The low-down on coffee terminology

Common abbreviations and their meanings

• AA - designates the classification of beans by size and density. The best coffees from Kenya primarily receive this designation.

• A HOAC - a coffee cooperative comprising more than 1,900 farmers in Okapa District.

• SHB - Strictly Hard Bean; coffee cultivated at a height of 1,200m above sea level; higher density = higher quality.

• SHG - Strictly Hard Grown; coffee cultivated at a height of 1,200m above sea level; higher density = higher quality.

• EP - European Preparation; manually sorted coffee with no defective beans; it’s sorted several times.

• SWD - Swiss Water Decaf; a non-chemical process that removes caffeine from green coffee beans.