Weeks 1–2 · Measure
Weighing in and out, and logging honestly.
The programs, in detail
Four programs of 4 to 10 weeks, all worked on the equipment already on your counter.
Program 01 · Sour, bitter, or right
Dialing in espresso
We work on one variable at a time, on weighing in and out every single shot, and on tasting deliberately — sour means under, harsh and drying means over, and knowing the difference ends most of the frustration in the first fortnight.
Weeks 3–4 · Tasting
Telling under-extraction from over-extraction.
Weeks 5–6 · Your recipe
A repeatable shot for the beans you actually buy.
Weeks 1–2 · Ratio and grind
The two levers that matter most.
Weeks 3–4 · Technique
Bloom, pour rate and agitation.
Weeks 5–6 · Water
Why your cup changes on vacation.
Program 02 · Clean and sweet
Filter & pour-over
Filter coffee is where flavors show most clearly and where small errors are obvious. We cover ratios, bloom, pour pattern and the effect of your water, then build a recipe you can hit half-asleep on a Tuesday.
Program 03 · Texture before pattern
Milk & latte art
Latte art fails at the steaming stage, not the pouring stage. We fix texture first — air early, roll it, no big bubbles — then work on pour height and speed. Oat and other alternatives get their own treatment, because they behave differently.
Weeks 1–2 · Texture
Glossy, not foamy. Everything depends on this.
Weeks 3–4 · The pour
Height, speed and where the pattern comes from.
Weeks 5–6 · Patterns
Hearts and tulips, consistently.
Weeks 1–2 · The label
Roast date, origin, process, and the marketing words.
Weeks 3–4 · Your taste
Building a short list of roasters you trust.
Program 04 · Read the bag
Buying beans well
Most people's biggest upgrade is not equipment, it is buying fresher coffee and storing it properly. We go through reading a bag, matching roast style to your brewer, subscriptions worth having, and how quickly to get through a bag once it is open.
What does your coffee taste like?
Twenty minutes on your gear, your beans and the one change worth making. Free.