Coffee Terms

Acidity
The sharp lively quality characteristic of high-grown coffee, tasted mainly at the tip of the tongue. The brisk, snappy quality that makes coffee refreshing. It is NOT the same as bitter or sour and 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.

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 person who makes coffee drinks as a profession.

Bitter
he 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).

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

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

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.

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

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

Courtesy Of CoffeeForLess.com
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