A
Acidity: a sharp, pleasing quality that highlights the flavor and creates a lively cup. A coffee's acidity level can be high, medium, low or nonexistent, in which case the coffee tastes flat and dull.
Aroma: the fragrance of brewed coffee. It can be lacking, faint, delicate, moderate, strong or fragrant (also called aromatic).
B
Bitter: a harsh, unpleasant taste detected on the back of the tongue. Coffee that has been over-extracted or over-roasted is often bitter.
Blend: a mixture of two or more single origins of coffee.
Body: the impression of weight and texture in the mouth. Coffees can be watery, thin, slight, light, medium, full, heavy, thick or even syrupy in body. Textures include oily, buttery, rich, smooth, and chewy. Body also varies with the brewing process. (French Press coffee, for example, has a much heavier body than drip coffee).
Barista: Coffee barkeep and espresso expert.
Breve (BRE-vay): Any drink made with half-and-half instead of milk. Examples include latte breves and espresso breves.
C
CafÈ Americano: A very smooth espresso drink made with espresso and hot water
CafÈ au Lait (caf-fay-o-LAY): This drink is made ‡ steamed milk and ‡ brewed coffee.
CafÈ Latte (caf-fay-LAH-tay): Italian for coffee and milk, this drink is made by filling the glass three-quarters full with steamed milk, adding a shot of espresso and topping with a thin layer of soft foam.
CafÈ Mocha (caf-fay-MO-kah): " Coffee and chocolate " in Italian, this drink is made by filling the glass three-quarters full with steamed chocolate milk, adding a shot of espresso and topping with a thin layer of soft foam.
Cappuccino (cap-oo-CHEE-no): Made with one-third espresso, one -third steamed milk and one-third milk foam.
Crema (CRAY-mah): The caramel-colored froth that appears on top of a quality shot of espresso during the brewing process. The crema helps to seal in the flavors of the espresso.
D
Demitasse: a small cup used for serving espresso. French or "half cup"
Doppio: Italian for "double shot of espresso."
E
Earthy: a spicy, "of the earth" taste mostly found in Indonesian coffees.
Espresso (ess-PRES-oh): Coffee made by the Italian method, using a small amount of water, finely ground coffee and high water pressure to extract the best flavors from the coffee.
Espresso Long Shot: a shot of espresso that is allowed to brew for longer than the normal brewing time. Since more water runs through this shot, it may become over-extracted.
Espresso Ristretto: Italian for "restricted," a ristretto shot is produced by stopping the brew process prematurely. It is made with about half the amount of water but the same amount coffee as a regular espresso. The goal is to make a thicker, stronger tasting and more flavorful espresso.
Espresso con Panna: a shot of espresso with whipped cream.
Eye Opener: a cup of brewed coffee with a shot of espresso.
F
Foam/Froth: milk that has been made thick and foamy by aerating it with a hot steam wand
Flat: a dull, lifeless quality due to lack of acidity.
Flavor: The total impression of a coffee described in terms such as aroma, acidity and body.
Fruity: a flavor taint that is said to come from overripe fruit pulp.
G
Grouphead: the silver part of the espresso machine where portafilters are inserted for brewing.
L
Light: Used to describe aroma, acidity or body.
M
Macchiato: a shot of espresso with milk foam
Mellow: a full, well-balanced, satisfying coffee, Implies low or medium acidity.
N
Nutty: a specific flavor nuance suggesting almonds or other nuts. Can also be used to describe a coffee with a lack of flavor.
P
Portafilter: The cupped handle on the espresso machine that holds the coffee during the brewing process. Available in single, double and triple sizes for multiple drink making.
R
Rich: Indicates deep and complex flavor and a full body.
S
Solo: A single shot of espresso.
Split: Half regular/half decaf coffee or espresso.
Steam Wands: The silver wands on either side of the espresso machine used for heating/steaming milk. Steam wands are very hot during and after use, so exercise extreme caution.
Sour: not to be confused with acidity. A distinctively sour, rank or rancid taste is a defect often due to improper processing.
Spicy: a fine aroma or flavor that hints of particular spices.
Single Origin/Varietal: The term used for the coffee that comes from a geographical region. Sumatra, Kenya, Costa Rica and Java are examples of single origins/varietals.