Scott Rao
Coffee consultant and author of books on espresso, roasting and brewing, including The Professional Barista's Handbook and The Coffee Roaster's Companion; writes about brewing gear and roast control at scottrao.com.
Everything they publish, on ppll ↗
Scott Rao did not write this page.
We collected these quotes from things they published elsewhere, and every quote links to where it was said. They have no account here and have not endorsed this site. Quotes are word for word; the short line under each one is our own restatement, not their wording. Their own site. Is this you? Claim it or ask us to remove it. Or tell us what is wrong here.
-
Their wordsRoast quality and color can have a big impact on perceived cup score and buying decisions, so if you are serious about choosing the right green for your company, it is a good idea to do your own sample roasting, using a system that yields your preferred roast level consistently.
-
Their wordsWhen it comes to cafe operations and roasting, efficient workflow is critical to profit margins.
-
Our reading
Most air roasters perform best near full capacity because larger batches reduce air bypass.
Their wordsAir bypass is the reason most air roasters function best near full capacity (larger batches allow less air bypass.)
- 2 months earlier
-
Their wordscrema is composed of lots of carbon dioxide, fines, oils, and bitter compounds.
↗Crema is rubbish, 2026 editionscottrao.com 1st of 2 in this piece
-
Their wordsSometimes, a good idea doesn't get traction because there isn't a convenient way to implement it.
↗Crema is rubbish, 2026 editionscottrao.com 2nd of 2 in this piece
- 5 weeks earlier
-
Their wordsIf a burr set is poorly aligned, which is much more common than is discussed, the grounds will include more fines and more boulders.
↗How to choose a grind settingscottrao.com 1st of 2 in this piece
-
Our reading
Coffee processing method's effect on fines production is much smaller than popularly believed.
Their wordsMany people believe coffee processing affects fines production, and sometimes it does a little, but its effect is drastically overstated.
↗How to choose a grind settingscottrao.com 2nd of 2 in this piece
- 6 months earlier
-
Their wordsIf a bed is too deep, one has to use a very coarse grind. The result in the cup may or may not be good enough, but the extraction level will be low, which is inefficient, in the sense of wasting coffee material.
↗Bed depth: why it mattersscottrao.com 1st of 2 in this piece
-
Their wordsChannels that manage to reach the bottom of a coffee bed carry larger, astringency-causing compounds out of the bed and into the cup.
↗Bed depth: why it mattersscottrao.com 2nd of 2 in this piece