My bitter coffee problem ended with a notebook by the roaster

When I began, every batch turned out harsh and burnt. I started writing down when first crack happened and how long I waited after. Now I stop the roast a minute or so later, and the flavor is way better. It took a few messy pages to get it right.

3 comments

3 Comments

jason_hunt271mo ago

Tracking bean mass loss percentage can really dial in your roast. I started doing that and now my roasts turn out the same every time.

kai8187d ago

It's the same with baking bread or tuning a car engine. When you start measuring the real numbers instead of just guessing, you stop relying on luck. You move from hoping it works to knowing why it works. That shift from feeling to fact is how you get good at anything. Tracking the bean loss just makes the hidden steps clear so you can control them.

jasong751mo ago

Heard that! I read an article last week that said a lot of home roasters pull the heat way back too early after first crack, which can stall the roast and make it taste bitter. Your note-taking fixes that by making you wait, which lines up with what @jason_hunt27 is saying about tracking numbers for repeatable results. It's all about getting a steady decline in the roast temperature instead of a big drop.