Standard Coffee Terms Explained

When reading professional coffee literature or comparing international green bean specs, you’ve likely stumbled over terms like ‘monsooned’, ‘caracol’, or ‘parchment coffee’. These aren’t just jargon—they’re part of a standardized vocabulary that ensures clarity across the global coffee trade. For professionals and enthusiasts alike, knowing these terms helps accurately describe coffee at every stage, from fruit to cup.

The Chinese national standard GB/T 18007-1999 defines over 30 key coffee terms, covering everything from raw bean types to processing methods and common defects. This guide extracts and organizes those definitions for English readers, so you can speak the same language as industry experts.

What Is Coffee, Technically?

Coffee, as defined by the standard, refers to the consumable product derived from the cultivated species of the Coffea plant—specifically its fruit and seeds. The coffee bean you brew is the seed, processed from the fruit (known as the coffee cherry) through various stages including removal of the pulp, drying, and often roasting.

Coffee Bean Varieties and Their Classifications

The standard identifies several major coffee species:

• Arabica coffee : Scientific name Coffea arabica, known for small fruits and beans.
• Robusta coffee : Scientific name Coffea canephora.
• Liberica coffee : Scientific name Coffea liberica, noted for larger fruits.
• Excelsa coffee : Scientific name Coffea dewevrei var. excelsa.
• Arabusta coffee : A hybrid of Arabica and Robusta (Coffea arabica × Coffea canephora).

Additionally, coffee beans are categorized by physical form:

• Flat bean : Has one distinct flat surface.
• Pea bean or caracol : Nearly oval, from a single seed in the coffee fruit.
• Elephant bean : A compound bean formed from multiple seeds, often two or more.

Processing Methods and Green Coffee Types

Green coffee, or raw coffee , is processed via different methods:

• Wet-processed coffee : Also called wet-processed, using water to remove the pulp.
• Dry-processed coffee : Pulp is dried with the bean and later removed.
• Washed and cleaned coffee : Dry-processed beans with mechanical removal of the silver skin using water.
• Monsooned coffee : Dry-processed beans exposed to humid conditions, causing them to swell and turn golden or light brown.
• Polished coffee : Wet-processed beans with mechanically removed silver skin for better appearance.

Beans can also be sorted by size—their minimum passable hole diameter is referred to as diameter —and graded, with defective beans removed as screenings or triage residue .

Roasted Coffee and Its Forms

Once green coffee is roasted, it becomes roast coffee , which is then ground into coffee powder . Extraction yields coffee extract , with leftover solids called coffee grounds .

Common manufactured coffee products include:

• Instant coffee : A water-soluble dry product made solely with water as the carrier (no other non-coffee substances). It comes in three forms:
  • Spray-dried instant coffee
  • Agglomerated instant coffee
  • Freeze-dried coffee

  

• Decaffeinated coffee : Coffee with caffeine removed.
• Coffee brew : The final drink made by brewing coffee powder, extract, or instant coffee with water.

Defects in Raw and Roasted Coffee Beans

The standard details numerous defects that can affect both green and roasted beans. These include:

• Shell : A bean with a concave, shell-like surface.
• Bean fragment : A piece smaller than half a bean.
• Broken bean : A fragment equal to or larger than half a bean.
• Malformed bean : Visibly misshapen compared to normal beans.
• Insect-damaged bean : Damaged internally or externally by insects.
• Live-insect infested bean : Contains living insects at any life stage.
• Dead-insect infested bean : Contains dead insects or insect remains.
• Black bean : Over half the surface (or interior) is black; post-roast, appears coal-like and grainy.
• Partly black bean : Less than half is black or coal-like in appearance.
• Immature bean : From underripe fruit, often wrinkled; produces lighter roast color.
• Spongey bean : Soft like cork, with indentable tissue; often slightly white (not a defect in monsooned beans).
• Light bean or floater bean : Very light, low-density, and pale in color (not a defect in monsooned beans).
• Stinker bean : Emits a foul odor when cut; may look light brown or waxy.
• Sour bean : Resulting from over-fermentation, with a sour taste in brew.
• Blotchy bean : Features irregular color patches.
• Withered bean : Thin, wrinkled, and lightweight.
• Mouldy bean : Visible mold or fungal growth.
• Husk fragment : Fragment of the dried fruit skin (coffee husk).
• Piece of parchment : Fragment of the dry inner fruit skin (parchment).

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between wet-processed and dry-processed coffee?

Wet-processed coffee removes the coffee cherry’s pulp using water before drying the bean, typically resulting in cleaner, brighter flavors. Dry-processed coffee dries the entire cherry with the bean inside, then removes the dried husk, often producing deeper, earthier profiles.

What are common defects in green coffee beans?

Common defects include black beans (more than half black), broken beans, insect-damaged beans, shell-shaped beans, and floaters. Each affects cup quality and is graded or sorted out during quality control.

What does 'monsooned coffee' mean?

Monsooned coffee refers to dry-processed beans exposed to humid air, causing them to absorb moisture, swell, and change color to golden or light brown, often used to mimic aged or specific flavor profiles.

What is the difference between a pea bean and a flat bean?

A pea bean is oval-shaped, usually from a single seed in the coffee cherry, while a flat bean has one distinct flat side, typical of many standard coffee beans.

What forms can roasted coffee be manufactured into besides whole beans?

Roast coffee can be ground into coffee powder, or further processed into instant coffee (spray-dried, agglomerated, or freeze-dried), or decaffeinated coffee.

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