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 professi...
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.
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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
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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
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47:43
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.
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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
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46:39
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.
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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
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45:15
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
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2:03
Freshness and Grinding, Part 2: How grinders work deep inside
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
Netherlands