The plant and the bag
A label can combine several kinds of information. Read each term at its own level rather than treating every unfamiliar name as a new species.
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Arabica | The commercial name for Coffea arabica, a coffee species with many varieties. |
| Robusta | The common commercial name associated with Coffea canephora; not a universal quality grade. |
| Excelsa | Coffee identified in current Kew research as Coffea dewevrei; older classifications may place it under Liberica. |
| Variety or cultivar | A named cultivated plant type; details of parentage and agronomic performance matter. |
| Landrace | A locally adapted cultivated population, rather than a promise of uniform plants. |
| Cherry | The coffee fruit surrounding the seed or seeds. |
| Green coffee | Prepared, unroasted coffee seed. |
| Peaberry | A seed shape associated with one rounded seed developing in the fruit; not a separate species. |
| Single origin | Coffee sold with a shared origin claim, which may mean a country, region, producer or lot. |
| Blend | A deliberate combination of coffees; ingredients may change while the intended profile stays similar. |
| Lot | An identified parcel or batch of coffee; ask how it was separated and traced. |
| Country of roast | Where roasting took place, which may differ from the growing country. |
Evidence: WCR varieties · Kew-led excelsa taxonomy research
Processing and roasting
Processing labels usually describe the path from fruit to green coffee. A fermentation label may describe one part of that path.
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Natural / dry processed | Coffee dried within the whole fruit before the dried layers are removed. |
| Washed | Coffee with pulp and mucilage removed before the seed in parchment is dried. |
| Pulped natural / honey | Fruit skin/pulp is removed and some or all mucilage remains during drying; the label does not ordinarily mean added honey. |
| Mucilage | The sticky layer associated with the fruit around the parchment. |
| Parchment | A protective layer surrounding the seed before hulling. |
| Fermentation | Microbial and biochemical change used or managed during processing; the exact protocol matters. |
| Anaerobic | A label for low-oxygen or oxygen-excluded fermentation conditions; not a complete process description. |
| Hulling | Removing protective dried layers during preparation of green coffee. |
| First crack | An audible roasting event associated with changes and expansion in bean structure. |
| Development | Continued roast progression, often discussed as the period after first crack; a percentage alone is not a taste guarantee. |
| Degassing | Release of gas from roasted coffee over time. |
| Espresso roast | A roaster's intended application, not a required species or a universally defined darkness. |
Evidence: ICO processing overview · Behmor roasting manual · NCA roast descriptions
Brewing and measurement
Numbers only help when the units and measurement points are clear.
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Dose | Mass of dry coffee used. |
| Brew water | Water introduced during extraction; not the same as final beverage mass. |
| Beverage yield | Mass of drink collected. |
| Brew ratio | A relationship that must name its terms; here filter uses dry coffee:brew water and espresso uses dry coffee:beverage. |
| Immersion | Grounds steep together in water before separation. |
| Percolation | Water travels through a bed of grounds. |
| Bypass | Water added to the drink outside the grounds' extraction path. |
| Bloom | An initial wetting step in some filter recipes, during which gas may escape. |
| Drawdown | The draining stage of a filter brew. |
| Channeling | Uneven preferential flow through a coffee bed. |
| TDS | Total dissolved solids; in brewed coffee, a measured concentration rather than a taste score. |
| Extraction yield | Estimated dissolved coffee mass relative to the dry dose, expressed as a percentage. |
| Retention | Material left in equipment; specify whether you mean dry grounds in a grinder or liquid in a coffee bed. |
| Dialing in | Adjusting a repeatable recipe toward an intended result, ideally one variable at a time. |
Evidence: Brewing strength/extraction research · SCA water and acidity
Describing the cup
Use words that help you remember a comparison. You do not have to identify an exotic fruit to write a useful note.
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Aroma | Smells perceived from coffee, distinct from the dry-ground fragrance in some formal protocols. |
| Acidity | The sensory dimension associated with sourness and brightness; not identical to pH. |
| Bitterness | A taste sensation; different from a drying texture and not proof of over-extraction. |
| Astringency | A drying or puckering mouthfeel. |
| Body / mouthfeel | How the drink feels in the mouth, such as light, thick, smooth or gritty. |
| Clarity | An informal description of how distinctly flavors come through; not a universal lab score. |
| Sweetness | A perceived sweet quality; it does not establish added sugar or a measured sugar concentration. |
| Aftertaste | Sensations that remain after swallowing or spitting. |
| Flavor note | A comparison such as cocoa or peach; check the ingredient label separately for flavored products. |
| Balance | How well the sensations fit together for a stated preference or assessment. |
Evidence: WCR Sensory Lexicon · SCA 102-2024
Water terms
Always retain the reporting basis when copying values from a report or calculator.
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Hardness | A measure mainly associated with calcium and magnesium, often reported as mg/L as CaCO₃. |
| Calcium hardness | The calcium contribution to hardness; magnesium alone does not supply it. |
| Alkalinity | Capacity to neutralize acid, commonly reported as mg/L as CaCO₃. |
| pH | A measure of acid/base condition; it does not tell you alkalinity on its own. |
| ppm | Parts per million; for dilute water, commonly approximated by mg/L, but the substance/basis must be stated. |
| Scale | Mineral deposits that can form under equipment operating conditions. |
| Reverse osmosis | A treatment process that removes much dissolved material; the actual output still needs checking. |
| Concentrate | A prepared strong solution intended for measured dilution; specify identity, concentration and final volume. |
Evidence: SCA water and acidity · La Marzocco water specifications · SCA 102-2024
Sourcing and caffeine terms
A familiar word can conceal a missing measurement or an undefined promise.
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Decaf | Coffee processed to remove much of its caffeine; some remains. |
| Half-caf | A lower-caffeine blend description, not a precise laboratory value. |
| Traceability | Ability to follow an identified product or lot through stages of a supply chain. |
| FOB price | A price at an export transaction stage; not automatically a farmer's net income. |
| Premium | An extra payment whose rules depend on the scheme or contract; state which one. |
| Living income | A household livelihood concept, different from a minimum commodity price. |
| Direct trade | A seller's sourcing claim that needs an explicit definition and supporting evidence. |
| Organic | A regulated certification claim under a named jurisdiction; not a synonym for chemical-free. |
| Life-cycle assessment | An environmental assessment with a specified function, boundary, data and assumptions. |
| Compostable | A material claim tied to particular conditions; industrial and home composting are different. |
Evidence: FDA caffeine · Fairtrade price and income limits · USDA organic labeling · Coffee life-cycle assessment
Use a term to make the next question clearer
Instead of “make it stronger,” specify whether you want a smaller, more concentrated drink or more total coffee flavor in the same mug. Instead of “the water is 100 ppm,” name the measure and basis. Instead of “ethical coffee,” ask which practice, payment or certification the seller can substantiate.
When a bag uses an unfamiliar process or variety name, keep the wording and ask the roaster how it applies to that lot. A clear answer is more useful than a confident definition that erases local variation.
Sources & limitations
This guide combines source-based explanations and practical starting points. Coffee Jacob has not performed hands-on product testing or controlled tasting trials for this guide. Source check: 13 October 2026.
- WCR varieties
- Kew-led excelsa taxonomy research
- ICO processing overview
- Brewing strength/extraction research
- WCR Sensory Lexicon
- SCA water and acidity
- SCA 102-2024
- La Marzocco water specifications
- Behmor roasting manual
- NCA roast descriptions
- FDA caffeine
- Fairtrade price and income limits
- USDA organic labeling
- Coffee life-cycle assessment