Reviews & Guides

Best Whole Bean Coffee Gifts for 2026 | Shop Coffee Hobby
Best Whole Bean Coffee Gifts for 2026 | Shop Coffee Hobby
Our picks from the Shop Coffee Hobby catalog — each one chosen for provenance, flavor distinction, and the kind of quality that makes a gift memorable. Read more...
Coffee Review: Guadalupe Altura (Colombia)
Coffee Review: Guadalupe Altura (Colombia)
Colombian coffees carry a reputation for reliability — balanced, approachable, rarely a bad cup. "Altura" in the name is a nod to that classic profile: beans grown at higher elevation,... Read more...
How to Choose Coffee Beans: A Complete Guide to Roast, Origin, Freshness, and Grind
How to Choose Coffee Beans: A Complete Guide to Roast, Origin, Freshness, and Grind
A complete guide to choosing coffee beans: matching roast and origin to your taste, picking a roaster for real freshness, how long to let beans rest, and matching beans and... Read more...
The Essential Tools for Making Espresso at Home (And How to Dial In Your Shot)
The Essential Tools for Making Espresso at Home (And How to Dial In Your Shot)
Everything you need to start pulling real espresso at home: the right scale, machine, and grinder, plus a step-by-step process for dialing in your grind, timing, and temperature. Read more...
The Perfect Pour-Over: A Step-by-Step Guide to Better Coffee at Home
The Perfect Pour-Over: A Step-by-Step Guide to Better Coffee at Home
Master pour-over coffee at home with our complete guide covering the right scale, coffee-to-water ratio, grind size, blooming technique, and pour timing. Read more...
New Light Has Arrived: First Pulls of Superlost's Rwanda Kanzu 726 - Shop Coffee Hobby
New Light Has Arrived: First Pulls of Superlost's Rwanda Kanzu 726
Our first pull of New Light by Superlost — a single-farm washed coffee from Rwanda's Karambi community — fresh off a roast from just last week. Read more...
You Don't Need a $6,000 Machine to Fall in Love With Espresso - Shop Coffee Hobby
You Don't Need a $6,000 Machine to Fall in Love With Espresso
A La Marzocco isn't the entry price for good espresso at home. Here's what to actually start with — and why simple gear paired with good beans beats an expensive... Read more...
Kahawa 1893 Ethiopian Medium — First Impressions - Shop Coffee Hobby
Kahawa 1893 Ethiopian Medium — First Impressions
Citrus, chocolate, and a buttery mouthfeel — Kahawa 1893 Ethiopian Medium made a strong first impression. Here's the flavor breakdown and espresso dial-in settings. Read more...
Why you should keep a shot log - Shop Coffee Hobby
Why you should keep a shot log
If your espresso tastes different every day, a shot log is the fix. Learn how specialty baristas use data to pull consistent shots — and how you can too. Read more...
Bean Review: Jaja Java Light Roast Espresso Blend - Shop Coffee Hobby
Bean Review: Jaja Java Light Roast Espresso Blend
Right out of the bag, the aroma is unmistakably floral — not a subtle background note, but a genuine airy quality that tells you this bean wasn't roasted to hide... Read more...
Why Brew Temperature Matters (And How to Adjust It by Roast)
Why Brew Temperature Matters (And How to Adjust It by Roast)
Grind size and timing aren't the only dials on a shot — brew temperature matters too. Here's why raising temperature can fix a sour shot, why dark roasts want a... Read more...
Are You an Espresso Drinker? A Quick Gut Check
Are You an Espresso Drinker? A Quick Gut Check
A lighthearted quiz for whether you're wired to be an espresso drinker — stout over lager, whiskey neat, drinks that need to be bold — plus my own origin story... Read more...
Dialing In: Grind Size, Timing, and Reading Your Shot
Dialing In: Grind Size, Timing, and Reading Your Shot
Grind size drives almost everything about your shot. Here's where to start, why 20 to 30 seconds is a solid timing target, how to dial in grind based on shot... Read more...
A Home Barista's Guide to Cupping
A Home Barista's Guide to Cupping
Cupping is the industry-standard way to taste coffee, and it works just as well at home. Here's the basic process — grind, steep, break the crust, skim, and slurp —... Read more...
Why Light Roasts Might Be the Best Kept Secret in Espresso
Why Light Roasts Might Be the Best Kept Secret in Espresso
Dark roasting masks a lot of what makes a bean unique. Here's why light roast espresso lets floral and fruity flavors come through at the back of the palate, where... Read more...
Origin and Roast Level: Why It's Worth Branching Out
Origin and Roast Level: Why It's Worth Branching Out
Most home baristas start with medium or dark roasts and stop there. Here's how origin and roast level actually change what's in your cup — and why branching out, especially... Read more...
Espresso Tamper Sizing: Why It Matters and What Size Fits Your Machine
Espresso Tamper Sizing: Why It Matters and What Size Fits Your Machine
A tamper that doesn't match your portafilter leaves a gap that leads straight to channeling. Most machines are 58mm, but Breville, De'Longhi, Ninja, and others often aren't — here's a... Read more...
What Is a WDT Tool, and Why Your Shots Need One
What Is a WDT Tool, and Why Your Shots Need One
Uneven, channeling shots usually start before you ever tamp. Here's what a WDT tool does, why it prevents channeling, the different forms it comes in — needle blocks, spinning WDTs,... Read more...
Choosing an Espresso Scale: What Actually Matters
Choosing an Espresso Scale: What Actually Matters
If you only upgrade one thing in your espresso setup, make it your scale. Here's what to actually look for: timer plus gram measurement, 0.1g accuracy, rechargeable battery, easy cleanup,... Read more...