Coffee Jargon Made Easy

Have you ever felt lost in translation as the Barista starts using coffee jargon at your favourite coffee shop? Don’t worry, you are not alone! But those days are over as we have decided to shed some light on the topic and help you understand the language of coffee.

Below you will find a list of the most used coffee jargon with its meaning;

Acidity

The bright and dry taste that adds life to a coffee.

Aftertaste

The sensation of coffee taste that lingers and changes after the coffee has been swallowed.

Arabica coffee

The higher quality species of the coffee plant grown at high altitude.

Aroma

The intensity of the coffee flavor as sensed by the nose.

Blind filter

A filter basket without holes used for cleaning an espresso machine.

Body

The weight of the coffee that can best be sensed by allowing the coffee to rest on the tongue and by rubbing the tongue against the roof

of the mouth.

Coffee puck

The coffee cake left in the espresso machine’s portafilter basket after extraction.

Crema

The flavoursome and aromatic foam or emulsion on top of an espresso.

Cupping

A coffee tasting technique used to evaluate the aroma and the flavour profile of a coffee.

Ethical coffee

Coffee cultivation developed and implement by standards that are socially and environmentally responsible, as well as economically

viable.

Extraction

The delivery of coffee and its unique flavours.

Hopper

The container that holds whole coffee beans in a grinder.

Organic coffee

Coffee that has been grown certified free of pesticides and chemicals.

Over-extraction

An espresso that has taken too long to pass through the coffee grounds.

Portafilter basket

The handle that holds the portafilter basket (see above). Ground coffee is dosed into the portafilter handle.

Portafilter handle

The handle that holds the filter basket (see above) that you dose ground coffee into and then fits into the group head.

Robusta coffee

Coffee with a naturally higher caffeine content and grown at lower altitudes.

Shower screen

Part of an espresso machine that distributes water onto the coffee grounds.

Single Origin or Estate

Coffee beans that have not been mixed with any other beans, even beans from the same country.

Steaming wand

Part of the espresso machine that produces steam to texture milk.

Tamper

A tool that presses coffee into the portafilter basket.

Coffee Equipment

With the help of this list you’ll sound like a pro with all of your coffee jargon knowledge. If you have any other fun coffee terms of your own, please share it with us.