Coffee Glossary: Terms That Help You Choose & Brew
A concise reference for labels, brewing guides, and tasting notes. Keep origin, process, roast, ingredients, and preparation in their proper places.
Cozy Notes Coffee Co.
Updated
The Tasting Table / Reference guide
A concise reference for labels, brewing guides, and tasting notes. Keep origin, process, roast, ingredients, and preparation in their proper places.
In this article
Reading a coffee label
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Single origin | Coffee identified by a stated source, such as a country, region, cooperative, or farm |
| Blend | A combination of coffees |
| Roast level | A description of roast direction, with boundaries that vary by producer |
| Tasting notes | Sensory associations; not an ingredient list |
| Flavored coffee | Coffee with added flavoring |
| Decaf | Coffee with most, but not all, caffeine removed |
Processing terms
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Natural process | Coffee dried within the fruit before later preparation |
| Washed process | Fruit material removed before the main drying stage |
| Green coffee | Unroasted coffee prepared for roasting |
| Wet-hulled | A distinct processing approach; not a synonym for washed |
Processing describes handling before roasting. Natural process and natural flavoring mean different things. A process name does not establish organic certification.
Brewing terms
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Dose | The weight of dry coffee used |
| Ratio | The relationship between coffee and water, or between dose and espresso output when specified |
| Extraction | Material moving from coffee into water during brewing |
| Strength | The concentration of the finished beverage |
| Yield | The amount of brewed drink produced, especially useful for espresso |
| Bloom | An initial wetting stage commonly used in pour-over preparation |
Tasting terms
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Aroma | What you smell |
| Body | The perceived weight or texture of the drink |
| Acidity | A sensory impression of brightness or tartness; not itself a pH reading |
| Finish | The impression that remains after a sip |
| Balance | How the cup's characteristics relate, as perceived by the taster |
Put the terms to work
When reading The Composer's label, Colombia describes origin, medium describes roast, and red apple or caramel describes a tasting association. The brewing recipe then supplies dose, water, and method. Keeping those categories separate makes comparisons more precise.
This glossary is a plain-language home reference, not an industry certification standard. Use the linked guides for a fuller explanation and a practical exercise.
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