Record the stable details
Bean, roaster, roast date, brewer, grinder, dose, and water are enough to identify a recipe. Add a photo when the bag has details you do not want to type.
- Bean: name, roaster, origin, and process
- Roast date, so you can see how age affects the cup
- Brewer, grinder, and grind setting
- Dose, water or yield, and the resulting ratio
- Water temperature and total brew time
Write one useful sentence
A note such as “sweet, clear, slight dryness at the finish” tells your future self more than a score on its own. Keep it short so you keep doing it.
If you are stuck for words, walk through aroma, sweetness, acidity, body, and finish, and write down the one that stood out most.
Log the ratio, not just two weights
Two weights are hard to compare across brews of different sizes, but a ratio is not. 18 g in and 36 g out is 1:2, and 20 g of coffee with 320 g of water is 1:16. Record it next to the weights so a small brew and a large one can be compared at a glance.
Try your own numbers below to see the ratio and where it sits among common recipes.
Try it: brew ratio
See how strong your recipe really is
Ratio
1:16
Coffee share
5.9 %
Closest common recipe: V60 pour-over at 1:16.
Score honestly, or skip the score
A score is only useful if it means the same thing every time. Keep the scale small and define the ends in your own words.
- 1: I poured it away.
- 3: Fine for a normal morning.
- 5: I want to brew this exact recipe again.
Log the change, not just the result
The most valuable field in a brew log is what you changed since last time. “Two clicks finer” plus “less sour” teaches you more than a perfect cup with no context, because it shows what moves the taste.
Change one thing per brew so each entry has a clear cause and effect.
Keep it fast
A log you skip is worse than a short one you keep. Log right after the first sip, start from your last recipe for the same bean, and only edit what changed. Take a photo of the bag instead of typing its label out. On paper, one line such as “Moonrise Lot 17, Espresso: 18 g in, 36 g out (1:2), 28 s, grind 12” is enough.
Review patterns over time
Compare brews for the same bean and method. Your history shows which changes improved the cup and which ones only added work.
- Which grind setting did this bean like best?
- How did the cup change as the beans aged?
- Which method do I actually reach for on busy days?