We might say, “That’s a good cup of Joe,” but baristas and coffee experts have their own way of describing a good (or bad) cup of coffee. Let’s take a look at some of the most common terminology and ways to describe coffee and define these descriptions. Are you ready for some good ol’ coffee talk?

Barista: We better start by defining what a barista is, especially if we want to talk like them. A Barista is a person who makes coffee as their profession.

Aroma: More than just a smell. Aroma can’t be separated from flavor. Pinch your nose and take a bite out of a hot piece of apple pie. Does it taste the same? The same goes for everything we eat or drink, including coffee. If we didn’t have a sense of smell, we’d only taste sensations (bitter, sweet, salty, and sour). Aroma gives us the flavor we’ve crave.

Acidity: When we talked about the different beans and their acidity levels, we’re talking about how the coffee tastes on the edges of our tongue and back of our palate. Acidity gives the coffee a fresh, sharp flavor. Acidity and bitterness are not the same. Acidity is imperative to give the coffee flavor, but if a coffee is brewed too long, roasted too long, or has a defect, the acidity could turn bitter.

Body: Like wine, coffee has body. Colombian coffee is lightly roasted, so when baristas talk about Colombian coffee, they talk about its light or medium body. Coffees from Africa and Asia are full bodied with a heavier, syrupy sensation.

Flavor: The combination of body, acidity, and aroma create the overall flavor of the coffee.

Tone: The way to describe the physical appearance of the coffee, whether it’s light, medium, or dark.

Hard Bean: Coffee grown at high altitudes are called hard bean coffees because of their density and other physical attributes.

Soft Bean: As opposed to hard bean, soft bean coffees are grown at low altitudes (under 4000 ft), mature more quickly, and aren’t as hard or dense as hard bean coffee beans.

Peaberry: The cherries on a coffee tree usually have two beans. Coffee cherries that have only one bean are called peaberries, are separated, and sold as a different varietal.

Varietal: Remember how Coffee Arabica has different varietals? Varietal describes the geographical region of the coffee. An Arabica bean of Kenya varietal will taste differently than an Arabica bean of Colombian varietal. The same bean doesn’t necessarily taste the same due to different climates, cultivation and production methods. Most coffees are the same species with different varietals (same bean -> different place -> different flavor).