Coffee farm under full moon showing cherry ripeness influenced by lunar cycles — harvest timing study
How Lunar Cycles Influence Coffee Harvests: Generational Wisdom Meets Modern Science
For generations, coffee farmers have followed the moon to guide their harvests. Modern research now suggests they may have been right about its quiet influence all along. Read more...
Green coffee beans passing through a multispectral sorting machine detecting chemical signatures invisible to the human eye.
The Hidden Chemistry Behind Coffee “Color Sorting”: What Machines See That We Don’t
Modern coffee color sorters don’t just see color. They scan chemical signatures—moisture, mold markers, fluorescence—to ensure only high-quality beans pass through. Read more...
Coffee beans roasting with molecular Maillard reaction models — flavor sweet spot research
Mapping the Maillard Reaction’s Hidden “Sweet Spot”: Where Flavor Peaks Before It Breaks
Scientists are finally mapping the Maillard reaction in real time, uncovering a narrow “sweet spot” where flavor compounds surge before breaking down—reshaping how coffee and food are understood. Read more...
Espresso machine group head with heated metal components, illustrating the debate over thermal memory and flavor retention.
Do Espresso Machines Have “Thermal Memory”? Baristas vs. Engineers
Some baristas believe espresso machines carry a flavor “memory” based on heat history. Engineers reject the idea, but the debate reveals surprising complexities. Read more...
Different coffee processing styles displayed by green bean colors, from blue-green washed beans to yellow honey and brown natural beans.
How Coffee Processing Methods Shape Green Bean Color
Coffee bean color is the direct result of processing: washing, drying, fermentation, and storage all shape whether beans appear blue-green, yellow, olive, or brown. Read more...
Vineyard hillside beside a high-altitude coffee farm illustrating differences in wine and coffee terroir.
How Coffee Terroir Differs From Wine Terroir
Wine reflects the land immediately. Coffee reflects the land and every step that follows — from elevation and soil to processing and roasting. Here’s how their terroirs differ. Read more...
Freshly roasted coffee beans resting and degassing in a cooling tray to develop flavor over 72 hours.
Coffee Resting: Why the Best Flavor Emerges After 72 Hours
Many assume coffee tastes best the day it’s roasted, but the real flavor emerges around 72 hours. Here’s the science behind resting and why it matters. Read more...
Coffee beans changing color during roasting, highlighting the Maillard and caramelization stages that transform sugars.
Maillard vs. Caramelization: How Coffee Roasting Transforms Sugars
Sugars transform dramatically during roasting. Maillard reactions build complexity; caramelization deepens sweetness. Together, they shape coffee’s flavor. Read more...
Ground coffee with a mix of quaker beans and fully developed beans, illustrating the impact of unripe coffee on flavor and quality.
How Quakers Affect Coffee Flavor Defects: Causes and Solutions
Quakers—underdeveloped, unripe coffee beans—create sourness and imbalance in the cup. Learn how they affect flavor and why they’re a challenge in specialty coffee. Read more...
Close-up of coffee beans next to vials of organic acids, illustrating how acidity shapes coffee flavor.
How Coffee Acidity Really Works: Understanding Organic Acids
Coffee acidity isn’t sourness—it’s a precise structure built from organic acids that define a coffee’s clarity, brightness, and character. Read more...
Medium-roasted coffee beans on a cupping table showing balance between light and dark roast characteristics.
Why Medium Roasts Often Score Higher in Cuppings
Medium roasts strike the perfect balance of sweetness, acidity, and clarity, making them the most reliable roast level for accurate cupping scores. Read more...
Scientific close-up comparing dense high-elevation coffee bean cell structure with soft low-elevation beans.
How Elevation Influences Bean Cell Structure
Elevation shapes coffee at the microscopic level, creating dense, tightly structured beans. These SHB coffees roast, grind, and extract differently — and taste brighter. Read more...