Coffee Slang – 90+ Terms That Make You A Coffee Expert

Coffee slang is commonly used among baristas, home brewers, and coffee enthusiasts. To a certain extent, some of this coffee jargon are not words that you use every day.

Since the origin of coffee can be traced back until the 15th century, humanity constantly creates new words to be added to the coffee history. From the types of coffee drinks to the expression of the flavors of coffee, there is a term for it in the world of coffee.

Fret not, as in this extensive list of coffee slang, you will find almost all the terms and jargon related to coffee that you need to know.

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At a glance: Coffee Slang (100 Terms That Make You An Expert)

Coffee Terms That You Need To Know

A

Aerate when used in coffee terms refers to the event during milk steaming with a steam wand. The steam wand injects hot steam which aerates the milk by injecting microbubbles into the milk which allows it to form the silky smooth foamy layer.

Acidity – A term commonly used to describe the pleasant and crisp taste of sourness. This usually refers to the bright flavor of coffee with citrusy flavor notes.

Aeropress is a coffee brewing gear invented by Adam Adler. It is a simple three-piece piece equipment consisting of a filter cap, plunger, and a chamber body that is capable of consistently making great-tasting coffee.

Affogato is a popular coffee dessert that is prepared with an espresso base and topped with a generous amount of vanilla ice cream

Americano is a type of coffee beverage that is made with espresso as a base. The typical ratio of an Americano is one part espresso and 2 parts water. 

Arabica is one of the two most popular types of coffee beans in the market. Arabicas are cultivated at higher altitudes and are most commonly found in regions with tropical climates. 

B

Balance is a common coffee slang to describe the taste profile of coffee. A balanced-tasting coffee is a harmony of natural sweetness, crisp acidity, and a hint of bitterness. No component overpowers the entire taste of the coffee.

Barista is the person manning the coffee bar and is responsible for crafting coffee drinks according to customer preferences. He/she is the one person who can definitely brighten up your day!

Black Eye coffee is a very strong coffee made with brewed coffee with two extra shots of espresso. As the name suggests, the Black Eye coffee is strong enough to let you power through the night leaving you with dark eye circles in the morning.

Blend describes the mixture of two or more types of coffee beans. Oftentimes, coffee roasters will blend different types of coffee beans to curate a better flavor experience for customers.

Body is a coffee term to describe the texture or mouthfeel of the coffee as it coats your tongue. A full-bodied coffee will leave a long-lasting aftertaste on your tongue.

Brain Juice is a common term used to describe coffee as it is a popular beverage to give your brain a jolt and sense of alert due to the caffeine.

Breve coffee is an American take on the Italian Latte which is made with equal parts of espresso and half-and-half milk. The Breve tastes comparatively creamier and stronger compared to the classic Latte.

Brew in coffee terms refers to the process of making coffee with coffee beans. It can be through a variety of methods like espresso, pour-over, French Press, and even batch brewers.

Brew Ratio is a common coffee slang that means the ratio of coffee grounds to water. This applies to all coffee brewing methods including pulling espresso shots. For example, the typical brew ratio for the Aeropress is 1:15 which means 15 ml water for every gram of coffee ground.

Burr grinders are grinders meant to grind coffee beans and will give consistent grind sizes in comparison to blade grinders. 

C

Cafe Au Lait is a milk-based espresso beverage that is made with equal parts of espresso and milk. There is no layer of foam on top of it which makes it different from a Latte.

Cafe is a coffee term that needs no further introduction as we all know a cafe is a place for people to have coffee with friends or even have personal time away from the hustle and bustle.

Chaff is the layer of dry skin on the coffee bean which falls off during the coffee roasting process. The chaff falling off also indicates that the coffee beans are dry enough and will soon move into the Light Roast region.

Channeling is a phenomenon when water finds a loose path within a bed of coffee grounds resulting in watery-tasting coffee. This can happen both during espresso and pour-over coffee brewing.

Chemex is a coffee brewing equipment under the pour-over category similar to the V60. The main difference stems from the filter which is comparatively thicker and this absorbs more coffee oils from the brew resulting in a cleaner cup.

Clever Coffee Dripper is a unique coffee brewing equipment that combines immersion and filter brewing techniques. 

Coffee Cherry is where the coffee bean come from. In fact, the coffee bean is the seed of the coffee cherry itself.

Cold Brew is a coffee brewing method that involves immersion of coarse coffee grounds in room temperature water over 16 to 24 hours. The slow extraction results in a mellow and smooth-tasting coffee. Also, did you know that you can heat up your Cold Brew to have hot Cold Brew Coffee?

Cortado is an espresso-based drink that is essentially one part espresso and one part milk. 

Crema is the golden layer of froth resting on top of a well-extracted espresso shot. The crema layer is the result of the emulsification of the coffee oils during the extraction phase.

Cupping is a coffee-tasting procedure done by coffee buyers to check the flavor and quality of the coffee beans. 

D

Dark Roast is the final roasting milestone during coffee roasting before it gets burnt. At this stage, most of the coffee flavors will be gone and the flavor profiles are usually chocolaty, roasty with a heavy body.

Decaf refers to coffee whose caffeine content is removed through a chemical process. Decaffeinated coffee is perfect for those who want

Demitasse is a small cup used to serve espresso which can hold up to 90 ml (3 oz) of liquid. This is perfect for a single shot of espresso which amounts to up to 60 ml which is 2 shots of espresso.

Doppio is an alternative coffee term to describe a double-shot espresso. 

Dry Processing is a coffee cherry processing technique where the coffee cherry is left to dry out before the dried exterior is removed via mechanical means.

E

Espresso Con Panna is an Italian coffee term for an espresso drink which is made with espresso and whipped cream.

Espresso is a strong and intense coffee made with an espresso machine. Hot water passes through a bed of coffee grounds in a high-pressure environment (8 to 9 bars) to extract coffee flavor compounds in 30 seconds. 

Espresso Martini is a cold alcoholic espresso-based cocktail that is made with espresso, coffee liqueur, and a generous amount of vodka.

Excelsa is a lesser-known type of coffee bean compared to the other two giants; Arabica and Robusta. However, Excelsa coffee beans have recently been categorized under the Liberica genus due to their similar growth condition requirements.

Extraction is a coffee term describing the process of water grabbing flavor compounds out of the coffee grounds during coffee brewing.

F

Fair Trade has recently become popular in the world of coffee slang as the industry is striving to ensure the coffee trade meets sustainability and labor standards at all stages from farm to cup.

Filter Coffee is a gravity-based coffee brewing technique where water is poured over a bed of coffee grounds separated by filter paper. Some of the common equipment used for Filter Coffee includes V60, Clever Dripper, and Kalita.

Finish is a coffee slang that describes the taste and flavor of the coffee at the back of your tongue after you swallow the coffee. Well-crafted coffee will leave a pleasant finishing aftertaste. 

First Crack defines the point during coffee roasting when the coffee beans give out a popcorn-like popping sound. This indicates that the coffee beans are now within the Light Roast range.

Flavor Profile is a coffee slang that often gets printed on roasted coffee beans bag which describes the expected flavor you can get from the coffee beans. Specialty coffee types will often exhibit fruity flavors due to the unique acid compounds in them.

Flavor Wheel in the coffee world is developed by the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) and it serves as a very good guide when it comes to tasting coffee and picking out flavor profiles.

Frappuccino is a famous coffee slang coined by Starbucks that defines the list of ice-blended coffee beverages.

French Press is a coffee brewing equipment that utilizes the immersion method. The brewing method simply involves immersing coarse coffee grounds over 4 to 5 minutes.

G

Gooseneck Kettle is a coffee brewing equipment that is essentially a kettle with a gooseneck-like spout. The long elongated neck of the kettle allows the clean laminar flow of water 

Green Coffee is the raw form of roasted coffee beans as we know. Green coffee beans are a product of drying the seeds of the coffee cherry at the coffee farm.

Grind Size refers to the size of the coffee grounds after Grinding with a coffee grinder. Different brewing methods call for different grind sizes and it can range from coarse to fine.

Grinder is a piece of coffee equipment that grinds whole coffee beans into coffee grounds. Great grinders allow you to set the grind size ranging from coarse to fine.

H

Heart is the bottommost layer of an espresso shot. This layer contains most of the acidic compounds of the coffee bean which balances out the bitter flavors from the crema layer.

Honey Processing is a combination of the wet and dry process as the coffee cherries are washed with water but some of the pulp still remains intact for the drying phase. 

J

Java slang word for coffee originates from the Island of Java in Indonesia. Indonesia is the 4th largest coffee-producing country with the Island of Java being one of the first places where coffee is cultivated, it is no surprise that the term Java refers to coffee.

Jitter Juice is another word for coffee as the caffeine-loaded beverage is known to give you jitters because of the caffeine content. 

Joe is a coffee slang often used as “Cup of Joe” or “Cuppa Joe”. While the true origin of the term is unknown, it is believed that Joe is a common name and so is coffee. Hence, a cup of joe refers to coffee as it is the most commonly consumed beverage at its time.

l

Latte Art is the delicate pattern that baristas make on top of your latte with well-steamed milk. This is made possible by creating microfoam in the milk during steaming.

Latte is a popular espresso-based milk beverage. It is typically made with an espresso-to-milk ratio of 2 to 1.

Liberica is the third most popular coffee bean type currently. In fact, the Liberica coffee bean has slowly gained traction over the years among coffee aficionados for its unique flavors.

Light Roast is the first roasting milestone where the coffee beans are sufficiently dry and have just passed the First Crake. Here caramelization is low and the resulting flavors are mellower leaning towards the acidic end.

Long Black is a black coffee just like the Americano. However, the difference is that a Long Black is prepared by pulling an espresso shot over a cup of hot water. This preserves the crema layer on top of the coffee.

M

Macchiato is an espresso-based coffee drink that loosely translates to stained coffee. This is because the macchiato is basically an espresso with a dollop of steamed milk to tone down the intensity of the espresso. The milk foam “stains” the surface of the espresso and hence the name “Macchiato”.

Medium Roast is the second roasting milestone during coffee roasting. At this stage, the roast offers the balance between acidity and bitterness which makes the flavor most palatable to most people.

Microfoam is a layer of silky smooth foam that is formed during proper milk steaming technique with a steam wand. The microfoam is what makes delicate latte art possible. 

Microlot Coffee describes coffee lots within a coffee farm that is designated to be premium. Here, the coffee plants are given more care and careful treatment to produce high-grade Coffees.

Mocha is a fairly popular chocolate espresso-based beverage that is essentially made with an espresso base, steamed milk, and chocolate. The choice of chocolate can be a regular chocolate sauce or even milk chocolate.

Moka Pot is a coffee brewing equipment of Italian origin. It uses the percolation brewing method which means coffee is brewed by having water pass through them instead of soaking in water. In the case of the Moka Pot, hot steam passes through the bed of coffee grounds and condenses in the upper chamber.

Morning Fix is another popular coffee slang used to describe coffee as it is usually consumed in the morning before one starts their day. In fact, some people need to have their coffee in the morning before the morning routine begins.

Mouthfeel is a coffee term to describe the texture of the coffee as the coffee oils and aromatic compounds coat your tongue. Coffees can taste “light” or “heavy” depending on the brew method and also the type of coffee bean.

N

Nano Lot Coffee is a smaller plot in comparison to micro-lot coffee. Coffee farmers provide specialized care to these coffee plants to ensure optimum growth and better yield quality.

Nespresso is a popular coffee equipment that uses coffee pods to brew coffee. Its simple, straightforward, convenient, and hassle-free design appeals to most people today!

O

Over-Extraction happens when the coffee brewing process squeezes too much of the flavor compounds out of the coffee grounds. The resulting flavor of over-extracted coffee is bitter and unpleasant.

P

Peaberry is a unique coffee term to describe coffee cherries that have only one single coffee seed than a regular 2-seed coffee cherry. Peaberries are often sought after as they have more unique flavor profiles. 

Pitcher is a little jug specially made for milk steaming and latte art pouring. The wide base allows the milk to swirl and mix air bubbles around and the spout helps the barista form delicate latte art.

Portafilter is a detachable device from the espresso machine which holds coffee grounds and allows high-pressure water to pass through it. In essence, it facilitates the espresso extraction process. 

Pour Over Coffee is an alternative name to filter coffee. As the same suggests, pouring over coffee involves the action of pouring a steady stream of hot water over a bed of coffee grounds on a filter.

Puck describes the lump of wet coffee grounds formed in the portafilter after espresso extraction. The coffee puck can give some indication of how well your espresso extraction is.

Pull is a word often associated with the act of brewing espresso. This is because the espresso machine traditionally has a lever that baristas will have to “pull” to begin the espresso extraction process.

R

Ristretto is a short shot of a regular espresso that tastes less bitter but more intense in flavor. The preparation of a ristretto is similar to an espresso except that instead of pulling a shot over 30 seconds, the brew time is stopped between 15 to 20 seconds. 

Roasting is a process of drying up and processing green coffee beans using a roasting drum. This process removes water and caramelizes the coffee beans resulting in various roast profiles as the roaster intends.

Robusta is one of the most produced types of coffee in the world alongside the Arabica. The Robusta coffee plants are more robust and can withstand more diseases and pest attacks due to their higher caffeine content. 

Rocket Fuel is a regular term referring to coffee used by people who pull all-nighters. The strong coffee is surely going to power you through your tasks without fail.

S

Second Crack occurs a few minutes after the First Crack during coffee roasting. This is an indication of the coffee beans entering the Dark Roast region. 

Shot in the coffee world represents 1 oz. (30 ml) espresso volume. More shots will mean more espresso and this translates to stronger coffee.

Single Origin coffee means that the coffee is sourced from a single farm or producer. Hence, the resulting coffee’s flavor is unique to the farm and region with no flavor interference from coffee beans.

Specialty Coffee is a coffee term describing coffee beans that are graded above a score of 85 by Q-Graders. These sensory judges grade coffee via its body, sweetness, flavor, acidity, and aftertaste.

Steam Wand is a part of the coffee machine which channels steam through a protruded pipe with pin-sized holes. Baristas use the steam wand to steam milk in a pitcher for milk-based espresso beverages.

T

Tamper is a coffee tool that is used to evenly compact the coffee grounds in a portafilter. This act of tamping allows water to wet the bed of coffee evenly during coffee extraction.

Third Wave coffee is a coffee slang that describes a period in time when the coffee industry starts educating the public on coffee appreciation and also the introduction of specialty coffee to the world. 

Triplo is an alternative coffee term to describe a triple-shot espresso. 

U

Under-Extraction is an event when the coffee brewing process did not squeeze enough flavor compounds from the coffee grounds. Under-extracted coffee usually taste watery and has a more sour flavor profile.

W

Wet Processing is a coffee cherry processing technique where water is used to wash off the pulpy exterior before drying.

Y

Yield when used in coffee terms means the number of flavor compounds with respect to the mass of coffee grounds used. Ideally, you will want to achieve an extraction yield of 18% to 22% for optimum flavor.

What Are Slang Words For Coffee Lovers?

A person who loves coffee is very commonly known as a coffee lover. However, there are many other terms that can be used to label one as a coffee lover. Here are some recommended terms you can use: 

• Coffee Addict
• Coffee Aficionado
• Coffeeholic
• Caffeine Junkie
• Coffee Manic
• Coffee Snob
• Coffee Freak

Closing Notes

That concludes the extensive list of coffee slang that you need to know to allow you to mingle among coffee lovers. To be honest, there are many coffee snobs out there and they do love using coffee terms when talking about coffee.

If you know a slang term about coffee that you’d love to see on this list, do comment below and I will add them in!

If you find this piece of article informational, please do share it with your fellow friends. baristas and home brewers! 

Happy brewing!