
Coffee A-Z Glossary
At NESCAFÉ, we’re obsessed with coffee. So much so, we even love the words associated with it! That’s why we’ve created this coffee dictionary A – Z to share with you some of the key coffee words we think you should know.
Coffee Terms from A to Z
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Arabica
There are two types of coffee beans typically used for creating the delicious NESCAFÉ coffee you know and love – Arabica and Robusta. Arabica is generally more favoured due to its smoother and less bitter taste profile.
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Barista
Barista is a coffee term you all should know! This is a person who artfully crafts your favourite coffee, usually at a coffee shop. It takes a lot of skill to be able to make great coffee and baristas have to master a whole host of coffee varieties from an espresso shot to the precise layers of the cappuccino.
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Cappuccino
What else could we have for C in our coffee dictionary other than cappuccino? It’s one of the most popular coffee types in the world after all! Originating in Italy, this delicious beverage contains equal parts of espresso, steamed milk and milk froth and is usually served with a dusting of chocolate powder on top.
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Green Beans
This coffee word may surprise you, but did you know that when coffee beans are fresh off the plant, they’re actually green and have a grassy scent? It’s the roasting process which turns them that rich brown hue and gives them that incredible smell!
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High Grown
High grown coffee refers to the process of growing coffee plants at high altitudes. This practice produces more rich and flavourful beans as the beans develop slower, resulting in a more complex and robust flavour profile.
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Java
You’ll likely be familiar with this coffee terminology as a slang word for ‘coffee’. But did you know that ‘Java’ was originally used to refer to coffee grown on the island of Java? When the coffee trade grew, the word was adopted by many all over the world and now it’s become a generalised word for ‘coffee’.
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Over Extracted
This coffee term is one you’ll want to avoid at all costs as it’s what happens when espresso is exposed to brew water for too long. The result is a drink that possesses a bitter or burnt taste – not ideal for making those smooth and delicious lattes or cappuccinos!
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Portafilter
A portafilter is not just a coffee word, but perhaps the most essential piece to the barista’s toolkit. It’s what’s responsible for holding the ground espresso beans in the coffee machine for the whole brewing process.
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Quaker
A Quaker is a coffee term which refers to un-ripened coffee beans. They usually have a wrinkled surface and remain pale even when roasted.
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Single Origin
Single origin coffee is when the beans are sourced from a single location. Due to this, it’s generally of a much higher quality with a stronger flavour profile as it’s not a blend of beans from varying locations and growing conditions. Why not give it a try with our Nescafé Gold Origins range?
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Uganda
Uganda is in the top 10 coffee producing countries and its landscape with rich, volcanic soil provides the ideal conditions for growing coffee plants.
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Wet Processed
Wet processed is a coffee term which refers to how the layers (skin and pulp) around the coffee bean are removed. This is the most common way for coffee beans to be processed.
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Yield
Yield is a coffee word that refers to the weight of the espresso in the cup, put simply, the more yield, the more espresso.
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Zambia
Zambia is another one of the key coffees growing locations in the world. Grown in the Muchinga Mountains, beans grown here are said to be balanced and wonderfully full bodied.
That’s our A – Z coffee dictionary! Want to find out more interesting coffee facts or coffee statistics? Read our articles, next.