Demystifying Specialty Coffee Terminology

Introduction

Hello coffee loving friends. I’ve written another, very similar article titled UNRAVELING THE SECRETS OF SPECIALTY COFFEE: A BEGINNER'S GUIDE. While covering overlapping topics, this article allowed me to elaborate on several concepts not fully explained in that article while focusing specifically on terminology. Either way, I’d encourage you to explore both articles, even if they overlap some.

Stepping into the world of specialty coffee can feel like learning a new language. As an amateur language student throughout the middle part of my life, the commonalities are easy to identify. Terms like single-origin, washed process, and bourbon varietal get thrown around quickly and often without much context. Whether you're just beginning to explore higher-quality coffee or you're a long-time home brewer looking to deepen your knowledge, understanding this terminology will help you make more informed decisions and get more enjoyment out of every cup. This guide is designed to help the beginner open the door to more advanced concepts, working to demystify some of the most important terms and concepts used throughout the specialty coffee industry.

What Is Coffee?

Let’s begin with the most basic concept: what is coffee? Coffea is a genus of flowering plants native to Africa and Asia. The plants are cultivated at altitude throughout what is called the “coffee belt,” a global region of tropical land between the Tropics of Capricorn and Cancer. Coffea plants are both bush-like and tree-like in nature, growing to around 10 feet in height and producing small yellow or red cherries that contain two caffeinated beans. Sometimes the cherries only contain a single bean, which is called a peaberry. The plants are covered in deep green, shiny leaves, while their branches are lined with the flowers that become the coffee cherry. During harvest, producers either mechanically-pick or hand-pick the cherries and remove their skin and pulp through a process aptly called the “processing method.” The beans are then dried and milled for export.

What Is Specialty Coffee?

What does specialty coffee, the foundation of our learning, even mean? The term is defined by the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) as coffee that scores 80 points or higher on a 100-point quality scale, as graded by certified professionals known as Q Graders. These beans are evaluated for aroma, body, balance, and flavor, and they must be virtually free of defects. They are almost exclusively of the species Coffea arabica, grown at elevation, and hand-picked. We’ll cover coffee species with more detail a little later in this article.

In contrast to commodity-grade coffee, much of which is traded in bulk on the global market and roasted to taste uniform, specialty coffee is cultivated, processed, and roasted with care at every step. The goal isn’t just volume or consistency; it’s to highlight the inherent characteristics of the bean and where it came from. Each and every specialty coffee tastes different, and those differences matter. Specialty coffee not only delivers more nuanced flavors but also supports ethical sourcing, environmentally responsible practices, and better pay for farmers and producers.

Single-Origin, Blends, and Flavored Coffees

Single-Origin

Single-origin coffee comes from one farm, cooperative, or region. These coffees showcase the unique flavors of their environment, what we call terroir. Terroir includes elements like soil composition, rainfall, temperature, sun exposure, and elevation, all of which change the final flavor of the bean. A washed Ethiopian might taste like jasmine and citrus, while a natural-processed coffee from Brazil may remind you of strawberries and chocolate.

Blends

Blends combine multiple coffees, often from different origins. Blends can create new flavor profiles or provide greater consistency over time. At Canyon, we blend single-origin coffees intentionally, using them as building blocks to create balanced, expressive offerings like our Trailblazer Blend or Canyon Blend. Some roasters use blends to mask the flavor of lower-quality beans. We choose to take a different, artistic approach. Our blends are crafted with purpose, whether that be a specific brew method or flavor combination.

Flavored Coffees

Flavored coffees sometimes get a bad rap, but that doesn’t have to be the case. When made well, using quality beans and flavorings that complement the natural character of the coffee, they can offer a satisfying and approachable option for coffee drinkers and non-coffee drinkers alike. We develop our flavored coffees using specialty-grade beans selected for how well they pair with classic flavors like maple walnut or hazelnut. The intention is to create a coffee-first flavored coffee with just the right amount of sweetness.

Coffee Species: Arabica, Robusta, and Beyond

There are over 120 species of coffee, but two dominate the global market: Coffea arabica and Coffea canephora, more commonly known as Robusta.

Arabica

Arabica is the species used in virtually all specialty coffee. It grows best at higher elevations, is more susceptible to disease, and has a more complex and often sweeter flavor profile including floral, fruit, and chocolate notes. Arabica makes up around 60–70% of global coffee production.

Robusta

Robusta is hardier, grows at lower elevations, and contains more caffeine. It’s often used in instant coffee or commodity-grade blends due to its higher yield and resistance to disease. Flavor-wise, it’s typically more bitter and less nuanced than Arabica.

Coffee Varietals: Bourbon, Typica, Gesha, and More

If Arabica is the species, varietals are its subcategories. This can be well-illustrated by apple varieties: Granny Smith and Honeycrisp are both apples, but they look and taste different. The same goes for coffee. Cultivars are similar to varietals in that they are subcategories of the species. But cultivars are man-made through methods like selective breeding while varietals are naturally occuring.

There are hundreds of known coffee varietals, but only a few dozen are widely cultivated. Here are a few worth knowing:

• Bourbon: A foundational varietal with round sweetness and good complexity.
• Typica: One of the oldest cultivated varietals; smooth, clean, and balanced.
• Gesha (or Geisha): Highly prized for its delicate floral and tea-like character. Often found in competition coffees.
• SL28 / SL34: Common in Kenya; prized for high acidity, juiciness, and complexity.

Producers choose varietals based on multiple factors: tradition, yield, disease resistance, climate suitability, and of course, flavor. Some are cross-bred to combine desirable traits, just like many other crops around the world. It’s also worth noting that while the varietals listed above commonly exhibit the flavors and traits listed, they do not always. Other factors like terroir and processing method play major roles in the final characteristics in the cup.

Processing Methods and Their Impact on Flavor

Processing is how the seed (bean) is removed from the coffee cherry after harvest. It’s one of the biggest influencers of flavor. Like the coffee varietals, I’ve listed some common characteristics of each processing method below. But know that these are just generalities - there are many factors that contribute to the final notes in the cup.

Washed (Wet) Process

In this method, the fruit is removed before the beans are dried. The result is a clean, bright cup that emphasizes the coffee’s inherent acidity and clarity.

Natural (Dry) Process

Here, the whole cherry is dried intact before the beans are removed. This process tends to bring out fruity, wine-like flavors and a heavier body.

Honey (Semi-Washed) Process

A hybrid of washed and natural. Some of the fruit (the mucilage or “honey”) is left on the bean during drying. This often produces a coffee with balanced sweetness, body, and acidity.

Experimental Methods

Producers are now exploring with anaerobic fermentation, carbonic maceration, and osmotic dehydration, among others. These experimental processes can introduce bold, unexpected flavors like tropical fruit, bubblegum, or even wine or whiskey like notes.

Roast Levels and What They Mean

Roasting transforms green coffee beans into the brown ones we know and love. How the beans are roasted also greatly affects how the flavors present in the cup. Coffee can be roasted in a virtually limitless number of ways. The roaster must develop a roast profile (a heat vs time map) unique to each coffee to highlight the possible and desired flavors in the cup. While beans can be roasted to any degree between light roast and dark roast, and while roast degree is far from the only roast factor contributing to flavor, I’ve narrowed my explanations to the three most commonly referred to roast degrees, light roast, medium roast, and dark roast.

Light Roast

Light roasts preserve the most origin characteristics like floral, fruity, acidic. Often more complex.

Medium Roast

Medium roasts balance acidity and body, caramelized sugars, rounded flavors.

Dark Roast

Dark roasts offer bold, smoky flavors and lower perceived acidity. Origin characteristics often give way to roast-dominant flavors.

There are many ways of referring to roast degree. Coffee enthusiasts sometimes use nomenclature like city roast, city plus, and full city to give roast degree more specific parameters. Regardless of how roast degree is defined, it’s important to note that a coffee can be roasted in a limitless number of ways to a great many “roast degrees.” I always encourage coffee drinkers to try new things to expand their understanding of coffee, how it’s roasted, and their own preferences.

At Canyon, we tend to roast on the lighter side to highlight the character of each origin and process. But there’s no right or wrong, only what you enjoy.

Flavor Profiles and the Coffee Taster’s Wheel

You may have noticed flavor notes like berry, chocolate, or citrus on a coffee bag. These are not added flavors—they’re tasting descriptors. The coffee itself contains hundreds of aromatic compounds that can remind us of other foods and scents.

The Coffee Taster’s Flavor Wheel, developed by the SCA, is a tool professionals use to describe what they taste. You don’t need to be an expert to use it. It’s a helpful way to become more aware of what you like and why.

Tip: Download a copy of the Coffee Taster’s Flavor Wheel or ask the team at Canyon Coffee Roasters to walk you through a cupping session. It’s a fun and educational way to deepen your sensory skills.

When tasting, pay attention to:

• Aroma: What do you smell?
• Acidity: Is it bright, juicy, or soft?
• Body: How does it feel in your mouth—light or heavy?
• Flavor: What do you taste?
• Finish: What lingers after the sip?

Conclusion

You don’t need a Q Grader certification to enjoy coffee. All it takes is a bit of curiosity and a willingness to pay attention to the words on your coffee bag and the coffee in your cup. The more you learn about the language of coffee, the more rewarding the experience becomes. Next time you’re browsing your favorite roaster’s website or standing at the coffee shelf in the grocery store, keep this terminology in mind. It just might help you discover your next favorite coffee.

And if you ever have questions, we’re always happy to talk coffee. You can contact us through the website, send us a text, or stop by the shop.

Cheers to better coffee and deeper knowledge.

-Nate