Coffee Glossary · Quality
Screen Size
Bean size measured by passing green coffee over perforated screens, numbered in 64ths of an inch — screen 16 beans sit atop holes 16/64" across. Contracts specify screens because uniform size roasts evenly: a mixed batch scorches small beans before large ones develop. Famous grades are screen-based: Kenya AA (17/18), Colombia Supremo (17+), Excelso (14–16). Size correlates loosely with grade, not directly with flavor — a uniform 15 can outcup a mixed 17. Export specs typically read like '85% above screen 15.'
Related terms
Grading (Green Coffee)
The classification of green coffee into commercial tiers by measurable criteria — screen size, defect count,…
Peaberry
A natural mutation in which a cherry develops one round seed instead of the usual two flat-faced beans —…
Bean Density
How much mass a coffee bean packs per volume — measured in g/L or judged by feel and appearance (tight,…
Cupping
Coffee's standardized tasting protocol: coarse-ground samples steeped in bowls under strict ratios and…
Defects (Green Coffee)
Physical faults in green coffee counted under grading systems like the SCA's: category 1 (primary) defects —…
MASL (Meters Above Sea Level)
The standard measure of coffee-growing altitude, and one of quality's strongest predictors. Higher farms are…
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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