P |
Packaging - The
process by which roasted coffee is protected from oxidation. The
purposes of packaging are to preserve the original flavor
characteristics and provide portion control. |
Penny Universities
- Another name for 17th century London coffeehouses, which charged
a 'penny admission fee. Also known as "Seminaries of
Sedition" they offered visitors the opportunity to discuss
politics and debate current issues. |
Perceived value -
Restaurant patrons compare "pleasure received" to
"amount paid' for a cup of coffee based on fair value of
flavor, strength, taste, price, and presentation. |
Pergamino (parchment)
- A parchment-like covering over the coffee bean. The term
"in pergamino" refers to coffee beans that remain in
this covering until ready for export. |
Positioning -
Constructing the image of an operation for a target market through
careful planning of all operational aspects (price, quality of
roasted coffee, serving quality). |
Premium blend -
Highest priced, quality coffee blend generally used by fine dining
establishments to match their food quality and presentation. |
Pricing -
Determining coffee menu prices based on quality and cost of blend,
brewing formula, portion size of cup, refill policy, style of
restaurant, comparable restaurant prices, and retail coffee market
prices. |
Profit potential
- Gross margin dollars available from coffee sales based on cost
per cup versus cost per pound. |
Pulp - The cherry
skin and fruit after they have been removed from the coffee bean
during wet processing. |
Pulverization -
Passing roasted coffee beans between two flat, rotating discs. |
Pyrolysis - A
series of rapid chemical reactions that occurs during the roasting
process, causing changes in green beans because of the application
of heat. |
Q |
Quenching -
During the roasting process, adding water to the beans when they
have reached their desired color. |
R |
Rancid/Rotten -
This aroma descriptor includes two terms which are associated with
odors reminiscent of deterioration and oxidation of several
products. Rancid as the main indicator of fat oxidation mainly
refers to rancid nuts and rotten is used as an indicator of
deteriorated vegetables or non-oily products. Tasters should be
cautioned not to apply these descriptors to coffees that have
strong notes but no signs of deterioration. |
Refill policy -
Positioning decision on whether to offer coffee refills at no
additional cost. |
Refractometer - A
device that determines coffee's soluble solids by measuring the
increased light refraction (separation into color bands) caused by
adding coffee flavoring material to water. |
Roasting - The
process of heating green coffee beans to a temperature that
eliminates most of their moisture and initiates a series of
chemical reactions (pyrolysis). This causes changes in the
composition of the coffee and results in the development of
compounds associated with the flavor of brewed coffee. |
Roasts - There is
very little industry standardization. This can cause a great deal
of confusion for the buyer. But in general, roasts fall into one
of four color categories -- light (light city, half city,
cinnamon, New England), medium (city, American, breakfast) ,
medium-dark (full city) or dark (high, continental, New Orleans,
European, Espresso, Viennese, Italian, French). |
Robusta - One of
two principal botanical varieties of coffee, accounting for
approximately 25% of world coffee production. |
Rubber-like -
This odor descriptor is characteristic of the smell of hot tires,
rubber bands and rubber stoppers. It is not considered a negative
attribute but has a characteristic strong note highly recognizable
in some coffees. |
S |
Saltiness - A primary taste
characterized by a solution of sodium chloride or other salts. |
Selective picking - Harvesting method in
which only ripe (red) coffee cherries are carefully handpicked.
Used where cherries do not ripen simultaneously, thus requiring
selective picking spanning several weeks. Usually used for
wet-processed coffees. |
Shrinkage - Difference between green an
roasted beans because of weight loss during roasting (14% to 18%
shrinkage, depending on length of roast). |
Silver skin - The membrane immediately
surrounding the coffee bean. Milling before export removes most of
the -silver skin; the remainder is removed during roasting in the
form of chaff. |
Slurping - Taking coffee into the mouth so
that it spreads evenly over the entire surface of the tongue,
releasing any gases suspended in the brew. |
Sniffing - Inhaling gases from ground
coffee and vapors from brewed coffee through the nose and on to
the nasal membrane. |
Soluble coffee - Coffee in a powdered or
granulated form that can be reconstituted by adding hot water.
Commonly referred to as "instant coffee.' |
Soluble solids - Dissolved components of
the coffee flavoring material extracted from roasted and ground
coffee. Soluble solids give the coffee beverage its flavor
characteristics. |
Sorting - Separating coffee beans, after
hulling or husking, according to size, density, color, and
imperfections. Sorting can be done by hand or mechanically. |
Sourness - This basic taste descriptor
refers to an excessively sharp, biting and unpleasant flavor (such
as vinegar or acetic acid). It is sometimes associated with the
aroma of fermented coffee. Tasters should be cautious not to
confuse this term with acidity which is generally considered a
pleasant and desirable taste in coffee. |
Specific density - In coffee evaluation,
the ratio of the coffee brew to the density of pure water. |
Specification - Precise written statement
describing exact product desired by blend, grind, packaging type,
volume, delivery schedules, equipment, equipment service
requirements, and payment terms. |
Spicy - This aroma descriptor is typical of
the odor of sweet spices such as cloves, cinnamon and allspice.
Tasters are cautioned not to use this term to describe the aroma
of savory spices such as pepper, oregano and Indian spices. |
Spray-dried (coffee) - A soluble coffee
powder prepared by spraying a coffee concentrate down a heated
tower. This causes water molecules to evaporate, leaving the
coffee flavoring material as a powder at the bottom of the tower. |
Staling - A flavor deterioration caused by
oxidation. Its characteristics are a reduction in aromatics and a
change in taste. |
Steep - To soak in hot water at a
temperature just under the boiling point |
Strength - A quantitative measure of the
amount of soluble solids in a coffee brew, usually expressed as a
percentage (by weight) of soluble solids to water (for example, 1%
soluble solids and 99% water@. |
Strip picking - A harvesting method in
which all cherries are removed in a single motion by grabbing the
branches of the tree and pulling off the cherries. Used where
coffee cherries ripen simultaneously. Usually used for dry
processed coffees. |
Supercritical carbon dioxide - Carbon
dioxide at a high temperature and pressure that can be used as a
decaffeination agent. |
Sweetness - This is a basic taste
descriptor characterized by solutions of sucrose or fructose which
are commonly associated with sweet aroma descriptors such as
fruity, chocolate and caramel. It is generally used for describing
coffees which are free from off-flavors. |