Coffee Rambler
Explore more about all things specialty coffee with Coffee Rambler's past blog posts.
17 Mar 2026
The Coffee Rambler AI Flavour wheel is unique adn updates with diary entries. Learn more about the feature and how helps train your sensory appreciation of coffee
Coffee Rambler AI: what the Coffee Enthusiast tier actually doesLearn more about the Coffee Enthusiast features on Coffee Rambler AI and waht the app looks like.
Coffeeland: A Short Summary and ReviewCoffeeland is the story of El Salvador’s century-long development into a coffee plantation. The book zooms in and out on the family and life of the tireless autodidact, James Hill (1871-1951), a Manchester-born product of Britain’s late industrial revolution, to exemplify how El Salvador’s economy became debt-laden and reliant on ‘mild’ coffee exports for cash. This had grave consequences for the people of El Salvador and their ability to feed themselves.
A Guide to How Coffee is TradedAnyone who drinks coffee knows its price fluctuates over time. Investors and traders can profit from these price movements by knowing how this agricultural commodity is traded.
Acrylamide – Beware the Californian coffee cancerIn the wake of a judge ruling that all coffee must come with a cancer warning in California, we look at why. Acrylamide is indeed a carcinogenic but is any fear warranted?
Snobbery in Specialty CoffeeThere is a perceived snobbery in Specialty Coffee. Many of us have entered a coffee shop and felt either a little out of our depth, the staff are rude or that we’re amongst a bunch of pretentious bum heads.
The Geisha Variety – What’s the big deal?The specialty coffee market appears to be flooded with companies flaunting their high quality, Geisha (also spelt Gesha) variety coffee. Even Starbucks are plastering pictures and painting it in their shops. The price is high, its aromatic/floral flavours big, and it is treated with great reverence
What is the World’s best coffee?I am frequently asked this question and you may not be surprised that I don't believe there is an answer. I would never make such a judgement on a single coffee myself, knowing that coffee is highly subjective and that the brew method, roast level, processing and mood all play a part.
Roast Definitions - From Light to DarkWe regularly hear people speaking about light, medium and dark roasted coffee. This article will cover what is meant by these terms without going into the science of roasting.
The Health Benefits of Coffee - Is coffee good for Me?The Health Benefits of Coffee Drinking coffee daily in moderation is heathy and something to relax about (sorry baristas, 7 espressos when dialling in the machine is not in moderation). Before we get scientific, I’d like to say I use coffee as a cure-all, a panacea. Got a headache? Have a coffee. Can't sleep? Have a ..
Caffeine Content and CoffeeThere is some confusion regarding the caffeine content of certain roasts and beans. In this article we will cover why coffee is caffeinated, what happens when coffee is decaffeinated, the taste of caffeine and the affect roasting has on the bean’s caffeine content.
V60 Brew Ratios - A GuideChoosing the right brew ratio and recipe for a v60 pourover can be confusing at first. This article outlines where your baseline should be and how to experiment.
Process Knowledge and Brewing CoffeeIt’s been argued that technology comes in three components; the ‘stuff’, the accompanying written information (Intellectual Property) and the Process Knowledge – knowhow held by people.
A Whole New Water World - A Peak Water ReviewI haven’t been this excited about a home brewing tool for a long, long time. The Peak Water jug has arrived and it has handed greater control to the coffee brewer. This article is a short review of using the product without going into too much depth about the science of water and extraction.
Making Espresso – The Basics of Good EspressoMaking espresso is a craft. We may have visited shops where we prefer a particular barista to another and here’s why. Some people understand coffee better and use machines professionally. They understand the nuances of flavour and care about the quality of their cup. These are some basic tips to make great espresso
Coffee Grind Size Wheel - Introduction to grind sizesThe Coffee Rambler grind size wheel was designed to make it easier to learn about grind sizes. It aims to reduce the need of referring to grind sizes as salt, sugar or sesame seeds. By looking at the wheel we can see the grind size required for different brew methods.
Coffee and Strength – What is a Strong Coffee?"I like a really Strong Coffee!" What is a strong coffee? How do we make coffee weaker or stronger? Here we discuss proper use of the term in order to improve our coffee experience.
Milky Coffee at Home – Understanding Milk and Doing it RightHow do we best prepare milk for coffee at home? Even without a Nespresso milk frother or a steam wand we can still produce good, foamy milk. Here's how...
Water for coffee Part II – Tasting with pH in mindIn Part I we looked at how Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) in water impact the taste of coffee. We also wanted to know how much the pH (acidity and alkalinity) affected taste and so selected 4 different mineral waters with similar TDS counts. Once again, I partnered up with water sommelier, Götz of MaiAqua, for the test.Note – I am in no way affiliated with MaiAqua. The reason for this test was purely in the interest of coffee.We used one, light roasted, Kenyan coffee so we could focus on the wate
Water for Coffee Part I - A TDS taste test and the importance of waterWater makes up over 98% of brewed coffee and is the solvent for extracting flavour from the beans. As you might imagine, it is important to use the right water for brewing. But how much does water affect taste? How does it affect acidity, bitterness and flavour? I joined up with a water sommelier, Götz of MaiAqua.
Aeropress Filters - Metal or Paper?Which filter makes a better coffee with the Aeropress? Paper or Metal?
Why is the Grind So Important?Getting the Right GrindIt may appear rather trivial, but one of the most important aspects of brewing coffee is getting your grind right. To put it simply, too large a grind size for a particular brew method, and the coffee will be too sour or watery. Too fine a grind, the coffee will be overly bitter and unpleasant.Uneven Grind SizeOne of the worst things for brewing coffee is having an uneven grind size. This is why clean burr grinders are preferable to blades. Blades chop the coffee up into
How is Coffee Extracted?Coffee Extraction The way coffee is extracted has an enormous effect on the end result. After such a long journey from farm to cup, it’s a massive shame when the brew produces a terrible cup. It is therefore important to know how coffee is extracted and what you should do to bring the best out of every coffee.
Keeping that Fresh Coffee TasteAs soon as coffee is roasted it starts to lose freshness. Therefore, storing coffee correctly is important for maintaining a high quality cup.
Coffee Brewing Tips - Simple Ways to Improve Your BrewHere are some simple coffee brewing tips for making better coffee. Keep these in mind for all brew methods.
Coffee with CovidI’ve recently suffered Covid-19 and it got me thinking about the sensory side of coffee, given the taste buds and olfactory system have decided to pack up and die. As of writing this, it is 10 days since my flavour and scent perception faded and 14 since the first symptoms started, those being fatigue, headaches and brain fog.
Coffee and Consciousness – How coffee can aid our general awareness and personal developmentThrough learning more about coffee we can come to learn more about ourselves. My experience has lead me to a greater consciousness of many aspects in my life to which I find transferable, particularly relating to the sensory analysis of coffee.
Tasting Extraction – An easy experiment for understanding balanceWhen drinking a badly brewed coffee with nothing to compare the taste with, it can sometimes be difficult to identify if it’s under or over extracted. With little experience of what these taste like, bitter and sour are easy to confuse. This test is helpful for knowing the difference.
Testing Your Sensory Skills - A Taste TestThis is a nice little experiment for testing your sensory skills and learning the difference between sour and bitter. Here’s how to set up your taste test.
Coffee and its Compounds - What is Aroma, Taste and Flavour?We hear the words aroma, taste and flavour being used but what do they actually mean? These are categories for how the human senses perceive different chemical compounds. It is now known that roasted coffee is made up of over 800 aroma-imparting compounds and roughly 700 of these are soluble in water, meaning ...
Tasting Coffee - Learning to taste Specialty CoffeeI believe specialty coffee is superior partly for the beautiful natural flavours missing in dark roasts and low grade coffees. But how can we most appreciate these flavours? Tasting coffee (or anything for that matter) and then describing what you taste is a skill. With that in mind, here are some tips for improving
Instant Coffee Production – A Summary of BBC’s Inside the FactoryHow do they make instant coffee? On the 17th of august the BBC show, Inside the Factory, gave us an insight into the manufacturing of instant coffee. It was an incredibly interesting watch and revealed the vast scale and energy required to make such a product in vast quantities. Read more here...
The Dry Process - An Introduction to Natural CoffeesNatural processed coffees (also called dry) are capable of beautiful tropical fruit, dried fruit and rum cocktail like flavours. They are relatively low in acidity (compared with the washed process), fuller in body and are perceived as sweeter. It was a natural processed coffee which really kicked off ...
The Journey of Coffee – From Seed to CupTaking the journey of coffee for granted is understandable. We pay to receive a latte at the local shop or just add water to granules at home. Some are even unsure of what coffee is, unaware it is the fruit of a tropical tree. Here we’ll look at the journey of coffee seed to roasted bean.
Coffee Pests, (not-so) Fungi and Diseases125 million people depend on coffee for their livelihoods. 41% of Ethiopia’s exports are in coffee. With coffee making up such an important part of developing country’s economies, coffee pests, fungi and diseases can cause great damage to the lives of many. Read more....
Coffee Varieties - A brief look at significant varietiesThere are many strands of the Coffea Arabica species, some natural varieties, and some man-made cultivars. Here we look at some of the most well-known varieties and their general characteristics. Most coffee strands are descendent of Typica and Bourbon...
Coffee Processing - The Honey ProcessThe Honey Process (also called Pulped Natural) is a method of coffee processing first used in Brazil, which involves drying coffee with a certain amount of fruit left on the bean. Producers are becoming more innovative ...
Coffee Processing Methods – From Cherry to Green BeanDried Coffee Cherries Coffee must be processed from fruit to green bean before roasting. There are a number of ways of achieving this and each method produces a bean with quite different characteristics. See more...
What is Coffee? Coffee, the fruit and its speciesMany of us consume coffee without a thought for where it comes from or what it even is. Coffee Rambler hopes to not only share the joys of great coffee but also provide a platform for people to explore the extraordinary depths behind it; that being its biology, origins, history, cultivation, processing, trading and ...
What is Specialty Coffee?Why is there such a buzz around Specialty Coffee and how do we define it? The aim of Coffee Rambler is to get more people sharing and drinking great coffee, but it helps to know a bit more ...
Yerba Mate – Recipe for a summer refresherYerba Mate Not quite coffee, not quite tea, Yerba Mate is a caffeinated drink of its own. Mostly enjoyed in South America and Lebanon (biggest importer), it’s definitely another beverage for coffee and tea lovers to try.
Making Arabic Coffee – An exciting change to your coffee through adding cardamomSometimes a change in our daily coffee is appreciated. Although single origins can be varied and very delicious, craving for a different experience can take over. So why not make an Arabic coffee and have fun with an unfamiliar brew method?
Coffee Cheesecake - Simply LovelyCoffee Cheesecake Just like the tiramisu, this is another delicious, creamy, coffee dessert that’s so easy to make. Double cream thickens out the coffee and mascarpone, creating a smooth and satisfying mousse. This contrasts and balances nicely with the spiced biscuit base, with cinnamon and nutmeg adding a lively ...
Tiramisu - I love itHere’s a coffee dessert recipe for those who have a party coming up, a special date, or just love tiramisu. The warming chocolate, coffee and liquor flavours, smooth creaminess and light sponge fingers make this a harmonious treat.
Alternative Aeropress RecipesThe Aeropress is a wonderful thing. Its versatility allows you to make many different kinds of coffee of varying intensity. Below are a few favourite and very different alternative recipes when using the Aeropress.
Pancakes for Lazy MorningsTo wake up on a weekend morning, feel the warm light and realise there are no commitments is a glorious thing. The smell of coffee will enhance the relaxed atmosphere, so why not go further and make some pancakes too? Here is a simple pancake recipe for such mornings with a little guidance on getting it right
It’s Cold Brew Time – And it’s Surprisingly EasyThe weather is warming up, the mornings are getting brighter and there’s not much more rewarding than waking up and pouring yourself a glass of sweet, smooth, cold brew coffee. And what’s greater is immersion cold brew is actually easy to make.
City Café Guide - Coffee in BristolBristol, the tenth largest city in the UK, has a laid back attitude with a lively independent streak. There are plenty of excellent restaurants, great places to party and a multitude of events to experience (your writer went during Upfest, a large Street Art Festival). Naturally then, there is a vibrant ...
City Café Guide - Coffee in LondonLondon is an incredibly varied city for coffee. There are countless high street commercial coffee shops, independent cafes serving big Italian brands and then there's the specialty scene. Even within the specialty sector there is a great selection of different styles, from the darker caramel roasts of ...
City Café Guide - Coffee in WuhanThe Yellow Crane Tower Wuhan’s coffee scene has grown rapidly in the last couple years. Where it was almost impossible to find specialty coffee, there are now oases popping up with surprisingly good espresso. This is what stood out most in my last visit to Wuhan.
City Café Guide - Coffee in TokyoJapan has a long history with coffee and is one of the main importers of Hawaiian Kona and Blue Mountain. In Tokyo though, both older gourmet cafes and newer specialty shops can be found. Both are excellent.
City Café Guide – Coffee in BeijingIt’s very possible to find great coffee in Beijing. Good coffee shops tend to congregate in certain areas, like around the Yonghe Temple and other parts of Old Beijing. This is the area of the city which was once surrounded by high walls, protecting the famous Old Town...