Coffee Basics
A Plain-English Coffee Glossary
Extraction, bloom, crema, body and the rest
By Coffee In Cup Editorial TeamPublished 1 February 2026Updated 12 February 20265 min read
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Coffee writing is full of shorthand. Here is what the common terms actually mean.
The essentials
These five terms cover most of what you will encounter.
- Extraction — how much flavour the water pulls from the grounds
- Bloom — the swell of gas when water first hits fresh coffee
- Crema — the foam layer on espresso
- Body — how heavy the coffee feels in your mouth
- Channelling — water finding a fast path through the coffee bed
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 'balanced' mean?+
No single quality dominates: acidity, sweetness and bitterness sit in proportion.
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