I used to roast by ear alone, but a string of bad batches made me rethink everything.

I used to roast coffee only by listening for cracks and watching the color. It felt more hands-on and natural to me. After several bad batches, I tried using a thermometer. I found my temperatures were all over the place, leading to uneven roasts. Now I see the value in measuring, but I wonder if it takes away from the art. Do you rely on your senses or use tools like thermometers?

3 comments

3 Comments

cora9091mo ago

It's like cooking where guessing the temp never works out lol.

james_martin931mo ago

Fifty degrees hot, that's insane!

diana_flores251mo ago

Baking bread taught me a similar hard lesson. Going by crust color alone led to burnt outsides and raw dough inside. A simple oven thermometer showed my old oven ran hot by fifty degrees. Now I use both the tool and my senses, and my bread actually tastes good. Measuring doesn't kill the art, it stops you from wasting good beans or flour. You gotta know the rules before you can break them well.