Optimal Roast Batch Size, Whole Bean > Ground, and Q Grader Recertification

• Why is whole bean coffee better than ground coffee?

  By Lauren Loudon for newGround

  “Purchasing ground coffee offers clear benefits. For those without a grinder, and for those that prioritise a quick and uncomplicated brew method at home, it's the obvious choice. Outside of these factors, however, there are convincing reasons to buy whole bean coffee - and it starts with the roasting process. During roasting, coffee develops chemical compounds that give it flavour and aroma. After the roast is finished and the coffee is exposed to air, it begins to lose these compounds. This process is inevitable, but what we can control is what happens after - when the coffee is ground. Essentially, grinding coffee increases its surface area, accelerating this process.”

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• Balancing Efficiency and Quality: Identifying the Optimal Batch Size for Your Roast

  By Kat Melheim for Roast Magazine

  “Many variables go into creating the perfect roast profile—equipment, the green beans, charge temperature, development time and more. One variable often overlooked is batch size. Batch size is just as it sounds—the size of the batch of coffee you are roasting, or how many pounds (or kilos) of green coffee you load into your roasting machine at a time. Roasting machines come in various sizes, and they are typically named to reflect drum capacity, or maximum batch size.”

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• Learn To Taste Coffee At Home With A New Book By Jessica Easto

  By Zac Cadwalader for Sprudge

  “Now, Easto has turned her attention to the art of tasting coffee with her new book How To Taste Coffee. Releasing October 24th by Agate Publishing, How To Taste Coffee takes the same approach of Craft Coffee and applies it to tasting. In her well-researched second outing, Easto breaks down the science, terminology, and practice of cupping coffee and packages it for an audience that probably hasn't had formal palate training, which of course she provides exercises for that as well.”

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• How often do Q graders need to recertify?

  By Rodolfo Zanin for Perfect Daily Grind

  “Many coffee professionals choose to become Q graders for a number of reasons. Whether it's to know more about sourcing green coffee or achieving more defined roast profiles, the Q grader certification programme can be a useful - or even necessary - tool to progress in your specialty coffee career. In light of this, certifying as a Q grader has become something of an industry standard. But like many other certifications across the coffee supply chain - ranging from carbon neutral to organic - maintaining a Q grader license requires regular recertification. So how often do coffee professionals need to retrain as Q graders and why?”

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