If you don’t know your Robusta from your Arabica and think tamping is an Olympic sport then this is for you. Our barista team offer the following guide to some of the everyday and not so everyday coffee terminology.
Arabica
Coffee Arabica originated in the south western highlands of Ethiopia and typically grows at altitudes of 800-2000 metre above sea level. Arabica coffee beans are known for their high quality and represent 59% of the world’s total coffee production.
Caffe Freddo
Caffe Freddo is the Italian name for a cold version of a milk based espresso such as an espresso or latte which is usually served over ice.
Cortado
A Cortado is the Spanish version of a strong cappuccino with equal parts warm milk and espresso.
Crema
The crema is the lighter coloured thick foam which appears on top of a freshly brewed espresso. The crema is the Holy Grail for the barista and the quality of the crema is one way to determine a good cup of espresso.
Espresso
Concentrated coffee made when hot water is forced at pressure through fine coffee grounds.
Flat white
Originally an Australian version of a latte but with less foam and usually with two shots of coffee.
God shot
A shot of espresso so good that it must have been blessed by God – what every barista aims for.
Java
Java coffee beans are grown in the Indonesian island of Java and they are known for creating a very strong and robust style of coffee.
Kaldi
Kaldi was an Ethiopian goatherd who is said to have discovered coffee.
Latte art
There was a time when a simple heart or leaf was good enough for a cappuccino or flat white. Those days are long gone. Latte art has become so popular that there is even a world championship for our most creative baristas.
Robusta
One of the two primary coffee beans in the world (the other one being Arabica). Robusta is grown mainly in Africa and Indonesia and has a stronger, more powerful flavour with twice the caffeine content of Arabica.
Single estate/single origin
Coffee sourced from one estate or from a specific region within a country and not mixed with any other coffee blends.
Slow roast
Slow roasting coffee beans at a low temperature allows complex reactions to take place which helps develop sweetness and maximises the organic compounds and aromatics held within the coffee oils.
Tamper
The name given to the heavy stainless steel device which baristas use to pack the coffee grounds into the portafilter when preparing to brew a shot of espresso.
Terroir
Terroir describes how the growing conditions of a region such as the soil, annual rainfall, average temperature, amount of sunlight and elevation affect the characteristics of the coffee.
Varietal
A coffee plant varietal is a botanical term which describes plant varieties that are derived either through natural selection or through selective breeding (for specific genetic traits).