Everything you've ever wanted to know about coffee terms — without needing a barista qualification to understand it.
Coffee is one of life's great pleasures. But spend five minutes browsing a speciality roaster's website or chatting to an enthusiastic barista, and you might feel as though you've stumbled into a different language entirely. "Third-wave single-origin Ethiopian natural process with a light roast and bright acidity" — what does any of that actually mean?
The good news is that the jargon isn't as complicated as it sounds. Once you understand the vocabulary, you'll find it genuinely useful for discovering coffees you love and avoiding ones that aren't quite your cup of tea (so to speak). This guide takes you through every major term you're likely to encounter — from the farm all the way to your mug — in plain, friendly English.
Let's start at the very beginning.
Part One: Where Coffee Comes From
The Coffee Belt
Coffee plants only grow in a warm band of countries roughly between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn. This region is called the Coffee Belt (sometimes the Bean Belt). It includes countries across Central and South America, Africa, and Asia. The climate in these countries — the right mix of heat, rainfall, altitude, and soil — is what makes growing great coffee possible.
The Coffee Plant and the Coffee Cherry
Most of the coffee we drink comes from one of two species of plant: Arabica (Coffea arabica) and Robusta (Coffea canephora).
Arabica is the more prized of the two. It produces a more complex, nuanced flavour — often described as sweeter and more delicate. It grows at higher altitudes and is more sensitive to disease, which makes it more expensive to grow and buy.
Robusta is hardier, grows at lower altitudes, and contains significantly more caffeine. It tends to taste stronger and more bitter, with a grainy or rubbery note that many coffee lovers find less appealing on its own. That said, Robusta is widely used in espresso blends (particularly Italian-style ones) where its qualities add body and a thick crema.
There are other species — Liberica and Excelsa among them — but they're relatively rare and unlikely to appear in your local café.
The fruit of the coffee plant is called a coffee cherry. It looks a bit like a small, round cherry, starting out green and ripening to red, yellow, or even orange depending on the variety. Inside each cherry are usually two seeds — and those seeds are what we call coffee beans. (They're not actually beans at all; that's just a nickname that stuck.)
Single Origin vs. Blend
Single origin means the coffee comes from one specific place — a single country, region, farm, or even a specific plot of land on a single farm (sometimes called a single estate or micro-lot). The idea is that coffee from a single, carefully defined origin has a distinctive character that reflects where it was grown. Speciality coffee enthusiasts love single-origin coffees because they're like a passport to a particular place and moment in time.
A blend combines beans from two or more origins. Blending is a skilled craft — roasters mix different coffees to create a consistent flavour profile that balances sweetness, body, and acidity. Many beloved espresso coffees are blends, designed to taste reliably good day in, day out regardless of seasonal variation in any one origin.
Neither single origin nor blend is inherently better — they serve different purposes.
Terroir
You may have heard this word used for wine, and coffee has borrowed it. Terroir (a French word, roughly pronounced "tare-WAHR") refers to the combination of environmental factors — soil, altitude, climate, rainfall, and geography — that give a coffee from a specific place its unique character. A coffee from the highlands of Ethiopia will taste different to one from the volcanic slopes of Guatemala, even if they're processed the same way, because the terroir is different.
Altitude and Growing Conditions
Altitude matters enormously in coffee. In general, coffee grown at higher altitudes develops more slowly, which allows sugars and complex flavour compounds to develop more fully. High-altitude coffees tend to have brighter acidity and more complex flavour. You'll often see MASL on coffee bags — this stands for Metres Above Sea Level, indicating the elevation at which the coffee was grown.
Part Two: Processing — How the Bean Gets Out of the Cherry
After the coffee cherry is harvested, the bean needs to be extracted from the fruit. The method used to do this — called processing — has a huge effect on the final flavour of your coffee. There are three main methods.
Washed (or "Wet Processed")
In the washed (or wet) process, the outer fruit skin is removed almost immediately after picking, and the beans are fermented in water tanks to help break down the remaining sticky fruit layer (called the mucilage). They're then washed with clean water and dried.
Washed coffees tend to taste clean and bright, with clear, distinct flavours that closely reflect the origin. If you want to taste exactly what a particular region or variety has to offer, a washed coffee is often the best way to experience it.
Natural (or "Dry Processed")
In the natural (or dry) process, the whole cherry — fruit and all — is laid out to dry in the sun for several weeks before the bean is extracted. During this time, the fruit dries around the bean and the sugars from the fruit absorb into it.
Natural coffees often taste noticeably fruity, sweet, and full-bodied. You might detect flavours of berries, jam, or even wine. Ethiopian natural-process coffees are famous for their intense blueberry character. Some people adore this style; others find it almost too intense or "funky."
Honey Process
The honey process sits between washed and natural. The outer skin is removed (like washed), but some or all of the sticky mucilage is left on the bean during drying (like natural). The name comes from the fact that the mucilage looks like honey.
Honey-processed coffees are categorised by how much mucilage is left on: yellow honey, red honey, and black honey (with black honey having the most mucilage, and therefore the most fruit influence). The result is usually a balanced coffee with sweetness and body from the fruit, but with more clarity than a full natural.
Pulped Natural / Semi-Washed
You'll sometimes see these terms, particularly for Brazilian coffees. Pulped natural is similar to honey process — the skin is removed but some mucilage remains during drying. Semi-washed is a broader term that can mean slightly different things depending on the producer, but generally refers to a partially fermented or partially dried method.
Anaerobic Fermentation
This is a newer, experimental technique you'll increasingly see on speciality coffee bags. Anaerobic means "without oxygen." The cherries or beans are placed in sealed tanks with no oxygen present during fermentation. This creates a more controlled environment and can produce very distinctive, intensely flavoured coffees — often with exotic fruit, wine, or even savoury notes. It's a bit divisive among coffee lovers: some find it exciting, others find the flavours overwhelming or artificial-tasting.
Part Three: Varieties and Cultivars
Just as wine lovers talk about grape varieties — Chardonnay, Merlot, Pinot Noir — coffee has its own varieties. These are different genetic strains of the coffee plant, each with their own characteristics.
Bourbon and Typica are two of the oldest and most revered Arabica varieties. They tend to produce cups with classic sweetness and balance.
Gesha (also spelled Geisha) is perhaps the most celebrated and expensive variety in the speciality world. Originally from Ethiopia, it became famous via Panama and is renowned for its extraordinary floral and tea-like qualities. A bag of top-quality Gesha can cost a significant amount.
SL28 and SL34 are Kenyan varieties known for producing coffees with bright, winey acidity and blackcurrant-like fruit.
Caturra, Catuai, and Catimor are compact, high-yielding varieties developed through selective breeding, common in Central and South America.
Heirloom varieties is a term often used for Ethiopian coffees to describe the thousands of indigenous, un-catalogued wild varieties that grow there. Ethiopia is considered the birthplace of Arabica coffee, and the genetic diversity of its coffee plants is extraordinary.
Part Four: Coffee Roasting
This is where green coffee beans — which look almost nothing like the brown beans you buy in a bag — are transformed into the aromatic, flavourful beans you know and love.
Green Coffee
Before roasting, coffee beans are green. Green coffee has little of the flavour we associate with coffee — it smells more like grass or hay and would make a terrible drink. The roasting process causes hundreds of chemical reactions that develop the complex flavours, aromas, and colour we expect.
The Roasting Process
During roasting, the beans are tumbled inside a rotating drum while heat is applied. The roaster carefully controls temperature and time to develop the desired flavour.
As the beans heat up, they go through several stages. They lose moisture, turn from green to yellow to light brown, and eventually reach what's called the first crack — an audible popping sound (a bit like popcorn) that signals the bean's cellular structure is breaking down and the coffee is reaching a light roast. If heat continues to be applied, the beans will reach a second crack, which indicates a medium-dark to dark roast.
The exact temperature curve during roasting — how quickly or slowly the roaster applies heat at each stage — is called the roast profile, and it's one of the most critical skills a roaster develops.
The Maillard Reaction and Caramelisation
Two key chemical processes happen during roasting. The Maillard reaction (the same process that browns bread and steak) creates complex flavour compounds and the characteristic brown colour of roasted coffee. Caramelisation refers to the sugars in the bean being converted, creating sweeter notes. Both processes contribute to the incredible complexity of roasted coffee flavour.
Light Roast
A light roast bean is roasted to a light brown colour, often just reaching or slightly past the first crack. Light roasts:
- Retain more of the coffee's original character from its origin (the terroir comes through clearly)
- Often have higher acidity (a bright, lively quality — more on this later)
- Taste lighter-bodied and more complex in flavour terms
- Tend to be favoured in speciality coffee circles for single-origin coffees
Light roasts are sometimes described as "underdeveloped" by those who find them too sour or thin — it's a matter of taste.
Medium Roast
A medium roast hits a sweet spot between origin character and roast character. The beans are a medium brown, with a balance of brightness and body. Flavours tend to be rounder and less sharp than a light roast, with more sweetness. Many everyday coffees are medium roasted, and it's often the most approachable starting point for people exploring different coffees.
Medium-Dark and Dark Roast
As you roast beyond medium, the roast character increasingly dominates over the origin character. Medium-dark roasts start to develop richer, more chocolatey, bittersweet notes. Dark roasts — think Italian espresso beans or "French roast" — are dark brown to almost black, with an oily surface. The flavours skew towards:
- Dark chocolate and bittersweet notes
- Smokiness or charred qualities
- Lower perceived acidity (though the coffee is actually quite acidic — the roast just masks it)
- A heavy, full body
Dark roasting effectively masks the origin character. Two very different single-origin coffees, roasted dark, can taste remarkably similar. This is why speciality roasters often avoid dark roasting single-origin coffees — you're paying for origin character that then gets roasted away.
Roast Date and Degassing
Here's something important that many coffee drinkers don't know: freshly roasted coffee isn't immediately at its best. After roasting, beans release large amounts of carbon dioxide (CO₂) in a process called degassing (or outgassing). For the first 24–72 hours after roasting, there's so much CO₂ coming off the beans that it can actually disrupt extraction — meaning your coffee won't brew or taste right. This is why roasters use one-way valve bags (you can push air out but not in) and why most recommend waiting a few days after the roast date before brewing.
The sweet spot for most coffees is usually 5 to 21 days after roasting. After a few weeks to a month, the coffee starts to go stale as it oxidises.
Always check the roast date on your coffee bag (not the "best before" or "use by" date, which is less informative). A bag with a roast date of last week is far better than one roasted three months ago.
Part Five: Flavour — Tasting and Understanding Coffee
This is where things get really interesting. Coffee professionals and enthusiasts have developed a rich vocabulary for describing flavour, much of it borrowed from the world of wine. Here's what it all means.
Acidity
In coffee, acidity doesn't mean sourness or harshness — it refers to a bright, lively quality that makes the coffee feel vibrant and alive on your palate. Think of the refreshing zing of a good apple or the brightness of a lemon. High-quality Kenyan coffees are famous for their beautiful acidity; it's one of the things that makes them so exciting.
When acidity is pleasant and well-balanced, it's called bright or crisp. When it's too sharp or aggressive, it might be called harsh or sour — and that's usually a sign of under-extraction (the coffee hasn't been brewed quite right).
Types of acidity you might read about:
- Malic acid — the kind found in apples; crisp and clean
- Citric acid — as in citrus fruits; bright and tangy
- Tartaric acid — found in wine; adds a complex, winey quality
- Phosphoric acid — common in Kenyan coffees; a uniquely pleasant, lively sharpness
Body
Body refers to how the coffee feels in your mouth — its weight and texture. A coffee with a full body feels rich, thick, and coating (think full-fat milk versus skimmed). A coffee with a light body feels more like water — clean and thin. Neither is inherently better; it depends on personal preference and context. Most espresso has significant body, while a delicate Kenyan filter coffee might be quite light-bodied.
Words used to describe body include: thin, light, medium, full, heavy, creamy, syrupy, watery, and velvety.
Sweetness
A well-made cup of coffee should have genuine sweetness without any added sugar. This sweetness comes from the sugars in the coffee bean and how they were developed during roasting. You might notice sweetness like:
- Brown sugar or caramel in medium-roasted coffees
- Dark chocolate in darker roasts
- Honey or stone fruit in light-roasted or honey-processed coffees
- Berry jam in naturally processed Ethiopians
If your coffee tastes bitter and not sweet at all, it might be over-extracted or over-roasted.
Bitterness
A little bitterness is natural in coffee and is part of its appeal. Dark chocolate is bitter, yet delicious. The problem comes when bitterness dominates or tastes harsh and unpleasant — this is usually a sign of over-extraction (brewed too long or at too high a temperature) or over-roasting.
Finish / Aftertaste
The finish (or aftertaste) is what lingers in your mouth after you swallow. A good coffee should have a pleasant, long finish. You might notice it as sweet, fruity, chocolatey, or floral. A poor coffee often has a short, harsh, or bitter finish.
Aroma
Aroma is what you smell from the cup before and while you drink. A huge proportion of what we perceive as "flavour" is actually smell (just think about how food tastes dull when you have a blocked nose). Coffee has an extraordinary range of aromatic compounds — it's one of the most complex substances humans consume. When you read tasting notes that describe "jasmine" or "bergamot," the roaster is usually describing aroma as much as taste.
Flavour Notes and Tasting Notes
This is the part that confuses (and sometimes annoys) people. When a coffee bag says "notes of blueberry, dark chocolate, and hibiscus," what does it mean?
Tasting notes are descriptors that experienced tasters use to communicate the flavours and aromas they perceive. They're not literally saying blueberries were added to the coffee — they mean the coffee naturally contains chemical compounds that produce similar taste and aroma sensations to those things.
Some people find tasting notes pretentious or unhelpful, especially if they never seem to taste the things described. This is partly because:
- Tasting is a skill that improves with practice
- Your preparation method significantly affects flavour
- Some notes are quite subtle
- Perception varies from person to person
Don't worry if you don't taste "bergamot and red wine." Just use tasting notes as a rough guide — "berries and citrus" suggests a bright, fruity coffee; "chocolate and nuts" suggests something richer and more familiar.
The Coffee Flavour Wheel
The Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) Flavour Wheel is an industry-standard reference tool that organises coffee flavours in concentric circles, from broad categories (fruity, floral, nutty, sweet) at the centre to more specific descriptors (strawberry, jasmine, hazelnut, caramel) at the outer edge. You don't need to memorise it, but it's worth knowing it exists — and looking it up if you want to deepen your tasting vocabulary.
Cupping
Cupping is the professional method for tasting and evaluating coffee. It involves brewing ground coffee directly in a cup with hot water (no filter), letting it steep, then slurping it loudly with a spoon to aerate it across the palate. The loud slurp is deliberate — it helps spread the coffee evenly and enhances aroma perception. Cupping is how roasters assess quality, compare lots, and develop flavour notes.
Part Six: Coffee at Home — Brewing Methods Explained
Extraction
Extraction is the process by which water pulls soluble compounds — flavour, aroma, caffeine — from the coffee grounds. Under-extracted coffee (not enough compounds removed) tastes thin, sour, and grassy. Over-extracted coffee (too many compounds removed, including bitter ones) tastes harsh, dry, and bitter.
The goal is perfect extraction — a balance that produces sweetness, acidity, body, and flavour in harmony. Extraction is affected by:
- Grind size — finer grinds extract faster; coarser grinds extract more slowly
- Water temperature — hotter water extracts more quickly
- Brew time — longer contact time means more extraction
- Ratio — the amount of coffee relative to water
- Agitation — stirring or turbulence speeds extraction
Grind Size
Grind size refers to how finely or coarsely the coffee beans are ground. This is one of the most important variables in brewing. A rough guide:
- Extra fine (finer than table salt) — Turkish coffee
- Fine (like table salt) — espresso
- Medium-fine (like fine sand) — Aeropress, Moka pot
- Medium (like beach sand) — pour-over, drip filter
- Medium-coarse (like rough sand) — Chemex
- Coarse (like breadcrumbs) — French press, cold brew
Using the wrong grind size for your brewing method is one of the most common causes of bad coffee at home.
Burr Grinder vs. Blade Grinder
A blade grinder chops coffee beans with a spinning blade, like a mini food processor. It's cheap but produces inconsistently sized grounds — some big chunks, some powder — which means uneven extraction and bitter or sour coffee.
A burr grinder crushes beans between two abrasive surfaces (burrs), producing consistently sized grounds. This makes a significant difference to cup quality. Burr grinders are the tool of choice for anyone serious about their home coffee.
Brew Ratio
The brew ratio is the ratio of coffee to water, usually expressed as grams of coffee per millilitres (or grams) of water. For example, a ratio of 1:15 means 1g of coffee for every 15g of water. Different brewing methods have different ideal ratios, but as a starting point, 1:15 to 1:17 works well for most filter methods. Espresso uses a much more concentrated ratio, typically around 1:2 (one gram of coffee produces about two grams of espresso).
TDS and Brew Strength
TDS stands for Total Dissolved Solids — the percentage of your brewed coffee that consists of coffee solids dissolved in water (rather than plain water). Home brewers rarely measure this directly, but it's the technical way of measuring coffee strength. A standard filter coffee has a TDS of around 1.2–1.5%.
Brew strength is the everyday version of this — simply how strong or weak your coffee tastes. This is primarily controlled by your brew ratio.
Pour-Over
A pour-over (also called a filter coffee or drip coffee) involves pouring hot water over ground coffee sitting in a filter (paper or metal) placed in a dripper or cone, which sits above a cup or jug. The water passes through the grounds by gravity, extracting flavour on the way.
Common pour-over devices include:
- Hario V60 — cone-shaped, Japanese, used widely in speciality coffee
- Chemex — hourglass-shaped glass jug with a thick paper filter, produces a very clean cup
- Kalita Wave — flat-bottomed, more forgiving than the V60
- Origami — a beautiful ceramic dripper compatible with both flat and cone-shaped filters
Pour-over is loved for producing a clean, clear, nuanced cup that showcases a coffee's flavour beautifully. It requires a bit of technique and attention, but it's very rewarding.
Bloom (Pre-infusion)
When you first pour a small amount of hot water over your coffee grounds (before the main pour), you'll notice the grounds puff up and bubble. This is called the bloom (or pre-infusion). It's caused by CO₂ escaping from fresh coffee reacting with water. Letting the coffee bloom for 30–45 seconds before the main pour allows the gas to escape, enabling more even extraction during the main brew.
French Press (Cafetière)
The French press (or cafetière as it's commonly called in the UK) is a simple, robust brewing device. Coarsely ground coffee steeps in hot water for around four minutes, then a metal mesh plunger is pressed down to separate the grounds from the liquid.
French press produces a full-bodied, rich cup because the metal filter allows more oils and fine particles through into the cup than a paper filter would. The downside is that it can be muddy or slightly gritty at the bottom. It's very forgiving and hard to get dramatically wrong.
AeroPress
The AeroPress is a clever, inexpensive plastic brewing device invented by a frisbee engineer (yes, really). Hot water and coffee steep together briefly, then you push a plunger through to force the brew through a filter and into your cup. It's fast (usually under two minutes), almost impossible to break, and remarkably versatile — you can produce anything from a concentrated espresso-style shot to a light, clean filter-style cup depending on how you use it.
The AeroPress has a devoted following, including its own world championship competition. It's an excellent starter device.
Moka Pot (Stovetop Espresso Maker)
The Moka pot is an Italian invention that brews coffee by passing steam pressure through tightly packed grounds. It sits on the hob, and as the water in the bottom chamber heats, steam pressure forces water up through the coffee and into the upper chamber. It produces a strong, intense, concentrated coffee — not technically espresso (it doesn't generate enough pressure), but similar in character.
The Moka pot is sometimes called a stovetop espresso maker, though purists will note the distinction. It's a staple of Italian and South American households.
Espresso Machine
An espresso machine forces near-boiling water through very finely ground, tightly packed coffee at high pressure (typically around 9 bars). The result is a small, concentrated shot of coffee — the espresso — topped with a layer of creamy foam called crema.
Espresso is the foundation of most café drinks: cappuccinos, lattes, flat whites, and so on. Making great espresso at home is genuinely challenging — it requires good-quality equipment, freshly roasted coffee, a quality burr grinder, and a fair amount of practice and attention.
Cold Brew
Cold brew is made by steeping coarsely ground coffee in cold or room-temperature water for a long time — typically 12 to 24 hours. The result is a smooth, mellow, low-acidity concentrate that can be diluted with water or milk. Cold brew is not the same as iced coffee (which is hot coffee poured over ice) — the cold brewing process itself produces a distinctly different flavour, with less acidity and bitterness.
Immersion vs. Percolation
Two broad categories of brewing:
Immersion brewing means the coffee grounds sit in water for the entire brew time. French press, AeroPress (standard method), and cold brew are immersion methods. The coffee brews slowly and stops when you remove or filter the grounds.
Percolation brewing means water continuously passes through the grounds and away, rather than sitting in contact. Pour-over and drip filter are percolation methods. Because fresh water is always passing through, percolation tends to produce a cleaner, clearer cup.
Part Seven: Espresso Jargon
Espresso has its own particular vocabulary, since it's the most technically demanding brewing method.
The Shot
A shot of espresso is a single serving, typically around 25–35ml of liquid extracted from 7–10g of coffee. A double shot (the standard in most UK and US cafés) uses 14–20g and produces around 40–60ml.
Dose, Yield, and Ratio
- Dose — the weight of dry coffee grounds you start with (e.g., 18g)
- Yield — the weight of liquid espresso that comes out (e.g., 36g)
- Ratio — dose divided by yield (so 18g in, 36g out = 1:2 ratio)
These three numbers are the fundamental variables that espresso baristas adjust to dial in a great shot.
Dialling In
Dialling in refers to the process of adjusting your espresso variables — grind size, dose, yield, and time — until you achieve the perfect extraction. When you open a new bag of coffee, or when the weather changes (which affects humidity and therefore extraction), you need to dial in again. It's a process of trial and taste.
Pull Time / Extraction Time
The pull time (or extraction time) is how long it takes to produce the espresso shot once water starts flowing. A typical espresso shot should take around 25–35 seconds. Too fast (under-extracted) and the coffee is sour and thin. Too slow (over-extracted) and it's bitter and harsh.
Crema
Crema is the reddish-brown, creamy foam that sits on top of a well-made espresso. It's formed by CO₂ gas being dissolved in the coffee during high-pressure extraction and then released when it hits the cup. Crema is often taken as a sign of freshness and good extraction, though its presence alone doesn't guarantee a great shot. Very dark or pale crema, or crema that disappears instantly, can indicate problems.
Tamping
Tamping is the process of pressing the ground coffee firmly into the portafilter (the handle-shaped basket that holds the coffee in an espresso machine) with a tamper — a flat, weighted tool. A level, even tamp ensures the water flows evenly through the coffee puck rather than finding an easy route (called channelling) that would lead to uneven extraction.
Channelling
Channelling happens when water finds a weak spot in the coffee puck and flows through it rather than distributing evenly. It results in some areas of the coffee being over-extracted and some under-extracted — producing a messy, inconsistent shot. Good tamping technique and even distribution of grounds help prevent it.
Portafilter
The portafilter is the handle and basket assembly that locks into the espresso machine and holds the coffee grounds. It has a spout (or two) at the bottom through which the espresso flows. The basket (also called the filter basket) is the metal cup-shaped part that actually holds the coffee.
Single vs. Double Basket
A single basket holds around 7–9g of coffee and produces one shot. A double basket holds 14–20g and produces two shots. In most modern cafés, baristas use a double basket as standard and either produce a double shot or split it between two cups.
Ristretto
A ristretto is a shorter, more concentrated espresso shot — the same dose of coffee but with less water. It's typically richer and sweeter than a regular espresso, with less bitterness. Literally means "restricted" in Italian.
Lungo
The opposite of a ristretto — a lungo is a longer espresso shot with more water, producing a larger, more dilute, and often slightly more bitter result.
Americano
An Americano is espresso diluted with hot water to produce something closer to a filter coffee in volume and strength. Legend has it the name comes from American soldiers in Italy during World War II diluting the strong Italian espresso to something closer to the coffee they were used to at home.
Part Eight: Milk-Based Espresso Drinks
Steaming and Microfoam
Many espresso drinks include steamed milk. Steaming milk with the steam wand of an espresso machine does two things: it heats the milk and it aerates it, creating tiny bubbles that produce silky, creamy microfoam (also called steamed milk or velvety foam). Good microfoam should have a texture almost like wet paint — no big bubbles, just smooth, integrated creaminess.
Stretching the milk refers to the phase during steaming where you introduce air into the milk to increase its volume.
Latte
A latte (full name: caffè latte, Italian for "milk coffee") is a double espresso topped with a large amount of steamed milk and a small layer of foam. Typically around 240–360ml. It's the creamiest, mildest of the standard espresso drinks.
Cappuccino
A cappuccino is traditionally equal parts espresso, steamed milk, and foam. It's smaller than a latte — usually around 150–180ml — and has a more pronounced coffee flavour with a thicker layer of foam. In Italy, cappuccino is a morning drink only; ordering one after midday will earn you a bemused look from Italian locals.
Flat White
The flat white originated in Australia and New Zealand (both nations claim it, somewhat passionately). It's similar to a small latte — a double espresso with steamed milk — but smaller (typically 150–180ml) and with very little foam (hence "flat"). The coffee-to-milk ratio is higher than a latte, so it has a stronger espresso character. It became widely popular in the UK through speciality café culture in the 2000s and 2010s.
Cortado
A cortado (from Spanish cortar, to cut) is equal parts espresso and warm milk — usually around 60–90ml total. The milk "cuts" the acidity of the espresso without swamping it. Minimal or no foam.
Macchiato
Macchiato means "stained" or "marked" in Italian. A caffè macchiato is a shot of espresso "stained" with just a small amount of foamed milk — typically a teaspoon or so. It's the smallest of the milk-based drinks. Note that large coffee-chain versions of the macchiato bear little resemblance to the Italian original.
Latte Art
Latte art is the pattern created by a skilled barista pouring steamed milk into espresso in a controlled way to create designs on the surface — hearts, rosettas (leaf shapes), tulips, and more. It requires well-prepared microfoam and careful pouring technique. Beyond aesthetics, good latte art is a sign that both the espresso and the milk are properly prepared.
Part Nine: The Wider Coffee World
Speciality Coffee
Speciality coffee refers to coffee that has been scored at 80 points or above on a 100-point scale by a qualified taster (called a Q Grader). It represents the top tier of the coffee quality spectrum — carefully grown, harvested, processed, roasted, and brewed with attention to excellence at every stage. Speciality coffee is distinguished from commodity coffee (the mass-produced, undifferentiated coffee in most supermarket jars) by its focus on traceability, quality, and flavour.
The Waves of Coffee
You'll sometimes hear people refer to coffee's "waves":
- First Wave — the mass-market expansion of coffee in the 20th century, making it a household staple (think Nescafé, Maxwell House).
- Second Wave — the emergence of café culture and espresso-based drinks in the 1980s and 90s (think Starbucks, Costa).
- Third Wave — the current movement treating coffee as an artisan product like fine wine or craft beer, with emphasis on origin, processing, roasting craft, and brewing technique.
Some people now talk about a Fourth Wave, though there's debate about what exactly it means — perhaps a greater focus on sustainability, equity in the supply chain, and scientific precision in brewing.
Direct Trade and Ethical Sourcing
Direct trade means the roaster buys coffee directly from the farmers or cooperatives that produce it, cutting out middlemen. This can (though doesn't automatically) mean better prices for farmers and more control over quality. It's generally seen as a positive sign.
Fair Trade is a formal certification scheme that guarantees minimum prices and social standards for coffee producers. It's a helpful baseline, though many in the speciality coffee world argue that direct trade relationships can go further than Fair Trade certification alone.
Traceability is increasingly important to coffee consumers — knowing exactly where your coffee came from, who grew it, and how it was processed.
Q Grader
A Q Grader is a coffee professional certified by the Coffee Quality Institute (CQI) to evaluate and score coffee quality. The Q Grader exam is notoriously rigorous, involving extensive sensory and technical tests. A Q Grader's score determines whether a coffee qualifies as "speciality."
SCA (Specialty Coffee Association)
The Specialty Coffee Association is the leading international trade organisation for the speciality coffee industry. It sets standards, runs competitions (including the World Barista Championship and World Brewers Cup), and provides education and certification. When you see references to SCA standards or scores, this is the organisation being referred to.
Barista
A barista (from Italian, originally meaning "bartender") is someone trained to prepare and serve coffee drinks. In the context of speciality coffee, it refers specifically to someone who has developed skilled knowledge and technique in espresso preparation.
Third-Wave Coffee Shop
A third-wave coffee shop (or speciality café) is one that focuses on quality, origin, and craft — typically serving single-origin coffees, often prepared using pour-over or other filter methods alongside espresso, with knowledgeable staff who can discuss the coffees on offer. They're quite different in atmosphere and offering from high-street chain cafés.
Part Ten: Choosing and Storing Coffee
How to Read a Coffee Bag
Modern speciality coffee bags contain a wealth of information. Here's what to look for:
- Origin — country, region, farm, or cooperative
- Process — washed, natural, honey, etc.
- Variety — the cultivar (Bourbon, Gesha, etc.)
- Altitude — in MASL
- Roast date — more useful than a best-before date
- Tasting notes — descriptors to guide your expectations
- Roast level — light, medium, or dark (sometimes shown as a scale)
Choosing Coffee for Your Brewing Method
Not all coffees suit all methods. As a general guide:
- Light roasts shine in filter methods (pour-over, AeroPress, French press) where their delicate, bright flavours can be appreciated. They can taste sour or thin when used for espresso without careful adjustment.
- Medium roasts are versatile — good for filter and reasonably forgiving in espresso.
- Dark roasts are traditionally used for espresso (particularly in Italian and southern European styles), where their bold, bitter-sweet character suits the concentrated brewing method.
Storage
Coffee's biggest enemies are oxygen, moisture, light, and heat. To keep it fresh:
- Store in an airtight container away from light and heat (a cupboard, not the worktop by the kettle)
- Don't store in the fridge — condensation damages coffee when you take it in and out
- Freezing is actually fine for long-term storage if done correctly (freeze in small, airtight portions and only defrost once), but it's unnecessary for coffee you'll use within a fortnight
- Buy whole beans and grind just before brewing — pre-ground coffee goes stale much more quickly
- Try to buy in quantities you'll use within two to three weeks of the roast date
A Quick Glossary of Terms You Might Still Encounter
Arabica — the higher-quality of the two main coffee species.
Blend — coffee from two or more origins combined by a roaster.
Body — the texture and weight of coffee in the mouth.
Brew ratio — the ratio of coffee to water used in brewing.
Burr grinder — a grinder that crushes beans between two abrasive surfaces for consistent grounds.
Channelling — when water finds a weak path through espresso grounds, causing uneven extraction.
Cherry — the fruit of the coffee plant, which contains the coffee bean.
Crema — the creamy, reddish-brown foam on top of a well-made espresso.
Cupping — the professional method for evaluating coffee by steeping grounds in water.
Degassing — the release of CO₂ from freshly roasted beans.
Dialling in — adjusting espresso variables to achieve perfect extraction.
Direct trade — buying coffee directly from producers rather than through intermediaries.
Dose — the weight of coffee grounds used for a shot of espresso.
Extraction — the process of dissolving flavour compounds from coffee grounds into water.
Finish — the lingering taste after swallowing coffee.
First crack — the audible popping during roasting that signals the coffee is reaching light-roast stage.
Gesha / Geisha — a prized, expensive coffee variety known for floral, tea-like qualities.
Green coffee — unroasted coffee beans.
Honey process — a processing method that leaves some fruit mucilage on the bean during drying.
Lungo — a longer, more dilute espresso shot.
Macchiato — an espresso with a small amount of steamed milk.
Maillard reaction — the chemical browning process that develops flavour during roasting.
MASL — Metres Above Sea Level; indicates the altitude at which coffee was grown.
Micro-lot — a small, precisely defined batch of coffee from a specific part of a farm.
Microfoam — silky, finely aerated steamed milk used in espresso drinks.
Natural process — coffee processed by drying the whole cherry, producing fruity flavours.
Portafilter — the handle and basket used to hold coffee grounds in an espresso machine.
Pull time — the extraction time for an espresso shot, ideally 25–35 seconds.
Q Grader — a certified coffee quality evaluator.
Ristretto — a short, concentrated espresso shot.
Roast profile — the temperature and timing curve used during roasting.
Robusta — a hardier coffee species with more caffeine and a stronger, more bitter flavour.
SCA — Specialty Coffee Association, the leading industry body.
Single origin — coffee from one specific, defined place.
Speciality coffee — coffee scoring 80+ points on the SCA scale; top-quality, carefully produced coffee.
Tamping — pressing coffee grounds evenly into the portafilter before brewing espresso.
Terroir — the environmental characteristics of a coffee's growing location.
TDS — Total Dissolved Solids; the technical measure of brew strength.
Third wave — the modern movement treating coffee as a craft and artisan product.
Tasting notes — descriptors of the flavours and aromas perceived in a coffee.
Washed process — coffee processed by removing the cherry fruit before drying.
Yield — the weight of liquid espresso produced from a given dose.
Final Thoughts
Coffee is one of those beautiful subjects where you can go as deep as you like. You can spend a lifetime exploring different origins, processing methods, roast styles, and brewing techniques — and many people do. But you don't need to know everything to enjoy great coffee. Even a basic understanding of roast levels, freshness, and grind size will dramatically improve what ends up in your cup.
The best approach? Try things. Buy a bag from a speciality roaster. Note the roast date. Try a light roast and a dark roast side by side. Experiment with your grind size. Compare a washed Ethiopian to a natural Brazilian. Your palate will develop, the jargon will start to make sense, and — most importantly — every cup will get a little bit better.
Happy brewing.
0 comments