Coffee Glossary

A positive sensory attribute in coffee, often referring to a coffee's brightness, sparkle, or type of flavors present.

A plastic device for brewing coffee by forcing coffee through a filter with a plunger and tube

Ice cream (traditionally vanilla) “drowned” with a shot of espresso.


Refers to coffee currently in transit (en route from the producer to the roaster or buyer) by sea. Roasters track afloat coffee shipments to anticipate inventory arrival and plan roasting schedules accordingly.

Coffee that is held in warehouses for several years, sometimes deliberately, sometimes inadvertently. Such aging reduces acidity and increases body.

A spectrophotometer that’s used to measure roast degree using infrared light

How high above sea level (measured in meters or “MASL”) a coffee plant is grown. Altitude impacts coffee bean shape and flavor with Robusta beans typically grown at lower altitudes (600-2,400 MASL) and Arabica beans grown at higher altitudes (1,800-6,300 MASL).

A coffee sorting standard that less strict than European Prep (EP)

Also known as a “City Roast,” coffee beans are medium brown and offer full flavor, acidity, and varietal character; the roast style traditionally preferred in the U.S. 

A fermentation process in which coffee cherries are fermented in sealed environments without oxygen, resulting in unique, sometimes intense flavors.