy when tasting. A dirty flavour.

Dry process - A method of processing green coffee from cherry to green bean form using little or no water. The coffee is laid out to dry in the sun and must be raked regularly to prevent mildew and moulds. The result is then hulled to reveal the green bean.

 

Ear - A broken part of the green elephant bean that has the appearance of an ear.

Earthy - Either a defect or desired quality dependent on how strong the flavour is, the origin of the beans in question and who is conducting the tasting. A dry processed wild coffee would be expected to have an earthy hint but not too strong. Comes from the beans lying on the earth during the drying process.

Elephant Bean - A misformed bean consisting of two closely interlinked pieces which can seperate and burn in the roasting process.

Elephant Maragogype -Not to be confused with the bean defect, denotes a very large bean typically produced by the Maragogype varietal.

Endocarp - The scientific term for the parchment, a protective skin between the flesh of the fruit and the silver skin on the bean. Removed in processing.

Epicarp - The scientific term for the skin of the fruit. Can also be called Exocarp.

European Preparation - Green coffee prepared for the European market by the removal of stones, twigs and defect beans before selling.

Exotic - A coffee with an extreme flavour characteristic such as berry or floral.

 

Faded - Coffee that is from an old crop with diminshed characteristics as a result.

Ferment - A result from the drying process where the bean took too long to dry causing a sour taste in the cup.

Fermentation - A step in the processing after pulping where the coffee is fermented to remove any remaining pulp, flesh or mucilage lasting between 24 -36 hours. Has both a dry or wet method.

Finish - Refers to the aftertaste and lingering qualities of a coffee. Literally how a coffee flavour finishes in your mouth.

Flat - No acidity or body in the coffee. Is found in both stale coffee and poor roasting.

Flavour - The generic term used to describe characteristics of a coffee though does not rely on one or other of them. A seperate entity to Acidity, Aroma, Body and Mouthfeel.

Floater - A light or white coloured bean that will not roast properly. Also known as a quaker.

Floral - An aroma or flavour reminiscent of flowers or perfume.

Foxy - A green bean that still has some silver skin on the outside which has a reddish brown hue due to reused water becoming too dirty during processing.

French Roast - A very dark roasted coffee, though has no firm roast degree or meaning and can be darker or lighter than Espresso or Italian Roasts. Sometimes associated with coffees with added chicory or similar added ingredients.

Fresh - A positive term used to describe particularly good examples of coffee characteristics, associated with a new crop arrival.

Fruity - A coffee that exhibits fruit-like qualities such as citrus or berries.

 

Good Hard Bean (GHB) - A grade of bean associated with Costa Rica and grown between 3,300-3,900 feet above sea level.

Grassy - A flavour found when the beans are picked before fully ripe and reminiscent of fresh grass when cupped.

Green - An astringent flavour taint caused by insufficient heat during too short a period in roasting.

Green Bean - Coffee that has had inital processing and is ready to roast. Coffee in its 'raw' state. Varies slightly in colour dependent on origin.

 

Hand Picked - Coffee that has been hand picked so that only the ripe coffee is harvested from amongst the mix of cherries on the tree. Results in favourable quality.

Hard - (Tasting)Refers to the quality of the coffee taste and an unbalanced flavour. Coffees go from Rio-y through Hard to Soft.

Hard Bean - Refers to coffee grown at altitudes between 4,000 and 4,500ft.

Heavy - A term used to describe the presence of weight in the mouthfeel of a coffee.

Herby - A taste in coffee similar to that of herbs. Generally associated with Indonesian coffees.

Hulling - A step in processing where the coffee has the parchment and silver skin removed.

 

ICO - International Coffee Organization

Italian Roast - Sometimes the darkest roast, sometimes not dependent on a roasters' geographical location. A very dark roast nonetheless, is interchangable with French Roast and less often Espresso Roast.

 

Liberica (coffea) - A third variety of coffee midway between robusta and arabica, native to Liberia. Never really caught on in popularity.

 

 

Maragogype - A varietal Arabica that mutated and was noticed in the Maragogype region of Brazil. Has a low yield and large bean size.

Medicinal - A highly unpleasnt distinct chemical coffee flavour. Also known as Chemical or Phenoloic.

Mesocarp - The fleshy layer between the Epicarp and Endocarp.

Mild - A term for higher quality Arabican coffees with typically soft flavour characteristics, used in contrast to hard coffees.

Milling - The mechanical removal of the dry parchment skin or the fruit husk from wet-processed coffee beans.

Mocca - A bean type from Ethiopia.

Mocha - A bean type from Yemen, refers to the port of Mukha where coffee was first exported from.

Monsooned - A process where coffee from southern India is deliberately exposed to the monsoon in open warehouses lowering acidity in the bean.

Mouthfeel - The sensation or weight of coffee in your mouth when tasting.

Mucilage - The common term for the slimy layer between the pulp and the parchment of the coffee berry.

Musty - An earthy, damp, mouldy taste caused by insufficient drying during the processing of the green bean or by poor storage. Can also be found in badly aged coffee.

 

Natural Coffee - Coffee that has been prepared using only the dry method.

Nutty - A flavour reminiscent of roasted nuts often accompanied by a slight dry feeling left in the mouth.

 

Parchment -Common term for a tough outer layer to the coffee bean, between the flesh and the silver skin, removed in processing before the green coffee is taken to market. Also called Endocarp.

Papery - A negative taste found with either poor quality filters, or stale coffee.

Peaberry - A coffee bean that has grown as one complete bean rather than the usual two hemispherical beans. Is argued to therefore have a distinct or more developed taste and is marketed seperately. Usually slightly smaller in size.

Polished - A process where the green beans have their appearance improved. Affects flavour and is not encouraged practice.

Processy - A flavour in the coffee caused by a part of the process, particularly noticeable in decaffeinated coffee.

Pulp - The fleshy layer of flesh on a coffee berry.

Pulping - First step in wet processing coffee. The removal of the fruit pulp in a machine by rubbing without harming the bean.

Pyrolysis - The chemical breakdown of fats and carbohydrates causing the aroma and most of the coffee flavours that occur during roasting.

 

Quaker - A light or white coloured bean in with the green coffee that floats in water and does not roast. Is unripe or underdeveloped. Also known as a floater.

Quakery - A slight peanutty flavour caused by the presence of quakers in the coffee.

 

Rancid -The oxidization of coffee fats giving a very negative taste. Normally caused by poor cleaning of brewing equipment.

Rioy - Typified by coffees grown in the Rio district of Brazil, a medicinal/iodine taste in the coffee. Sought by some and reviled by others.

Roast - The process of heating the beans for consumption turning them from green to brown.

Roaster - Either the person responsible for roasting the beans or the machinery used to do so.

Roastmaster - An highly experienced roaster.

Roasty - A flavour present due to the roasting process rather than naturally occuring in the bean.

Robusta (coffea) - A type of coffee more bitter than Arabica with less aromatics and a peanutty flavour. Has a higher yield per plant and greater tolerance to pests and diseases. Contains roughly twice as much caffeine as Arabica. A cheap commodity coffee.

Round - A tasting description where a where balanced coffee gives an impression of roundness in the mouth.

Rubbery - A negative taste of rubber in the coffee.

 

SCAA - Speciality Coffee Association of America.

SCAE - Speciality Coffee Association of Europe.

Scorched - Coffee that has been roasted too ferociously resulting in the scorching of the outside of the beans.

Semi-dry process - A mixture between the wet and dry processing methods, with the initail wet process method being favoured before continuing with the dry process.

Silver Skin - A thin papery layer immediately surrounding the coffee bean, preominantly removed in processing, with the remainder forming and being removed as chaff in the roasting process.

Single Estate - Coffee produced by one estate, farm or mill.

Single Origin - A coffee from one country, region and crop.

Smooth - A tasting term used to describe a coffee with no edges and a good mouthfeel.

Soft - A low acid mild coffee characteristic.

Soft Bean - Coffee grown at altitudes below 4,000ft.

Sour - A negative taste caused by over fermented beans.

Sour Bean - A brown unroasted bean that has been too long in the fermentation process producing a sour flavour easily noticeable in the cup.

Sparkling - A characteristic of lively, bright acidity that quickly dissipates.

Spicy - A coffee or aroma with a particular spice-like quality such as clove or nutmeg, often associated with aged coffees.

Stale - Coffee that has been exposed to oxygen for too long, becoming flat and tasting of cardboard.

Stewed - Coffee that has either been reheated after cooling or has been left on the hotplate too long.

Strictly Hard Bean (SHB) - Coffee grown at heights of 4,500ft and above. See also Hard Bean.

Strictly High Grown (SHG) - Coffee also grown at heights of 4,500ft or above.

Sun Dried - Coffees that have been dried on beds or patios under the sun directly after picking.

Supremo - Associated with Colombian coffee, denotes a high quality and large sized bean.

Sweet - Refers to a coffee that is free from any harsh flavours and is smooth and appealing.

Swiss Water Process - A method of decaffeination that uses water, steam and activated carbon filters to remove the caffeine as opposed to chemicals. Trademarked.

Syrupy - A thick coffee with a lingering aftertaste and heavy body.

 

Tangy - A lingering acidity tasted at the sides of the tongue.

Tarry - A negative term for an unpleasant taste in the coffee reminiscent of tarmacadam.

Tart - The predominance of sour flavours in the coffee, usually due to light roasting.

Thick - A quality in coffee where there is a high amount of suspended matter in the coffee.

Thin - The opposite of thick, can be caused by incorrect coffee:water ratio or a coffee overly lacking in body.

Typica - The original variety of Arabica that was predominantly spread around the world.

 

Varietal - An unblended coffee from a single country, region, and variety of bush. Also a term for the particular botanical strain of plant.

 

 

Washed Coffee - Coffee prepared using the wet method of processing.

Wet Process - The favoured method of removing the bean from the coffee berry. Involves initial sorting of beans in water, removal of fruit flesh by screen and then subsequent fermentation of remaining flesh and a final washing to reveal the bean. Generally produces good acidity and cleaner taste.

Whole Bean - A coffee that has been roasted but not ground.

Wild - Used to describe an exotic flavour or extreme flavour characteristic. Can be used in a negative way also.

Winey - Having a taste similar to that of red wine. Often found in Arabic coffees.

Woody - A negative term used to describe an overriding wood flavour in the coffee caused whilst in storage.

 

Zosel Method - A decaffeination process invented by Kurt Zosel. Uses water to soak beans in and has CO2 added to create sparkling water. The CO2 then extracts the caffeine effectively and without chemicals. Also known as CO2 method.