tags: [] - coffee/education - meta/reference aliases: - Coffee glossary - Coffee terminology - Coffee terms

Glossary¶

Tags: #coffee/education #meta/reference Aliases: Coffee glossary, Coffee terminology, Coffee terms Related: Brewing Fundamentals MOC | Espresso MOC | Coffee Tasting MOC | Roasting MOC | Coffee Origin MOC Status: ✅ Complete

Overview¶

This glossary provides concise definitions of the most commonly encountered coffee terminology across growing, processing, roasting, brewing, and tasting. For each term, a brief definition is given and a link to the primary encyclopedia article provided where one exists. Terms are organised alphabetically within thematic sections.

Brewing and Extraction¶

Bloom — The initial pour of a small amount of water onto ground coffee to degas CO₂ before the main brew. Also called pre-infusion or pre-wetting. See Contact Time.

Body — The tactile weight or viscosity of coffee in the mouth; the sensation of fullness or richness. See Body.

Brew ratio — The ratio of ground coffee to brewing water, expressed by mass (e.g. 1:15). See Brew Ratio.

Channelling — A flow defect in espresso in which water finds a path of least resistance through the puck, bypassing most of the coffee bed and causing under-extraction. See Flow Resistance.

Crema — The emulsified layer of CO₂ bubbles and coffee oils that forms on the surface of espresso. See Espresso MOC.

Drawdown — The time taken for brewed coffee to drain through the filter bed in pour-over brewing.

Extraction yield — The percentage of ground coffee's dry mass dissolved into the brewed beverage. SCA target: 18–22%. See Extraction Yield.

Percolation — A brewing mechanism in which water flows continuously through the coffee bed, renewing the concentration gradient; examples include espresso and pour over. See Wet Brewing.

Pre-infusion — A low-pressure initial phase in espresso before full pump pressure is applied; saturates the puck and reduces channelling risk. See Espresso Pressure.

TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) — The concentration of dissolved coffee compounds in brewed coffee, expressed as a percentage. SCA target for filter coffee: 1.15–1.45%.

Roasting¶

Charge temperature — The drum temperature at which green coffee beans are loaded into the roaster.

First crack — An audible popping sound occurring as internal steam and CO₂ build pressure and break through the bean's cell walls; marks the beginning of light roast development. See First & Second Crack.

Maillard reaction — A chemical reaction between amino acids and reducing sugars under heat, producing the hundreds of flavour and aroma compounds characteristic of roasted coffee. See Coffee Chemistry.

Rate of Rise (RoR) — The rate at which bean temperature increases during roasting, expressed in °C per minute; a key profile management metric. See Roast Profile.

Second crack — A second, quieter cracking sound at higher temperatures; marks the onset of medium-dark to dark roast. See First & Second Crack.

Development time — The period from first crack to the end of the roast; controls flavour development and roast character. See Roast Development Ratio.

Green Coffee and Processing¶

Cherry — The fruit of the Coffea plant, containing the coffee seeds (beans). See Coffee Cherry.

Defect — A physical flaw in green or roasted coffee that negatively affects cup quality. See Defects & Faults.

Honey process — A processing method in which the cherry skin is removed but some or all mucilage is retained during drying. See Processing.

Natural process — A processing method in which the whole cherry is dried before pulping; produces fruity, complex cup character. See Natural Process.

Parchment — The papery inner layer surrounding the coffee bean after the mucilage is removed in wet processing; removed during milling.

Washed process — A processing method in which all fruit matter is removed before drying; produces clean, origin-forward cups. See Wet Process.

Varieties and Origins¶

Arabica — Coffea arabica; the dominant specialty coffee species; tetraploid; 60–70% of global production. See Arabica.

Cultivar — A cultivated plant variety selected and maintained by humans; the coffee-growing equivalent of a breed. See Cultivar.

Robusta — Coffea canephora; the second major coffee species; diploid; lower altitude; higher caffeine; 30–40% of global production. See Canephora.

Terroir — The complete environmental context in which a coffee is grown — altitude, soil, climate, variety — and its expression in the cup. See Terroir Factors Altitude.

Tasting and Evaluation¶

Acidity — The pleasant tartness or brightness in coffee derived from organic acids; a positive quality attribute when balanced. See Brightness.

Aftertaste — The sensory experience persisting after the coffee is swallowed.

Balance — The overall harmony of all sensory attributes (acidity, sweetness, body, flavour); a key positive quality indicator.

Cupping — A standardised coffee evaluation method using consistent brewing conditions (SCA protocol); the industry-standard quality assessment tool. See Cupping.

Flavour wheel — The SCA Flavour Wheel; a standardised visual reference organising coffee sensory descriptors hierarchically. See SCA Flavour Wheel.

Q Grader — A certified coffee quality evaluator trained and examined by the Coffee Quality Institute. See Specialty Coffee Association (SCA).

Key Facts¶

This glossary covers the most common terms across brewing, roasting, green coffee, variety, and tasting domains
For comprehensive treatment of any term, follow the wikilink to the primary encyclopedia article
Coffee terminology often varies between countries and traditions — this glossary uses SCA-standard terminology throughout
Australian English spelling conventions apply throughout Coffeepedia: flavour, colour, organisation, recognised

References¶

Changelog¶

Date	Change
2026-04-28	Note created

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