One habit that changed the way I drink coffee

Let’s be honest—how many times have you tried a new coffee and thought, “Wow—that’s amazing,” only to forget what it was a week later?

Was it the beans? The grind size? The new pour-over method? It’s a frustratingly delicious mystery that keeps happening to coffee lovers like us. I can’t even count how many incredible coffees I’m missing from my life because I didn’t have a way to remember them.

Why we forget the best coffees

Drinking coffee is a sensory experience—and without the right tools and knowledge, it’s hard to describe or recall what you are tasting.

Knowing what determines a coffee’s flavor and how they interact with each other is essential to recognizing, appreciating, and reproducing a great cup of coffee.

What’s worth remembering

Here are a few details I started jotting down in my notes early on:

• Origin - Different countries have different flavor profiles. For example, beans from Latin America often lean toward bright acidity and citrusy notes while African beans are full of berry, floral, and sometimes even tea-like scents.
• Variety - Think of this as grape variants in wine. Geisha beans have a juicy, floral complexity while Bourbon varieties have a chocolatey and comforting taste.
• Altitude - Higher elevations often yield denser beans with more acidity and complexity.
• Brew Method - Pour-over, chemex, French press—different brew methods make a huge difference in how the coffee tastes (as an espresso lover, this matters more to me than what kind of beans were used)
• Grind Size - A grind too fine in a pour-over might over-extract and taste bitter, while a grind too course can leave your coffee sour or weak.
• Brew Time - For myself, 2:45 total brew with a 30-second bloom for a V60 hits the sweet spot. How about you?

These are just the basics. As your palate develops, you’ll naturally start paying attention to finer details, such as harvest time and gear used.

How logging my coffee changed everything

At first, I thought writing down the specific types of coffee was just a logical step—a practical way to remember a cup of coffee. All in your head.

What I discovered is that it’s actually a ritual that comes from the heart. I started to log where I was, what I tasted, and how I felt in the moment. It made each brew more meaningful and memorable. It was more than just remembering flavors, it was about savoring moments.

What I found to be the best way to capture every cup

I started by taking quick notes on my iPhone.

“Café near 8th and Grand Ave. Ethiopian beans. Good acidity.”

Details? Nowhere to be seen. Organized? Not even close. Useful? Barely.

Then I stumbled on Bean to Brew, a game-changing coffee journal that transformed how I log and reflect on my coffee.

It includes thoroughly structured sections dedicated for everything I mentioned above and more, including:

• Beans (origin, roastery, variety, altitude, harvest time, process, tasting notes, personal impressions)
• Brew Recipes (processing method, equipment, grind size, brew time, ratio)
• Café (location, ambience, menu)
• Flavor Wheel / Flavor Chart (aroma, sweetness, body, acidity, balance)
• Coffee Around the World
• Grind Chart
• Coffee Guide

My personal favorite is the Brew Recipes page, which is thoughtfully designed to help you dial in every detail for a perfect brew.

It starts with the beans—their origin, variety, name, and brewery. Then, the preparation—which method, with which settings did I use? For a pour-over, it even prompts you to log water temperature and pouring technique.

Yes, pouring technique!

I used to think there was just one “correct” way: spiral pouring. But this journal introduced me to center pour and pulse pouring. For now, I’ll stick with spiral, but experimenting with those methods was a lot of fun!

A journal that’s as thoughtful as your coffee ritual

Brew Recipes is just one of the dozens of amazing pages in this journal. I wish I could introduce each and every one, but I really recommend you get started with it yourself.

It’s intuitive and friendly, yet professional and thorough. Whether you’re just now venturing into the world of coffee or you’ve been curating your taste for years, this journal meets you where you are and elevates your experience.

Ready to turn your next cup into a lasting memory?

Get your copy of Bean to Brew - The Complete Coffee Journal.

With every page, you’ll sharpen your palate, spot patterns in your preferences, and unlock new levels of enjoyment in every brew. It’s not just about tracking data—it’s about capturing moments, memories, and flavors that would otherwise fade.

If coffee is a meaningful part of your daily ritual, Bean to Brew will become a meaningful part of it too.