Entering the world of specialty coffee is an exciting journey! As with any area of interest, the coffee industry comes with its own jargon - acronyms, abbreviations, and even slang used by cafes, coffee producers, roasters, and consumers. Let's take a look at some of the common (and less common) terminology around specialty coffee and learn what these words and phrases mean in our coffee glossary:
AA
AA is the highest rating for coffee produced in Kenya. Kenya AA is often sold as a single origin coffee.
Affogato
Ice cream (or gelato) served with espresso and sometimes a shot of liqueur. Yum.
Anaerobic
Anaerobic literally means "without oxygen", in the anaerobic method of processing coffee, cherries are placed into sealed tanks, air is then released via a valve, leaving the fermentation process to occur in the absence of oxygen. The goal is to create a specific flavor profile.
Blade
A common style of coffee grinder, which uses a "propeller" shaped cutter, like a blender. Generally less expensive and less precise compared with a burr grinder.
Burr
Another style of coffee grinder, generally thought as superior to a blade grinder, because it offers a more consistent, precise grind size.
Chemex
An hourglass-shaped brewing device used to make pour-over coffee. Chemex brewing uses paper filters and is known for producing flavorful coffee.
Cherry
The cherry is the fruit of the coffee plant. The coffee "bean" is actually the seed or pit inside the fruit.
Cold Brew
Cold Brew is coffee prepared by steeping coffee grounds in cold water for a long period of time, producing a strong, rich flavor.
Crema
The layer on top of espresso composed of bubbles of carbon dioxide gas.
Cupping
The process by which professionals and enthusiasts sample and test coffee.
De-gas or de-gassing
The process by which carbon dioxide is released from roasted beans. More about de-gassing.
Doppio
Italian for "double", two shots of espresso.
EP
"European Preparation" - when you see a coffee labeled "EP" it means that the raw coffee beans were hand-sorted to remove defects or debris.
Finca
Spanish for "estate", or more simply, a farm.
First Crack
First Crack occurs during the coffee bean roasting process, an audible crack or popping noise during which steam, created by rising temperatures, is released from the beans.
FT (Fair Trade)
Fair Trade (sometimes abbreviated "FT" coffee is certified to standards promoting sustainable industry, safe working conditions, and transparency in the supply chain.
Geisha
Geisha coffee (also called gesha) was first discovered in Ethiopia near the Gori Gesha forest, and is prized for unique flavors, which are often sweet and floral. Geisha coffee is now commonly also grown in Panama and El Salvador as well.
HE / HX
Short for "heat exchanger", one style of espresso machine. Heat Exchanger technology attemps to rapidly change the temperature of a single boiler, allowing it to be used for both brewing and steaming while minimizing wait time switching between these two functions. A heat exchanger is an attempt to get some of the benefit of a dual boiler machine without the expense.
Honey
"Honey" is short for "Honey Processing", and refers to a specific method of processing coffee beans after they are harvested. It is so named because the beans take on a sticky appearance reminiscent of honey.
MASL
"Meters above sea level", i.e. altitude. Important because altitude contributes to coffee quality and flavor.
Natural
When a coffee is called "Natural", this is a reference to the "Natural" method of processing coffee after it's been harvested. Natural processed coffees are left in the sun to dry with the skin on. "Natural Processed" is often simply shortened to "Natural."
Puck
A puck is the round, disk-like shape of coffee, after it is pressed into the portafilter basket when making espresso.
Short
When preparing espresso, the user is often aiming for a specific extraction time - for example, 25 seconds. "Short" refers to under-extraction - for example, if pulling a shot takes only 15 seconds, it could be referred to as "short" or "ran short" and might have sour or watery characteristics.
"Long" or "Ran Long", in contrast, refers to over-extracted espresso, for example, expecting 25 seconds and getting 30 seconds. This could impart bitter flavor characteristics.
SBDU
SBDU is an acronym for "single boiler, dual use" and refers to an espresso machine with a single boiler that performs both the brewing and steaming functions. On a dual boiler espresso machine, separate, dedicated boilers handle each of these two functions.
Single Origin
Single Origin coffee comes from just one source - a specific country or region, or even one single farm. Single origin coffee is prized for highlighting specific flavor characteristics. Compare with blends, which include beans of multiple origins, processes, or roasting levels, in an attempt to create balance using the best characteristics from multiple coffees.
Tamper
A tamper is the tool used to tamp - or firmly press down - ground coffee into a portafilter, leaving a "puck."
Third Wave Coffee
Third Wave Coffee is sometimes used as a synonym for "specialty coffee" - a movement toward the appreciation of coffee at a higher level. Think focus on specific farms and producers, and increased attention on higher quality sourcing, roasting, and brewing. Third Wave or specialty coffee also includes increased transparency about farming and distribution practices and sustainable sourcing. Emphasis on specific flavor notes and characteristics is another indicator of Third Wave coffee.
So what was the first and second wave? The first wave was low quality, commodity-grade coffee, lacking an emphasis on quality - it's mostly about a low price. The second wave is the rise of cafe culture that introduced new and techniques to the public, especially espresso, flavored syrups, and similar.
