People are constantly asking me “What is the difference between a latte and a cappuccino?” or “What makes an espresso an espresso?” and even “Why are you still single?” Well, most of these answers are found in this glossary. 

Now a majority of these terms will be completely over your head. Don’t be offended. I’ve been researching for almost four years now and some of them I still have to read two or three times...........and then again. This glossary will cover the basics and the far from basic. Why am I covering so many details that most people will not understand? Well, with time, interest grows. Most people will come into the coffeehouse, have a drink that was not like anything they’ve ever tasted, and their interest will be peaked. Soon questions like “What’s a mocha?” will turn into “What are the primary differences between a ristretto and an espresso?” I am hoping that you’ll give me the opportunity to “train” you on “real” coffee and what to look for in a great drink and even how to make a great drink yourself. 

When I was still drinking Folger’s and thought Starbucks was gourmet I believed you only had to pour hot water through ground coffee. There’s so much more to it! As my knowledge grew so did my interest, as I hope yours will too. Coffee and espresso preparation, in the last few years, is being recognized more and more for the art that it truly is. From the World Barista Championships to discussion boards with people from all over the world searching for the perfect espresso, coffee is finally becoming more than just this drink that helps wake you up in the morning. People are actually drinking it because they like the taste. Cheers to progression. 

A

AA: capitalized letters that are grade indicators usually describing the size of the bean. (i.e. Kenya AA) 

Acidity: is usually, the pleasant tartness of a fine coffee. Acidity, along with flavor, aroma, and body, is one of the principal categories used by professional tasters in cupping, or sensory evaluation of coffee. When not used to describe cup characteristics, the term acidity may refer to pH, or literal acidity, or to certain constituents present in coffee that is assumed to produce indigestion or nervousness in some individuals. 

American Roast: Coffee roasted to traditional American taste: medium brown.

Americano: An espresso lengthened with hot water.

Automatic: can refer to a class of espresso machines that require you to grind, dose and tamp your coffee into a portafilter, but the machine brews for a predetermined volume or water and provides the required pressure automatically.

Arabica (or Coffea Arabica): is the earliest cultivated species of coffee tree and still the most widely grown. It produces approximately 70% of the world's coffee, and is dramatically superior in cup quality to the other principal commercial coffee species, Coffea canephora or Robusta. All fine, specialty, and fancy coffees come from Coffea arabica trees.

Aromas: are one of the four elements of a great espresso (together with acidity, body, and taste). Over 900 exist in a bouquet of coffee. Aromas settle on the taste buds and may be recognized several minutes after the last sip of espresso. In improperly prepared espresso, the aromas will be underdeveloped.

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BAR: Pressure rating used on most pump driven espresso machines. Each BAR equals 14.51 pounds of pressure per square inch (psi). 9 BAR, the typical accepted pressure for brewing espresso, is 8.8 atmospheres of pressure or 130 pounds per square inch.

Barista: is the Italian term, meaning bartender, for the person who operates the espresso brewing equipment at a café or coffeehouse. In Italy, it is a highly respected profession requiring much training and experience. In the US, the name has a broader spectrum allowing anyone, educated in espresso preparation or not, to call themselves a Barista.

Balance: is a tasting term applied to coffees for which no single characteristic overwhelms others, but that display sufficient complexity to be interesting.

Bird Friendly: See Shade Grown.

Blade Grinder: is a small coffee grinder using a propeller-like blade to grind coffee. Considered inferior to a burr grinder.

Blend: is the nuances of taste and aroma achieved by combining a selection of coffee beans into unique coffee varieties. A typical espresso has more than two blends, although SOS (Single Origin Shots) are becoming popular among professional coffeehouses today. An example of a blend might be “The Jahva House blend”: a blend of coffee from Sumatra with a Kenyan resulting in a coffee that combines the flavors of both origins. 

Body: is the feel of the coffee on your tongue. The sensation of heaviness, richness, or thickness and associated texture when one tastes coffee. Body, along with flavor, acidity, and aroma, is one of the principal categories used by professional tasters cupping, or sensory evaluation of coffee. 

Boiler: the main heating unit for water in an espresso machine. Made of brass, stainless steel, copper or aluminum, the boiler is one of the most important components of the machine. 

Brevé: is same as a café latte, but uses steamed half-n-half as opposed to milk.

Brew Group: the area of the machine that contains the grouphead and portafilter and filter baskets. Some brew groups (see E61) are actively heated, some are passively heated by the boiler through metal on metal contact. The entire brew group should be sufficiently heated in order to brew a proper espresso.

Brew Temperature: is very important when making both espresso and regular coffee. Opinions do vary, but the general consensus is that espresso should be brewed with water that is between 190 and 205F (at sea level) in order to obtain optimal extraction.

Brew Time: is used as one of the indicators of a good espresso shot. Brew time is calculated from the moment the pump switch is activated, until the pump switch is turned off. The guideline for a proper brewed espresso is between 20 and 30 seconds, 25 being best.

Burr Grinder: is the recommended type of grinder for proper espresso making. A burr grinder features two disks, one stationary, one rotating, which slice away portions of a coffee bean into very fine particles. Blade grinders give the bean an inconsistent grind with some particles being larger than others. This, in turn, will also result in an inconsistent brew. 

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Café au Lait: is a coffee drink combining one-third drip coffee with two-thirds hot frothed milk. 

Caffe Latte: (or café latte, or latte) a beverage that is based on espresso combined with steamed milk. This is a very popular beverage in America. The latte also serves as the basis for other drinks like flavored lattes and mochas, where a sweet flavored syrup is added.

Caffe Mocha (or Mocha): similar to a Caffe Latte, the mocha includes chocolate syrup or powder added to the beverage, which results in a coffee and chocolate taste combination. Chocolate milk is sometimes used but is not recommended because flavorings achieve better results and the sugar in chocolate milk tends to crystallize on the steaming wand, making clean up a bit more difficult. Mochas are often topped with whipped cream.

Cappuccino: is a drink with 1/3 espresso, 1/3 steamed milk, and 1/3 frothed milk. Cappuccinos are served in a 6 – 7 oz. cup. Some coffeehouses serve 20 oz. cappuccinos, but these are not traditional capp’s as they don’t stick to the 1/3 servings. Instead they are “dry” lattes, which are lattes with more foam than a traditional latte. 

Cherry: is the common term for the fruit of the coffee tree. Each cherry contains two regular coffee beans, or one peaberry.

Chicory: the root of the endive, roasted and ground, and blended with coffee in New Orleans style coffee.

Cinnamon Roast (also known as Light Roast and New England Roast): Coffee brought to a degree of roast of coffee lighter than the traditional American norm, and grainlike in taste, with a sharp, almost sour acidity. This roast style is not a factor in specialty coffee.

City Roast (Also Light French Roast, Viennese Roast, Light Espresso Roast, High Roast): terms for coffee brought to degrees of roast somewhat darker than the traditional American norm, but lighter than the classic dark roast variously called espresso, French, or Italian. In the cup, full-city and associated roast styles are less acidy and smoother than the traditional American "medium" roast, but may display fewer of the distinctive taste characteristics of the original coffee. Among many newer American specialty roasters, roast styles once called full-city, Viennese, etc. may constitute the typical, "regular" roast of coffee. 

Clean: is a coffee cupping or tasting term describing a coffee sample that is free from flavor defects.

Coda di topo: Italian for “mouse tail” which refers to the shape and pour of the streams of espresso as they leave the portafilter spouts during a brew. Often used as a judging characteristic of a good pour.

Coffee Puck: is one of the terms used to describe the tamped volume of grinds in a filter basket prior to brewing a shot of espresso.

Control Panel: is the area of the espresso machine where you control most or all of the machine’s functions. There is usually a power switch, a brewing control switch, and a steam control. On some machines there is also a hot water dispensing control. There are different variants as well: some control panels use rocker type switches and control knobs; some use push button switches; and other types use pressure sensitive switches.

Crema: is one of the sure signs of a properly brewed shot of espresso (in non crema-enhancing machines) and is created by the dispersion of gases - air and carbon dioxide - in liquid at a high pressure. The liquid contains emulsified oils, and forms a dark golden brown layer resembling foam on top of an espresso shot. It disperses quickly which requires the espresso to be consumed immediately (thus the name espresso). There are several reasons a coffee will not contain crema. The two most common reasons are stale coffee and improper brewing procedure. It is easy to say that you can not make a good espresso without crema.

Crotchless Portafilter: see Naked Portafilter

Cupping: is the procedure used by professional tasters to perform sensory evaluation of samples of coffee beans. The beans are ground, water is poured over the grounds, and the liquid is tasted both hot and as it cools. The key evaluation characteristics are Aroma, Acidity, Body, and Flavor.

Cup Warmer: the part of an espresso machine that warms espresso cups. It is usually the top of the machine, sitting over the boiler itself (which is inside the machine). Not all espresso machines have cup warmers. Some have actively heated cup warmers. Cup warmers are beneficial because a small 1.5-ounce drink can lose its heat very fast if it is poured into a cold receptacle.

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Dark French Roast: is a roast of coffee almost black in color with a shiny surface, thin-bodied, and bittersweet in flavor, with an overlay of burned or charcoal-like tones.

Decaffeination Processes: specialty coffees are decaffeinated in the green state, currently by one of four methods. The direct solvent method involves treating the beans with solvent, which selectively unites with the caffeine and is removed from the beans by steaming. The indirect solvent or solvent-water method involves soaking the green beans in hot water, removing the caffeine from the hot water by means of a solvent, and recombining the water with the beans, which are then dried. Both processes using solvents often are called European Process or Traditional Process. The water-only method, commonly known by the proprietary name Swiss Water Processä, involves the same steps, but removes the caffeine from the water by allowing it to percolate through a bed of activated charcoal. In the carbon dioxide method, which is only beginning to be established in the specialty-coffee trade, the caffeine is stripped directly from the beans by a highly compressed semi-liquid form of carbon dioxide.

Degassing: is a natural process in which recently roasted coffee releases carbon dioxide gas, temporarily protecting the coffee from the staling impact of oxygen.

Demitasse: means "Half cup" in French. It’s commonly a 3 ounce (or smaller) cup. Demitasses can be made of ceramic, stainless steel, or glass, though porcelain is often the preferred material. The thicker the better, as they must retain heat well in that small 1.5-ounce beverage you craft.

Dispersion Screen: This is part of the Brew Group and is an essential part of an espresso machine. It serves the purpose of properly dispensing brewing water over a wide pattern into the portafilter and filter basket, ensuring the entire coffee bed is saturated with water at the same time.

Doppio: is a double espresso, or three to six ounces of straight espresso.

Dosage: refers to the amount of ground coffee used to produce a shot of espresso. Usually 7 - 9 grams per 1 ounce single espresso shots (or .75 ounce ristretto).

Doser: found on many burr grinders, especially those designed to be used with espresso machines. A doser releases a measure of coffee grounds as you pull on a lever that is built into the side of the doser.

Double Basket: the most common type of filter basket used with espresso machines. A double basket can hold more than 14 grams of coffee grounds. See Filter Basket for more details.

Double: refers to a specific way to order an espresso, or to the typical pour of an espresso. Since the double basket is most often used, a “double” is what is often poured. A double is usually between 2.5 and 3 ounces of espresso total volume. Can also refer to other brewed beverages, including a double Caffe Latte or a double Mocha.

Drip Method (or drip coffee): is a brewing method that allows hot water to settle through a bed of ground coffee. The average home coffee maker is a drip brewer.

Dry-Processed Coffee (dry method, unwashed, or natural coffee): is coffee processed by removing the husk or fruit after the coffee fruit has been dried. When only ripe fruit is utilized and the drying is done carefully dry-processed coffee can be complex, fruity, and deeply dimensioned. When the picking and drying are performed carelessly, as is the case with cheaper dry-processed coffees, the result is off-tasting, harsh coffee. The best and most celebrated dry-processed coffees are Yemen coffees, the Harrar coffees of Ethiopia, and the finest traditional Brazil coffees.

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E-61 Group: is a specific grouphead design found on many commercial machines and some consumer or prosumer espresso machines. Many consider it the top of the line. Our Mirage uses a custom designed E-61 grouphead. The E-61 grouphead is actively heated by circulating water drawn off the boiler. This aids in the temperature stability of the machine. The group also allows for manual (or automatic) control of preinfusion, or passive water access to the Coffee Puck.

Espresso: the coffee beverage produced by an espresso machine. This Italian word describes a beverage made from 7 - 9 grams of finely ground coffee, producing 1 ounces (.75 oz ristretto) of extracted beverage under 9 BAR of brewing pressure at brewing temperatures of around 190 to 205 degrees Fahrenheit, over a period of 20 to 30 seconds of brew time. Is also used to describe a roast of coffee.

Espresso Roast (or European Roast): is a term for coffee brought to degrees of roast ranging from somewhat darker than the traditional American norm to dark brown. Acidity diminishes and a rich bitter-sweetness emerges. Among many newer American specialty roasters, roast styles once called by these names may in fact constitute the typical, "regular" roast of coffee.

Extraction Time: See Brew Time.

Estate-Grown Coffee. Coffee produced by a single farm, single mill, or single group of farms, and marketed without mixture with other coffees. Many specialty coffees are now identified by estate name, rather than the less specific regional or market name.

Extraction: is the act of forcing hot water from the boiler though ground coffee, which in turn “extracts” flavors, oils, colloids, lipids and other elements that turn water into brewed coffee or espresso.

F   

Fair Traded Coffee: is coffee that has been purchased from farmers (usually peasant farmers) at a "fair" price as defined by international agencies. The extra paid these farmers under fair trade arrangements is extremely modest, by the way.

Filter Basket: is a metal, flat-bottomed, “bowl” shaped insert that fits inside a portafilter. The filter basket holds your bed of ground coffee and has a multitude of tiny holes in the bottom to allow the extracted beverage to seep through and pour into a demitasse cup or other receptacle. Most espresso machines include two filter baskets, a single basket and a double basket, though some machines feature convertible baskets that allow either a single or double shot of espresso to be produced from the same basket. 

Fermentation: is a component of the wet method of coffee processing. It’s a stage in which the sticky pulp is loosened from the skinned coffee seeds or beans by natural enzymes while the beans rest in tanks. If water is added to the tanks the process is called wet fermentation; if no water is added it is called dry fermentation. 

Flavor: in cupping, or sensory evaluation of coffee, what distinguishes the sensory experience of coffee once its acidity, body, and aroma have been described. 

Flavored Coffees: are coffees that in their roasted, whole-bean form have been mixed with flavoring agents. 

Foam: See Froth. 

Fragrance: is a specialized term in cupping, or sensory evaluation of coffee. It describes the scent of dry coffee immediately after it has been ground but before it is brewed.

French Press: is a brewing method that separates spent grounds from brewed coffee by pressing them to the bottom of the brewing receptacle with a mesh plunger. Some claim that this is the best method to experience the true taste of a coffee. 

French Roast: is a term for coffee brought to degrees of roast considerably darker than the American norm; may range in color from dark brown (see Espresso Roast) to nearly black (see Dark French Roast) and in flavor from rich and bittersweet to thin-bodied and burned. 

Froth: is produced when milk is steamed with an espresso machine’s steaming wand. Air must be introduced into this act to properly froth milk, and this is done by having the steam tip right near the surface of the milk: the steam agitates and heats the milk but also draws air at high velocity into the milk, thus creating the foam, or froth. True milk froth should be pourable, not shapeable – you should be able to pour steamed milk and froth, not spoon it out in clumps. 

Full-City Roast: is a term for coffee brought to degrees of roast somewhat darker than the traditional American norm, but lighter than the classic dark roast variously called espresso, French, or Italian. In the cup, full-city and associated roast styles are less acidy and smoother than the traditional American "medium" roast, but may display fewer of the distinctive taste characteristics of the original coffee. Among many newer American specialty roasters, roast styles once called full-city, Viennese, etc. may constitute the typical, "regular" roast of coffee. 

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God Shot: A term coined in the newsgroup alt.coffee and popular on the CoffeeGeek website and in some mainstream press, used to describe a shot of espresso that is the most perfect shot you have ever achieved. A "God shot" is a shot so good, it must have been blessed by God. This type of shot can improve as your level of skill improves. At The Jahva House, all shots are “God shots.” ;)

Grinds Bin: The container where the ground coffee is output to on a coffee grinder.

Group: See Brew Group.

Grouphead: is the part of the brew group that contains the locking connector for the portafilter and the dispersion screen. These are usually made out of brass, but sometimes other materials such as stainless steel or aluminum are used. The grouphead is an integral part of the espresso machine and is also part of maintaining temperature stability in the machine, essential for producing a perfect shot of espresso.

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Heat Up Time: refers to how long an espresso machine requires before it is up to normal operating temperatures once you switch the machine on. In smaller consumer machines, the heat up time can be as little as two or three minutes. In prosumer and commercial machines, it can be as long as 30 minutes. These machines require a longer time because they have bigger boilers and more metal components to properly heat up. While the longer heat up times are unfortunate, they do have a very good purpose – longer heat up times usually mean better temperature stability and recovery times in the espresso machine, meaning they produce more consistent shots of espresso.

Hopper: refers to the part of a coffee grinder that holds coffee beans. Most hoppers are a nearly clear, funnel shaped container on top of the grinder.

Housing: is the main body and shell of an espresso machine. The “housing” holds all the internal components, and supports the main exterior parts. Usually made of plastic or metals such as iron, brass, steel or aluminum. Our Mirage’s housing is the most obvious feature of the machine. It’s artistic features stray from the normal appearance of most espresso machines.

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Italian Roast: is a roast of coffee considerably darker than the traditional American norm. Usually dark brown in color and rich and bittersweet in flavor, but may range in color to almost black and in flavor to nearly burned. 

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Java:  The Dutch were the first to transport and cultivate coffee commercially, beginning in 1616 with a coffee plant obtained from Yemen. By 1658 the Dutch had begun cultivation in Ceylon and their East Indian colony of Java. The coffee trees flourished in the warm climates, giving rise to coffee's nickname "Java." In 1714, The Mayor of Amsterdam presented Louis XIV with a coffee plant from Java. The French king, who loved the taste of coffee, entrusted the plant's care and cultivation to the royal court botanist. In a few short years, offshoots of the original Yemen born, Javanese coffee trees were on their way across the Atlantic. Today it’s a popular term used to describe any coffee regardless of origin, but “real” Java only comes from Indonesia. 

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Knockbox: a bin or box with a rubber or wooden bar across a wide opening. Used to dispense of the spent puck after brewing an espresso shot. The portafilter is rapped (or knocked) against the bar, and the spent puck of coffee grinds is “knocked” out into the bin. 

Kopi Luak: is a coffee from Sumatra, Indonesia, distinguished not by origin, but by the uniquely intimate way it is processed. A mammal called a luak, or civet, eats ripe coffee cherries, digests the fruit, and excretes the seeds, after which the seeds or beans are gathered from its dry droppings. Kopi luak is one of the most expensive coffees in the world owing to obvious limitations on its production. Authorities differ on how much of the kopi luak that arrives at coffee dealers is authentic and how much is ordinary coffee that has been "treated" in luak manure, but samples certainly look authentic, smell authentic, and are pleasantly earthy, sweet and full in the cup. 

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Latte: See Caffe Latte. 

Latte Art: texturing is a technique that is performed to create a smooth and sweet milk that can be poured into heart and flower patterns. Although the ability to pour a pattern into a cappuccino does not indicate quality in itself, it is indicative of the passion of the barista. The ability to pour patterns into drinks let customers know that the coffeehouse is serious about espresso. 

Lever: refers either to a specific type of espresso machine or a part on an espresso machine. Lever espresso machines are manual brewing devices that use a lever to push down a piston, which provides the proper pressure needed to brew espresso. These machines use a “lever” and piston instead of a pump to produce that pressure. You control the lever, thus you are the “pump”. Also called a manual.

Lungo: an espresso shot that is purposely poured "long" or for extra volume. Where a normal single espresso shot is approximately 1 ounce of brew, the lungo may be 2 or 3 ounces per shot. 

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Macchiato:  means “marked” in Italian. It has equal parts (1 ounce each) of espresso and steamed milk. It is often confused with Starbucks’ Caramel Machiatto. A true macchiato is smaller and much stronger. 

Machine Drying. Coffee must be dried, either directly after picking (in the dry method) or after fruit removal (in the wet method). Sun drying is often replaced or supplemented by drying with machines, either in large, rotating drums or in cascading silos. Machine drying can be superior or inferior to sun drying in terms of promoting cup quality, depending on weather conditions, drying temperature, and other factors. 

Manual: can refer to a class of espresso machines where the operator or barista manually provides the pressure needed to brew a proper shot of espresso. Lever or piston espresso machines are manual espresso brewers. 

Mocha: See Caffe Mocha. Also refers to a single-origin coffee from Yemen. The coffee, also called Arabian Mocha, Yemen, or Yemen Mocha, takes its name from the ancient port of Mocha. It is the world's oldest cultivated coffee, distinguished by its distinctively rich, winy acidity and intriguing nuance. 

Moka Pot: a manual method of making a strong coffee. The moka pot is often referred to as an "espresso machine" but it is not one, using today's modern definition of what espresso is supposed to be. A moka pot is usually used on the stovetop (though self-contained, self-powered devices exist), and brews by forcing hot water through a bed of coffee using the power and pressure of steam. Most early "espresso" machines prior to the advent of pump or piston driven machines worked on the same principle of using steam to force water at slightly higher pressures than normal. A typical moka pot brews using 1.5 atmospheres of pressure (modern espresso machines use roughly 9 atmospheres, or BARs). 

Monsooned Coffee: is dry-processed single-origin coffee from south India deliberately exposed to monsoon winds in open warehouses, with the aim of increasing body and reducing acidity. 

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Naked portafilter (Also crotchless, chopped, and spoutless portafilter): Two baristas from Seattle recently discovered that by cutting off the spouts on a portafilter, not only was there a difference in the taste of espresso, but it also made a great training tool for baristas.  It gives a clear indication of the presence of certain brewing faults, such as channeling (both complete and transient), unlevel tamp/distribution, etc. Coffeehouses all over the world were throwing out their normal portafilters and some are still using them today. 

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Organic Coffee: is coffee that has been certified by a third-party agency as having been grown and processed without the use of pesticides, herbicides, or similar chemicals. 

Over Extracted: term used to describe coffee or espresso that has had brew water exposed to ground coffee for too long. Anything over the recommended 20-30 brew time is considered over extracted. Over extracted espresso and coffee can taste bitter or burnt. 

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Peaberry: is a small, round bean formed when only one seed, rather than the usual two, develops at the heart of the coffee fruit. Peaberry beans are often separated from normal beans and sold as a distinct grade of a given coffee. Typically, but not always, they produce a brighter, more acidy, but lighter-bodied cup than normal beans from the same crop. 

Percolation: Technically, any method of coffee brewing in which hot water percolates, or filters down through, a bed of ground coffee. The pumping percolator utilizes the power of boiling water to force water up a tube and over a bed of ground coffee. 

Pod: a self-contained, pre ground, pre pressed puck of ground coffee. They are usually inside a perforated paper filter, and in many cases are sold individually wrapped to maintain freshness.

Portafilter: the device that holds a filter and finely ground coffee and facilitates quick attachment to an espresso machine. Portafilters almost always feature a handle for easy handling, and spouts underneath to allow your espresso to pour into cups. On better espresso machines, they are made of copper or brass, and are coated with chrome. The handles are usually wood, Bakelite, or plastic. On less expensive machines they can be aluminum, steel, or other metals and plastics.

Pre Infusion: the act of pre-wetting the bed of ground coffee inside an espresso machine before actually commencing the brew. Some espresso machines do this by using the pump; water is pumped to the coffee for a second or two, then halted for another second or two. After this pause, the pump activates again, and continues brewing the shot. Super automatics and some automatic machines use this pre-infusion.

Another type of preinfusion is called "natural" or progressive preinfusion, and occurs in machines equipped with an E61 grouphead. When the pump is activated, a secondary chamber must fill prior to full pressure being applied to the bed of coffee. This gives a 3 to 7 second saturation time for the grounds before the pressure builds up. This type of preinfusion is preferable to pump and pause active preinfusion.

There is a school of thought that progressive preinfusion improves overall extraction from the coffee.

Pressurestats: on many prosumer and commercial espresso machines, the temperature of the boiler is maintained not with a thermostat control, but a pressure gauge control that activates the boiler's heater once the measured pressure drops too low. It also shuts off the heater when the pressure reaches a certain point. Pressurestats are almost always found in heat exchanger espresso machines.

Puck: is the term used often to describe the bed of coffee grounds after you have brewed a shot of espresso. Also called a spent puck.

Pull: a term used to describe brewing a shot of espresso. Comes from the action used to prepare espresso in the 1950s, 1960s, and beyond - pulling on a lever to cock a spring in a piston group on an espresso machine. Also Espresso Pull, Pull a Shot.

Pump: two primary ways to deliver water at pressures required for proper espresso brewing (135 PSI) are through the use of a rotary pump, or a vibratory pump. Most modern day semi automatic, automatic, and super automatic espresso machines use one of these two pump technologies.

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Recovery Time: When brewing espresso shots in succession, the amount of time you have to wait until your espresso machine is ready to brew again is called "recovery time". Machines with larger boilers, more powerful heating elements, or with heat exchanger systems often feature quicker recovery times than machines with small boilers.

Ristretto: literally, a “restricted” shot. Most double espresso shots are 1.5 ounces using 14 or more grams of coffee grounds. A ristretto uses the same volume (or dose) of grinds, but the operator pours only about 1.5 ounces (ore less) of espresso in the normal brewing time of 20 to 30 seconds. A ristretto is a richer beverage, much more intense, but also much harder to brew properly. There is a fine balance between stalling an espresso machine and making a perfect ristretto. 

Roast: is the process during which green, or raw, coffee beans undergo physical and chemical transformation. Roasting can last from seven to eighteen minutes at temperatures reaching 480 degrees Fahrenheit; the green beans lose volume due to water evaporation and turn a rich shade of brown. The roasting process allows for the desired adjustment of the acidity or bitterness that is found naturally in the green coffee beans (in general, longer roasting decreases acidity and increases bitterness, and vice versa). Some retailers are known for their high roast levels. Although longer roasts appear to be popular to the American palate, it does not allow you to taste the coffee for it’s true flavor. 

Robusta (also Coffea Canephora): is currently the only significant competitor among cultivated coffee species to Coffea arabica. Robusta produces about 30% of the world's coffee. It is a lower-growing, higher-bearing tree that produces full-bodied but bland coffee of inferior cup quality and higher caffeine content than Coffea arabica. It is used as a basis for blends of instant coffee, and for less expensive blends of pre-ground commercial coffee. It is not a factor in the specialty coffee trade except as a body-enhancing component in some Italian-style espresso blends. 

Rotary Pump: A rotary pump is often found on commercial machines, and requires water to be plumbed in. They use rapidly oscillating vanes inside a sealed container to push water at high pressures. Sometimes referred to as a volumetric pump, or by a trade name, Procon. 

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SOS: is an acronym for Single Origin Shot. It’s a practice, becoming more popular today, where a barista pulls a shot from a single origin coffee as opposed to a regular espresso blend. 

Semi-Auto: refers to a class of espresso machines where the pressure for the espresso shot is automatically controlled by the machine, as is the brewing temperature. The operator or barista controls the length of the brewing time manually.

Semi-Dry-Processed Coffee (also Semi-Wet-Processed): is coffee prepared by removing the outer skin of the coffee fruit (a process called pulping) and drying the skinned coffee with the sticky mucilage and the inner skins (parchment and silverskin) still adhering to the bean. This processing method, situated between the dry method and the wet method, has no consensus name. 

Semi-Wet-Processed: see Semi-Dry-Processed. 

Shade Grown (also Bird Friendly): describes coffee grown under a shade canopy. Arabica coffee is traditionally grown in shade in many (but not all) parts of Mexico, Central America, Colombia, Peru, and Venezuela, and in some other parts of the world, including India and some regions of Indonesia and Africa. Elsewhere arabica coffee is traditionally grown in full sun, or near full sun. The importance of maintaining shade canopies to supply habitat for migrating song birds in Central America has led to a controversial campaign by researchers at the Smithsonian Institute and their supporters to define "shade grown" in rather narrow terms (shade provided by mixed native trees) and label coffees grown under such a native canopy as "bird friendly." Farmers who traditionally have not grown coffee in shade but maintain extensive forest reserves on their land understandably object to the concept, as do those who use non-native trees to shade their coffee. On the other hand, shade grown coffees most definitely are much easier on the environment than sun grown coffees, and the better tasting traditional varieties of arabica, bourbon and typica, are, in Central America at least, best grown in shade. 

Shot: another term to describe a brewed espresso (i.e. “Pull me a shot of espresso.”).

Single Basket: a filter basket designed for producing a normal single shot of espresso. This basket has a narrower bottom portion when compared to a double basket. This size of filter is rarely used, but included with most espresso machines.

Single: often refers to a single shot of espresso, equaling 1 to 1.5 ounces of brew. 

Single-Origin Coffee: is an unblended coffee from a single country, region, and crop.

Spent Puck: see Puck.

Spout(s): refers to the exit area on a portafilter where the brewed espresso pours out. Portafilters can have one or two spouts, though most come standard with two spouts.

Stall: (also stalling) occurs when coffee is ground too fine and/or tamped too hard, and the espresso machine pump cannot produce enough pressure to force water past the coffee grounds. Most often occurs when attempting to brew a ristretto shot.

Steam Knob: Most consumer, prosumer, and commercial espresso machines use a manual valve control knob to release steam from the machine's boiler or thermoblock. By controlling the knob, you can increase or decrease the amount of steam pressure released. Steam knobs are used to control the steam used to froth and steam milk.

Steaming Pitcher: is a 12 ounce or greater sized pitcher with a pour spout, and made of high quality stainless steel and is used as the receptacle for holding milk while steaming and frothing. They are commonly used by baristas to steam cold milk for any milk-based espresso drinks.

Steam Tip: refers to the perforated tip on a steaming wand. These can have between one and four holes, and the holes can be either angled to the side or pointing straight down. Four holes will steam the milk properly to perform latte art. They allow the steam from the espresso machine to be forced into tiny jets which agitate and heat milk at a great pace and also facilitate proper frothing when used to introduce air into the milk.

Steam Valve: this is the valve you control with a steam knob that allows steam to be released from an espresso machine's internal boiler or thermoblock.

Steam Wand: is a visible, external pipe found on an espresso machine that is used to froth and steam milk. Some also use the steam wand to heat water. It is controlled by a steam knob that opens and closes the steam valve inside the machine. 

Sun Drying. Drying coffee directly after picking (in the dry method) or after fruit removal (in the wet method) by exposing it to the heat of the sun by spreading and raking it in thin layers on drying racks or patios. A more traditional alternative to machine drying.

Super automatic: a class of espresso machine that can grind, dose, tamp, brew, and eject a spent puck, all with one push of a button. Some commercial super automatics can also steam milk automatically, depending on your brew selection.

Sustainable Coffee: There is no clear definition of a sustainable farm and definitions that have been proposed are never agreed upon by those individuals who wish to make "sustainability" a term used to market coffee. The definition, however, is logical: sustainable coffee is coffee grown in a manner that is kind to the environment and its people.

Here are some ways this might be done:

A sustainable farm gives back as much to the land and people as it receives. It seeks independence from non-renewable resources, it minimizes pollution, takes steps to care for the environment, and cares for its employees.

A sustainable farm will reuse coffee husks as heating fuel rather than cutting down eucalyptus trees.

The farm will implement practices to minimize water consumption and to clean the water used. Water from the fermentation tanks should never be returned to rivers or lakes, but rather filtered naturally through the earth and then used for irrigation.

A sustainable farm will replace the natural nutrients of the land by spreading fertilizers and organic matter (composted coffee pulp) under the coffee trees and between the coffee trees.

A sustainable farm will also engage in practices such as shade growing, biodiversification, and organic farming. They promote education programs, provide medical care for workers, and provide decent wages and working conditions for their employees. 

Swiss Water Process. A trademarked decaffeination method that removes caffeine from coffee beans using hot water, steam, and activated charcoal rather than chemicals or solvents. Many consider this to be a superior method of decaffeination leaving more of the true flavor of coffee behind. 

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Tall: another word used to describe a large volume beverage, typically 12-oz.

Tamp: (also tamping) the act of pressing and compacting a bed of loose, finely ground coffee, in preparation for brewing espresso. The proper tamp to brew an espresso will force 30 or more pounds of pressure on the coffee puck. If your tamp is not correct, you will receive a sour or bitter espresso.

Tamper: the device used to tamp a bed of loose, finely ground coffee in a portafilter, in preparation for brewing espresso. Most espresso machines include a plastic tamper as an accessory, and after market tampers can be bought. They are measured in millimeter sizes, corresponding with the filter basket internal diameter of your espresso machine. Most commercial, prosumer, and high-end consumer espresso machines use a 58mm tamper; other common sizes are 49mm, 53mm, and 57mm. 

Taste: for espresso, defined by three parameters: sweetness, bitterness, and acidity. The tip of the tongue perceives the sweetness, acidity is recognized by the middle of the palate and bitterness is discerned at the back of the mouth. 

Temperature Stability: is the term used to describe how even an espresso machine can maintain its temperature throughout the machine, from the boiler to the grouphead. Prosumer and Commercial grade espresso machines feature a greater control and evenness of temperature stability, even when brewing consecutive shots of espresso.

Thermometer: a device used to measure temperatures. In coffee and espresso, it can refer to a device with a circular top and long needle to measure milk steam temperatures, coffee roasting temperatures, or other temperatures.

Thermostats: on most consumer, single boiler espresso machines, the temperature of the boiler is controlled via a temperature measuring device called a thermostat. The thermostat (usually) is electrically, mechanically, or electronically controlled, and can activate and deactivate a heating element, depending on what temperature it measures.

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Under Extracted: in coffee and espresso terminology, this refers to a bed of coffee that has not been exposed to enough passing water. The resulting brew is often weak and thin bodied. 

Unwashed Coffee: see dry-processed-coffee. 

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Varietal Coffee: as used by many people in the American specialty coffee industry, a term describing an unblended coffee from a single country, region, and crop. For example: Ethiopia Yirgacheffe, Kenya AA, or La Minita Costa Rica Tarrazu. However, to follow the California wine analogy more precisely, varietal coffees ought logically to come from a single predominant botanical variety of coffee tree; var. bourbon, for example, or var. typica. Increasingly, coffee writers use "single origin" rather than "varietal" to describe coffees from a single country, region, and crop. 

Viennese Roast. Term for coffee brought to a degree of roast slightly darker than the traditional American norm, but lighter than degrees of roast variously called espresso, French, or Italian. In the cup, Viennese roast (also called full-city, light French or light espresso roast) is less acidy and smoother than the characteristic American roast, but may display fewer of the distinctive taste characteristics of the original coffee. Viennese roast may also refer to a mixture of beans roasted to a dark brown and beans roasted to the traditional American medium brown. 

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Washed Coffee: See Wet-Processed Coffee. 

Water Filter: Many coffee and espresso machines feature a built in water filtration system. Some are very rudimentary, consisting of a mesh or metal filter which water must flow through before reaching the boiler or heating element. Other systems are more complex, including charcoal or other filter medium systems that remove impurities, chlorine, and other trace elements from water.

Water Softener: some espresso machines and coffee brewers feature advanced filtering systems that can soften water, helping to prevent limescale (or other) buildup in the boiler or heating element area. 

Wet-Processed Coffee (also Washed Coffee): is coffee prepared by removing the skin and pulp from the bean while the coffee fruit is still moist. Most of the world's great coffees are processed by the wet method, which generally intensifies acidity. In the traditional wet process, the coffee skins are removed (pulping), the skinned beans are allowed to sit in tanks where enzymes loosen the sticky fruit pulp or mucilage (fermentation), after which the loosened fruit is washed off the beans (washing). In the shortcut demucilage or aquapulp method, the pulp or mucilage is scrubbed from the beans by machine. 

Whole-Bean Coffee: Coffee that has been roasted but not yet ground.