The Science of Coffee

By: James Harper
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  • Summary

  • 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
    Copyright James Harper
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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! ---------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
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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.


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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.

    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
    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 StoriesSubscribe to A History of Coffee podcast
    Show More Show Less
    55 mins

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