Notebook #1: Why we're doing this
The first entry in our learning-in-public notebook. What Java Matters is, what it isn't, and the questions we want to answer first.
This is the first entry in the Notebook: short, informal posts about what we’re learning, trying and getting wrong as we dig into coffee. The longer explainers live in the other sections; this is the working diary.
Where this started
It started with a price tag. A bag of everyday coffee had quietly crept up to a number that seemed absurd, and the obvious question, why?, turned out to have a surprisingly tangled answer: weather in Brazil, tariffs, futures markets, contracts signed months in advance. Each answer opened two more questions.
That’s when it became clear how little most of us know about a drink we have every single day.
What we are, and aren’t
We’re coffee enthusiasts, not professionals. No barista trophies, no roastery. That shapes how we work:
- We cite sources for anything factual, at the bottom of every article.
- We say when we’re unsure. If numbers conflict, we’ll tell you.
- We correct mistakes in the open, with a note at the top of the piece.
The questions on our list
Here’s what we want to understand first. Expect explainers on each:
- Who actually earns what from a $9 bag of coffee, from farmer to shelf?
- Does “specialty” coffee taste better, or is it mostly marketing? We plan to run some blind tastings.
- What do “fair trade”, “organic” and “direct trade” really guarantee?
- How is climate change affecting where coffee can grow?
- Is Java coffee worth seeking out today?
What’s next
Next up in the Notebook: a blind taste test of supermarket coffee against a specialty bag, brewed the same way. We’ll report back honestly, even if the cheap one wins.
If there’s a coffee question you’ve always wondered about, reply to the newsletter. Reader questions will shape what we write.