- Arabica
- The higher-quality species of coffee (Coffea arabica), grown at higher altitudes with more complex flavors. Accounts for ~60% of global production. All specialty coffee is Arabica.
- Blend
- Coffee from multiple origins combined for balance and consistency. Not inferior to single origin — many of the world's best espressos are blends.
- Gesha / Geisha
- A legendary coffee variety originally from the Gesha forest in Ethiopia, now famous from Panama. Produces extraordinarily floral, tea-like, complex cups. The most expensive coffee variety.
- Green coffee
- Raw, unroasted coffee beans. They're actually green (or sometimes yellowish). All the flavor development happens during roasting.
- Honey process
- A middle ground: skin removed but some fruit mucilage left on during drying. Produces sweet, syrupy cups. Pioneered in Costa Rica.
- Natural process
- Coffee dried inside the cherry fruit before hulling. Produces fruitier, wilder, more fermented flavors. Common in Ethiopia and Brazil.
- Robusta
- The hardier, more bitter species of coffee (Coffea canephora) with roughly twice the caffeine of Arabica. Used in instant coffee and traditional Italian espresso blends for body and crema.
- Single origin
- Coffee from one country, region, or farm — as opposed to a blend. Valued in specialty coffee for showcasing terroir and the unique character of a place.
- Specialty coffee
- Coffee scoring 80+ points on the SCA (Specialty Coffee Association) 100-point scale. Represents the top ~5% of all coffee produced globally.
- Terroir
- Borrowed from wine — the combination of soil, climate, altitude, and environment that gives a coffee its unique origin character.
- Third wave
- The movement (roughly 2000-present) that treats coffee as an artisanal product rather than a commodity. Emphasis on origin, quality, lighter roasts, and the craft of brewing.
- Washed process
- Coffee cherry skin and fruit removed before drying. Produces cleaner, brighter, more acidic cups with more clarity of origin character.