The Science and Craft of Coffee
Like Duolingo, but for The Science and Craft of Coffee. Tomo turns the whole topic into a game you play five minutes a day, until it actually sticks.
For the part of you with thirty open tabs that never became anything.
A deep dive: 36 levels across 5 sections, about 72 minutes end to end, roughly 14 days at five minutes a day. It moves through Precision Extraction Dynamics, Sensory Analysis and Evaluation, The Roasting Curve, Agronomy and Post-Harvest Science, and Advanced Brewing Systems.
Free forever · No credit card · iPhone & Android
Key ideas in The Science and Craft of Coffee
- Water flow physically transports the smallest particles (fines) toward the bottom of the basket
- Rapid CO2 release creates a 'gas envelope' around particles that repels water
- Accumulated fines at the filter interface increase hydraulic resistance over the course of the shot
- High internal gas pressure prevents water from entering the cellular structure of the bean
- The resulting gradient can cause the bottom of the puck to over-extract while the top remains under-extracted
- Insufficient blooming leads to 'dry pockets' and a sour, under-extracted profile despite long total brew times
- The mechanism of fines migration during an espresso shot
- How CO2 degassing affects water contact in ultra-fresh coffee
- Total Open Area (TOA) in a basket dictates how much the metal itself contributes to flow resistance
- Higher hole density allows for finer grind settings without choking the machine
- Basket shape influences the pressure distribution across the puck face
- Water follows the path of least resistance at a microscopic level regardless of surface appearance
- Puck compression is rarely perfectly uniform due to particle interlocking
- Micro-channeling results in a 'muddled' flavor where harsh bitterness and thin acidity coexist
- The relationship between basket design and flavor profile
- Understanding micro-channeling in high-density pucks
You've tried the other tabs
Thirty open tabs. Four facts you actually kept.
You watched. You nodded. By Sunday it was gone.
One answer, then back to scrolling.
Eight weeks. You meant to finish. You didn't.
Tomo gives The Science and Craft of Coffee the Duolingo treatment: levels, streaks, and quick quizzes that test what you just learned. That game loop is what the tabs above never had, so it's the one you actually finish.
Here's what playing it feels like
A real question from this course. Take your best guess.
When brewing ultra-fresh coffee, what invisible barrier is created by the rapid release of CO2?
Get it right to open this lesson and 35 more in the app.
Where The Science and Craft of Coffee takes you
Go beyond the basics of brewing to master the thermodynamics of roasting, the chemistry of extraction, and the complex microbiology of post-harvest processing.
- 1
Precision Extraction Dynamics
- The Physics of the Puck
- Water Chemistry as a Solvent
- Advanced Dialing-In Protocols
- 2
Sensory Analysis and Evaluation
- Professional Cupping and Protocol
- Identifying Defects and Taints
- 3
The Roasting Curve
- Thermodynamics of the Drum
- Chemical Transformations
- 4
Agronomy and Post-Harvest Science
- Fermentation Microbiology
- Genetics and Varietal Nuance
- The Economics of the Value Chain
- 5
Advanced Brewing Systems
- Flow and Pressure Profiling
- High-Volume Precision
5 sections · 12 units · 36 levels. Built to play, not to enroll.
You pick the voice
The Science and Craft of Coffee is taught in the The Storyteller style: every lesson is a story. Want a different feel? In the app you can spin up the same topic in any of Tomo's teaching styles. Same facts, totally different vibe.
More Food & Drink on Tomo
The Science of Specialty Coffee
Move beyond the basics of brewing to master the chemical and physical variables that define world-class coffee. Explore water chemistry, advanced extraction physics, and the complex biology of the coffee bean.
The Craft of Better Coffee
Move beyond the morning caffeine hit to understand the variables that define a perfect cup. Learn to manipulate extraction, analyze flavor profiles, and source beans like a professional.
Professional Barista Techniques
Move beyond the basics of espresso and milk. Learn to manipulate extraction variables, master water chemistry, and refine your sensory palate for professional-grade coffee service.
The Science of Better Coffee
Move beyond the basics of brewing to master the variables that define a perfect cup. Learn to manipulate water chemistry, extraction theory, and sensory analysis like a professional barista.
The Science of the Perfect Cup
Move beyond the basics of brewing to master the chemical and physical variables that define world-class coffee. Learn to manipulate extraction, analyze complex flavor profiles, and understand the journey from terroir to the final sip.
The Science of Coffee Extraction
Move beyond the recipe and master the chemical variables that dictate flavor. This course explores how mineral ions, thermal stability, and solubility curves transform a standard brew into a world-class cup.
Start The Science and Craft of Coffee today.
Download Tomo, search The Science and Craft of Coffee, and play your first lesson in under a minute.