Glossary

Here follows a Glossary that contains Terms and Terminology used in relation to Coffee.

Arabica
A combination of coffees used to produce quality and gourmet coffees. Arabica beans are very aromatic and highly flavoured.

Aroma
The fragrance produced by hot, freshly brewed coffee.

Barista
a Person who has been professionally trained in the art of espresso preparation. This term is often used simply to describe someone who are very good at espresso making, regardless of their training.

Brew
The specific taste of a properly made home brew.

Caffeine
The alkaloid chemical that are present in both coffee and tea, this chemical stimulates the nervous system. Caffeine is addictive and there can be side-effects when too much is consumed in a short period.

Cafe Mocha
Espresso, chocolate syrup, and steamed milk, often topped with whipped cream and cocoa powder or chocolate shavings.

Cappuccino
A strong beverage made of espresso and equal parts steamed and foamed milk. The steamed milk is mixed in with the espresso, but the foamed milk is positioned on top. The overall ratio is 1/3 espresso, 1/3 steamed milk and 1/3 foamed milk.

Cupping
The fine art of tasting coffee, Cupping is normally done professionally, and expert cuppers can detect many different nuances in flavours that many of us would miss under normal circumstances.

Espresso
A version of coffee made by drawing steam through ground coffee under pressure. Espresso is much richer and more concentrated than standard drip coffee. It's used as a base for a variety of popular drinks, such as cappuccinos and lattes.

Flavored Coffee
Coffee that in it's roasted, whole-bean form have been mixed with flavoring agents.

Heavy Roast.
The term used for coffee brought to degrees of roast considerably darker than the American norm; may range in color from dark brown to nearly black and in flavour from rich and bittersweet to thin-bodied and burned.

Italian roast
A term applied to coffee that has been roasted darker than the French Roast. Used daily by the Italians, as well as in many other coffee producing countries and regions.

Kona Coffee
Kona Coffee is a variety of coffee grown only in Hawaii and is highly prized for its fine, light flavour.

Latte
A warm beverage made with espresso in a cup of steamed milk. The overall ratio is 1/3 espresso and 2/3 steamed milk.

Medium roast
Coffee beans roasted according to the American norm.

Richness
A satisfying fullness in flavor, body, or acidity.

Roasty
Properly dark roasted coffee may take on this smoky, high-quality flavor.

Robusta
A low-quality variety coffee bean with a somewhat bitter, less aromatic taste, used to produce instant and freeze-dried coffees. These beans contains twice the caffeine as found in Arabica coffee.

Vacuum-Filter Method
A brewing method that differs from other filter methods in that the brewing water is drawn through the ground coffee by means of a partial vacuum.

Winey
The rich, fruity essence of a fine red wine.

Woody
Properly aged Coffee may take on this aroma or flavor, suggestive of tree bark or oak.