The Great Coffee Conundrum: Coffee enthusiasts often buy beans impulsively, forget what they have at home, and miss opportunities to truly savor the nuanced flavors hiding in their daily cup. Meanwhile, roasters struggle to understand how their carefully crafted beans are actually experienced by consumers.
The Hypothesis
Can structured tasting experiences transform casual coffee drinking into mindful appreciation? We're investigating whether guided sensory evaluation, combined with pantry management, might unlock both personal coffee enlightenment and valuable market insights for roasters.
The Experiment 🧪
We're exploring how a digital coffee companion might help people:
- Track their coffee inventory and prevent duplicate purchases
- Develop their palate through guided tasting sessions
- Discover patterns in their flavor preferences
- Connect with roasters through meaningful feedback data
Features Being Tested 🛠️
☕ Pantry Management
- Digital coffee bean inventory with photos, roast dates, and notes
- Purchase tracking to avoid buying duplicates
- Freshness indicators and optimal brewing windows
👃 Guided Tastings
- Structured sensory evaluation framework (aroma, acidity, body, finish)
- Progressive skill building from beginner to advanced palate
- Comparative tastings to identify personal preferences
📊 Insight Generation
- Personal flavor profile development over time
- Recommendation engine based on tasting history
- Anonymous data sharing with participating roasters
🤝 Roaster Partnership
- Direct feedback loop between consumers and coffee producers
- Market insights for roasters about flavor preferences
- Discovery platform for new beans matching user tastes
Working theory: When we slow down and pay attention to what we're drinking, both the coffee and the drinker become more interesting.
