About Decaf

Decaf is a plain-spoken glossary of coffee and tea. It exists because most definitions of brewing words are written for people who already know them: padded with brand names, buried in marketing copy, or scattered across forum threads from fifteen years ago. This site tries to do the opposite — one term, one page, one clear explanation of what the word means and when you would actually use it.

Every entry follows the same structure. A definition states what the term means in plain language. An etymology note explains where the word came from, because most brewing vocabulary is borrowed, translated, or quietly wrong. An "in use" line shows the term inside a real sentence, so you can see how it behaves in conversation. Related terms are listed at the end, so you can follow a word sideways into the vocabulary around it.

Entries are written and edited in-house and checked against primary material — trade standards, producer and roaster documentation, and established reference works — rather than copied from other glossaries. We do not take payment for a definition, we do not run sponsored entries, and a brand name appears only when the brand itself is the thing being defined, such as a specific brewer or a named tea style. Where a term is genuinely contested, and several are, the entry says so instead of quietly picking a winner.

The glossary covers nine areas: brewing methods, coffee beans, grinding, espresso, milk drinks, tea types, tea brewing, tasting and equipment. It is published in English and Chinese, and both versions are written rather than machine-translated. If a definition is wrong, out of date, or missing a sense your region uses, write to us — corrections are the fastest way this site gets better.