Words for the drink
Espresso is a concentrated coffee preparation in which water flows under pressure through finely ground coffee. A doppio usually means a double espresso; the exact dose depends on the recipe. Ristretto and lungo describe shorter and longer versions respectively, but without quantities they are not identical everywhere.
An Americano is espresso with added hot water. Filter coffee, by contrast, is made in a separate brewing process using a filter. Both can fill similarly sized cups, but they are not the same recipe. Cold Brew is extracted cold; here, an Iced Latte consists of espresso, cold milk and ice. Served cold does not automatically mean brewed cold.
Milk and texture
Cappuccino, Flat White and Latte combine coffee and milk in different amounts and textures. Actual sizes vary between cafés. If you want little milk and a distinct coffee flavour, feel free to say so as well as naming the drink. Microfoam means finely distributed small air bubbles that allow a smooth, creamy texture.
Latte art is the pattern made when pouring textured milk. A lovely heart is a creative skill, but not a complete flavour assessment. Crema is the foam layer on espresso. Its thickness alone likewise does not prove whether the cup is successful.
Words on the coffee bag
Arabica and Canephora, or Robusta, refer to botanical categories. Variety means a particular plant form within that diversity. Origin, by contrast, describes where a coffee was grown. Single Origin has a shared origin, which may be specified to different levels of detail. Blend means a mixture of different coffees.
Washed, Natural and Honey describe processing after harvest. Honey does not normally mean added honey. Decaf means decaffeinated coffee, which may still contain residual caffeine. A flavour description such as chocolate or berry often names sensory impressions, rather than automatically indicating added ingredients.
Recipe terminology
Dose is the amount of coffee used. In everyday espresso recipes, yield often means the beverage weight in the cup; extraction yield instead means the proportion of the original coffee dissolved into the drink. These are different quantities. A brew ratio such as 18 grams of coffee to 36 grams of espresso relates dose to beverage weight. Filter recipes usually relate coffee to water added. Always name the quantities being compared.
Extraction describes dissolving substances out of coffee. Strength, by contrast, means their concentration in the drink. A thinner coffee is therefore not automatically poorly extracted. Grind size describes how fine the grounds are; a number on one grinder cannot simply be transferred to another model.
Words for tasting
Acidity, bitterness and sweetness are different taste impressions. Body or mouthfeel describes how light, full or creamy a drink feels. Aftertaste is what remains after a sip. Simple words are perfectly fine. Pleasantly fresh is often more useful than an exotic fruit you do not actually recognise yourself.
Describing and judging are two steps: first say what you notice, then whether you like it. A fruity coffee can be expertly made and still not become your favourite. Your taste needs no permission. This glossary should make conversations easier, not put another hurdle in front of your next cup.