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    Science

    The Science of Coffee

    The Science of Coffee is a journey into coffee’s hidden microscopic secrets to help you make even better coffee at home.

    Documentary maker and coffee professional James Harper travels the world and speaks with leading coffee scientists to help you appreciate coffee more deeply.

    You are going to get taken into the science of water, coffee extraction, plant genetics, espresso technology, latte foam, sonic seasoning, our sense of taste and smell, organic farming, roasting, grinding and freshness, and how to think like a scientist.

    Press the Subscribe button so you don’t miss future episodes!

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

    Follow James on Instagram: https://bit.ly/2Mlkk0O
    Listen to Filter Stories: https://bit.ly/3ajoT5

    Advertise

    Copyright: © Copyright James Harper

    • Apple Podcasts
    • Google Play
    • Spotify

    Latest Episodes:
    The hard business of selling beautiful coffee, part 1 May 19, 2025
    Show notes

    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 Spotify

    Follow me on Instagram and tag me in an Instagram story

    Write 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

    Use ProfilePrint to find the coffee your customers loved last year (without a week of cupping!). Use promo code "FILTER" to get 10% off your first year of a Mini Beluga subscription. Click here to discover ProfilePrint's many uses.

    What kind of racing car does the Gaggia Classic GT home espresso machine remind you of? Use discount code FS202610 to get 10% off.


    The Speed of Heat: How to roast more coffee, faster! Mar 24, 2025
    Show notes

    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 Spotify

    Follow me on Instagram and tag me in an Instagram story

    Write 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

    Use ProfilePrint to find the coffee your customers loved last year (without a week of cupping!). Use promo code "FILTER" to get 10% off your first year of a Mini Beluga subscription. Click here to discover ProfilePrint's many uses.

    What kind of racing car does the Gaggia Classic GT home espresso machine remind you of? Use discount code FS202610 to get 10% off.


    Coffee Roasting: How baby plant food transforms into delicious coffee flavours Mar 10, 2025
    Show notes

    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 Spotify

    Follow me on Instagram and tag me in an Instagram story

    Write 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

    Use ProfilePrint to find the coffee your customers loved last year (without a week of cupping!). Use promo code "FILTER" to get 10% off your first year of a Mini Beluga subscription. Click here to discover ProfilePrint's many uses.

    What kind of racing car does the Gaggia Classic GT home espresso machine remind you of? Use discount code FS202610 to get 10% off.


    Fruit juice or creamy almonds? Your guide to controlling cold brew flavors Feb 16, 2025
    Show notes

    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 Spotify

    Follow me on Instagram and tag me in an Instagram story

    Write a review on Apple Podcasts

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

    Explore 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

    Use ProfilePrint to find the coffee your customers loved last year (without a week of cupping!). Use promo code "FILTER" to get 10% off your first year of a Mini Beluga subscription. Click here to discover ProfilePrint's many uses.

    What kind of racing car does the Gaggia Classic GT home espresso machine remind you of? Use discount code FS202610 to get 10% off.


    Hot vs Cold: The science behind temperature and taste Feb 03, 2025
    Show notes

    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 Spotify

    Follow me on Instagram and tag me in an Instagram story

    Write a review on Apple Podcasts

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

    Explore 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

    Use ProfilePrint to find the coffee your customers loved last year (without a week of cupping!). Use promo code "FILTER" to get 10% off your first year of a Mini Beluga subscription. Click here to discover ProfilePrint's many uses.

    What kind of racing car does the Gaggia Classic GT home espresso machine remind you of? Use discount code FS202610 to get 10% off.


    Introducing: Season 3 of The Science of Coffee Jan 27, 2025
    Show notes

    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://link.filterstories.org/3TdDnHO

    For more coffee science and behind-the-scenes content, follow James on Instagram @filterstoriespodcast.

    https://link.filterstories.org/2Mlkk0O

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

    https://link.filterstories.org/3ajoT5e

    Season 3 is made possible by these leading coffee organizations:

    The Coffee Quest | BWT | TODDY | Algrano | Probat

    Use ProfilePrint to find the coffee your customers loved last year (without a week of cupping!). Use promo code "FILTER" to get 10% off your first year of a Mini Beluga subscription. Click here to discover ProfilePrint's many uses.

    What kind of racing car does the Gaggia Classic GT home espresso machine remind you of? Use discount code FS202610 to get 10% off.


    Freshness and Grinding, Part 2: How grinders work deep inside May 06, 2024
    Show notes

    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 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
    Subscribe to A History of Coffee podcast

    Use ProfilePrint to find the coffee your customers loved last year (without a week of cupping!). Use promo code "FILTER" to get 10% off your first year of a Mini Beluga subscription. Click here to discover ProfilePrint's many uses.

    What kind of racing car does the Gaggia Classic GT home espresso machine remind you of? Use discount code FS202610 to get 10% off.


    Freshness and Grinding, Part 1: Protecting your coffee’s flavours Apr 22, 2024
    Show notes

    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
    Subscribe to A History of Coffee podcast

    Use ProfilePrint to find the coffee your customers loved last year (without a week of cupping!). Use promo code "FILTER" to get 10% off your first year of a Mini Beluga subscription. Click here to discover ProfilePrint's many uses.

    What kind of racing car does the Gaggia Classic GT home espresso machine remind you of? Use discount code FS202610 to get 10% off.


    What Is Good Science? Part 2: How to think like a scientist Apr 08, 2024
    Show notes

    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 Spotify
    Follow me on Instagram and tag me in an Instagram story
    Write a review on Apple Podcasts
    Discover this episode’s sponsor BWT’s water filtration products. I use their Penguin magnesium filter cartridges and cafes can use their BestAqua ROC
    Dive deeper into the science of slurping, water and Signal Detection Theory
    Do a Certificate of Advanced Studies with the Coffee Excellence Centre
    Read Georgiana’s paper on soup slurping
    Learn more about Signal Detection Theory
    Explore 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 video
    Connect with my very knowledgeable guests
    Morten Munchow - Coffee Mind website
    Jeremy Nelson - LinkedIn
    Samo Smrke - Instagram
    Georgiana Juravle - Google Scholar
    Young Baek - Instagram
    Frank Neuhausen - LinkedIn
    Sergio Barbarisi - LinkedIn
    Alessandro Genovese - 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
    Subscribe to A History of Coffee podcast

    Use ProfilePrint to find the coffee your customers loved last year (without a week of cupping!). Use promo code "FILTER" to get 10% off your first year of a Mini Beluga subscription. Click here to discover ProfilePrint's many uses.

    What kind of racing car does the Gaggia Classic GT home espresso machine remind you of? Use discount code FS202610 to get 10% off.


    What Is Good Science? Part 1: How to brew coffee like a scientist Mar 25, 2024
    Show notes

    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
    Subscribe to A History of Coffee podcast

    Use ProfilePrint to find the coffee your customers loved last year (without a week of cupping!). Use promo code "FILTER" to get 10% off your first year of a Mini Beluga subscription. Click here to discover ProfilePrint's many uses.

    What kind of racing car does the Gaggia Classic GT home espresso machine remind you of? Use discount code FS202610 to get 10% off.


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