Coffee Glossary

AA: Coffee Board of Kenya grading system: Screen size 17/18. Mesh in mm. 6.75-7.14mm beans.

Altura: (Sp. "Heights") Mexican coffee of the 2nd grade. High Grown (HG), 100-1,600 meters above sea level.

Antigua: The "Gran Cru" coffee district of Guatemala. Located in the Mountainous South Central-Pacific part of the country. It is dominated by three volcanoes; Agua, Acatenango and Fuego. Antigua City, the old Spanish colonial capital there, was destroyed by an earthquake in 1773.

Blue Mountain: The "Gran Cru" coffee district of Jamaica. Coffee grown in the Blue Mountain Area as described in Jamaica's Coffee Industry Regulation Act of 1953 as amended, and milled at a coffee works specified and licensed by Jamaica Coffee Industry Board. The original licensed "works" Moy Hall, Silver Hill, Mavis Bank, Langley, Wallenford have been supplemented with the additional certification of Old Tavern, and RSW.

Boquete: Panamas renowned coffee district, located in Chiriqui Province in the Pacific north near the border of Costa Rica.

Cerrado: The newest cultivation area for high grade Brazil coffee, developed in the years following the great Black Frost of 1975 on the high savannah in the west of Minais Gerais State. Today, Brazil's best coffee. With continued application of high standards this region's coffee may emerge as a "Gran Cru" in coming years.

Chicory: (Chichorium intybus) Blue flowering plant cultivated for its salad leaves and its root which when roasted and ground is used blended with or instead of coffee. It is popular in New Orleans, where it often appears at table blended with unfortunately low grades of coffee.

EP: (see European Preparation)

Estate Coffee: Produce of a specific farm, rather than from a co-operative of farmers, or the trademark name of an exporter, importer, or roaster. Because availability of one particular farmer's produce may be limited, coffees marked as "Estate" may change throughout the year. Check with us as to the specific Estate that is represented by the designation.

European Preparation: (EP) Better preparation for origin export to France Spain & Italy where sellers traditionally received higher prices than from US roasters, and where buyers are more particular as to the grades and finish they will accept in arriving lots.

Excelso: A Colombian grade including both flat bean and peaberry types in a naturally occurring mix.

Fair TradeŽ: Trademark of TransFair USA, licensor of the Fair TradeŽ mark for agricultural products in the United States.

Fancy: Coffee of above average specialty quality. In Hawaii, USA Fancy Grade Kona is Type I Beans (flat bean) - Size 18 or Type II Beans (peaberry) - Size 12 with 16 or less imperfections per sample.

Fancy Mark: The trademark imprint, often appearing on the original burlap sacks, of a cooperative, exporter, or importer indicating to the buyer coffee of extraordinary value.

French: Dark III A rich darker roast. Oil on the bean surface. Dark brown color.

GR #1: The general designation for the top grade of Indonesia Arabica production. Indonesia: 11 defects per 300 gram sample. There are no bean size-specifications for Indonesian coffee produce.

Government Estate: Identifies beans from one of the four (4) Indonesian government owned estates on Java: Blawan, Jampit (alt. Djampit), Kayumas, and Pancur. These plantations produce washed coffees on the Caribbean and Central American process model.

HG: High Grown (see: Altura)

Highland: Indicating high grown, or mountain grown coffee.

Italian: Dark IV The darkest Gillies Roast. Full oil on bean surface. Dark brown color. A Southern Italian style coffee.

JP: (Japanese Preparation) Best preparation for Indonesian origin export to Japan where buyers are most particular as to the grade and finish they will accept in arriving lots. Better finishing than European preparation.

Java: (Indon. "Djawa") Indonesian Island SE of Sumatra, and S of Borneo, between the Java Sea and The Indian Ocean. Approximately 661 miles long by 124 miles wide at its widest point. Also coffee of Java origin, introduced in the mid 17th Century by the Dutch. Chronologically, Java is the second great coffee of commerce after Yemen Arabian Mocha. The name "Java" is synonymous for coffee throughout the world.

Kona: The "Gran Cru" coffee district of the United States. Also, the largest Island of the Hawaiian Island group that is the State of Hawaii, USA. The Name of coffee grown only in a designated area on the Kona Coast of the Island of Hawaii. Origin and grade is certified by Hawaii State Department of Agriculture. Roast coffee may be certified by the Kona Coffee Council. www.kona-coffee-council.com

Lintong: The "Gran Cru" coffee district of Indonesia (Sumatra). A mountainous region (Lintongnihuta) forming a crescent south of Lake Toba in Northwest Sumatra within the larger well respected Mandheling region.

Maragogipe: (Coffea arabica L. var. maragogipe) a variety of Arabica coffee originally discovered in Brazil and noted in 1884 as found growing near the town of Maragogipe, Bahia. Over the next 40-years cultivated in other origins including India, Ceylon, Java, and Australia and throughout the Americas including Jamaica. It takes the taste characteristics of the other coffees cultivated in the host country. It is recognized by its very large bean (long with a narrow waist). Once a favorite of Royalty, it was said to be favored by the German Kaiser among others.

Maui: Coffee Growing island in South Central part of Hawaii State Island group. Second largest Hawaiian Island, after Hawaii Island.

MBCF: Mavis Bank Central Factory; Jamaica Coffee Industry Board licensed source and processing mill for genuine Blue Mountain Coffee. www.jamaicancoffee.gov.jm

Methylene Chloride: (MC) Synthetic solvent (chlorinated methane) used in decaffeinating coffee. MC is on the USFDA G.R.A.S. (Generally Regarded As Safe) List of food ingredients. Ger. Dichloromethane (DCM). http://vm.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/eafus.html

Mocha: The "Gran Cru" coffee of Yemen; the world's oldest cultivated coffee. Also, the Red Sea port of Al-Mukha, the original 17th Century point of origin for coffee of commerce. The trade moved to Aden, at the tip of the Arabian Peninsula, with the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869. While bearing the name of the old port, the coffee itself comes from small farms producing exquisite tasting beans on the fertile spring fed terraces dug into mountainsides in the interior. Yemen Mocha is, by its nature, organically cultivated. It does not have official stature as "Organic". The name "Mocha" is synonymous for coffee throughout the world.

NOP: National Organic Program administered by United States Department of Agriculture. www.ams.usda.gov

Organic: Certified organically grown at origin, and Certified organically manufactured in the USA. www.ams.usda.gov

Peaberry: (Sp. Caracolillo, Caracoli, Caracol) Mutant bean often found in fruit at the tips of young branches. A single "pea" shaped bean forms in the fruit rather than the usual two "flat" beans nestling face-to-face. Found in all coffee it is sometimes separated and sold as a distinct grade.

SHB: Strictly Hard Bean. The highest grade of Guatemala, and Costa Rica coffees. The higher the coffee grows the denser or "harder" and more desirable the bean as harder beans are believed to produce a more concentrated better tasting coffee essence. Costa Rica (Pacific Coast) top grade 1,00-1,650 meters above sea level.. Guatemala; Top grade 1,600-1,700 meters above sea level

SMBC: Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center, Washington DC. licensor of the "Bird Friendly" shade grown coffee mark. www.si.edu/smbc

Sigri: Mark of award winning Sigri Plantation, located in the Wahgi Valley in the Western Highland province of Papua New Guinea. Established in the post WW II era, it has earned a reputation for producing the finest Arabica coffee in the country. W. R. Carpenter & Co Estates, Mount Hagan Papua New Guinea. www.wrcarpenters.com.pg

Sulawesi (Celebes): Indonesian Island in Maylay Archepeligo E. of Borneo, and about 375 miles NE of Java across the Java Sea. "Celebes" is the island's old Dutch colonial name. Also the name of coffee from Sulawesi Island.

Sumatra: Indonesian Island S. of Malay Peninsula. Across the Sunda Passage NW of Java Island. Lake Toba, in the Northwest is the only large lake. Also the name of coffee from Sumatra Island; considered Indonesia's best origin.

Supremo: The top Colombian grade. Minimum bean size #17 : will sit on a 6.75mm screen mesh. Supremo is also available in #17/18, and full #18-the fanciest production bean size. Supremo is flat bean only. No peaberry. www.juanvaldez.com

Swiss WaterŽ: The original patented pure water decaffeinating process. Sole processor: Swiss Water Decaffeinated Coffee Co. Inc. Burnaby BC Canada. www.swisswater.com

Tarrazu: The "Gran Cru" coffee district of South Costa Rica's Pacific watershed. Coffee cultivated at 1,200-1,700 meters above sea level. www.scacr.com

TP: Triple Picked. Sorted three times to remove undeveloped, off-color, damaged or broken beans. A designation above and beyond the official classification scale for Indonesia-Sumatra coffee preparation.

Vienna: Dark II. A rich dark roast. First oil only on the bean surface. Brown color. Also considered a Northern Italian style coffee.

Vintage: Coffee not of the new crop often having a softer, less acidy cup quality and fuller body than when young.

Yirgacheffe: The great washed "Cru" coffee District, and market town of Ethiopia's South Central Sidamo region north of the border with Kenya.

No 1.: The top grade of Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee - 17/18 Screen. No.2. grade (green coffee) 16-17 Screen, No. 3 grade (green coffee) 15-16-17 Screen and Peaberry are also exported raw. Triage grade (roasted coffee only) is also exported as Blue Mountain coffee. www.jamaicancoffee.gov.jm

#2/3: Brazilian "Fancy" grade identification in The United States (New York Board of Trade). No more than 9 defects per 300 gram sample. www.bsca.com.br

#17/18: Bean Size as expressed in screen size of sieves used in measuring. Mesh in mm 6.75-7.14mm beans.

#18: Bean size. Bean Size as expressed in screen size of sieves used in measuring. Beans will sit on a 7.14mm screen mesh.