Coffee Glossary

Brix degree measures the sugar content in the coffee cherry to indicate optimal harvest time

The components that make up a coffee roaster. Gas and electric roasters share common core parts (drum and drum motor, cooling tray, airflow system, thermocouples/temperature sensors, control panels). Other parts vary by roaster type and model.

Different kinds of roasting machines that range in cost and control. In addition to gas and electric coffee roasters, there are air or fluid bed roasters which can allow for faster, more precise process — ideal for, smaller-batch roasting.

The common name for Coffea canephora, which originated in central and western sub-saharan Africa, and which serves as the source for 20%-40% of the world’s coffee, including instant. In the cup, Robusta has about double the caffeine content of Arabica coffee and a full, more bitter taste.

The process of evaluating coffee’s flavor, aroma, body, and acidity by brewing a small amount and tasting it according to standardized methods. Roasters rely on sampling or cupping to assess the quality of beans, develop roast profiles, and ensure consistency before launching into full-scale production.

The industry standard for describing coffee flavors since its publishing in 1995 by the Specialty Coffee Association. The Coffee Taster's Flavor Wheel was built on World Coffee Research’s sensory lexicon and further categorized and visualized in its iconic, colorful wheel design by the SCA.

The formal way to describe the process of cupping as defined by the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA). The process involves a series of defined steps (smell, slurp, locate, describe, assess defects, and calculate the score) to assess a coffee’s quality.

Refers to the grading of coffee beans by their physical size, typically measured through perforated screens numbered 8-20.

According to the latest Specialty Coffee Association’s Green Coffee Standard, 10 flaws (partial black bean, partial sour bean, parchment, floater, immature/unripe bean, withered bean, shell, broken/chipped/cut bean, hull/husk, and slight insect damage) count as Category 2 or secondary defects, measured per 350 grams of coffee.

Referred to interchangeably as the coffee bean, the seed is the core element roasted and ground to make all coffee beverages.