Discover Real Coffee
Coffee Terms Glossary
The speciality coffee world can feel like a big and confusing one to walk into. But here at All Things Coffee we want everyone to find it engaging and welcoming. Here are some of those well-used coffee terms broken down and translated into layman's terms. If there are coffee terms that doesn't feature below, and that you don't understand, why not get in touch with us and we will decode it for you!
Coffee Roasting
Speciality Coffee:
Speciality coffee is a term thrown around a lot, used to describe a high grade of coffee. Certain climates and conditions produce the highest quality coffees, which is why certain countries are so dominant in coffee production such as Brazil and Colombia. Specialty coffee has quality at the heart of its production cycle, at all stages. Some regular coffees do not.
Espresso Roast:
Different coffees are roasted for different lengths of time in order to suit their natural flavours and the ways they are grown. Espresso roast means the coffee has been roasted for a long period, longer than “dark roast”, making it extra enjoyable as an espresso.
Medium Roast:
Medium roast coffee has been roasted for a length of time that sits between light and dark roasting. These coffees usually have medium acidity and a well-rounded body. Medium roast coffees are one of the more popular roasts in the world of speciality coffee!
Robusta Coffee:
Robusta coffee is 2nd to Arabica, in the most used coffee type. It is slightly less popular than Arabica beans because it possesses a harsher taste. However, it is often blended with Arabica beans to create new flavours and tones.
Coffee Blend:
A coffee blend means a mixture of 2 or more different coffees from different farmers, regions, or different countries altogether. Blends are created to create new flavours, and can create aromas that no single origin coffee can! Lower grade coffees can be blended in, to make coffees more commercially sound (not in our coffees of course!)
Speciality Coffee Roasters:
Since the 2000s, independent coffee roasters have been springing up all over the country, and roasting coffee to a quality high enough to be branded “speciality coffee”. This means that the coffee, from start to finish, has been selected and treated as the highest-grade coffees. Speciality coffee roasters are the final part of this supply chain, procuring green coffee beans from importers or from the growers directly, to roast them to perfection… for your enjoyment!
Coffee Production
Wet Process:
A pulping machine is used to remove the skin of the coffee cherries, and beans are washed with water to produce a clean coffee. The next step is to dry the beans off in the sun or by ohter drying methods.
Dry Process:
Also referred to as the “natural process”, coffee cherries are dried in the sun in coffee producing countries which have less rainfall. Less rainfall means that coffees can be dried by the great outdoors!
Coffee Estate:
Another term for a coffee plantation. Estates are larger coffee farms with more than 120 acres, and produce coffee on a commercial scale.
Coffee Cherry:
Did you know that your coffee comes from a fruit? The coffee cherry is grown on coffee trees, taking 9 months to ripen and farmers extract 2 coffee beans from each cherry.
Coffee Cooperative:
A cooperative is a group of farmers, usually “smallholders”, who have formed a working group to produce good quality, and to the right volume. The cooperative is responsible for quality standards over their production too.
Smallholders:
A smaller coffee producer who typically has less than 12 acres of coffee growing farm land.
Cement Patio:
Sounding more like a phrase from the world of garden design, this one can cause some confusion! Cement patio is a method of open-air drying of coffee beans, that takes place on a… cement patio!
Coffee Flower:
Coffea is a flowering plant, also known as a coffee plant, and this is where your coffee comes from in fruit form.
Fairtrade:
Fairtrade is an international organisation and certification awarded to products, like coffees, that ensures that fair prices are met for product exports.
Fermentation:
Post-harvent coffee processing whereby coffee pulp is softened and washed with water. This is the process immediately before the drying phase.
Honey Process:
Honey processing is the removal of the coffee cherry to unearth the honey-like mucilage on the fruit. Drying with this on is great for taste and production control.
Coffee Drinking
Over-extraction:
A precise amount of soluble coffee needs to be extracted from cofee grounds, to achieve the incredible flavours that we all know and love. Over-extraction means removing too much, resulting in a bitter coffee. This can be done by grinding beans too small.
House Espresso:
The “house espresso” is a term used to describe the espresso that is actually being served to customers. High street coffee shops may sell a variety of coffees to customers. But their “house espresso” is the blend that is used to create the milky barista drinks that we know and love.
Mouthfeel:
The sensation that occurs when coffee is tasted. Mouthfeel is not so much flavour, but more the physical observations such as texture.
The Flat White:
Ahhh the “flat white”. One doesn’t need to think too hard to know that it’s a milky coffee which is popular amongst modern-day coffee enthusiasts. But what exactly is a flat white? There are plenty of variations of milky coffee drinks and you should know your flat white from your latte! Especially if you’re ordering one at full volume in Starbucks tomorrow… where other milky coffees use foamed milk, a flat white is simply steamed milk on top of espresso without any foam.
Crema:
The lighter-brown coloured foam that sits on the top of your coffee. Crema is created through the pressure of the extraction process, such as in a cafetiere.
V60 Dripper:
A V60 dripper, or V60 coffee maker, is a very commonly used coffee brewing method. It is in essence a coffee filter machine which is supported by a small plastic frame. This method is low maintenance, cheap, and allows the brewer to get up close and personal with their coffee making. The V60 dripper method requires the maker to pour hot water over the top to begin the coffee dripping/filtering. Hario V60 drippers are the most popular brand. This is thanks to the Hario V60’s durability and style. Hario V60s come in either glass or plastic ranges and are brilliant for first time coffee makers!
Nespresso Coffee:
In the 2020s, the age of the Nespresso coffee pod took the coffee world by storm. They are easy for the user, if you are willing to house the machinery. Before long, speciality coffee roasters cottoned on to the fact that their roasts could be packed into these convenient Nespresso pods, meaning that the industry could adapt to this change. You can find Nespresso-compatible speciality coffee pods on our Coffees page here!
Burr Grinder:
Some grinders are far better at achieving uniform grinds than others. There are steel blade grinders and there are burr grinders. Burr grinders use ceramic burrs to grind the coffee instead of chopping it up with steel blades. This leads to a far more even grind, allowing for a much better coffee, with maximum taste being taken from the beans.
AeroPress Coffee Maker:
A device that was created in 2005 which is used to produce great coffee using a filtering method quickly and neatly. AeroPress are affordable, compact and great for quick one-cup coffee making.
Brewing Time:
The amount of time that the water is in contact with the coffee grounds, and therefore extracting coffee.
Cupping:
The process of delving into the coffee’s armomas and flavours. This would usually be done by coffee experts, but is also offered as an experience for coffee fans!
Coffee Terms
Organic Coffee
The use of synthetic fertilisers is a problem for the wellbeing of farmers and those who drink coffee. These methods were introduced as farmers struggled to meet the demand for their coffees. Now, many organic coffees are available (check out our products pages), which use only natural pesticides such as manure or even used coffee!
Sustainable Coffee:
Like many industries, the coffee industry has its troubles with sustainability. Sustainable coffee is coffee grown in a manor that has no negative impact on the environment (often a positive one!) and is fair to all involved in the production line. This is from farmers to logistics to coffee shops!
Arabica Coffee:
Arabica is a coffee bean type. There are 2 main coffee bean types, being Arabica (smooth, pleasant, and found in most coffee consumed), and Robusta beans (which are stronger, harsher and often used in blends on account of their powerful kick and lower price). The coffee arabica plant originates from Ethiopia an contributes to 60% of coffee consumed worldwide. Varietals of the Arabica bean include Caturra and Typica.
Single Origin Coffee:
Coffee that has been grown in a specific place, and one that could be 1 part of a blend if chosen to by the roaster.
Barista Coffee:
A Barista is an Italian name given to someone who is a professional at making coffee. It was first coined in 1938, in early espresso culture. The term “Barista” actually replaced “barman”, due to Mussolini’s desire to “Italianise” more words. “Barista” hit the mainstream in the 1970s, along with many other Italian coffee terms!
Specialty Coffee:
Specialty coffee is a terms that means exactly the same thing as “speciality coffee”, but is the American version. The term “specialty coffee” is still used heavily in the U.K. as it can be rather confusing!
International Coffee Agreement:
Coffee production and coffee consumption countries found a way to agree on not oversupplying. This helped to control complex pricing issues that were starting to emerge in the coffee trade.
Peaberry:
Usually a coffee cherry grows 2 beans within it. But what happens when just 1 does? A unique flavour is formed and these are harvested separately, and sold as Peaberry!
Traceable Coffee:
Transparency is huge in the coffee indsutry. Consumers should want to know where the beans came from and how they were roasted and produced. Most roasters provide this information so that the backstory can be learned, and so that they can find them again one day if they love their coffee!
Speciality Coffee Association of America:
A central and governing body to the speciality coffee world. The speciality coffee grading system was founded by the SCA. It’s European counterpart is named the SCAE.
Bean-to-Cup
Bean-to-Cup espresso machines, or automatic espresso machines, do a lot of the heavy lifting for Baristas and espresso makers at home. They save precious time in doing the coffee grinding for you, with the user simply putting coffee beans in the top and getting silky and tasty espresso coffee out of the bottom.