COFFEE GLOSSARY

COFFEE DEFINITIONS A- F



A

  • 1a : High quality coffee beans.

  • 1aaa : Highest quality coffee beans identified and described stating size, quality, density, and moisture content.

  • A : Largest size grade in India, a grade of coffee, generally a size grade of Arabica coffee beans along with A, B, & C.

  • AA : Largest size grade in Kenya, Tanzania, and New Guinea, a grade of coffee, generally a size grade of Arabica coffee beans along with A, B, & C.

  • AAA : Largest size grade in Peru, a grade of coffee, generally a size grade of Arabica coffee beans along with A, B, & C.

  • About : Theoretically, an error of +/- 5%. In actuality, -2% to -4.5%.

  • Acidity, Acidy, Acid : The pH of the substance. In coffee it is about 5. The tartness taste to coffee.

  • Afloat : The coffee is in route on a ship.

  • Aged Coffee : Coffee held in warehouse for several years in order to reduce acidity and increased body. Aged coffee is held longer than an old crop, or mature coffee. The official position of Majestic Coffee and Tea's owner is it taste like cork. And is of poor taste. Some people in the world may argue with this position.

  • Altura : In Spanish means heights and describes Mexican coffee that has been grown high or mountain grown.

  • American Roast : Medium brown.

  • Alqueir : A term used to describe the capacity of a liquid. In coffee terms it is 50 kilograms.

  • And/or : A term which both, all, or one. When in a coffee contract it means both, either, but not mixed.

  • Arabica : Coffea Arabica, a coffee bean developed for wider latitudes. The most common cultivated species of coffee in the modern market.

  • Arbitrage : A transaction where the operator takes advantage of a communication delay time. Where the coffee is purchased and sold simultaneously to the advantage of the operator.

  • Aroma : The fragrance produced by any substance. Smell.

  • Arroba : A term for weight in Central and South America. Generally, 12.5 kilos or 27.5 pounds.

  • As is : You buy it, you take it as it is.

  • Automatic Drip : Coffee brewers that automatically heat and filter water the coffee.

B

  • Balance : A tasting term applied to coffee or wine means no single taste characteristic overwhelms others.
  • Bag : Usually a burlap sack of coffee. In various countries it is a different weight. As an example: Brazil a bag is 132 pounds. Colombia it is 154 pounds. In Angola it is 176 pound.
  • Bale : Another term for bag. About 176 pounds but changes depending on who is using the term.
  • Batch Roaster : A machine which roasts a given quantity at one time. In effect, it is a roaster which does not continually roast beans. There is an identifiable start and end time to the roasters capabilities.
  • Benefico : A Spanish term for establishments that have cleaning, washing, drying, and sorting machines.
  • Black beans : Dead coffee which fell off the tree. 1 imperfection.
  • Black jack coffee : Coffee beans which turned bad after picking or during shipping.
  • Blend : A mix of two or more coffee beans.
  • Body : The sense of thickness associated with taste.
  • Bourbon : Coffee beans which come from plants which have not been altered originating from the Isle of Bourbon. Coffea Arabica
  • Braca : A measure of length; 2 meters and 2 centimeters.
  • Bright : A taste term for acidic.
  • Brisures : Broken and separated by screening.
  • Broken : Cracked coffee beans.
  • Brokers : Generally anyone paid a commission involved in trade.
  • Bullhead : An extra large coffee bean. Sometimes a peaberry which has not totally grown together.
  • Bundles : Another term for bale.


  • CC, C/C : Current Crop.
  • C&f : Cost of the coffee bean and freight.
  • Caracol : Another word for Peaberry; a large single round coffee bean.
  • Caturra : A recently developed subvariety of the Coffea Arabica which is better disease resistant.
  • Cif : Cost of the coffee bean, insurance, and freight.
  • Cafe beneficiado : Hulled coffee.
  • Cafe bonifieur : Thoroughly cleaned and polished coffee beans.
  • Cafe de panno : Coffee picked in the cloth. Coffee picked very carefully where a cloth is placed on the ground so no dirt gets in accidently if the bean falls.
  • Cafe despolpado : Washed coffee or pulped coffee, is the process.
  • Cafe em casca : Coffee in parchment.
  • Cafe em ceraja : Coffee in the red cherry.
  • Cafe em coco : Coffee in the dried pod.
  • Cafe en parche : Coffee in the parchment.
  • Cafe habitant : Coffee which has not been polished.
  • Cafe re beneficiado : Coffee reseparated or improved.
  • Cafe terreir : Coffee washed and dried in coco.
  • Cafeate : Coffee with milk.
  • Cafetal : A plantation of coffee trees.
  • Caffeine C8H10N4O2 : An alkaloid substance found in the coffee bean, the leaf, some tea leaf, yerba mate, cocoa bean.
  • Caffeine content : In a cup of coffee about 1.5 grains.
  • Caffeeol, Caffeol, Coffeol : A volatile aromatic conglomerate formed during roasting. Essence of coffee, coffee oils.
  • Caffetannic acid : Erroneously termed used to describe the acids of coffee. There is no such compound.
  • Cargo bags : Bags delivered to the boat, the shipper, the receiver, etc.
  • Cargo slacks : Bags of coffee that have become slack through leakage in transit.
  • Cherry : Name applied to the ripe fruit of the coffee tree.
  • Chicory : An addition or filler in coffee made from the plant, cichorium intybus.
  • Chop : Before shipping, each invoice of coffee is made up into a number of division called chops. The bags in each division are marked with a particular chop number.
  • Cinnamon Roast : A term for the lighter roasts.
  • City Roast : A term for a medium dark roasted coffee.
  • Coffee fruit : The berry which contains the seed.
  • Coffee grade : One who grades coffee.
  • Coffeol : Essence of coffee, coffee oils.
  • Cold Water Method : A way of brewing coffee using cold water rather than hot water.
  • Commercial Coffees : General refers to a brand name coffee which is preground. Used by some countries to differentiate between those coffees which the locals can drink and those exported.
  • Commissario : A name used to designate the commission merchant at coffee ports who bought from the planter, or sold the planter's coffee on the commission, stored it in a warehouse, and sold it to an exporter.
  • Commission merchant : A person or firm receiving coffee on consignment for sale in a consuming country.
  • Complexity : A tasting term describing sensation shifts; resonance, depth.
  • Continous Roaster : A roaster that roasts coffee continually as opposed to a batch roaster.
  • Conto : A term in currency equal to 1000 cruzeiros.
  • Contract : A Coffee Exchange contract is 32,500 lbs. (250 bags)
  • Country damage : An insurance term meaning damaged occurring in the country of origin while in transit to the port of loading.
  • Crema : The pale brown foam covering the surface of a well brewed cup of espresso.
  • Cup testing : Judging the merits of a coffee by roasting, grinding, and brewing some of it. The brew is sipped.


  • Dark French Roast : A roast almost jet black in color, thin bodied and bittersweet tasting a bit like burnt charcoal.
  • Dark Roast : A roast which the beans are just turning black but still look brown.
  • Date of invoice : Date from the time of purchase and not from the time of shipment.
  • Decaffeinated : Coffee which has had the caffeine removed or blocked in such a way that the caffeine will not leave the bean during brewing.
  • Decaffeination Process : The process by which the coffee was decaffeinated.
  • Delivered : The seller undertakes to guarantee the safe carriage at his expense to the point stipulated in the contract, and reweighed at destination.
  • Discounts : Some price less that the normal price.
  • Demitasse : A half size cup for espresso.
  • Doser : A spring loaded device on certain espresso grinders which dispenses single servings of ground coffee.
  • Drip Method : A brewing method that drips the hot water over the bed of coffee grounds.
  • Dry fermenting : When washed, coffee is fermented without water.
  • Dry Processed Coffee : A process to remove the husk from the fruit after the coffee berries have been dried. Generally scraping the berry and considered inferior to the washed or fermented process.
  • Dry roast : A roasting process in which no water is used to check the roast. The operator depends entirely upon his cooling apparatus for quick cooling.


  • Earthiness : A tasting term describing coffee which taste a little off and a bit like dirt.
  • En oro : Term for washed coffee when the parchment and silver skin have been removed. Clean coffee.
  • En parche : Term used for coffee in the parchment.
  • Espresso : A method to brew coffee which forces the water into the grind by pressure.
  • Estate Grown : Coffee grown on large farms as opposed to small peasant plots, usually old family owned plantations.
  • European Preparation : Removing imperfections by hand.
  • Excelso : A grade of coffee which includes size, quality, and imperfections.
  • Ex dock : Contracts requiring the buyer to take delivery from the pier.
  • Ex ship : Coffee which is sold before arrival with the understanding that the buyer will remove it immediately after unloading on the dock.
  • Extra : Second best grade of coffee.
  • Ex warehouse : Coffee which is warehoused which are placed at the disposal of the buyer.




  • Faq : Fair average quality.
  • Fazenda : A coffee plantation.
  • Fazendero : A proprietor of a fazenda.
  • Fermenting : A process where yeasts eat the sugars in a substance.
  • Filtered Method : Coffee brewed with a filter where the coffee is held separate from the sitting water.
  • Finish : The after taste or the lingering taste of the coffee.
  • Flip Drip : A device which water is heated on the bottom of the brewer, when boiling, the device is flipped over and the water drips down through the coffee which was loaded in the middle of the brewer.
  • Fluid Bed Roaster : A roaster which cooks the bean by holding them up with a blast of hot air.
  • French Press : A device which brews coffee by allowing the grinds to sit in the water, when finished, a press pushes the grounds to the bottom.
  • French Roast : A roast black in color tasting bittersweet but not like burnt charcoal.
  • Finca : A coffee plantation.
  • Finquero : A proprietor of a finca.
  • Flat bean : A larger bean without the curly characteristic generally void of acid.
  • Fob : Free on board. The seller agrees to place the product safely on board the carrier designated by the purchaser. Generally describes the time title is transferred.
  • Forwarder : An agent who takes charge of a coffee shipment for interior clients and directs transportation.
  • French roast : Means the bean is roasted sufficiently to bring the oils to the surface of the bean.
  • Full city roast : Darker than city roast.
  • Futures : Coffee sold for delivery sometime in the future.




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