Episodes

  • Freshness and Grinding, Part 2: How grinders work deep inside

    Freshness and Grinding, Part 2: How grinders work deep inside
    May 6 2024
    Deep inside your coffee grinder, tiny changes can have massive consequences.

    This episode takes you deep inside Mahlkönig’s grinders to show you how coffee is ground and the importance of particle sizes on flavour.

    If you’re a home coffee lover, you could easily spend thousands of dollars on your coffee grinder. But after diving deep into the R&D of grinder manufacturing, I learned that after a certain point spending more probably won’t produce a better tasting cup of coffee for you!



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    Please spread the word about The Science of Coffee!

    Discover how I make these Filter Stories episodes by subscribing to my Substack newsletter.

    Write a review on Apple Podcasts
    Follow me on Instagram and tag me in an Instagram story
    Leave a 5 star rating on Spotify

    Explore Mahlkönig’s range of world leading grinders, trusted by baristas globally.



    Go deeper into the world of grinding

    Take Barista Hustle’s Advanced Espresso course
    Learn from Lance Hedrick where the sweet spot is for buying a coffee grinder
    Get super nerdy with Jonathan Gagné’s writings on grinding
    Read up on Samo Smrke’s work on coffee fines



    Connect with my very knowledgeable guests

    Arnaldo Rodrigues - LinkedIn
    Luca Lange - LinkedIn
    Chris Meier - LinkedIn
    Dario Burger - Instagram



    The Science of Coffee is made possible by these leading coffee organisations:


    BWT Water and More
    Marco Beverage Systems
    ROEST
    Sustainable Harvest
    Mahlkönig



    The Science of Coffee is a spin-off series from James Harper's documentary podcast Filter Stories


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    47 mins
  • Freshness and Grinding, Part 1: Protecting your coffee's flavours

    Freshness and Grinding, Part 1: Protecting your coffee's flavours
    Apr 22 2024
    For your coffee to taste its best, it’s crucial you buy fresh roasts and grind fresh.…
    .….Or maybe not.

    When I began creating this episode, I was convinced that ‘fresh is best’. But, after delving into the science of coffee freshness, I don’t believe that anymore.

    This episode goes deep into how diffusion and oxidation changes a coffee’s flavours.

    You’ll learn what it takes to store your coffee grounds unbelievably well. So well, that if you do it right, you will struggle to taste the difference between two month old coffee compared to those same beans freshly ground!

    But here’s the weirdest thing: Maybe, just maybe, you will prefer old coffee more than the fresh stuff.


    ----------

    Please spread the word about The Science of Coffee!

    Discover how I make these Filter Stories episodes by subscribing to my Substack newsletter.

    Leave a 5 star rating on Spotify
    Follow me on Instagram and tag me in an Instagram story
    Write a review on Apple Podcasts

    Explore Mahlkönig’s range of world leading grinders, trusted by baristas globally.



    Dive deeper into the science of coffee freshness

    Do a Certificate of Advanced Studies with the Coffee Excellence Centre

    Pick up a copy of the SCA’s Coffee Freshness Handbook


    Connect with my very knowledgeable guests

    Samo Smrke - Instagram
    19 Grams Coffee Roasters in Berlin - Instagram
    Arnaldo Rodrigues - LinkedIn



    The Science of Coffee is made possible by these leading coffee organisations:

    BWT Water and More
    Marco Beverage Systems
    ROEST
    Sustainable Harvest
    Mahlkönig


    The Science of Coffee is a spin-off series from James Harper's documentary podcast Filter Stories
    Show More Show Less
    50 mins
  • What Is Good Science? Part 2: How to think like a scientist

    What Is Good Science? Part 2: How to think like a scientist
    Apr 8 2024
    In the last episode, I discovered that rinsing my Chemex filter papers was a waste of time! As a result I’ve managed to claw back over seven days of my life left on earth. But why stop there? The coffee industry is full of elaborate ways of brewing and savouring coffee: fancy drippers, cold metal balls, “slurp-able” cupping spoons.These are very fun, but how many of them actually affect the flavour of our coffee?I fear elaborate coffee gear is wasting our time and money. They're distracting us from the existential crises in coffee that actually require all our attention now. For example, the issue of farmers who grow delicious coffees quitting the business because it’s just getting too hard. But to figure out whether a popular new coffee tool was actually waste of time or not, I needed to think like a scientist. This episode is the journey I went on to rewire my brain: I had to learn what good evidence looks like, what to do if I can’t find good evidence, and why it’s important to focus mostly on experimental results while resisting the allure of a compelling theory. Please spread the word about The Science of Coffee!Discover how I make these Filter Stories episodes by subscribing to my Substack newsletter. Leave a 5 star rating on SpotifyFollow me on Instagram and tag me in an Instagram storyWrite a review on Apple PodcastsDiscover this episode’s sponsor BWT’s water filtration products. I use their Penguin magnesium filter cartridges and cafes can use their BestAqua ROCDive deeper into the science of slurping, water and Signal Detection TheoryDo a Certificate of Advanced Studies with the Coffee Excellence CentreRead Georgiana’s paper on soup slurpingLearn more about Signal Detection TheoryExplore BWT White Paper on the effects of magnesium (German)Browse Christopher Hendon’s book Water for Coffee Take Barista Hustle's Water course Watch James Hoffman's water videoConnect with my very knowledgeable guestsMorten Munchow - Coffee Mind websiteJeremy Nelson - LinkedInSamo Smrke - InstagramGeorgiana Juravle - Google ScholarYoung Baek - InstagramFrank Neuhausen - LinkedInSergio Barbarisi - LinkedInAlessandro Genovese - LinkedInThe Science of Coffee is made possible by these leading coffee organisations:BWT Water and MoreMarco Beverage Systems ROEST Sustainable Harvest MahlkönigThe Science of Coffee is a spin-off series from James Harper's documentary podcast Filter Stories
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    55 mins
  • What Is Good Science? Part 1: How to brew coffee like a scientist

    What Is Good Science? Part 1: How to brew coffee like a scientist
    Mar 25 2024
    Should you rinse your filter paper before making a filter coffee? Almost everybody in coffee internet says you should.

    But what if most of coffee internet was wrong?

    In this episode, I show you how I try to answer this question like a professional sensory scientist would.

    It’s hard. It’s frustrating. But ultimately, it’s worth it because I end up saving seven days of my life left on earth!

    Please spread the word about The Science of Coffee!

    Discover how I make these Filter Stories episodes by subscribing to my Substack newsletter

    Leave a 5 star rating on Spotify
    Follow me on Instagram and tag me in an Instagram story
    Write a review on Apple Podcasts

    Bring out vibrancy in your coffee with BWT’s magnesium water filters for the home and cafe


    Dive deeper into sensory science methodologies

    Take Becky Bleibaum's free introductory sensory science course!
    Set up a triangulation yourself with DragonflySci’s worksheets
    Understand Rose Marie Pangborn’s three step process better with Morten Münchow (“Pangborn’s Razor”)
    Do a Certificate of Advanced Studies with the Coffee Excellence Centre


    Connect with my very knowledgeable guests
    Morten Munchow - Coffee Mind website
    Becky Bleibaum - LinkedIn
    Samo Smrke - Instagram
    Sophie Vo - LinkedIn



    The Science of Coffee is made possible by these leading coffee organisations:
    BWT Water and More
    Marco Beverage Systems
    ROEST
    Sustainable Harvest
    Mahlkönig


    The Science of Coffee is a spin-off series from James Harper's documentary podcast Filter Stories
    Show More Show Less
    46 mins
  • Organic Coffee, Part 2: Why don't we see more organic coffee farms?

    Organic Coffee, Part 2: Why don't we see more organic coffee farms?
    Mar 13 2024
    Farming coffee organically is amazing because soils are more alive, birds and insects are more plentiful, farmers avoid getting sick with agrochemicals. But, if it’s so great, why is less than 10% of the world’s coffee grown organically?The fact is, going organic is hard. Much harder than growing coffee conventionally. In this episode I show you the story of one of Central America’s most successful organic coffee cooperatives, RAOS, and the four big hurdles that stood in the way of their early founders who all dreamed of converting their farms to organic.This story changed my understanding of farming and is now the reason I choose organic specialty coffee whenever I can. Please spread the word about The Science of Coffee!Discover how I make these Filter Stories episodes by subscribing to my Substack newsletterFollow me on Instagram and tag me in an Instagram storyWrite a review on Apple PodcastsLeave a 5 star rating on SpotifyDive deeper into organic coffeeLearn more about Sustainable Harvest’s Most Valuable Producer programme, their cupping app Tastify, and explore their range of certified organic and Fairtrade coffeesExplore RAOS (Cooperativa Regional Mixta de Agricultores Organicos de la Sierra)'s story for yourselfAre you a coffee farmer? Get in touch with Lalo Perez VaraonaConnect with my very knowledgeable guestsLalo Perez Varaona - LinkedInJorge Cuevas - LinkedInAndrea Futterer - GEPA websiteOsman Contreras - LinkedInRoberto Rene Gonzales - Farm websiteThe Science of Coffee is made possible by these leading coffee organisationsBWT Water and MoreMarco Beverage SystemsROESTSustainable HarvestMahlkönigThe Science of Coffee is a spin-off series from James Harper's documentary podcast Filter Stories
    Show More Show Less
    41 mins
  • Organic Coffee, Part 1: The magic of soil

    Organic Coffee, Part 1: The magic of soil
    Feb 26 2024
    The world’s farming soils are deteriorating quickly.Conventional coffee farming where plants are grown using agrochemicals allowed farmers to reap huge harvests these last 70 years. But these agrochemicals have been at the expense of soil health. I travel to Honduras to explore a potential solution: organic coffee farming.Come with me as I show you the organic farming tricks of Don Rufino, one of the region’s leading organic farmers. He nurtures the soil around his coffee trees using mountain microorganisms, a huge diversity of shade trees, attentive tree pruning, and very funky batches of homemade bug spray. The results speak for themselves: when I pick up a handful of his soil, it is moist, dense and writhing with life. Could these cultivation techniques be the answer to the coffee world’s declining soil health?Please spread the word about The Science of Coffee!Discover how I make these Filter Stories episodes by subscribing to my Substack newsletter! Follow me on Instagram and tag me in an Instagram storyWrite a review on Apple PodcastsLeave a 5 star rating on SpotifyDive deeper into organic coffeeExplore Sustainable Harvest’s range of certified organic and Fairtrade coffeesAre you a coffee farmer? Get in touch with Lalo Perez VaraonaCheck out Don Rufino’s organic cooperative, RAOSConnect with my very knowledgeable guestsLalo Perez Varaona - LinkedInTommie Hooft van Huysduynen - LinkedInAlison Streaker - LinkedInThe Science of Coffee is made possible by these leading coffee organisationsBWT Water and MoreMarco Beverage SystemsROESTSustainable HarvestMahlkönigThe Science of Coffee is a spin-off series from James Harper's documentary podcast Filter Stories
    Show More Show Less
    39 mins
  • Coffee Roasting, Part 2: Roasting made easy

    Coffee Roasting, Part 2: Roasting made easy
    Feb 12 2024
    Roasting coffee can be maddening. Just 4° Celsius is enough to make the same green beans taste distinctly different! And there are so many things roasters can play around with: temperature, time, fan speed, drum speed, types of probes…the list goes on and on.

    So, if you want to start roasting yourself, where do you start!?

    In the first half of this episode, I interview one of the world's leading roasting teachers who takes me through his published scientific research to give a clear answer. It’s as simple as 80%, 15% and 5%.

    And then, in the second half, I show you why roasting coffee consistently batch-after-batch is so difficult. But these problems are finally being solved with smart technologies.

    I visited the ROEST engineering team in Oslo and cracked open their innovative prototype P3000 roaster to show you the technology that allows anybody to roast coffee consistently and fully automatically.

    I am so impressed with these innovations, I believe they’re going to change the coffee industry.


    Please spread the word about The Science of Coffee!


    Follow me on Instagram and tag me in an Instagram story
    Write a review on Apple Podcasts
    Leave a 5 star rating on Spotify

    Dive deeper into the science of roasting

    Explore ROEST’s innovative products for the coffee industry.
    Learn more from Morten Münchow and his coffee roasting courses
    Read Morten’s paper in collaboration with the University of Copenhagen on Roasting Conditions and Coffee Flavour

    Connect with my very knowledgeable guests

    Sverre Simonsen - LinkedIn
    Callum Gilmour - LinkedIn
    Veronica Balduc - LinkedIn
    Morten Münchow - Coffee Mind website
    Scott Rao - Instagram

    The Science of Coffee is made possible by these leading coffee organisations

    BWT Water and More
    Marco Beverage Systems
    ROEST
    Sustainable Harvest
    Mahlkönig

    The Science of Coffee is a spin-off series from James Harper's documentary podcast Filter Stories
    Show More Show Less
    46 mins
  • Coffee Roasting, Part 1: How heat transforms coffee beans

    Coffee Roasting, Part 1: How heat transforms coffee beans
    Jan 29 2024
    What flavours do you want from your coffee?

    Every coffee bean begins its life green. And if you brewed it up without first roasting it, you’d get a yellow-green cup of grass-flavoured water.

    But, as soon you apply heat to a bean, the flavour can morph to from something quite vegetative to a very acidic unripe fruit, then a very sweet fruit, and eventually dark roasted flavours.

    This is the magic of coffee roasting!

    In this episode of The Science of Coffee, I show you a full roast in action on the ROEST P3000, taste how coffee flavours evolve from acidic to bitter, and speak to leading coffee roasting scientists to reveal the mind-bending chemical and physical transformations taking place.

    See for yourself Roest's innovative P3000 fully automatic roaster.

    Please spread the word about The Science of Coffee!

    Follow me on Instagram and tag me in an Instagram story
    Write a review on Apple Podcasts
    Leave a 5 star rating on Spotify

    Connect with my very knowledgeable guests

    Mark Al-Shemmeri - LinkedIn
    Callum Gilmour - LinkedIn
    Veronica Balduc - LinkedIn
    Anja Rahn - LinkedInIldi Revi - LinkedIn
    Samo Smrke - Instagram
    Morten Münchow - Coffee Mind website

    The Science of Coffee is made possible by these leading coffee organisations


    BWT Water and More
    Marco Beverage Systems
    ROEST
    Sustainable Harvest
    Mahlkönig

    The Science of Coffee is a spin-off series from James Harper's documentary podcast Filter Stories
    Show More Show Less
    38 mins