Varietal
A coffee grown in a specific
geographical area, usually with distinct tastes that derive from the
area’s soil, climate, and cultivation methods.
Vacuum-Filter Method
A
brewing method that differs from other filter methods in that the
brewing water is drawn through the ground coffee by means of a partial
vacuum.
Vapid
An odor
taint in the coffee brew marked by a loss of organic material that would
normally be in a gaseous state in both the aroma and nose of the brew.
Occurs during the staling process after the roasting or the holding
process after brewing.
Varietal Coffee
As
used by many people in the American specialty coffee industry, a term
describing an unblended coffee from a single country, region, and crop.
For example: Ethiopia Yirgacheffe, Kenya AA, or La Minita Costa Rica
Tarrazu. However, to follow the California wine analogy more precisely,
varietal coffees ought logically to come from a single predominant
botanical variety of coffee tree; var. bourbon, for example, or var.
typica. Increasingly, coffee writers use "single origin" rather than
"varietal" to describe coffees from a single country, region, and crop.
Varietal Distinction,
Varietal Character
A tasting or cupping term
describing positive characteristics that distinguish a given coffee from
coffee from other regions. Examples are the wine- or berry-like acidity
of Kenya coffees or the full, resonant character of the best Sumatra.
See Varietal Coffee.
Venezuela
Some
Venezuela coffees (Tachira, Cúcuta) resemble Colombia coffees. However,
the most characteristic (Mérida) are sweet and delicately flavored.
Vienna roast
A degree of dark roast.
Viennese Coffee
Ambiguous
term. Describes coffee brewed by the drip or filter method from a blend
of coffee brought to a degree or darkness of roast called Viennese
Roast; also refers to brewed coffee of any roast or origin topped with
whipped cream.
Viennese Roast
Term
for coffee brought to a degree of roast slightly darker than the
traditional American norm, but lighter than degrees of roast variously
called espresso, French, or Italian. In the cup, Viennese roast (also
called full-city, light French or light espresso roast) is less acidy
and smoother than the characteristic American roast, but may display
fewer of the distinctive taste characteristics of the original coffee.
Viennese roast may also refer to a mixture of beans roasted to a dark
brown and beans roasted to the traditional American medium brown.