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taste-log-improve

Taste, Log, Improve – How to Evaluate Your Home Roasts

Roasting is only half the story. The real magic happens when you taste what you roasted, write it down, and use that information to guide your next batch. This guide gives you a simple way to cup at home, take useful notes, and make clear decisions about what to change next.

Give your coffee time to rest

Freshly roasted coffee releases CO₂ for several hours after roasting. For most medium roasts:

  • Wait 12–24 hours before your first tasting.
  • For very light roasts, waiting up to 48 hours can smooth things out.

Simple at-home cupping setup

  • Two or three small cups or mugs (6–8 oz each)
  • Grinder set to a coarse, consistent grind
  • Hot water just off the boil
  • Spoon and a glass of water for rinsing the spoon
  • Your roast log sheet

1. Weigh and grind

Use the same ratio for each cup, for example 10 g of coffee to 170 g of water. Grind just before brewing so you can clearly smell the dry aroma.

2. Smell the dry grounds

Write down three words: for example, “nutty, chocolate, clean” or “grassy, sharp, thin”. Don’t worry about sounding like a flavor wheel—use your own language.

3. Pour and wait

Pour hot water over the grounds in each cup and start a timer for 4 minutes. A crust will form on the surface. Gently break the crust with your spoon while bringing the cup close to your nose and inhale the aroma. Note any changes from the dry smell.

4. Taste when cool enough

After 8–10 minutes, the coffee will be cool enough to taste comfortably. Slurp from the spoon to spread coffee across your tongue. Focus on:

  • Sweetness – is it flat, pleasantly sweet, or sugary?
  • Acidity – bright and juicy, or sour and sharp?
  • Body – thin, medium, or heavy?
  • Finish – clean, lingering, or harsh?

Common issues and what to change

If the coffee tastes sour, sharp, or “green”

  • Roast was likely underdeveloped.
  • Next time, go a little further past first crack (15–30 seconds longer).

If the coffee tastes flat, dull, or “baked”

  • Roast may have taken too long with gentle heat.
  • Try using slightly more heat early in the roast, or ending a bit sooner.

If the coffee tastes smoky or ashy

  • You probably roasted too dark or left the beans in the heat after the roast should have ended.
  • Stop your roast sooner and cool the beans faster.

How to use your roast log

Every time you roast, write down:

  • Bean and origin
  • Method (pan, popcorn popper, small roaster)
  • Time to first crack and total roast time
  • Approximate roast level (light, medium, dark)
  • 1–2 sentences describing flavor, acidity, and body
  • One clear change you will try next time

Over a few weeks, your log becomes a map of what works. That is how you get from random good cups to reliable, repeatable roasts.

Next steps

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