From Non-Coffee Drinker to Home Roaster

Before Coffee Was a Thing #

A few years ago, coffee simply was not part of my life. I did not build my mornings around it, and I never paid attention to origin or roast levels. If you had asked me back then what coffee tastes like, I would probably have answered: strong or not strong enough.

That description would have been honest and very incomplete because I didn’t have a clue.

The Trigger: A Coffee Machine #

The starting point of everything was my girlfriend wanting a coffee machine at home. Preparing coffee with a Bialetti every day felt like too much work for her, so she asked me to look for a good alternative.

I began researching machines, thinking it would be a quick decision. But instead of just comparing brands, I fell into forums, reviews and technical discussions. The deeper I went, the more I became fascinated — not so much by coffee itself at first, but by the technicality behind it.

Pressure, temperature stability, grind size, extraction time, suddenly this was not just about making a drink. It was about controlling variables.

Why a Portafilter Machine #

A portafilter machine seemed to be the right choice. It offered room for experimentation. You could adjust grind size, dose, yield, extraction time. Everything felt measurable and influenceable. There is even research ongoing in this space The_Espresso_Coffee_Problem

I liked that.

It took me quite some time to really get started. Espresso is not forgiving. Dialing in shots can be frustrating. But that challenge was exactly what kept me engaged. Instead of pressing a button, I had to understand what I was doing.

For almost three years, I mainly drank darker roasts. Coming from a non-coffee background, they felt more “coffee-like” (and Italian) to me: Intense, bold and classic. Acidity was something I avoided because I associated it with sourness or mistakes in brewing.

From One Rabbit Hole to Another #

But in the coffee space, it is surprisingly easy to move from one rabbit hole to the next.

Once you start adjusting grind settings and comparing beans, you begin to question roast levels. Why does this espresso taste flat? Why does another one feel more vibrant? Slowly, I developed a taste for espressos with more acidity and fruitiness. What once felt strange suddenly tasted complex and exciting.

That shift in preference opened the next door: roasting.

If so much flavor is determined before the beans even reach the grinder, why not try influencing that part as well?

Discovering Roasting #

Roasting combined everything I enjoyed such as technical control and sensory feedback. I was especially drawn to Fluid Air Bed roasting. The idea of beans floating in hot air, reacting instantly to airflow and heat adjustments, perfectly matched my fascination with technical systems.

Watching the color changes, listening for first crack, managing development time, it felt like espresso preparation on another level.

I also enjoy the creative side of roasting. Sometimes the goal is to highlight the character of a single origin, while other times different coffees can be combined into blends to create balance and complexity (My favorite blends).

Every bean adds another layer of learning. Malabar Monsooned for instance with their lower density and unique processing required adjustments in heat application and airflow. They behave differently, and that difference is exactly what makes roasting so interesting.

Looking Back #

It is strange to think that this journey started with someone wanting to avoid the daily effort of using a Bialetti.

I began as someone who did not drink coffee at all. Then I became fascinated by the technical side of a portafilter machine. From darker roasts I slowly moved toward fruitier, more acidic espressos. And from brewing, I eventually stepped into roasting.

In coffee, one question always leads to another. But in the end my girlfriend also got “her personal” fully automatic coffee machine by letting me prepare her espresso every morning.