GLOSSARY

Coffee Glossary

Plain counterparts of the terms on the spec sheet. The aim is easier label reading; not fancier promises.

Origin and provenance

Origin: The country and region where the coffee grew. Soil, climate and tradition carry into the cup; that is why it is the first line of the spec sheet.
Single origin: Coffee from a single country, most often a single region. Against the balance of a blend, a single origin lets the character of one place speak on its own.
Harvest: The season in which the coffee cherries were picked. Coffee is an agricultural product; each harvest happens in certain months of the year and the bean carries that season's conditions.

Washed: The cherry skin and fruit are removed with water before drying. The bean shows its own character without cover; if a clean, clear cup is what you are after, this is the first method to look for.
Natural: Cherries are dried whole, fruit and all, in the sun. It is coffee's oldest processing method; the fruit leaves its mark on the cup.
Pulped Natural: The skin is removed and part of the fruit is left to dry on the bean. A middle path between washed and natural.
Honey: A close relative of pulped natural, known by its Central American name: the skin comes off, the sticky fruit layer stays on the bean and dries there. The name comes from that layer's stickiness, not from any honey content.
Swiss Water Process: A method that removes caffeine using only water and carbon filters, without chemical solvents. A way to keep the bean's character for those who drink decaf.

Roast: The degree to which the bean is transformed by heat. Full City sits between darkness and balance, a level that does not mask the bean's character. We follow the roast by eye and by smell; it rests on experience, not on numbers.
Roasting calendar: Our rhythm of roasting in small batches at regular intervals. The roast date on the package comes from this calendar; we roast for coffee to be drunk, not for stock.
Grind: How finely the bean is ground for its brewing method. The right grind depends on the method; that is why you choose one at checkout. For the longest freshness, buy whole beans and grind just before brewing.

Terms make the spec sheet readable; the method decides what ends up in the cup.