Coffee has its own vocabulary. Here are the terms you’ll actually encounter, in plain English.
A–C
Acidity — the bright, lively tang in coffee (think green apple), not stomach acidity. · Arabica — the smoother, more aromatic of the two main species. · Blend — beans from multiple origins combined for consistency. · Bloom — the bubbling release of CO2 when hot water first hits fresh grounds. · Body — how heavy the coffee feels in your mouth. · Crema — the golden foam on top of espresso. · Cupping — the standardized method professionals use to taste and score coffee.
D–N
Decaf — coffee with at least 97% of caffeine removed. · Extraction — dissolving flavor from grounds into water; under-extracted is sour, over-extracted is bitter. · First crack — the popping sound during roasting that marks the start of light roast. · Green coffee — raw, unroasted beans. · Microlot — a small, separately processed batch from one section of a farm. · Natural process — drying the whole cherry around the bean, adding fruity, fermented notes.
O–Z
Peaberry — a rounder bean that grows alone in the cherry instead of as a pair. · Robusta — the stronger, more caffeinated species used in blends and instant coffee. · Single origin — coffee from one country, region, or farm. · Third wave — the modern movement treating coffee as a craft product, like wine. · Washed process — removing fruit before drying, for a cleaner, brighter cup.