Coffee is a huge global industry. Some studies estimate that two billion cups of coffee are consumed every single day around the world. That’s a lot of coffee. As you would expect, there is a huge industry around the world’s favourite hot drink.
As coffee has evolved around the world, there have been thousands of different variations of coffee drinks, different brewing methods, and preparation methods. This means that it can be a little confusing.
In this guide, we’re providing a guide to some of the main terms in coffee, many of which are often misunderstood. If you’ve ever been into a coffee shop and struggled to understand exactly what is on the board or in the menus, our guide should help.
Coffee Blend vs Single Origin
The first term that is often misunderstood is related to coffee beans and their origin. Single origin coffee comes from one region of the world, which means that the coffee beans have certain characteristics based on the climate where they were grown.
A coffee blend has a number of different types of beans which have been blended together, the idea is that they compliment each other.
Dripper vs Pour Over
These are two types of brewing that often get people a little confused. The methods of brewing can be good to keep control over the flavour. Pour over coffees tend to be made in very small batches, pouring the water through the coffee filter to order.
Dripper methods are a lot easier for brewing bigger batches as this is a more automated process where a reservoir of water gradually drips through the ground coffee and the filter to provide you with a delicious end product. It’s easier to make coffee for a lot of people.
Types of Espresso-Based Drinks
One of the things that coffee drinkers get confused about is the huge amount of coffee drinks that are now available. Around the world, coffee is consumed in so many different ways.
Cortado
This drink comes from Spain and consists of espresso (usually a double shot) and a small amount of steamed milk, it is made with a 50/50 split of milk and espresso.
Doppio
This just means “double” in the Italian language so if you see this on the menu in your local coffee shop, you will get a double espresso if you order it.
Espressino
This is a variation with frothy milk, and a small amount of cocoa to sweeten it up.
Frappe (or Frappuccino)
This is a cold coffee variety. The iced coffee is made with espresso and milk but due to the bitter flavours that this can cause it usually has sugar or sweetener added which can impact the flavour of the coffee significantly.
Galao
This Portuguese coffee has about 75% foamed milk and 25% espresso, it provides a really creamy and relatively sweet taste that doesn’t have the bitterness of an espresso.
Lungo
This is an espresso shot with more water in it, having been pulled for longer, it is still technically a short drink but it has an extra bit of water within.
Ristretto
Can be thought of as the opposite of a Lungo, it’s an espresso shot but with less water so it is even more concentrated and small.
Turkish Coffee
This is brewed in something called a cezve, and extremely finely ground coffee without a filter. This method is popular in Turkey but also the Middle East.
Other Miscellaneous Terms
There are plenty of other coffee-related terms that you might come across and not fully understand.
High-Grown
If you hear coffee described as high-grown, it means that it has been grown at altitudes over 3,000 feet and this means they have interesting flavours that are often sought after.
Crema
Crema is the foam that covers the top of an espresso shot once it is drawn, and it is a good indicator of both quality and it is a crucial part of latte art.
“Natural” Process
This is when coffee is prepared and processed by drying the fruit before removing the husk. When it is prepared properly it can lead to a very complex and fulfilling taste.
Arabica or Robusta
Robusta is a low-growing coffee tree that produces lower quality coffees than arabica, but it also produces high levels of caffeine. Robusta coffee is so-called because it is robust and can grow in a variety of different scenarios and environments around the world.
Arabica is more commonly what you will find in quality coffee shops. It is the earliest coffee that was cultivated and around 70% of all of the coffee in the world is in one of the Arabica coffee species.
Summary – Understanding Coffee Terminology
If you’re going to work in the coffee industry then there is a chance that you will need to understand these terms, but most of us can get by with a basic knowledge of coffee beans and what we like. The terms in this guide will help to build your understanding further.
