The primary coffee flavour sensation that is perceived as a pleasing sharpness toward the front of the mouth. One of the primary parameters that help to describe the quality of a coffee
Aeropress
It is a versatile coffee brewing equipment that is most convenient while travelling.
Altitude
General saying is “the higher the better” but it is not always true as coffee growing is a complex method. Arabica beans are grown at an altitude between 1000m up to 2500m and Robusta beans are grown at an altitude between sea level and 1000m.
Arabica
It is the most widely grown coffee species in the world. Almost all the speciality coffee(s) are made of these beans.
Aftertaste
The taste sensation and aromas that remain after swallowing the coffee.
B
Barista
is an Italian word that means - ‘bar person’. A Barista is the one who brews coffee, makes the espresso, steams the milk and also makes the latte art.
Blending
It means mixing various types of coffee beans from different countries. It is done for various reasons.
Bloom
When water hits the coffee grounds in any brewing equipment, it quickly releases carbon dioxide, which forms a foamy crust on the top, this is called ‘blooming’. During the blooming stage you normally let the coffee and water sit for a few seconds so that with the release of co2, all the negative flavours get expelled as well.
Body
It is a term used during cupping and tasting although it can be considered alongside mouthfeel. It is usually described on the spectrum of light to heavy.
Brew ratio
This talks about the ratio of coffee to water as a part of the brew recipe.
C
Chemex
it is a beautiful piece of manual brewing equipment invented in the 1940s, made of glass with a wooden piece in the middle. It requires a large paper filter and produces multiple cups of coffee.
Caffeine
It is an alkaloid compound that is found especially in coffee plants and works as a stimulant. This is the drug that keeps you awake, and alert.
Cappuccino
It is a coffee drink that emerged from Italy. It is quite strong when compared to a latte with a ratio of 1:1:1 i.e. equal amounts of coffee shot, milk and foam.
Cupping
It is a technique of tasting and evaluating coffee beans. A ‘cupper’ does this to decide whether the coffee is good to purchase, or whether that roast profile is good, or if the coffee beans are of speciality grade or commercial.
D
Decaf
Coffee beans from which the caffeine has been extracted with various methods.
Dry aroma
The complex and pleasing aroma that is given off by the coffee when it is ground but the water is not yet added.
Dose
It is a simple term that that commonly refers to the amount of ground coffee used to prepare a cup of coffee.
E
Espresso
It is a concentrated shot of coffee brewed under high pressure. This creates a layer of foam on the top called ‘crema’. A normal shot of espresso Is about 30ml. Multiple beverages such as Americano, Cappuccino, Latte can be made using espresso shots.
Extraction
talks about how much of the coffee is been taken by the water. A well-extracted coffee has a rate of about 20% and has a balance of different flavours. Normally roasted coffee can have a maximum extraction rate of 28%. To check the extraction rate one can use a refractometer.
F
First crack
A popping or snapping sound that comes while heating the bean as the moisture in the bean is making its escape leading to an increase in its size. French Press- It is a type of brewing equipment where there is a plunger with a filter mesh that does not let the ground coffee pass through while you pour the drink. It is a full immersion method of brewing coffee.
Flavour notes
When someone cups the coffee, they then denote the flavour of that coffee as mellow, sweet, dark or bitter. And based on that, the elements are then written on the detail tag.
G
Grinding
Grinding is the last step before you brew a cup of coffee. A grinder crushes the whole beans into smaller particles of coffee allowing for better extraction. A grinder can be a manual hand grinder or an automated one. Both of these have burrs in them.
H
Honey process
There’s no honey involved, the name refers to the sticky flesh of coffee cherry called mucilage. This process takes place after the processing and drying are done.
I
Instant coffee
It is also known as soluble coffee that can be used by an ordinary person just by adding water to it. It was first invented in the 18th century in England.
K
Kopi Luwak
This is the most expensive coffee in the world. The way this coffee is processed is that a civet cat chooses the ripest cherries to eat and then secrets them, resulting in an exotic coffee which is then collected, washed and dried.
L
Latte art
Patterns adorning the surface of your freshly prepared coffee by a barista, with steamed and frothy milk on top of your espresso drinks, such as a cappuccino or a latte. It is an art and takes a lot of practice.
M
Moka Pot
It is brewing equipment, which is also sometimes called a stovetop espresso. It was invented by Alfonso Bialetti in 1933 in Italy.
Mucilage
It is the flesh of the coffee fruit that sticks to the parchment surrounding the coffee beans. It plays an important role in various stages.
MASL
Height above mean sea level is a measure of the vertical distance of a location in reference to a mean sea level taken as a vertical datum.
O
Olfactory
Our nose is prominently responsible for the flavours we experience while eating or drinking. This tasting system in our nose is known as the olfactory.
P
Pour over
It is a coffee brewing method that involves pouring hot water through a filter containing ground coffee.
R
Robusta
It is a prominent specie of coffee, like Arabica. Unlike Arabica, it is of rather lower quality. It is full-bodied, much bitter due to its pyrazine content and has a prominent earthy flavour.
S
Single-origin
A single-origin coffee means that it comes from a single producer, crop, or region in one country. Because single-origin coffees are traceable to a single place, they typically have a distinct flavour.
Sustainability
There are many aspects of the seed to cup journey that we consider with sustainability in mind. Remaining committed to all the practices that keep the customers, farmers and environment healthy.
W
Washed process
In the world of speciality coffee, this method dominates. This is a processing method that is done after the picking of the cherries.
Y
Yield
The “Yield “ of the coffee talks about the final weight of the beverage produced, which includes - the water and the infused coffee.
