Glossary of Coffee Terms

Everyone's heard the terms "Colombia Supremo" or "100% Arabica", but who knows what they mean? Here's an explanation of terms you may see on our coffee descriptions:

AA: A large coffee bean in a grading system based on bean size, most notably associated with Kenyan coffees but used in other countries as well. In this system, AAA is largest but rarely available, followed in decreasing size by AA, AB, B.

Arabica: The superior species of coffee plant. All good coffee is Arabica, but not all Arabica is good.

Blend: A combination of two or more single origin coffees, or two or more roast colors of the same origin.

Body: The tactile weight of the brew in your mouth.

Bourbon: An heirloom coffee varietal known for exceptional flavor.

Caturra: Coffee varietal known for disease resistance.

Chiapas: Region of southern Mexico

Clean: Cupping term indicating clear, distinct flavors without muddiness or taints.

Complex: Cupping term indicating coffee with multiple flavors of varying depth and character.

Dry Processed: Coffee dried before the surrounding cherry is removed.

Estate: Coffee grown and processed by a single farm.

Finish: The final impression of the coffee in your mouth.

French Roast: The darkest roast of coffee, a very dark brown with oil on the surface. The predominant aroma and flavor are of tobacco, smoke, and bittersweet chocolate, with little or no fruit remaining.

Full City: Coffee roast color slightly darker than Medium.

Harrar: Dry processed coffee from eastern Ethiopia, known for blueberry flavor and a pronounced wineyness.

HB: Hard Bean, a grade designation indicating coffee grown at high altitudes

HG: High Grown, a grade designation indicating coffee grown at high altitudes, usually above 3,000 feet.

Huehuetenango: Region of Guatemala.

Italian Roast: A roast color lighter than French but darker than Viennese. The flavor is predominantly bittersweet.

Mandheling: Coffee from the Lake Toba area of northern Sumatra.

Peaberry: A small round bean that results when, by a quirk of nature, only one bean forms inside the coffee cherry instead of the usual two. Peaberries sometimes have brighter flavor than other beans from the same crop.

SHB: Strictly Hard Bean, a grade designation indicating coffee grown at an elevation above Hard Bean.

SHG: Strictly High Grown, a grade designation indicating coffee grown at an elevation above High Grown.

Semi-Washed: Coffee processed by removing the cherry but leaving the mucilage on during drying; also known as Pulped Natural.

Shade Grown: Coffees grown under a canopy of shade trees, providing habitat for migratory song birds.

Sidamo: Coffee from southern Ethiopia.

Single Origin: Coffee from a single country (vs. a blend of coffees from multiple countries).

Supremo: Highest grade of Colombian coffee, determined by bean size.

Typica: Heirloom coffee varietal known for outstanding quality.

Varietal: A botanical category of coffee plant.

Washed Coffee: Coffee processed by removing the fruit from the coffee bean before drying.

Wet Processed Coffee: Another name for Washed Coffee.

Water Process: Coffee decaffeinated using water and charcoal filters instead of chemicals.

Yirgacheffe: Coffee of southern Ethiopia.