Glossary
Acidity: the level of perceived sourness and/or fruitiness.
Agronomist: an expert in the scientific study of soil and plant management.
Aliphatic Acids: the acids of non-aromatic hydrocarbons. In coffee, they are created through the break down of sucrose, fructose and glucose. Of these, the principal in coffee is acetic acid (vinegar).
Alkaline: having a pH higher than 7
Alkalinity: the buffering capacity of water.
Astringency: the dry puckering sensation in the mouth caused by tannins binding with proteins in saliva which causes them to precipitate.
Asymptote: an infinite line approached by a curve but never reached.
Brew-formula: the relationship between the dose of coffee and the beverage weight as a percentage of the dose to the beverage weight.
Brix: a measurement of the sugar content of a solution. One degree Brix (°Bx) is one gram of sucrose in 100g of a solution.
Caffè Crema: a longer espresso-based beverage native to Switzerland. It is usually brewed between and 12 and a 16% EBF.
Calibration (sensory): a practice in sensory testing where tasters train together to standardise their conclusions.
Capillary Action: the ability of a liquid to flow in narrow spaces against the force of gravity.
Caramelisation: a type of non-enzymatic browning of sugar that is brought about by thermal decomposition.
Carbonate Hardness (KH): synonymous with alkalinity.
Compound: a molecule composed of more than one element.
Convex: where a surface is curved like a section of a sphere.
Cellulose Matrix: The honeycomb-like arrangement of cellulose cell walls which in roasted coffee grinds is ripped open and made microporous. Cellulose is a polymer made of repeating glucose molecules attached end to end.