Coffee Glossary · Brewing
Extraction (Espresso & Brew)
The dissolution of coffee's soluble compounds into water — quantified as extraction yield (percent of grounds dissolved, ideally ~18–22%) and strength (TDS). Under-extraction tastes sour and thin (acids dissolve first); over-extraction turns bitter and dry (harsh phenolics come late). Grind size, dose, temperature, time, and water chemistry are the levers. The concepts scale from espresso's nine-bar seconds to filter's gentle minutes — and explain why the same bean yields wildly different cups across cafés.
Related terms
Crema
The tan foam crowning espresso: CO2 from roasting, driven out by nine bars of pressure, emulsified with…
Roast Levels & Profiles
The transformation map from green to brown: light roasts (ending near 'first crack') preserve origin acidity…
Cupping
Coffee's standardized tasting protocol: coarse-ground samples steeped in bowls under strict ratios and…
Reading up before buying? Volcana Coffee exports SGS-inspected specialty Arabica and Fine Robusta from the Bolaven Plateau, Laos — and we're happy to walk new importers through every term on a real offer sheet.
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