Coffee
Dictionary
Basic
Coffee Definitions
Aged
coffee:
Coffees that are properly stored “in the green”
or un-roasted for several years in order to create pricey
full bodied, heavy-flavored coffees.
Arabica: An aromatic
and flavorful coffee bean variety used to produce high-quality
and gourmet coffees.
Barista: A coffee-making
professional.
Blend: Two or more varietals
of coffee blended together.
Cappuccino: A shot of
espresso blended with equal portions steamed milk and foam
topping.
Café Americano: A
few shots of espresso poured with hot water to fill a typical
drip-style coffee cup or sometimes espresso brewed drip-style.
Café Au Lait:
Drip-style coffee blended with equal portions of steamed
milk.
Cafe con Panna: Espresso
dabbed with whipping cream.
Café Latte: A
shot of espresso served in a tall glass poured with 3 to
4 times that amount steamed milk and a dab of foam.
Café Macchiato:
A shot of espresso marked with a dab of foam.
Café Mocha: A
shot of espresso served in a tall glass poured with 3 to
4 times that amount steamed chocolate milk (made from powder
or syrup) and a dab of foam or whipped cream and a shake
of shaved or powdered chocolate.
Caffeine: A stimulant
contained in coffee, which can boost the heart rate and
alertness and, in elevated quantities, can lead to restlessness
or insomnia.
Cupping: Coffee tasting
with a professional coffee “cupper.”
Dark-roasted coffee: Coffee
roasted past the point of full flavor so as to bring out
highly desirable burnt notes.
Decaffeinated coffee:
Coffee that has been processed through a chemical process
to remove the majority of caffeine.
Espresso: An Italian-born
beverage made by rapidly brewing coffee by forcing steam
through the grounds. Prepares one smooth, thick, dark-roasted
“shot” at a time.
Fair trade coffees:
A coffee that is certified by an international agency as
having been grown on a farm that is part of a Fair Trade
working cooperative. Fair Trade certification works to allow
farmers to warrant a fair price for their goods and at the
same time upholds specific standards for the wages and living
and working conditions of its workers. Fair Trade coffees
are labeled as such.
Flavored coffee: Coffee
beans that have been “spiced up” with chocolate,
cinnamon, hazelnut, or other spices and flavors.
French press: A preferred
coffee-making device in which ground coffee is topped with
hot water. Then the grounds are manually pressed to the
bottom of the pot with a plunger-like filter mechanism that
separates the grounds from the brewed coffee. Makes a flavorful
cup.
French roast: A degree
of dark roast.
Italian roast: A degree
of dark roast that is roasted darker than a French roast.
Medium roast: A medium
degree of roast that is mostly used in American coffee.
Organic coffees:
A coffee that is certified by an international agency as
having been grown free of chemical pesticides, fertilizers,
or herbicides and labeled as such.
Robusta: A
somewhat bitter, less aromatic, low-quality coffee bean
variety used to produce instant and freeze-dried coffees.
Contains twice the caffeine as Arabica coffee.
Vienna roast:
A degree of dark roast.
Coffee
Tasting Terms
Acidity:
A
sharp radiance and pleasing quality that enhances coffee’s
flavor. Coffee comes in various levels of acidity; however,
coffees in which acidity is lacking are most likely boring
and unexciting.
Acrid: An intensely
tart impression on the back of the tongue.
Aftertaste: The taste
that remains in the mouth after swallowing a sip of coffee,
which may leave impressions such as caramel, chocolate,
fruitiness, spiciness, smokiness, or roastiness, to name
a few.
Alkaline: A dry feeling
left at the back of the tongue.
Aroma: The fragrance
or smell of fresh-brewed coffee, ranging from fruity to
herby to smoky and more.
Astringent: When acidity
is at an undesirable level, we may say “astringent”
referring to its intense briny sensation at the tip of the
tongue.
Bitter: A twinge or
strong taste noticeable at the back of the tongue. Dark
roasts are prominently bitter, adding to the fullness of
the coffee. High levels of bitterness can be unpleasant,
especially if due to over-extraction or brewing too little
coffee at a too-fine grind.
Body: The weight of
a coffee as perceived in the mouth. A coffee may have light,
medium, full, or very full body.
Bright: Sharp acidity.
Briny: The salty feeling
in the mouth after drinking over-roasted or over-brewed
coffee.
Buttery: A rich and
oily heaviness in the mouth that’s found in fuller-bodied
coffees.
Caramelly: A sweet aroma
suggestive of candy or syrup.
Carbony: A roasty aroma
suggestive of a burnt substance that is present in many
very dark-roasted coffees.
Chocolaty: A roasty,
sweet aroma suggestive of unsweetened chocolate, cocoa,
or even vanilla.
Cinnamon: A spicy aroma
suggestive of cinnamon.
Clean: A coffee that
finishes clear, graceful, and smooth in the mouth, not dry.
Cocoa: A bittersweet
aroma suggestive of unsweetened chocolate.
Complex: Flavors that
have multiple layers of sensation.
Dirty: A taste that
is not earthy or musty but actually grimy in flavor.
Dry: A coffee that finishes
parched or dehydrated in the mouth, not clean. Also the
opposite of sweet.
Earthy: The aroma or
flavor of moist soil or earth.
Fine: A quality coffee
in terms of acidity, body, and overall positive characteristics.
Flat: A dull, lackluster
coffee, deficient in acidity.
Flavor: The fusion of
a coffee’s aroma, body, and acidity.
Floral: An aroma suggestive
of flowers.
Fresh: A positive trait
used to describe freshly roasted coffee with vibrant flavor
and aroma.
Fruity: A sweet or tangy
aroma or flavor suggestive of berries or citrus.
Full: Indicating strong
character, in terms of acidity, body, and flavor.
Grassy: An herbaceous
aroma or flavor suggestive of alfalfa or grass.
Harsh: A negative characteristic
describing a bitter, unpleasant, or offensive taste or sensation.
Herbal: An herbaceous
aroma or flavor suggestive of grass, dried herbs, or dry
beans.
Light: Indicating a
delicate character, in terms of acidity, body, and aroma.
Lively: Pleasingly vibrant
in acidity.
Mellow: A coffee that
finishes mildly and delicately.
Mild: A moderately bodied
coffee that finishes with balanced acidity and sweetness
and lacks bitterness or dryness.
Musty: Coffee that has
been aged properly may take on this cellared aroma.
Nutty: A roasty aroma
or flavor suggestive of peanuts, almonds, hazelnuts, etc.
Pungent: A strong and
piercing sensation in the mouth, characteristic of full-bodied
coffees.
Rancid: Coffee that
has not been stored properly may take on this highly offensive
sour flavor.
Rich: A full-bodied
coffee that finishes with a depth and complexity of flavor
and an overall pleasing taste.
Roasty: Coffee that
has been dark roasted properly may take on this smoky, high-quality
flavor.
Scorched: Coffee that
has not been roasted or brewed properly (usually due to
excessive heat) may take on this highly bitter, acrid aroma.
Smoky: Coffee that has
been dark roasted properly may take on this roasty, high-quality
flavor.
Sour: When acidity is
at an undesirable level, we may say “sour” referring
to its intense briny sensation at the tip of the tongue.
Spicy: A fragrance or
flavor reminiscent of spices like cinnamon or allspice.
Stale: Coffee that has
not been stored properly may take on this flat, one-dimensional
cardboard flavor.
Strawy: A negative herbaceous
aroma or flavor suggestive of hay.
Strength: The ratio
of water to ground coffee.
Strong: Characteristic
of rich, full-bodied coffees.
Sweet: A mild, smooth,
or fruity taste noticeable at the tip of the tongue.
Syrupy: A sweet, thick,
and sticky heaviness in the mouth.
Tangy: An intensely
piercing sweet and sour impression along the sides of the
tongue.
Tart: An intensely sour
sensation along the sides of the tongue.
Varietal: A coffee grown
in a specific geographical area, usually with distinct tastes
that derive from the area’s soil, climate, and cultivation
methods.
Weak: Characteristic of light-bodied coffees,
not flat.
Wild: Coffee that has
been contaminated or has endured chemical changes may take
on odd, unpleasant, or tangy flavors that significantly
vary from cup to cup.
Winey: Having the rich,
fruity essence of a fine red wine.
Woody: Coffee that has
been aged properly may take on this aroma or flavor, suggestive
of tree bark or oak.
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