A guide to coffee terminology

The world of specialty coffee can seem complicated and difficult to understand so we’ve created a beginners cheat sheet to help you find your way.

Green Beans The raw product before it's been roasted
Origin Where the beans are from
Single Estate Coffee produced by one farmer
Blend A selection of different origins, blended together
Processing How the beans are separated and prepared after being picked as a cherry
Grinding The grinder, grinds the whole beans into small particles, ready to extract in the espresso machine
Dose How much coffee is going into the group handle
Shots Espresso shots, usually measured in grams
Extraction How fast or slow the shot is pouring
Yield How much espresso is in the shot
Ristretto A restricted shot of coffee about two thirds of a regular shot
Microfoam The tiny velvety bubbles in the textured milk
Latte Art The beautiful patterns baristas create as they pour milk into espresso
Profile (Roast) Roast profiles are usually shown as a graph that has time and temperature as its two axes
Profile (Flavour) The notes and nuances we use to describe an origin or blend