Lexicon

The frothy, hazelnut colored layer that forms on the surface of a well-brewed shot of espresso. The presence of crema is an important element in assessing the quality of an espresso.

Extraction is what determines the quality of the final result of the coffee in cup, defining the thickness of the crema on the surface and giving the coffee its fine and persistent texture.

Four basic flavours are used to describe coffee: bitter, sour, salty, and sweet. The predominance of one or more over the others depends on the blend composition. Sometimes, umami is also perceived.

Milk frothing serves two purposes: to create a creamy foam by incorporating air and steam, as well as heating the milk to an ideal temperature (up to 65°C).

Transformation of the roasted coffee beans into a coarse to fine powder, allowing the oils and flavours to be extracted. Can be done with a basic, blade-type grinder or with a higher quality burr one.

Creative drawing technique that involves skilfully pouring steamed milk into a shot of espresso to create visually appealing designs such as hearts, rosettes or tulips on the surface of the coffee.

The process of gently soaking the puck of ground coffee in the filter after the full desired brewing pressure has been applied to ensure that water evenly penetrates the ground once extraction begins.

Roasting is the ‘cooking’ of the green coffee beans through the application of heat for a certain time. Only after roasting are beans are ready to be ground.

Coffea Robusta is the most popular coffee variety of the Coffea Canephora. Mostly grown in Vietnam, but also in Africa and Brazil, it generally has a much higher caffeine content than other species.

The beans come from one place only, usually from a certain country, region or even the same farm or estate. Supporters of single origin argue that mixing destroys the essence of the beans.

Exceptional quality coffee scoring at least 80 points on the 100-point Coffee Review scale: the SCA oversees quality standards at every stage of the coffee production, from green beans defects to water standards and brew strength.

The act of compacting ground coffee with a tamper to restrict water flow, forcing the coffee and water to interact at the right pressure. Tamping should be firm, even and perpendicular to the filter.