Every industry has its very own lexicon, and mastering it is key to conversing freely with colleagues and feeling a sense of belonging. The coffee industry is no exception, and whilst some terms are easy to decipher, others may leave you scratching your head or searching online for clarity. Two terms that recently puzzled me were "Brix" and "Agtron".
The Brix scale measures the sugar content in a liquid, expressed as a percentage of weight of sucrose in a solution. In the coffee supply chain, Brix readings are particularly important for green coffee and are used at origin to determine the ripeness of coffee cherries. A higher Brix reading indicates a greater sugar content in the coffee cherries and it's understood that higher sugar levels contribute to better flavour development in the final cup.
At the other end of the coffee supply chain, the Agtron scale is used to measure the colour of roasted coffee beans, indicating the degree of roast. A higher Agtron number corresponds to a lighter roast, while lower numbers indicate a darker roast. This scale is widely utilised in the specialty coffee industry to ensure roast consistency and to help roasters achieve the desired flavour profiles.
Consider using these terms in your next coffee-related conversation with a roaster!