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750 to 6.5K🎙 Weekly cadence·34 episodes·Last published 6mo ago - Monthly Reach
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Coffee Quality, Part 3: When the “quality” myth hits the farm
Dec 8, 2025
30m 00s
Coffee Quality, Part 2: How “quality” became a myth
Dec 8, 2025
25m 33s
Coffee Quality, Part 1: The birth of specialty coffee flavours
Dec 8, 2025
23m 30s
How specialty coffee woke up to water’s role in flavour
Jul 28, 2025
25m 39s
The two ingredients in water that ruin your coffee, and the ancient story behind them
Jul 28, 2025
38m 40s
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| Date | Episode | Topics | Guests | Brands | Places | Keywords | Sponsor | Length | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12/8/25 |  Coffee Quality, Part 3: When the “quality” myth hits the farm✨ | coffee qualityspecialty coffee+3 | — | Specialty Coffee AssociationFirefly Specialty Coffee Association+1 | Ecuador | coffee qualitycupping form+3 | — | 30m 00s | |
| 12/8/25 |  Coffee Quality, Part 2: How “quality” became a myth | If you ask two specialty professionals what makes a high-quality coffee, you’ll likely get a surprisingly consistent answer: clean, sweet, juicy, bright. To an outsider, they would be forgiven for thinking coffee quality is universally defined. But the truth is more sober. In this episode, we examine how a simple cupping form helped create a universal idea of quality. We then look at the evidence that, in fact, it’s just the personal preferences of a small group of people masquerading as universal quality. Please support my work directly at Ko-fi.com/FilterStories Other ways you can help: Leave a 5 star rating on SpotifyFollow me on Instagram and tag me in an Instagram storyWrite a review on Apple Podcasts Discover how I make these Filter Stories episodes by subscribing to my Substack newsletter Go deeper into the story of quality: 2004 cupping form from the Specialty Coffee Association of America SCAA Coffee Cuppers Handbook (4th edition, 2011) Cup of Excellence cupping form Kenneth Liberman's book, "Tasting Coffee: An Inquiry into Objectivity" SCA's video series on the CVA presented by Peter Giuliano See the Mikafi countertop roaster at the Thermoplan stand (6637) at World Of Coffee Brussels. Not attending? See it here.Support hundreds of thousands of coffee farmers with Fairtrade. Discover how here. What does the Marco MilkPal look like to you? WALL-E? Something Steve Jobs would be proud of? Check it out here."Seize the Moment", the tabletop device from DiFluid that guides your customers through their coffee as it cools. Use code FILTER and this link to get 10% off. | 25m 33s | ||||||
| 12/8/25 |  Coffee Quality, Part 1: The birth of specialty coffee flavours | For the longest time, coffees were dull and bitter. But then a small group of pioneers changed the world. In this episode, we travel back to the 1960s and ’70s to meet the trailblazers who realised coffees could taste distinctive: sweeter, brighter, cleaner. We discover how their personal preferences became a movement, then a form, and eventually a global definition of “quality”. Please support my work directly at Ko-fi.com/FilterStories Other ways you can help: Leave a 5 star rating on SpotifyFollow me on Instagram and tag me in an Instagram storyWrite a review on Apple Podcasts Discover how I make these Filter Stories episodes by subscribing to my Substack newsletter Go deeper into the story of quality: Specialty Coffee Association's new Coffee Value Assessment 2004 cupping form from the Specialty Coffee Association of America SCAA Coffee Cuppers Handbook (4th edition, 2011) Michael Sheridan of CQI discussing the inter-organisational politics behind the Houston Expo announcement on Lee Safar's Map It Forward podcast See the Mikafi countertop roaster at the Thermoplan stand (6637) at World Of Coffee Brussels. Not attending? See it here.Support hundreds of thousands of coffee farmers with Fairtrade. Discover how here. What does the Marco MilkPal look like to you? WALL-E? Something Steve Jobs would be proud of? Check it out here."Seize the Moment", the tabletop device from DiFluid that guides your customers through their coffee as it cools. Use code FILTER and this link to get 10% off. | 23m 30s | ||||||
| 7/28/25 |  How specialty coffee woke up to water’s role in flavour | For the longest time, the coffee community only cared about water’s impact ruining espresso machine boilers and kettles. But what about water’s impact on coffee flavour? In this episode, I tell the story of how the specialty coffee community came to understand water chemistry: the pioneering work of the computational chemist Christopher Hendon and British roaster Maxwell Colonna-Dashwood, the genesis of the SCA’s Water Quality Handbook, and where we are today understanding the impact of minerals on our water. I strongly recommend listening to the two episodes before this one first: Getting great water for coffee, step-by-step & The two ingredients in water that ruin your coffee, and the ancient story behind them Please spread the word about The Science of Coffee!Leave a 5 star rating on SpotifyFollow me on Instagram and tag me in an Instagram storyWrite a review on Apple Podcasts Discover how I make these Filter Stories episodes by subscribing to my Substack newsletter Want to go deeper into water chemistry? Read the SCA’s Water Quality HandbookBWT White Paper on the effects of magnesium (German)Christopher Hendon’s Instagram where he’ll announce his new version of his book, Water for CoffeeDo an online Certificate of Advanced Studies at the Coffee Excellence Centre Season 3 of The Science of Coffee is made possible by these leading coffee organisations: The Coffee Quest | BWT | TODDY | Algrano | Probat Note: this is a reworked version of my 2022 episode Water for Brewing Coffee, including portions of my 2024 episode How to think like a scientist, part 2. See the Mikafi countertop roaster at the Thermoplan stand (6637) at World Of Coffee Brussels. Not attending? See it here.Support hundreds of thousands of coffee farmers with Fairtrade. Discover how here. What does the Marco MilkPal look like to you? WALL-E? Something Steve Jobs would be proud of? Check it out here."Seize the Moment", the tabletop device from DiFluid that guides your customers through their coffee as it cools. Use code FILTER and this link to get 10% off. | 25m 39s | ||||||
| 7/28/25 |  The two ingredients in water that ruin your coffee, and the ancient story behind them | 550 million years ago, earth was perfect. We had perfect water for coffee AND we were living in a vegetarian paradise! But then Earth changed—violently. The planet shifted from a peaceful, plant-eating paradise to a darker, more brutal world. And in this new world, the chemistry of water was forever altered. This is the wild story of how earth-shaking forces and the spirits of long-dead critters ruin your coffees today. This story will help you remember the two invisible ingredients in your water that have a huge impact on coffee flavour and your brewing equipment: calcium and hydrogen carbonate. Read Marcia Bjonerud’s amazing book, Reading the Rocks Please spread the word about The Science of Coffee!Leave a 5 star rating on SpotifyFollow me on Instagram and tag me in an Instagram storyWrite a review on Apple Podcasts Discover how I make these Filter Stories episodes by subscribing to my Substack newsletter Season 3 of The Science of Coffee is made possible by these leading coffee organisations: The Coffee Quest | BWT | TODDY | Algrano | Probat Note: this is a reworked version of my 2022 episode Water for Brewing Coffee. See the Mikafi countertop roaster at the Thermoplan stand (6637) at World Of Coffee Brussels. Not attending? See it here.Support hundreds of thousands of coffee farmers with Fairtrade. Discover how here. What does the Marco MilkPal look like to you? WALL-E? Something Steve Jobs would be proud of? Check it out here."Seize the Moment", the tabletop device from DiFluid that guides your customers through their coffee as it cools. Use code FILTER and this link to get 10% off. | 38m 40s | ||||||
| 7/14/25 |  Getting great water for coffee, step-by-step. Part 2: How to measure and treat your water | Water massively impacts your coffee’s flavours. But most of us struggle to fix our water because water science is confusing… …until now! In this special collaboration with Lucia Solis (Making Coffee podcast), I guide her through the two most important concepts you need to understand to get great-tasting water for coffee: hardness and alkalinity. We go step-by-step through: • Why these concepts matter for coffee flavour and equipment • How to test your water at home • How to fix it, depending on what you’re working with These aren’t one of my usual narrative episodes—they’re a straightforward, practical guide to help you take control of your water. By the end of these episodes, you’ll be able to say: “I know what good water for coffee is and how to get it”. I hope it helps you as much as it helped Lucia. Check my website for all the visuals mentioned in this episode, including: SCA graph for excellent water (the “map”) Map of different water hardness across Paris My Berlin water report The nightmarish table of conversions… Results from my water tests in my Berlin studio Bottled water brands rated for their hardness and alkalinity Please spread the word about The Science of Coffee!Leave a 5 star rating on SpotifyFollow me on Instagram and tag me in an Instagram storyWrite a review on Apple Podcasts Discover how I make these Filter Stories episodes by subscribing to my Substack newsletter Resources mentioned in the episode: SCA’s Water Quality Handbook Hardness and alkalinity dripper testing kit (also good for keeping your fishies happy) BWT Penguin Filter Jug (what I used to use with the magnesium cartridges) BWT BestAqua ROC (what now I use) BWT BestBarista (for cafes) Create your own water by adding minerals to very soft or distilled water: JoJo Hersh’s simple calculator using epsom salts and bicarbonate of soda, and Barista Hustle’s more elaborate one. Want to go deeper into water chemistry? BWT White Paper on the effects of magnesium (German)Christopher Hendon’s book Water for CoffeeDo an online Certificate of Advanced Studies at the Coffee Excellence Centre Read The Craft and Science of CoffeeBarista Hustle's Water courseSome water content on YouTube by James Hoffman and Lance Hedrick Season 3 of The Science of Coffee is made possible by these leading coffee organisations: The Coffee Quest | BWT | TODDY | Algrano | Probat See the Mikafi countertop roaster at the Thermoplan stand (6637) at World Of Coffee Brussels. Not attending? See it here.Support hundreds of thousands of coffee farmers with Fairtrade. Discover how here. What does the Marco MilkPal look like to you? WALL-E? Something Steve Jobs would be proud of? Check it out here."Seize the Moment", the tabletop device from DiFluid that guides your customers through their coffee as it cools. Use code FILTER and this link to get 10% off. | 43m 17s | ||||||
| 7/14/25 |  Getting great water for coffee, step-by-step. Part 1: Alkalinity, hardness and why it matters | Water massively impacts your coffee’s flavours. But most of us struggle to fix our water because water science is confusing… …until now! In this special collaboration with Lucia Solis (Making Coffee podcast), I guide her through the two most important concepts you need to understand to get great-tasting water for coffee: hardness and alkalinity. We go step-by-step through: • Why these concepts matter for coffee flavour and equipment • How to test your water at home • How to fix it, depending on what you’re working with These aren’t one of my usual narrative episodes—they’re a straightforward, practical guide to help you take control of your water. By the end of these episodes, you’ll be able to say: “I know what good water for coffee is and how to get it”. I hope it helps you as much as it helped Lucia. Check my website for all the visuals mentioned in this episode, including: SCA graph for excellent water (the “map”) Map of different water hardness across Paris My Berlin water report The nightmarish table of conversions… Results from my water tests in my Berlin studio Bottled water brands rated for their hardness and alkalinity Please spread the word about The Science of Coffee!Leave a 5 star rating on SpotifyFollow me on Instagram and tag me in an Instagram storyWrite a review on Apple Podcasts Discover how I make these Filter Stories episodes by subscribing to my Substack newsletter Resources mentioned in the episode: SCA’s Water Quality Handbook Hardness and alkalinity dripper testing kit (also good for keeping your fishies happy) BWT Penguin Filter Jug (what I used to use with the magnesium cartridges) BWT BestAqua ROC (what now I use) BWT BestBarista (for cafes) Create your own water by adding minerals to very soft or distilled water: JoJo Hersh’s simple calculator using epsom salts and bicarbonate of soda, and Barista Hustle’s more elaborate one. Want to go deeper into water chemistry? BWT White Paper on the effects of magnesium (German)Christopher Hendon’s book Water for CoffeeDo an online Certificate of Advanced Studies at the Coffee Excellence Centre Read The Craft and Science of CoffeeBarista Hustle's Water courseSome water content on YouTube by James Hoffman and Lance Hedrick Season 3 of The Science of Coffee is made possible by these leading coffee organisations: The Coffee Quest | BWT | TODDY | Algrano | Probat See the Mikafi countertop roaster at the Thermoplan stand (6637) at World Of Coffee Brussels. Not attending? See it here.Support hundreds of thousands of coffee farmers with Fairtrade. Discover how here. What does the Marco MilkPal look like to you? WALL-E? Something Steve Jobs would be proud of? Check it out here."Seize the Moment", the tabletop device from DiFluid that guides your customers through their coffee as it cools. Use code FILTER and this link to get 10% off. | 26m 20s | ||||||
| 6/23/25 |  Farm to port: why specialty costs more | Every time we open a bag of beautiful specialty coffee — like Erick Bravo’s from Finca El Chaferote in Huila, Colombia — we’re drinking something that’s been on a long journey. And I mean long! Over 1500 kilometers north up and down the Andes mountain range, a distance more than twice the height of France. Along the way, it passes through dozens of hands, machines, and decisions. We follow it through muddy mountain sides, dusty dry mills, and hurricane-battered coastal warehouses — places where all kinds of things can go wrong. A leaky roof. An overly aggressive polishing machine. Or even theft. But here’s the mystery: getting Erick’s coffee to port costs 50% more than sending a commodity coffee through the same route. Why? That question led me deep into Colombia’s coffee supply chains — and what I found changed how I think about the real cost of treating coffee with care. Please spread the word about The Science of Coffee!Leave a 5 star rating on SpotifyFollow me on Instagram and tag me in an Instagram storyWrite a review on Apple Podcasts Discover how I make these Filter Stories episodes by subscribing to my Substack newsletter Find your next favourite Colombian coffee from The Coffee Quest Taste coffees from Erick Bravo’s award winning farm, Finca El Chaferote, and follow him on Instagram. Season 3 of The Science of Coffee is made possible by these leading coffee organizations: The Coffee Quest | BWT | TODDY | Algrano | Probat See the Mikafi countertop roaster at the Thermoplan stand (6637) at World Of Coffee Brussels. Not attending? See it here.Support hundreds of thousands of coffee farmers with Fairtrade. Discover how here. What does the Marco MilkPal look like to you? WALL-E? Something Steve Jobs would be proud of? Check it out here."Seize the Moment", the tabletop device from DiFluid that guides your customers through their coffee as it cools. Use code FILTER and this link to get 10% off. | 54m 19s | ||||||
| 6/9/25 |  Why one Colombian farmer chose specialty, and the other walked away | I travel to Colombia’s Huila region to answer a question that’s puzzled me for years: if specialty coffee pays more, is better for the environment, and brews tastier cups—why don’t more farmers grow it? I speak with two producers in the same region whose choices couldn’t be more different. One stakes his future on specialty. The other opts out. Their decisions come down to more than passion or a hard work ethic. Instead, I uncover two starting conditions—often invisible to us buyers—that strongly shape whether a farmer chooses specialty at all. If we want to see more speciality coffee grown, we need to bring down the barriers to specialty. But first we need to understand what those barriers really are. The answers might surprise you. They surprised me. Please spread the word about The Science of Coffee!Leave a 5 star rating on SpotifyFollow me on Instagram and tag me in an Instagram storyWrite a review on Apple Podcasts Discover how I make these Filter Stories episodes by subscribing to my Substack newsletter Find your next favourite Colombian coffee from The Coffee Quest Taste coffees from Erick Bravo’s award winning farm, Finca El Chaferote Nerd out on my farm profitability estimations Season 3 of The Science of Coffee is made possible by these leading coffee organizations: The Coffee Quest | BWT | TODDY | Algrano | Probat See the Mikafi countertop roaster at the Thermoplan stand (6637) at World Of Coffee Brussels. Not attending? See it here.Support hundreds of thousands of coffee farmers with Fairtrade. Discover how here. What does the Marco MilkPal look like to you? WALL-E? Something Steve Jobs would be proud of? Check it out here."Seize the Moment", the tabletop device from DiFluid that guides your customers through their coffee as it cools. Use code FILTER and this link to get 10% off. | 46m 45s | ||||||
| 5/19/25 |  The hard business of selling beautiful coffee, part 2 | Volume. Cheap. Lame flavours. This is the traditional way of growing coffee in Brazil, and almost every farm does it this way. But what if you wanted to produce beautiful, distinctive flavours instead—and make a living from it? In this episode, we travel to Fazenda Paraíso in Minas Gerais, Brazil, where farmer Vicente Pereira and his daughter are on a steep learning curve finding buyers for their beautiful coffees. Part 2 explores what it looks like for a small Brazilian farm to find better buyers, and the challenge of achieving pricing power. Behind every beautiful coffee is a family story like this, but it’s a story we rarely get to see close up. Let’s take a closer look. Please spread the word about The Science of Coffee!Leave a 5 star rating on SpotifyFollow me on Instagram and tag me in an Instagram storyWrite a review on Apple Podcasts Discover how I make these Filter Stories episodes by subscribing to my Substack newsletter Source your next lot of specialty green coffee on Algrano Listen to Firefly to hear a cautionary tale about a specialty farm failing because they couldn't find the right buyers. Try Fazenda Paraiso's and Sancoffee's coffees for yourself! Season 3 of The Science of Coffee is made possible by these leading coffee organizations: The Coffee Quest | BWT | TODDY | Algrano | Probat See the Mikafi countertop roaster at the Thermoplan stand (6637) at World Of Coffee Brussels. Not attending? See it here.Support hundreds of thousands of coffee farmers with Fairtrade. Discover how here. What does the Marco MilkPal look like to you? WALL-E? Something Steve Jobs would be proud of? Check it out here."Seize the Moment", the tabletop device from DiFluid that guides your customers through their coffee as it cools. Use code FILTER and this link to get 10% off. | 39m 02s | ||||||
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| 5/19/25 |  The hard business of selling beautiful coffee, part 1 | Volume. Cheap. Lame flavours. This is the traditional way of growing coffee in Brazil, and almost every farm does it this way. But what if you wanted to produce beautiful, distinctive flavours instead—and make a living from it? In this episode, we travel to Fazenda Paraíso in Minas Gerais, Brazil, where farmer Vicente Pereira and his daughter are on a steep learning curve finding buyers for their beautiful coffees. Part 1 unravels the hidden structures of Brazil’s coffee industry: how prices are set, why it’s so hard to create a specialty-focused farm, and why Vicente's farm is unsustainable if he sells his coffee the traditional way. Behind every beautiful coffee is a family story like this, but it’s a story we rarely get to see close up. Let’s take a closer look. Please spread the word about The Science of Coffee!Leave a 5 star rating on SpotifyFollow me on Instagram and tag me in an Instagram storyWrite a review on Apple Podcasts Discover how I make these Filter Stories episodes by subscribing to my Substack newsletter Source your next lot of specialty green coffee on Algrano Listen to Firefly to hear a cautionary tale about a specialty farm failing because they couldn't find the right buyers. Try Fazenda Paraiso's and Sancoffee's coffees for yourself! Season 3 of The Science of Coffee is made possible by these leading coffee organizations: The Coffee Quest | BWT | TODDY | Algrano | Probat See the Mikafi countertop roaster at the Thermoplan stand (6637) at World Of Coffee Brussels. Not attending? See it here.Support hundreds of thousands of coffee farmers with Fairtrade. Discover how here. What does the Marco MilkPal look like to you? WALL-E? Something Steve Jobs would be proud of? Check it out here."Seize the Moment", the tabletop device from DiFluid that guides your customers through their coffee as it cools. Use code FILTER and this link to get 10% off. | 29m 08s | ||||||
| 3/24/25 |  The Speed of Heat: How to roast more coffee, faster! | To roast coffee faster, you need to turn up the heat….right? No! In this episode, we explore the three powerful methods of heat transfer that revolutionised roasting. We’ll journey from humble beginnings—when roasting three kilos took half an hour—to machines that now roast hundreds of kilos of coffee in the time it takes you to boil a kettle. But beans roasted at lightning speed look strange, and taste… well, you’ll find out. Join us as we test-drive an industrial tangential roaster where first crack remind me of fireworks crackers. We also see the whale-sized roaster so massive it’s worth you a Guinness World Record. We have the technology today to roast coffee faster than ever, so why aren’t we all roasting at recording-breaking speeds? --------------- Please spread the word about The Science of Coffee!Leave a 5 star rating on SpotifyFollow me on Instagram and tag me in an Instagram storyWrite a review on Apple Podcasts Discover how I make these Filter Stories episodes by subscribing to my Substack newsletter Check out the Probat roasters mentioned in this episode: Emmerich Spherical Roaster - "Pink Hydrant" Large ball roaster - “Sputnik in a pizza oven” G45 early drum roaster - “Old school steam train” Early tangential roaster Sample tangential roaster - "Shoebox" Neptune 4000, the largest drum roaster in the world! - "The whale" And there are lots of other specialty roasters from Probat I didn't have time to showcase, including their new hydrogen powered roasters. See them all for yourself!. Theodor von Gimborn's wikipedia page Go deeper into the science of roasting Read Mark Al-Shemmeri’s coffee roasting blog Do a Certificate of Advanced Studies with the Coffee Excellence Centre Explore Barista Hustle's online roasting learning 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 Follow Filter Stories on Instagram for my infographics Learn more about first crack on my episode Coffee Roasting, Part 1: How heat transforms coffee beans Season 3 is made possible by these leading coffee organizations: The Coffee Quest | BWT | TODDY | Algrano | Probat See the Mikafi countertop roaster at the Thermoplan stand (6637) at World Of Coffee Brussels. Not attending? See it here.Support hundreds of thousands of coffee farmers with Fairtrade. Discover how here. What does the Marco MilkPal look like to you? WALL-E? Something Steve Jobs would be proud of? Check it out here."Seize the Moment", the tabletop device from DiFluid that guides your customers through their coffee as it cools. Use code FILTER and this link to get 10% off. | 52m 24s | ||||||
| 3/10/25 |  Coffee Roasting: How baby plant food transforms into delicious coffee flavours | A mother coffee plant gifts its baby everything it needs to grow—a green seed packed with food. But when we roast coffee, we hijack that gift and turn it into something else: flavor. But what is flavor, at a microscopic level? What actually happens inside the bean when heat meets those nutrients? In this episode, we shrink down to witness the Maillard reaction up close—a wild chain of molecular collisions that transforms baby plant food into aromas we adore. Grab your popcorn - you’re getting a front row seat at the wildest chemistry show in coffee. --------------- Please spread the word about The Science of Coffee!Leave a 5 star rating on SpotifyFollow me on Instagram and tag me in an Instagram storyWrite a review on Apple Podcasts Discover how I make these Filter Stories episodes by subscribing to my Substack newsletter Ethiopian forest sounds curtesy of George Vlad. Hear more nature sounds here.Explore Probat's roasters Go deeper into the science of roasting Do a Certificate of Advanced Studies with the Coffee Excellence Centre Grab a copy of Anja Rahn's upcoming book on coffee science through her Instagram Explore Barista Hustle's online roasting learning 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 Follow Sebastian Opitz on LinkedIn Follow Filter Stories on Instagram for my infographics Season 3 is made possible by these leading coffee organizations: The Coffee Quest | BWT | TODDY | Algrano | Probat See the Mikafi countertop roaster at the Thermoplan stand (6637) at World Of Coffee Brussels. Not attending? See it here.Support hundreds of thousands of coffee farmers with Fairtrade. Discover how here. What does the Marco MilkPal look like to you? WALL-E? Something Steve Jobs would be proud of? Check it out here."Seize the Moment", the tabletop device from DiFluid that guides your customers through their coffee as it cools. Use code FILTER and this link to get 10% off. | 47m 43s | ||||||
| 2/16/25 |  Fruit juice or creamy almonds? Your guide to controlling cold brew flavors | When I started making cold brew this last year, I treated it like hot brew filter coffee. But no matter how I adjusted the grind or tweaked the brew time, I hardly got any differences in flavor… Then it hit me: cold brew isn’t just a slower hot brew—it’s a completely different game with its own rules! In this episode, I speak with leading coffee researchers who break down the microscopic dance between water and coffee that explains why cold brew plays by its own playbook. And I bring you in on the brewing secret that can turn your brews from fruit juice to nutty creaminess. --------------- Please spread the word about The Science of Coffee!Leave a 5 star rating on SpotifyFollow me on Instagram and tag me in an Instagram storyWrite a review on Apple Podcasts Discover how I make these Filter Stories episodes by subscribing to my Substack newsletterExplore TODDY’s cold brewing kits Go deeper into the science of cold brew Do a Certificate of Advanced Studies with the Coffee Excellence Centre Read Jiaxin (Jessie) Liang’s equilibrium extraction SCA 25 article and her published article Discover all of UC Davis' cold brew research through the Coffee Science Foundation Learn how to do a cold brew cupping with Toddy Follow Filter Stories on Instagram for my infographics Season 3 is made possible by these leading coffee organizations: The Coffee Quest | BWT | TODDY | Algrano | Probat See the Mikafi countertop roaster at the Thermoplan stand (6637) at World Of Coffee Brussels. Not attending? See it here.Support hundreds of thousands of coffee farmers with Fairtrade. Discover how here. What does the Marco MilkPal look like to you? WALL-E? Something Steve Jobs would be proud of? Check it out here."Seize the Moment", the tabletop device from DiFluid that guides your customers through their coffee as it cools. Use code FILTER and this link to get 10% off. | 46m 39s | ||||||
| 2/3/25 |  Hot vs Cold: The science behind temperature and taste | For years, I used cold brew as a last resort—the only brew method to tame dark, oily beans that were too bitter for hot water. Then one day, I took a chance on a Guatemalan Gesha and brewed it cold. The result? A massive explosion of florals I’d never tasted before. That single cup sent opened my eyes into how extraordinary cold brew can be. In this episode, I speak with world-leading coffee scientists who explain why brewing with cold water tastes so different from chilled hot coffee. You’ll learn how certain flavors leap into your cup (and how others mysteriously vanish) when you lower the brew temperature. You’ll also discover there are hidden “cold brew gems” in beans you thought you knew. So before you grab the kettle, consider this: sometimes all you need is cold water. --------------- Please spread the word about The Science of Coffee!Leave a 5 star rating on SpotifyFollow me on Instagram and tag me in an Instagram storyWrite a review on Apple Podcasts Discover how I make these Filter Stories episodes by subscribing to my Substack newsletterExplore TODDY’s cold brewing kits Go deeper into the science of cold brew Do a Certificate of Advanced Studies with the Coffee Excellence Centre Listen to my episode on Coffee Extraction for insights into how polarity affects flavor extraction Read the UC Davis cold brew vs chilled hot brew study Listen to my episode on 'How to think like a scientist' Learn how to do a cold brew cupping with Toddy Follow Filter Stories on Instagram for my acidity infographic Go deeper into Paul Breslin's work at the Monell Chemical Senses Centre Discover all of UC Davis' cold brew research through the Coffee Science Foundation Season 3 is made possible by these leading coffee organizations: The Coffee Quest | BWT | TODDY | Algrano | Probat See the Mikafi countertop roaster at the Thermoplan stand (6637) at World Of Coffee Brussels. Not attending? See it here.Support hundreds of thousands of coffee farmers with Fairtrade. Discover how here. What does the Marco MilkPal look like to you? WALL-E? Something Steve Jobs would be proud of? Check it out here."Seize the Moment", the tabletop device from DiFluid that guides your customers through their coffee as it cools. Use code FILTER and this link to get 10% off. | 45m 15s | ||||||
| 1/27/25 |  Introducing: Season 3 of The Science of Coffee | We’re back with another series of The Science of Coffee—and this time we’re diving even deeper into coffee’s hidden microscopic secrets! Over the past year, narrative audio producer and coffee professional James Harper has scoured academic journals, ventured deep into coffee farms, and conducted bold tasting experiments. Now, he’s weaving those discoveries into captivating audio stories that reveal why coffee tastes the way it does—and how we can make it taste even better. In this new series, you’ll learn about cold brew extraction science, explore innovations in roasting, and follow the shifting business models that shape farmers’ livelihoods. You’ll also take a journey through commodity vs. specialty supply chains and examine the historical, sociological, and philosophical perspectives that define what “specialty coffee” truly means. Press the “Subscribe” button so you don’t miss an episode! https://bit.ly/3TdDnHO For more coffee science and behind-the-scenes content, follow James on Instagram @filterstoriespodcast. https://bit.ly/2Mlkk0O The Science of Coffee is a spin-off series from James Harper’s documentary podcast, Filter Stories. https://bit.ly/3ajoT5e Season 3 is made possible by these leading coffee organizations: The Coffee Quest | BWT | TODDY | Algrano | Probat See the Mikafi countertop roaster at the Thermoplan stand (6637) at World Of Coffee Brussels. Not attending? See it here.Support hundreds of thousands of coffee farmers with Fairtrade. Discover how here. What does the Marco MilkPal look like to you? WALL-E? Something Steve Jobs would be proud of? Check it out here."Seize the Moment", the tabletop device from DiFluid that guides your customers through their coffee as it cools. Use code FILTER and this link to get 10% off. | 2m 03s | ||||||
| 5/6/24 |  Freshness and Grinding, Part 2: How grinders work deep inside | 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! ---------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 PodcastsFollow me on Instagram and tag me in an Instagram storyLeave 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 courseLearn from Lance Hedrick where the sweet spot is for buying a coffee grinderGet super nerdy with Jonathan Gagné’s writings on grindingRead up on Samo Smrke’s work on coffee fines Connect with my very knowledgeable guests Arnaldo Rodrigues - LinkedInLuca Lange - LinkedInChris Meier - LinkedInDario Burger - Instagram The Science of Coffee is made possible by these leading coffee organisations: BWT Water and MoreMarco Beverage SystemsROESTSustainable HarvestMahlkönig The Science of Coffee is a spin-off series from James Harper's documentary podcast Filter Stories Subscribe to A History of Coffee podcast See the Mikafi countertop roaster at the Thermoplan stand (6637) at World Of Coffee Brussels. Not attending? See it here.Support hundreds of thousands of coffee farmers with Fairtrade. Discover how here. What does the Marco MilkPal look like to you? WALL-E? Something Steve Jobs would be proud of? Check it out here."Seize the Moment", the tabletop device from DiFluid that guides your customers through their coffee as it cools. Use code FILTER and this link to get 10% off. | 47m 19s | ||||||
| 4/22/24 |  Freshness and Grinding, Part 1: Protecting your coffee’s flavours | 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 SpotifyFollow me on Instagram and tag me in an Instagram storyWrite a review on Apple PodcastsExplore Mahlkönig’s range of world leading grinders, trusted by baristas globally.Dive deeper into the science of coffee freshnessDo a Certificate of Advanced Studies with the Coffee Excellence CentrePick up a copy of the SCA’s Coffee Freshness HandbookConnect with my very knowledgeable guestsSamo Smrke - Instagram19 Grams Coffee Roasters in Berlin - InstagramArnaldo Rodrigues - LinkedInThe Science of Coffee is made possible by these leading coffee organisations:BWT Water and MoreMarco Beverage SystemsROESTSustainable HarvestMahlkönigThe Science of Coffee is a spin-off series from James Harper's documentary podcast Filter StoriesSubscribe to A History of Coffee podcast See the Mikafi countertop roaster at the Thermoplan stand (6637) at World Of Coffee Brussels. Not attending? See it here.Support hundreds of thousands of coffee farmers with Fairtrade. Discover how here. What does the Marco MilkPal look like to you? WALL-E? Something Steve Jobs would be proud of? Check it out here."Seize the Moment", the tabletop device from DiFluid that guides your customers through their coffee as it cools. Use code FILTER and this link to get 10% off. | 49m 34s | ||||||
| 4/8/24 |  What Is Good Science? Part 2: How to think like a scientist | 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 StoriesSubscribe to A History of Coffee podcast See the Mikafi countertop roaster at the Thermoplan stand (6637) at World Of Coffee Brussels. Not attending? See it here.Support hundreds of thousands of coffee farmers with Fairtrade. Discover how here. What does the Marco MilkPal look like to you? WALL-E? Something Steve Jobs would be proud of? Check it out here."Seize the Moment", the tabletop device from DiFluid that guides your customers through their coffee as it cools. Use code FILTER and this link to get 10% off. | 47m 23s | ||||||
| 3/25/24 |  What Is Good Science? Part 1: How to brew coffee like a scientist | 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 newsletterLeave a 5 star rating on SpotifyFollow me on Instagram and tag me in an Instagram storyWrite a review on Apple PodcastsBring out vibrancy in your coffee with BWT’s magnesium water filters for the home and cafeDive deeper into sensory science methodologiesTake Becky Bleibaum’s free introductory sensory science course! Set up a triangulation yourself with DragonflySci’s worksheetsUnderstand Rose Marie Pangborn’s three step process better with Morten Münchow (“Pangborn’s Razor”)Do a Certificate of Advanced Studies with the Coffee Excellence CentreConnect with my very knowledgeable guestsMorten Munchow - Coffee Mind websiteBecky Bleibaum - LinkedInSamo Smrke - InstagramSophie Vo - LinkedInThe Science of Coffee is made possible by these leading coffee organisations:BWT Water and MoreMarco Beverage SystemsROESTSustainable HarvestMahlkönigThe Science of Coffee is a spin-off series from James Harper's documentary podcast Filter StoriesSubscribe to A History of Coffee podcast See the Mikafi countertop roaster at the Thermoplan stand (6637) at World Of Coffee Brussels. Not attending? See it here.Support hundreds of thousands of coffee farmers with Fairtrade. Discover how here. What does the Marco MilkPal look like to you? WALL-E? Something Steve Jobs would be proud of? Check it out here."Seize the Moment", the tabletop device from DiFluid that guides your customers through their coffee as it cools. Use code FILTER and this link to get 10% off. | 46m 21s | ||||||
| 3/13/24 |  Organic Coffee, Part 2: Why don’t we see more organic coffee farms? | 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 StoriesSubscribe to A History of Coffee podcast See the Mikafi countertop roaster at the Thermoplan stand (6637) at World Of Coffee Brussels. Not attending? See it here.Support hundreds of thousands of coffee farmers with Fairtrade. Discover how here. What does the Marco MilkPal look like to you? WALL-E? Something Steve Jobs would be proud of? Check it out here."Seize the Moment", the tabletop device from DiFluid that guides your customers through their coffee as it cools. Use code FILTER and this link to get 10% off. | 41m 21s | ||||||
| 2/26/24 |  Organic Coffee, Part 1: The magic of soil | 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 StoriesSubscribe to A History of Coffee podcast See the Mikafi countertop roaster at the Thermoplan stand (6637) at World Of Coffee Brussels. Not attending? See it here.Support hundreds of thousands of coffee farmers with Fairtrade. Discover how here. What does the Marco MilkPal look like to you? WALL-E? Something Steve Jobs would be proud of? Check it out here."Seize the Moment", the tabletop device from DiFluid that guides your customers through their coffee as it cools. Use code FILTER and this link to get 10% off. | 38m 48s | ||||||
| 2/12/24 |  Coffee Roasting, Part 2: Roasting made easy | 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 storyWrite a review on Apple PodcastsLeave a 5 star rating on SpotifyDive deeper into the science of roastingExplore ROEST’s innovative products for the coffee industry.Learn more from Morten Münchow and his coffee roasting coursesRead Morten’s paper in collaboration with the University of Copenhagen on Roasting Conditions and Coffee FlavourConnect with my very knowledgeable guestsSverre Simonsen - LinkedInCallum Gilmour - LinkedInVeronica Balduc - LinkedInMorten Münchow - Coffee Mind websiteScott Rao - InstagramThe 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 StoriesSubscribe to A History of Coffee podcast See the Mikafi countertop roaster at the Thermoplan stand (6637) at World Of Coffee Brussels. Not attending? See it here.Support hundreds of thousands of coffee farmers with Fairtrade. Discover how here. What does the Marco MilkPal look like to you? WALL-E? Something Steve Jobs would be proud of? Check it out here."Seize the Moment", the tabletop device from DiFluid that guides your customers through their coffee as it cools. Use code FILTER and this link to get 10% off. | 46m 19s | ||||||
| 1/29/24 |  Coffee Roasting, Part 1: How heat transforms coffee beans | 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 storyWrite a review on Apple PodcastsLeave a 5 star rating on SpotifyConnect with my very knowledgeable guestsMark Al-Shemmeri - LinkedInCallum Gilmour - LinkedInVeronica Balduc - LinkedInAnja Rahn - LinkedInIldi Revi - LinkedInSamo Smrke - InstagramMorten Münchow - Coffee Mind 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 StoriesSubscribe to A History of Coffee podcast See the Mikafi countertop roaster at the Thermoplan stand (6637) at World Of Coffee Brussels. Not attending? See it here.Support hundreds of thousands of coffee farmers with Fairtrade. Discover how here. What does the Marco MilkPal look like to you? WALL-E? Something Steve Jobs would be proud of? Check it out here."Seize the Moment", the tabletop device from DiFluid that guides your customers through their coffee as it cools. Use code FILTER and this link to get 10% off. | 37m 39s | ||||||
| 1/15/24 |  Smell and Taste, Part 2: Are you and I tasting the same flavours? | Ever wonder why you and your friends can taste the same coffee, but you can’t agree on the flavour notes? Join me as I explore this metaphysical mystery! I speak with leading scientists and ask: are the flavour receptors in your nose and mouth the same as mine? How does music and the shape of a cup affect what we taste? What about our different cultural backgrounds and language? Best of all, I put all these questions to the test in the Athen’s World of Coffee trade show. Many poor unsuspecting Filter Stories spit, splutter and gasp in the name of science!---------See Marco Beverage Systems' SP9 for yourself, and discover their range of consistent and energy-efficient coffee brewers for your cafe. Please spread the word about The Science of Coffee!Follow me on Instagram and tag me in an Instagram storyWrite a review on Apple PodcastsLeave a 5 star rating on SpotifyConnect with my very knowledgeable guestsHelene Hopfer - LinkedInJoel Mainland - LinkedInFabiana Carvalho - InstagramJanice Wang - LinkedInFelipe Reinoso - LinkedInFreda Yuan - InstagramMandy Naglich - InstagramThe Science of Coffee is made possible by these leading coffee organisations:BWT Water and MoreMarco Beverage SystemsROESTSustainable HarvestMahlkönigThe Science of Coffee is a spin-off series from James Harper's documentary podcast Filter StoriesSubscribe to A History of Coffee podcast See the Mikafi countertop roaster at the Thermoplan stand (6637) at World Of Coffee Brussels. Not attending? See it here.Support hundreds of thousands of coffee farmers with Fairtrade. Discover how here. What does the Marco MilkPal look like to you? WALL-E? Something Steve Jobs would be proud of? Check it out here."Seize the Moment", the tabletop device from DiFluid that guides your customers through their coffee as it cools. Use code FILTER and this link to get 10% off. | 39m 17s | ||||||
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