Coffee Key Terms

Learn coffee lingo, from the bean to the mug
By Emily Lugg There are an endless number of coffee key terms that any avid coffee enthusiast should be familiar with, but with a select few you can be talking like the pro you are in no time. In order to succeed in the coffee business, you need to know the lingo for everything from the growing and choosing of a good bean to cupping and tasting terminology. The better you can communicate with a coffee distributor or coffee manufacturer, the more successful you will be in the coffee industry.

Beef up on these important coffee key terms before going out to purchase or make a sale:

1. As a coffee distributor or a coffee wholesaler, know the coffee bean terminology that the coffee manufacturer uses.

2. Be able to talk with coffee companies about the cupping and tasting terminology that a coffee vendor may use.

3. As a coffee wholesaler or one of the coffee suppliers, know the terms for coffee drinks and other products the coffee is going to be used for in the marketplace.

Talk the coffee bean talk

A coffee supply is only as good as the beans that it comes from. As coffee distributors and coffee wholesalers, you need to be knowledgeable on both the manufacturing end of the business and the retail side. Make sure to be familiar with a coffee manufacturer's selection process of its beans. The only way to be sure is to speak the same language.
Try:  Coffee-Makers-Cafe outlines the process of choosing a good coffee bean by walking through the four most important terms in choosing your beans. Zecuppa Coffee offers the explanation of the different classifications of coffee beans that describe the shape and size of each variety.

Be familiar with the coffee key terms that are used while tasting

A true coffee connoisseur will speak in detail about the aromatics and flavors of a good cup of coffee. You need to not only be able to understand what they are referring to but also to be able to use the terminology yourself. To show you are passionate about your coffee distribution, you need to show your investment in the product.
Try:  Coffee Universe offers a quick reference to some of the terms that may be used to described coffee while tasting. For a more extensive listing of coffee information, check out Ancora Coffee Roasters' list of coffee tasting terms.

Know the various ways in which coffee can be served

If you aren't a coffee enthusiast, ordering a cup of coffee at a coffee company can be an overwhelming experience. There are terms for everything -- even one for whether or not you want whipped cream on top. Although you could probably explain -- in your own words -- how you want your coffee, wouldn't you rather speak their language? Plus, as a member of the industry, it's important that you can keep up.
Try:  On Quicksilverweb.net, a blogger offers a very detailed distinction between Starbucks' many offerings that you may find extremely helpful. Namaste Cafe offers a guide to breaking down what customers are really ordering in a coffee house.

• In order for some of the coffee key terms to stick with you, you may need to grab a cup of brew and figure them out for yourself. Actually seeing, smelling and experiencing these things for yourself may help you to retrieve these terms when it is most important -- while you're with the customer.