A mother coffee plant gifts its baby everything it needs to grow—a green seed packed with food. But when we roast coffee, we hijack that gift and turn it into something else: flavor.

But what is flavor, at a microscopic level? What actually happens inside the bean when heat meets those nutrients?

In this episode, we shrink down to witness the Maillard reaction up close—a wild chain of molecular collisions that transforms baby plant food into aromas we adore. 

Grab your popcorn - you’re getting a front row seat at the wildest chemistry show in coffee. 

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Ethiopian forest sounds curtesy of George Vlad. Hear more nature sounds here.

Go deeper into the science of roasting

Do a Certificate of Advanced Studies with the Coffee Excellence Centre

Grab a copy of Anja Rahn's upcoming book on coffee science through her Instagram

Explore Barista Hustle's online roasting learning

Learn more from Morten Münchow and his coffee roasting courses

Read Morten’s paper in collaboration with the University of Copenhagen on Roasting Conditions and Coffee Flavour

Follow Sebastian Opitz on LinkedIn

Follow Filter Stories on Instagram for my infographics

Season 3 is made possible by these leading coffee organizations:

The Coffee Quest | BWT | TODDY | Algrano | Probat