Glossary

Glossary of Coffee Terms

Acidity - Refers to the pleasant taste sensation or tartness that can be compared to the dryness in a fine wine. This will be felt towards the tip and under the edges of your tongue.
Acrid - Refers to a burnt flavour. Sharp, bitter, may be irritating.
Aged -Refers to carefully regulated storage that brings out a heavy body.
(Not to be confused with "old crop".)
Arabica - A botanical variety. Grown primarily in Central and South america at higher altitudes.
Aroma- The fragrance that is produced by freshly roasted coffee.
Bitter- An unpleasant taste. Sharp and disagreeable. Caused by iron contamination.
Body -The "weight" or substance of the coffee. It is the sensation of richness, or heaviness at the back of your tongue.
Burnt- A smell or taste like that of burnt oil, protein or carbohydrate.
Caramel- A sweet, almost burnt flavour similar to caramelized sugar. Desirable when complimented with coffee flavour.
Earthiness - An undesirable taste or odor resembling fresh earth. Usually caused by molds.
Fermented- A chemical change caused by yeast or enzymes in the green coffee. Undesirable flavours similar to those found in fermented alcohol.
Flavour- Points out the distinct characteristic of taste each coffee produces all to its own. Some terms commonly used are richness, complexity and balance.
Grassy- A flavour suggesting an intense fresh greenness, like new mown hay. Caused by immature beans.
Green- Coffee in its raw unroasted form.
Harsh - An unpleasant sharp, rough or irritating taste.
Mellow- Reflects a harmonious balance in the coffee. Neither too acid nor too bitter. Dense and rich.
Mild- Smooth taste. Typical of washed Arabica and the best Brazilian coffees.

Glossary of Tea Terms

Aroma- The smell or scent denoting 'inherent character' usually on tea grown in high altitudes.
Bloom - A sign of good manufacture and sorting a sheen that has not been lost through over-handling or over-sorting.
Bright - A lively bright appearance, which usually indicates that the tea will produce a bright liquor.
Brisk- The most 'live' characteristic. Results from good manufacture.
Character - An attractive taste, specific to growth origin. Describes teas grown at high altitudes, usually.
Flat - Not fresh, usually due to age. The tea tends to lose its characteristics and taste, unlike some wines which mature with age.
Flavour - A most desirable extension of character caused by slow growth at high altitudes. Relatively rare.
Harsh - A taste generally due to the leaf being under withered during manufacture resulting in a very rough taste.
High-fired- High-fired, over-fired or dried, but not baked or burnt.
Make - A term used to describe tea manufacture. In tea-taster's terms 'make' means a well-made tea or not true to its grade.
Muscatel - A desirable character in Darjeeling teas. A grapey taste.
Soft- The opposite of briskness. Tea lacking any 'live' characteristics and is caused by inefficient fermentation and/or drying.
Well Twisted - Used to describe whole-leaf Orthodox tea grades. Often referred to as well 'made' or 'rolled'.
Wiry- The leaf appearance of a well-twisted, thin, long leaf.