The bright, tangy, sparkling quality in a coffee's flavour — think of the zing in an apple or citrus. It isn't the same as sourness; well-balanced acidity is prized in specialty coffee and tends to be more pronounced in lighter roasts and higher-altitude beans.

A compact, plastic brewing device that combines steeping with gentle pressure from a plunger to push coffee through a paper filter. Popular for its speed, portability and clean cup.

A coffee-based dessert: a scoop of vanilla ice cream or gelato with a hot shot of espresso poured over it right before serving, so the ice cream half-melts into a warm, creamy contrast.

The height above sea level at which coffee is grown, usually measured in metres. Coffee cherries mature more slowly at higher altitudes, which is generally associated with denser beans and more complex, brighter flavours.

On squarebean.co.uk: "Our Ethiopia Lala Salama decaf is grown at 2,100–2,200 metres in the Guji Zone." See it here →

Espresso diluted with hot water, usually in roughly a 1:2 espresso-to-water ratio. Closer in strength and body to drip coffee than to a straight shot, though it keeps espresso's roasted intensity.

The most widely grown coffee species, prized for its sweeter, more nuanced, often fruity or floral flavour and lower caffeine content than Robusta. Arabica plants can self-pollinate and are generally more delicate to grow, thriving at higher altitudes.

A coffee professional trained in preparing espresso-based drinks — grinding, dosing, tamping, pulling shots, steaming milk and pouring latte art.

Filter coffee made in larger volumes at once — typically in an automatic drip machine — rather than one cup at a time. A café staple for consistent, hands-off filter coffee.

A coffee made by combining beans from more than one origin, farm or processing method, balanced by a roaster to hit a particular flavour, body or price point — as opposed to a single-origin coffee.

On squarebean.co.uk: "Our Espresso Workout Blend combines specialty Uganda Robusta with Brazil Eagle Monte Arabica for extra natural caffeine." See it here →

The first, short pour in many brewing methods (like a V60 or AeroPress), where a small amount of hot water wets the grounds and lets trapped CO₂ escape as bubbles, before the main pour begins. Blooming helps coffee extract more evenly.

The weight and texture of a coffee in the mouth — how it physically feels, from light and tea-like through to syrupy and heavy. Robusta and natural-processed coffees tend to have fuller body than washed Arabica.

A classic Arabica varietal, descended from the same original stock as Typica, known for sweet, balanced, well-rounded cups. Named after Bourbon Island (now Réunion), where it was first cultivated.

An immersion brewer: coarsely ground coffee steeps in hot water in a glass or metal beaker, then a mesh plunger separates the grounds from the brewed coffee. Produces a full-bodied cup with more sediment than filtered methods.

On squarebean.co.uk: "Listed as a grind option across our filter coffees, and recommended for our Uganda Robusta." See it here →

A classic Italian espresso drink built in roughly equal thirds: espresso, steamed milk and a thick, airy layer of milk foam, giving a lighter, drier texture than a latte.

The dried skin and pulp of the coffee cherry, separated during processing and brewed on its own like a tea — sometimes called 'coffee cherry tea' — with a fruity, tea-like flavour and little to no bitterness.

A naturally occurring mutation of the Bourbon varietal, valued for its compact size, high yields and bright, clean flavour. Common across Central and South America.

On squarebean.co.uk: "The Arabica Caturra behind our Colombia Finca La Luisa peach-fermentation coffee." See it here →

When water finds an uneven, low-resistance path through the coffee puck during espresso extraction — often from an unevenly distributed or cracked puck — causing part of the shot to under-extract and part to over-extract at once.

A family of natural compounds in the coffee bean that contribute bitterness and some acidity. Robusta contains roughly double the CGAs of Arabica, part of why it tastes more bitter and robust.

The fruit of the coffee plant. Each cherry usually contains two seeds — the coffee beans — surrounded by pulp, mucilage and a protective parchment layer, all of which are removed during processing.

A fungal disease (Hemileia vastatrix) that attacks coffee plants' leaves and can devastate harvests. It is particularly damaging to Arabica, which is more susceptible than the hardier Robusta.

Coarsely ground coffee steeped in cold or room-temperature water for 12–24 hours, then strained into a smooth, naturally sweet, low-acid concentrate — a genuinely different brewing process from iced coffee, not just hot coffee poured over ice.

A thick, airy foam made by whipping cold milk (dairy or plant-based) without steam, then spooned or poured on top of iced coffee drinks for texture rather than warmth.

Standard, mass-market coffee traded on volume and price rather than distinct quality or origin story — the opposite end of the spectrum from specialty coffee, which is scored, traceable and bought on quality.

How long water and coffee grounds are in contact during brewing. Longer contact time increases extraction, so it's adjusted alongside grind size and temperature to avoid over- or under-extracted coffee.

A collective of small coffee producers who pool resources — for processing, milling, quality control or selling — giving individual smallholder farmers better access to markets and prices than they could get alone.

On squarebean.co.uk: "Explained in our journal piece on tracing single-origin coffee back to farm and washing station." See it here →

Spanish/Latin American in origin: espresso 'cut' with a roughly equal amount of steamed milk and minimal foam, softening the espresso's edge while keeping its flavour dominant. Served in a small (about 4oz) glass.

The reddish-brown foam that sits on top of a fresh espresso shot, formed by CO₂ and oils emulsifying under pressure. Robusta produces a thicker, longer-lasting crema than Arabica; crema also fades as roasted coffee ages.

On squarebean.co.uk: "Robusta's heavier crema is discussed in our Moka Pot brewing guide and our robusta journal article." See it here →

Pollination between two different plants, which Robusta relies on (via insects) to reproduce, maintaining more genetic diversity than the self-pollinating Arabica plant.

The standardised method roasters and graders use to evaluate coffee: identical doses of ground coffee are steeped in separate cups, then tasted side by side for aroma, flavour, acidity, body and aftertaste — the basis of SCA scoring.

The specific flavour descriptors used to describe a coffee's taste — fruits, sugars, spices, nuts and so on — identified during cupping.

On squarebean.co.uk: "Our Colombia La Cabaña Gesha is noted for orange liqueur, pink grapefruit, brown sugar and rum." See it here →

The process of removing caffeine from green coffee before roasting, using water, CO₂ or solvent-based methods. Quality decaf aims to strip out caffeine while leaving flavour compounds intact.

On squarebean.co.uk: "Our Ethiopia Lala Salama Decaf uses a sparkling (carbonated) water process — no chemical solvents, full origin character preserved." See it here →

The step where the outer skin and pulp of the coffee cherry are mechanically removed, leaving the bean covered in sticky mucilage and parchment. The first stage in washed and honey processing.

The portion of the roast that happens after 'first crack' (when the bean audibly pops as it expands), during which sugars caramelise and flavour rounds out. Enough development time is needed to bring out sweetness without tipping into burnt or ashy flavours.

On squarebean.co.uk: "Our Colombia Finca La Luisa is roasted with 'sufficient development time to bring out the intense sweetness.'" See it here →

Adjusting an espresso recipe — usually grind size, dose and shot time — in small steps until a specific coffee tastes balanced, since the right settings change from bag to bag and even day to day.

A sourcing relationship in which a roaster buys coffee directly (or near-directly) from producers or their exporting partner, rather than through commodity markets — typically paying premiums tied to quality and building longer-term relationships.

On squarebean.co.uk: "Our Peru Cajamarca Washed is sourced via Falcon Coffees' Blueprint Project, offering full traceability and transparent, cup-score-based pricing to farmers." See it here →

A chai latte (spiced tea and steamed milk) with a shot of espresso added, 'dirtying' the chai with coffee.

A double shot of espresso — roughly twice the dose and yield of a single ('solo') shot, pulled in one go rather than as two separate singles.

Coffee made by pouring hot water over grounds held in a filter, letting it percolate through into a cup or carafe below — the umbrella term covering everything from a manual pour-over to an automatic drip machine.

The cone- or flat-bottomed vessel that holds a paper or metal filter for pour-over brewing, sitting above a cup or server while water percolates through the grounds.

On squarebean.co.uk: "See our Hario V60 dripper and Switch immersion/dripper set." See it here →

A concentrated coffee made by forcing hot water through very finely ground, tightly packed coffee at high pressure (typically 9+ bar) — the base for espresso-based drinks like flat whites and lattes, and much more concentrated than a moka pot brew (around 1.5–2 bar).

A roast style developed specifically to taste balanced when brewed under espresso's high pressure and short contact time — usually a touch darker and with more development than the same coffee's filter roast, to soften acidity and boost body.

On squarebean.co.uk: "Several of our coffees are offered as both a Filter Roast and a separate Espresso Roast — the same beans, roasted differently for each method." See it here →

A modern, refreshing drink combining a shot (or two) of espresso poured over ice and tonic water, playing the espresso's bitterness against the tonic's sweetness and carbonation.

A single farm or plantation, often large and under one ownership, that grows (and sometimes also processes) its own coffee — used in a coffee's name to signal single-farm traceability.

On squarebean.co.uk: "Our Kenya Doondu Estate and India Ratnagiri Estate coffees are both named for their farm of origin." See it here →

A minor coffee species, now classified as a variant of Coffea liberica, grown in small volumes mainly in Southeast Asia. Known for a distinctive tart, fruity character quite different from Arabica or Robusta.

The process of dissolving flavour, acids, sugars and oils out of ground coffee into water. Under-extraction (too little dissolved) tastes weak and sour; over-extraction (too much dissolved) tastes harsh and bitter. Grind size, water temperature, ratio and contact time all govern it.

On squarebean.co.uk: "Explained in detail in our Moka Pot brewing guide." See it here →

The stage in processing where sugars on or around the bean are broken down by naturally occurring yeasts and bacteria, before or during drying. Fermentation time and method heavily shape a coffee's final flavour.

On squarebean.co.uk: "Our Colombia Finca La Luisa undergoes a double fermentation — five days oxygen-free, then a second ferment with peach juice added — before drying." See it here →

A lighter roast style tailored for filter brewing methods (V60, Chemex, batch brew, AeroPress), aiming to preserve the coffee's brighter acidity and more delicate, origin-driven flavours.

On squarebean.co.uk: "Our core range of single-origin filter roasts." See it here →

Spanish for 'farm' or 'estate' — widely used in coffee names from Latin America to credit the specific property a coffee was grown on.

On squarebean.co.uk: "Colombia Finca La Luisa and Nicaragua Finca Los Jilgueros are both named for their finca." See it here →

A specialty-grade classification for Robusta coffee that scores above 80 points on the SCA scale — recognising that well-grown, well-processed Robusta can rival Arabica in quality.

On squarebean.co.uk: "Our Uganda Robusta Specialty Natural scores 81 SCA points and is graded Screen 15, earning Fine Robusta status." See it here →

An Australian/New Zealand espresso drink: espresso topped with a small amount of silky steamed milk and very thin microfoam, giving a stronger coffee flavour and smoother texture than a latte in a smaller serving.

A cold, frothy coffee drink made by shaking or blending coffee (often instant) with ice, sugar and sometimes milk until foamy.

Coffee from the most recent harvest, as opposed to older 'past crop' beans that have lost some vibrancy in storage.

On squarebean.co.uk: "Our Ethiopia Lala Salama Decaf is described as '2025 harvest — fresh crop, roasted to order.'" See it here →

A prized, delicate Arabica varietal originally from the Gesha region of Ethiopia, now grown in select farms across Central and South America. Famous for intensely floral, tea-like, jasmine-and-citrus flavours.

On squarebean.co.uk: "Our Colombia La Cabaña Gesha Natural and El Refugio Gesha are both grown from this varietal." See it here →

Essentially identical to a cortado — espresso with an equal measure of steamed milk — but named for the small Libbey Gibraltar glass it's served in, a naming convention popularised by Blue Bottle Coffee.

Coffee in its raw, unroasted state, after processing but before roasting. Green coffee is pale green-grey, stable for long periods when stored cool and dry.

On squarebean.co.uk: "We sell green coffee — unroasted, single-origin beans for home and small-batch roasters — separately from our roasted range." See it here →

How finely or coarsely roasted coffee is ground, matched to the brew method: fine for espresso, medium-fine for moka pot, medium for filter/pour-over, coarse for cafetière or cold brew.

On squarebean.co.uk: "Our moka pot guide recommends a medium-fine grind — roughly the texture of sea salt." See it here →

The part of an espresso machine that the portafilter locks into, delivering hot pressurised water into the coffee puck.

Coffee blended from roughly equal parts regular and decaffeinated beans, giving about half the usual caffeine rather than none at all.

A processing method between washed and natural: the cherry skin is removed but some or all of the sticky mucilage ('honey') is left on the bean during drying, adding body and sweetness.

Coffee that's brewed hot (or at room temperature) in the normal way, then cooled and served over ice — distinct from cold brew, which is steeped cold from the start and tends to taste smoother and less acidic.

A brewing style where ground coffee sits fully submerged in water for a set time before being separated (as opposed to percolation, where water continuously passes through the grounds).

On squarebean.co.uk: "Our Hario Switch lets you brew by immersion or drip, switching the flow with its stop-tap valve." See it here →

Coffee that's been brewed, then dried into soluble granules or powder, so it dissolves straight into hot water without a filter or brewer. Convenient and fast, though typically lower in specialty-grade quality than fresh-ground coffee.

Hot coffee mixed with Irish whiskey and sugar, topped with a float of lightly whipped cream so the cream sits on top rather than mixing in.

A single-serve capsule of pre-ground coffee designed for pod machines (like Keurig's K-Cup or Nespresso capsules), which brew one cup at a time by piercing the pod and forcing hot water through it.

A container baristas knock the spent coffee puck into after pulling a shot, used to quickly empty and reset the portafilter between drinks.

The most milk-forward classic espresso drink: espresso with a large volume of steamed milk and just a thin layer of foam on top, giving a soft, mellow, milky character.

Patterns — hearts, rosettas, tulips and more — poured or etched into the crema of a milk-based espresso drink using well-textured steamed milk (microfoam).

A minor coffee species with a smaller global market presence than Arabica or Robusta, grown mainly in parts of Southeast Asia and West Africa.

A 'lot' is a distinct, separately tracked batch of coffee. A micro-lot is a small, especially distinctive lot kept separate through the whole chain because it's judged unique enough to sell on its own.

On squarebean.co.uk: "We describe our sourcing as seeking out 'interesting micro-lots or specially-processed coffees.'" See it here →

A 'long' espresso shot: the same dose of coffee pulled with extra water passing through it for longer, yielding more volume but also more bitterness than a standard shot.

Italian for 'marked': espresso 'marked' with just a small dab of steamed milk foam, the most concentrated and coffee-forward of the classic milk drinks.

Milk steamed to a fine, even texture with tiny, barely visible bubbles rather than large froth — the standard for lattes, cappuccinos and latte art.

A latte with chocolate (syrup or powder) added to the espresso before the steamed milk goes in, combining coffee, chocolate and milk.

A stovetop brewer with three chambers: water boils in the base, is forced up through a bed of coffee, and collects in the top chamber. Runs at roughly 1.5–2 bar of pressure.

On squarebean.co.uk: "See our full guide to choosing coffee, roast and grind for a moka pot." See it here →

A processing method where whole coffee cherries are dried in the sun with the fruit still intact around the bean, then hulled afterwards, producing bold, fruity, sometimes wine-like flavours.

On squarebean.co.uk: "Many of our origins are labelled Natural, including Rwanda Bumbogo, Ethiopia Wild Guji Megadu and Uganda Bulaago." See it here →

Cold brew infused with nitrogen gas through a pressurised tap, creating tiny bubbles that give it a creamy, cascading texture and a naturally sweeter taste — similar to a poured stout — without any added sugar.

The thin, papery layer that remains around the bean after the outer skin and pulp are removed. Coffee is often dried and stored 'in parchment' for protection.

On squarebean.co.uk: "Our Peru Cajamarca Washed is dried on patios or raised beds, then delivered as parchment to a warehouse for grading." See it here →

Drying coffee on open concrete or brick patios, raked regularly to dry evenly — one of the two most common drying methods alongside raised beds.

A naturally occurring variation where a coffee cherry develops only one round seed instead of the usual two flat-sided ones.

A brewing style where water continuously flows through a bed of grounds and out the other side — the counterpart to immersion brewing.

A single-shot latte served in a small (roughly 3–4oz) glass — the same espresso-to-milk ratio and velvety texture as a latte, just scaled down.

Non-dairy milk alternatives (oat, soy, almond, coconut and others) used in coffee drinks. Oat milk in particular is popular with baristas because its protein and starch content let it steam and foam similarly to dairy without curdling in acidic coffee.

The handled tool holding the filter basket of ground coffee that locks into an espresso machine's group head to brew a shot.

Manually brewing filter coffee by pouring hot water over grounds in a dripper (like a V60 or Chemex) in a controlled way.

The umbrella term for how coffee cherries are turned into dried, storable green beans after harvest — chiefly washed, natural or honey processing.

The compacted disc of spent coffee grounds left in the portafilter's filter basket after an espresso shot has been pulled.

Mesh drying beds raised off the ground, allowing air to circulate on all sides of the coffee as it dries.

On squarebean.co.uk: "Our Colombia Finca La Luisa dries on raised beds for three days as part of its processing." See it here →

The proportion of dry coffee to brewing water, usually written like 1:16 (1g coffee to 16g/ml water).

On squarebean.co.uk: "Our Ethiopia Lala Salama Decaf brewing notes recommend a 1:16 ratio at 94–96°C." See it here →

Drip or filter coffee with a shot of espresso added on top for extra caffeine and intensity.

A 'restricted' espresso shot pulled with less water than a standard espresso for the same dose of coffee, giving a more concentrated result.

How long and how hot coffee is roasted, on a spectrum from light through medium to dark.

On squarebean.co.uk: "Our Colombia Finca La Luisa is roasted light to medium; our Uganda Robusta is roasted medium-dark for filter." See it here →

The specific time-and-temperature curve a roaster uses for a batch — the recipe behind a roast, tuned per coffee and per brew method.

On squarebean.co.uk: "For wholesale customers, we create roast profiles customised for their preferred brewing methods." See it here →

Coffee that is roasted only once it's been ordered, rather than roasted in advance and left sitting on a shelf.

On squarebean.co.uk: "Our Roaster's Choice subscription ships coffee within 36 hours of roasting." See it here →

The second major commercial coffee species after Arabica: hardier, higher yielding, and higher in caffeine and chlorogenic acids, giving it a bolder, more bitter, often chocolatey profile.

On squarebean.co.uk: "Our journal covers Robusta's origins and why Uganda is considered its birthplace." See it here →

The 100-point scoring system used by qualified cuppers to evaluate coffee quality. A score of 80 or above is generally the threshold for 'specialty.'

On squarebean.co.uk: "Several of our coffees list their SCA score, such as our Peru Cajamarca Washed at 84 points." See it here →

A grading measure of bean size, sorted through screens with holes of different diameters.

On squarebean.co.uk: "Our Colombia Finca La Luisa is graded Screen 15+; our Uganda Robusta is Screen 15." See it here →

Coffee sourced from one identifiable place rather than blended across multiple origins, allowing that place's terroir and processing to show clearly in the cup.

On squarebean.co.uk: "We write about what single-origin really means and how to trace your beans back to their source." See it here →

A farmer who grows coffee on a small plot of land, often as part of a wider family or community livelihood.

On squarebean.co.uk: "Our Ethiopia Lala Salama Decaf is grown by smallholder farmers using labelled raised beds for full traceability." See it here →

A decaffeination method that uses carbonated water to draw caffeine out of green coffee without chemical solvents.

On squarebean.co.uk: "The method behind our Ethiopia Lala Salama Sparkling Water Decaf." See it here →

Coffee graded 80 points or above on the SCA's 100-point scale — free of defects and possessing distinctive, positive flavour characteristics.

On squarebean.co.uk: "We only roast the best specialty-grade green beans available." See it here →

A recurring coffee order, billed and shipped automatically on a set schedule.

On squarebean.co.uk: "Our Roaster's Choice subscription sends a different specialty single-origin coffee every month, cancel anytime." See it here →

Pressing ground coffee firmly and evenly into the portafilter's basket before brewing, so water flows through it evenly rather than finding weak spots (see Channeling).

The full combination of environmental factors — climate, soil, altitude, topography, sunlight and local farming practices — that shape how a coffee from a specific place tastes.

On squarebean.co.uk: "We explore terroir and traceability in our single-origin coffee journal article." See it here →

The modern specialty coffee movement that treats coffee more like wine or craft beer than a commodity — prioritising traceable sourcing, lighter roasting, skilled brewing and origin flavour over mass-market convenience.

How precisely a coffee's journey can be tracked back toward its source — ideally to a specific farm, lot or even a labelled drying bed.

Very finely ground coffee simmered unfiltered — often with sugar — in a small pot called a cezve (or ibrik), then served in the cup with the grounds left to settle at the bottom rather than filtered out.

One of the oldest and most widely spread Arabica varietals, the ancestor of many others including Bourbon-line varieties.

A cone-shaped pour-over dripper made by Hario, named for its 60-degree angle, with a large single hole and spiral ribs that let the brewer control flow rate.

On squarebean.co.uk: "We stock the Hario V60 dripper, Buono kettle and Switch immersion/V60 set." See it here →

The specific botanical variety of coffee plant a bean comes from within a species — such as Caturra, Typica, Bourbon or Gesha within Arabica.

On squarebean.co.uk: "Our product pages list varietal alongside origin — for example Arabica Caturra, or the Gesha varietal." See it here →

Strong coffee (traditionally robusta), brewed with a small metal drip filter (phin) directly over sweetened condensed milk, then usually served over ice.

A processing method where the cherry skin is removed and the mucilage is fermented off in water, before the bean is washed clean and dried in parchment.

On squarebean.co.uk: "Our Peru Cajamarca and India Ratnagiri Estate coffees are both washed process." See it here →

A facility — sometimes shared by many smallholder farmers — where coffee cherries are received, sorted, depulped, fermented, washed and dried.

On squarebean.co.uk: "Covered in our journal piece on tracing single-origin coffee back to its washing station." See it here →

Selling roasted or green coffee in bulk to businesses rather than direct to individual consumers, typically with custom roast profiles and account pricing.

On squarebean.co.uk: "We work with wholesale buyers to build custom roast profiles and origin stories for their brewing methods." See it here →